I know, I know, it's been 4 months

Okay, okay, first off, I know I'm terrible, it's been 4 months since the last blog. I wish I was more consistent but here we are. Let's catch up!

New Year

For the past few years my new year's resolutions have been plentiful, however this year I made very few, but they are as follows:

• Practice yoga
• Eat a better diet
• Drink more water
• Study more and more effectively

I also set a couple of goals too:

• Improve my snowboarding
• Learn new recipes 

 These have been coming along pretty well so far!

Term 2 - Module 103 - Heart, Lungs and Blood

After new year I started back at uni and we dived straight into our first Level 5 (Second year level) module - Heart, Lungs and Blood. I also spent the first couple of days spring cleaning my room!

A few days in we received our results from the first module and I was pleased to see that I passed everything for the first module (academic skills, essay, exam, attendance), with an exam score of 82.4% (the distinction boundary was 85.8% - not too far away!).

This encouraged me that I was doing well and to keep going and keep working hard.

This term was different to the first one for many reasons.

Module 101, the clinical skills module, finally started teaching us some practical skills. We learned how to take a manual blood pressure and how to conduct a cardiovascular exam and a respiratory exam. This meant finally taking our stethoscopes out of their pristine cases and getting to use them!

Module 103, heart, lungs and blood, was immediately noticeably more in depth than the previous module, and I could already tell that I was going to need to work harder to learn all of the details. Helpfully, this module had scheduled module tutorial tests spaced out throughtout the term, five of them, which counted towards our final score. These tests encouraged me to start my revision straight away to keep on top of the material for each test, and the scores came out okay: 10/12, 12/12, 8/12, 11/12, 10/10, totalling 51/58 (87.9%).

We also got to choose a "Student Selected Component" for the first time. This is a topic that interests us, from a list we are given, and we don't get examined on it, however we do have to pass the component - by taking part and completing it to an acceptable standard (usually assessed by a powepoint or essay). The SSC I chose for this term was called "Secret Intelligence" and it was about blood biomarkers. We learned about different types of biomarkers and different conditions they can detect, including ones which are already in use and those which are at the forefront of development. We got to visit the pathology laboratory at the local hospital and have a tour as well as talks from consultants. We were assessed by powerpoint presentation and I chose to present on Rapid Diagnostic Testing as this relies on blood biomarkers. 

This term I also made more trips home, 4 in total within 9 1/2 weeks. A couple of these trips were planned and a couple were unplanned, so I was constantly on my toes. The unplanned trips weren't relating to my Dad for those of you who follow his progress, so I won't share the details of them here. But, on the subject of Dad, his chemotherapy treatment was changed to the third and final option during this term, and student support were there to help me through that change.

In other term 2 news:

• 3 of my flatmates and I chose our house for next year, and they went to view it while I was at an appointment - they loved it and we signed for it immediately!
• IT SNOWED! We turned into children and played outside in the snow, and built a snow-woman!

•  4 of my flatmates and I made a time capsule email, complete with a video, to recieve in 10 years time! We predicted our lives and reminded ourselves that we deserve to book a trip to Vegas! 

• I did some group revision sessions for the first time and actually found it helpful.
• Dog therapy came to the university!

Easter Holiday

At the end of term I left immediately after my final exam, the exam finished at 4.30pm and I was on the train by 5.10pm! I wanted to travel straight home on the Wednesday so I could get stuck back into my snowboarding improver sessions on the Thursday! I managed to squeeze in 7 sessions over the Easter break and am currently snowboarding comfortably from the "red station" on the main slope, which is the exit just below the top. I had a couple of attempts from the top at the end of my last session and let's just say that was a disaster! I ended up with a bruised coccyx to go along with the potentially broken hand from the week before (Do as I say, not as I do, and go for x-rays when you're told to! I'm currently almost 3 weeks post hand injury and still sore).

During the holiday I worked a fair amount, having 8 days off total out of the 32 I was home. However, I still had time to catch up with my family and friends, help rearrange my sister's bedroom, sort Japan photos with my brother for our scrapbooks, start working on my Family Study Essay, and play too much Sims 4! I also managed to do a little bit of student stuff at my workplace - practicing taking histories from patients, checking blood pressure and listening to some chests, and I spent a couple of mornings with the 3rd years from our local uni and it was crazy to see how much more they know! And one of our GPs donated me even more textbooks!

Just before I came back to uni my sister celebrated her birthday and it was nice to get the whole family together for a little buffet dinner.

As Term 3 has only just started I think I'll write about it in a separate post. However, I will just include on the end of this post that I passed everything for the second module (exam, module tutorial tests, student selected component, attendance), with an overall score of 80.5%. This is the combined results of my module tutorial test score of 87.9% (distinction boundary of 89.7%), and my exam score of 79.7% (distinction boundary of 81.1%).

Thanks for reading,
Katherine x

Term 2 is looming!

First things first, I hope you've had a lovely Christmas, or other seasonal/religious holiday, and if you're studying I hope you've had a nice, restful break. 

I'll pick up where I left off the last blog post. My module exam was only days away and I was going stir crazy from being cooped up in my room doing revision, but it was all worth it (I hope) as when I sat the exam I felt okay about the questions. I had a couple that I didn't have a clue what to write but other than that I felt like I either knew the topic or knew enough to write something down. Exam results are on Wednesday 9th January so I'll let you know after that if I actually did okay!

After the exam, that evening, we went out for dinner to celebrate another flat birthday. We went to a cute little Lebanese restaurant in the city.

The next morning I had my Academic Skills sign off appointment with my tutor, and then got straight on the train to London to go and meet my Dad. It was the weirdest train journey. On the train to London I met an elderly man, in his 90s, who used to be in the forces, and was the Queen's bargemaster. He shared some wonderful interesting stories and wished me luck with my degree. Then I got onto the tube and these two guys hopped on with their instruments and started playing music in between stops. It was a journey that really brought a smile to my face.

We got the train back to my campus, stopping to take some photos at one of my favourite stops on the journey, London Blackfriars, and first I took Dad to visit my medical school before going back to my flat. Flat Christmas dinner preparations were well underway and I enjoyed cooking with the girls, before one of the boys swooped in to mull some wine, carve the meat and serve the food for us! We pulled crackers, told jokes, played charades, and exchanged secret santa gifts.

On the Friday I had to attend my first aid training, and in the evening we had our Winter Ball, where my Dad was my guest. It was at The Grand Hotel in Brighton, and was a lovely night. I even drank my first full glass of red wine! My flatmates headed out to the clubs afterwards but I took my Dad back to the flat so he could sleep, the journey back being complete with me giving up on my heels and walking along freezing damp concrete in my thin tights, and someone being sick on the night bus, woooo Friday nights.

Over the weekend we managed to do a little bit of sightseeing, went out for dinner, had a takeaway, and, on a whim, went to the cinema to see the new Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald.

On the Monday we got the train home and the next day I went back to work. I worked every day, apart from one Sunday, up until the day before Christmas eve. Then I worked the 28th, and will work the 31st, and the 3rd. The work Christmas party was the first weekend I was home, and it was a riot, as always! I tried pink gin for the first time and loved it... a bit too much! I went out clubbing for a little bit afterwards and managed to break a shoe, and I was wearing a pair of my Mum's heels... that took some explaining!

Update on my Dad's flat: It's all finished and him and the dog are all unpacked and moved in! He had a boxing day/housewarming party which was nice.

Star Wars themed Christmas was a definite success, despite my uncle refusing to attend, the rest of the family had a great time. We decided our themes for next year are The Hobbit for Halloween and The Lord of the Rings for Christmas! - I know I said I would do a post about our previous themed Christmasses during the Christmas season and I will try to do that very soon.

I really enjoyed the way my Mum stacked the presents this year. Usually they're all separated out for different people but this year they were in one big pile which meant we were handing gifts to each other all morning which was lovely. We also had my grandparents present for the initial morning gift opening, usually they arrive later in the morning, so that was nice too.

The Christmas dinner was devine, as always. And after dinner, and a nap, there was more snacks and The Christmas Game. Usually the Christmas game is in line with the theme but this year it wasn't. It's the only present we usually open after dinner. This year the game was Jumanji and we played it three times! In the evening we played more board games, Sherlock Master Detective and Rick and Morty Cluedo, and as usual, started a Christmas jigsaw puzzle before bed.

In other Christmas break news:
- I did manage to overcome my anxiety and go back to snowboarding practice. I've had two sessions and am improving, and looking forward to a third session on Thursday.
- I've done a bit of sale shopping and bought some more clothes for my university "dress code" wardrobe - I feel like I should do a post about this sometime!
- For university, I've been updating my ePortfolio, and writing up my family study notes, as well as looking at the material for next term.
- I got my results for my first reflective essay back and I passed that, and the comments included "excellent first essay" and "deep personal insight" to the topic, so I was pleased with that. I'm not sure if I said in a previous blog but we had to write about an ethical or professional dilemma and I wrote about the ethics of prescribing antibiotics when antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem. 
- Also, I'm having another attempt at my academic bullet journal and have been drawing out my pages in the hope I'll use it more this term than last term!

Now I just need to think up some New Years Resolutions, decide where to go for the New Years Eve party, and what to wear!!

Thanks for reading,
Katherine x

Term 1 is almost over!!

Can we just talk about how a five year degree only has 15 terms... I've done 1/15th of my degree, that's crazy!!

I'm going to stop saying I'll try to get back on track because it doesn't seem to be happening! The last blog was 8th October, it's been SEVEN weeks! What?! I just counted that on the calendar twice! How has it been that long?! It's been busy, okay, as always. I'll try to update you without writing too much!

Week commencing Monday 8th October - Week 3

Module 102 topics: genetics, microbiology,proteins, clinical pathology, leucocytes, microscopic anatomy.
- Tutorial essay result: Pass  (results are: fail, pass, or distinction for top 10%)
- Numeracy test!

Module 101 day:
Lecture topics: child development, local services, safeguarding.
No seminar group session.
Afternoon: first secondary care placement in Musculoskeletal services. This was a bit like a physiotherapy triage clinic to decide what kind of management patients needed.

Evenings and weekend: Went to see Venom in the cinema with some uni friends. First flat birthday party! Birthday cake, drinks, and Never Have I Ever! Finished the Harry Potter jigsaw.
Pub quiz, arcades and pool. Sightseeing and lunch in Brighton.

Week commencing Monday 15th October - Week 4

Module 102 topics: mindfulness, essay writing, cells, genes, proteins, skeletal system, memory, what is healthy? what is normal?, immunity 
Practical: digital microscope, first dissecting room session
- Numeracy test results: 100%.
- Module essay topic set.
- Oral presentation topic set.
- First attempt at mock exam - 42.7%

Module 101 day:
Lecture: drug action
Seminar: illicit drugs
Afternoon: history taking workshop

Evenings and weekend: catch up with medic dad, girls night in.

Week commencing 22nd October - Week 5

Module 102 topics: embryology, immunity, social psychology, organelles, intercellular signalling, intracellular signalling, psychology in pregnancy and birth, neuronal signalling, laboratory features of pathogens, skin, new baby.
Practical: dissecting room session

Module 101 day:
Lecture: reflection and eportfolio
Seminar: reflective essay set
Afternoon: personal study - free time

Evenings and weekend: coffee with a friend in Brighton, train home, a friend's Halloween party, stayed over in my uncle's caravan, family Halloween and Bonfire combined party, drive with a friend, train back to uni

Week commencing 29th October - Week 6

Module 102 topics: skin, language development, transmission, incubation and spread of infectious agents, cardiorespiratory system, drug action, clinical skills in biochemistry and haematology, journey from medical student to doctor, human genome project, cell response to injury, nervous system, T cells, predicting adverse-effects.
Practical: the skin

Module 101 day:
Lecture: Interprofessional working
Seminar: Interprofessional working
Afternoon: Community care placement, based in a nursing team that aims to keep people out of hospital and cared for at home

Evenings and weekends: Second flat birthday, pumpkin carving, Halloween Scream Park.

Week commencing 5th November - Week 7

Module 102 topics: molecular biology of cancer, antibiotics, cell structure and communication and drug action, intellectual development, body response to injury, genetics of cancer and modern treatment, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Practical: living anatomy and ultrasound, microbiology

Module 101 day:
Lecture: models of communication
Seminar: communication with patients
Afternoon: secondary care at burns and plastics department, observed hand plastic surgery clinic, postoperative checkups.

Evenings and weekend: Lewes bonfire night, third flat birthday, Christmas decorations, baking, ClueddUpp citywide Cluedo game.

Week commencing 12th November - Week 8 

Module 102 topics: body recovery from injury, viruses, imaging the body, lymphatics, growing up and adolesence, commensalism and pathnogenesis, cancer management, psychology of aging, pathology, social psychology.
Practical: inflammation
- Oral presentation.
- Skills in clinical biochemistry and haematology test - 100%.

Module 101 day:
Lecture: epidemiology and public health
Seminar: public health
Afternoon: signs and symptoms workshop
- Reflective essay finished and submitted

Evenings and weekend: organising winter ball accessories, train home, stayed over in my uncle's caravan, shift at work, chinese takeaway for Dad's birthday, girls night with my sister, painting at my Dad's flat, stayed over in my uncle's caravan again, oncology with Dad, more painting, train back to uni.

Week commencing 19th November - Week 9

Arrived back at uni on Monday evening because module 102 lectures are finished.
Practical: final dissecting room session.
- Module essay finished and submitted
- Second attempt at mock exam - 69% - the highest possible pass mark is 60% as we use the cohen method (60% of the score achieved by the highest performing candidate)

Module 101 day:
Lecture: questioning and listening
Seminar: consultaing with patients
Afternoon: personal study

Evenings and weekend: so much revision that I'm going stir crazy!

So, my exam for module 102 is looming on Wednesday 28th November! Honestly, at this point I just want it to be over! I still need to revise more physiology, molecular cell biology and immunology, and I only have two full days to do this. BUT once it's done, we have another flat birthday party, flat Christmas, my Dad is coming to visit, winter ball, and a weekend full of sightseeing for my Dad, before heading home for 5 weeks of Christmas break, and back to work! I'm really looking forward to spending some time with my loved ones and helping my Dad get his flat decorated and furnished, I'm hoping to get back to snowboarding practice too, and of course Christmas is going to be great fun, it's Star Wars themed this year! (If I haven't already done a post about our themed Christmasses then I'll do one at Christmastime!)

I suppose I ought to either go back to my revision or go to bed!

Thanks for reading,
Katherine x