Ending the basic sciences in any medical program is a huge breakthrough. No more genetics, biochemistry, or any other class that doesn't apply to clinical practice. Now it is time to transition to the clinic and march forward toward the reason we came here.
This quarter started a bit rocky with our pathology teacher being publicly scorned in front of our class and with me catching swine flu (I think, anyway). It ended similarly with everyone pissed at the pathology instructor but thankfully, I was flu free. The class was taught a lesson as a whole this quarter due to a select few who have treated the instructors and their classmates unprofessionally since the beginning of school. Unfortunately, the students not involved with their antics were punished too. Our pathology instructor did the punishing by slowly ramping up the intensity in the class. He gave pop quizzes over an enormous amount of material and in the end he gave us a final exam consisting of diagnosing conditions versus testing us on what he went over in the class. In a way he did test us over the material but it was written to intimidate us and confuse us rather than test our knowledge of the individual pathologies.
He got under my skin pretty bad because I felt I was prepared to be tested over his notes. After 50+ case studies to diagnose, I was shaken for the rest of the exam. I ended up getting a 71% on it. After he curved the exams I got 71 out of 78 correct. I suppose that is fair being that the majority I missed were the case studies. I will look at my exam when I get back and talk with him about why he did this to us. My hunch is that he has never been treated so disrespectfully by graduate students. In my mind, those who have been unprofessional needed to be shown this path shouldn't be taken for granted. We should be respectful to each other and our instructors. If something is not fair discuss it diplomatically rather than disrespectfully.
On that note, I am happy things went the way they did. Initially, I was upset and wanted revenge but after thinking it through, I think what happened needed to happen. After the exam people were crying and carrying on about how unfair it was. In a way, I am glad we were pushed to this limit. It seems to me that there are a lot of people who need to be taken down a notch at our school. To be humbled is a good thing every once and while. I think the visceral reaction to the exam was because we work so very hard for our grades and when there is a possibility of having to retake a class like pathology, it makes you wonder if this path could get any harder.
Now that we are halfway, I am hoping the lessons learned (or not learned) from the first half of the program make the school less unbearable to go to. Socially I can see our class bonding more and relying on each other to get through. We'll be forced to change and adapt in new ways that may make us all double think why we chose such a rigorous career. In the end, we'll be there with a new set of tools to help a lot of people and walk across that stage to receive a doctorate degree.
I hope everyone has a nice break.
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