September Update

Well, it's only been a little over one month since we began our journey to a Master of Science in Pharmacology, but it's been a ride so far. Having graduated from undergrad only a few months ago, it still doesn't seem real that I'm old enough to be earning this advanced degree and applying to medical school. But here we are!

I expected intensity and academic rigor before we even started class. I remember downloading the notes on Canvas when they became available a few days ahead of the first day and looking through them, terrified. I didn't have a strong background (or really any background) in pharmacology prior to the start of this program. I did well in undergrad, but I was worried about the "newness" of everything--a new school, new degree, new professors, new material, etc. Fortunately, the adjustment has been quite smooth, thanks to my supportive classmates and teachers who are always available to help. Without the GroupMe and Pharmwiki, I don't know what I'd do.

While there have been some stressful moments and a couple of all-nighters pulled, I can say I am very pleased with the program. Every day is still as intense as the first, and I don't expect it to get less intense any time soon, but surely I will be better able to manage the material load as we move forward. I'm still getting used to reviewing the material after class instead of procrastinating, and this is something I've been trying to work on.

Overall, I am pretty pleased with my performance on the module exams that we've had. I was less happy with the second round of exams, but there's always room for improvement. Right now, I'm just trying to stay focused on doing well on the current module for Principles. My favorite questions on the tests are the clinical vignettes. They prompt us to apply what we have learned and make us think like physicians, instead of just simply regurgitating facts or memorized information. Given how relevant the example scenarios are, I find that they make learning the material a lot easier. 

Lastly, this month, I have completed 2.5 service hours at Second Harvest Food Bank in food sorting and packaging. I plan to volunteer another 3 hours there this weekend. 

See y'all with another update in October!