Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello and welcome to
another episode of the Med
School Minutes podcast, where wediscuss what it takes to attend
and successfully complete amedical program.
This show is brought to you bySt James School of Medicine.
Here is your host, kaushik Guha.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome to another
episode of Med School Minutes.
Today we want to talk a littlebit about a day in the life of a
student.
We got a lot of questions onwhat's it like?
How do students study?
How is it possible to finish MDin an accelerated program.
So today we want to garner someinsights into how does an
individual go about cracking thecode of basic sciences, and for
(00:46):
that we have a very specialguest.
Her name is Anazu.
She's a current MD4 student,she's on the Dean's List, she's
one of our best tutors and shehas given back so much to the
general St James diaspora byhelping as many students as she
can.
So, without further ado, let'swelcome Anazu.
Thank you so much for makingthe time.
(01:07):
You are a current MD4 studentand I know you're very, very
busy with all the lectures andall of that that we have going
on, but we really, reallyappreciate you making time.
So why don't you tell us alittle bit about yourself and
your journey?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Okay, thank you for
inviting me on.
I'm really glad to be here.
So my name is AnazwaOhiakwa-Janaku.
I'm from Nigeria, currently inMD4, like you mentioned.
So I have a bachelor's degreein public health and a master's
degree in public health as well.
I have four siblings I'm theoldest one.
(01:45):
My journey to medicine startedlike over 20 years ago now
because, you know, when I had mylittle sister, she was really
sick while we were young, so shewas always in hospital.
I was always going to thehospital with my mom because she
couldn't leave me at home.
So, like, I've really alwaysbeen in that and I really love
being in the hospital, unlikemany children, you know,
(02:07):
everyone is scared of beingthere, but I, for some reason,
just really likes to be there.
So this is always somethingthat I've known I wanted to do.
Like it has never changed forme.
So finally doing it now, over20 years later, so never too
late right, right, you know,better late than never.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
So tell me a little
more about your experience that.
So this is obviously been anaspiration for, I'm guessing,
better part of more than half ofyour life.
And now that you're in it, inthe thick of things, have you
been disappointed in any way?
Have you been surprised in anyway?
(02:46):
Have you been uh surprised inany way?
Have you been uh pleasantlysurprised in any way with the
material, with the content, nowthat you're actually going
through the rigors, is it toohard?
Not too hard, much easier thanyou.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Tell us a little bit
about that okay, that's a really
great question because before Icame I was really worried like,
will I be able?
Worried, like, will I be ableto?
You know, will I be able tounderstand the material?
Will it stick?
Will I do really well on myexams, on my tests?
I was really worried and I was,like, you know, the first
semester is my test.
If I'm not able to manage, I'lljust maybe, maybe that means
(03:20):
it's not for me, you know, butsurprisingly I found it means
it's not for me, you know, but,um, surprisingly, I found it I
won't say easily, but likeeasier than I expected, because
I'm going through it and I'm nothaving as much or as many like
struggles, especially with thematerial, as I thought I would.
It's coming easy to me, I'munderstanding what's going on.
I think a part of it is becauseI love and this is what I
(03:42):
wanted to do.
So, like I'm happy to be, bethere, I'm happy to dive deep,
I'm happy to, you know, have mytest, I'm happy to study.
So I think that plays a veryhuge part in my um experience so
far, which has been good.
So excellent.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
So that means it
almost sounds like you're
alluding to the fact that yourtemperament, on how you're
approaching things, reallymatters, because we do get this
a lot.
Oh, I don't want to study toomuch, the studying hours are too
long, but, as you mentioned,you seem to be very happy to put
in the hours and happy to takethe tests etc, etc.
(04:19):
So it seems like thetemperament is the main focus,
and obviously you have a greattemperament.
But one thing I do want to askyou is that you have a master's
in public health, and masters inpublic health, um, it's not a
very uh it's, it's more of anadminist.
It prepares you for theadministrative role and the
(04:40):
administration of larger publichealth programs in hospitals and
governments.
It's not learning abouthistology, it's not about
learning about variouspathologies, it's not very
technical at all.
So, coming from a master's inpublic health, do you think that
that gave you any sort of edge?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I wouldn't say so
because, like you mentioned,
it's very much administrative.
My master's was in healthpolicy, sort of edge.
I wouldn't say so because, likeyou mentioned, it's very much
administrative.
My master's was in healthpolicy, so it's really paperwork
, law, ethics.
You know, I did take a littlebit biostats and epidemiology
because that's really a big partof public health.
So that helped me in MB3 when Ihad to take epidemiology and
biostatistics.
(05:22):
But I wouldn't really say itreally prepares you much,
because it's very different.
I didn't learn any anatomy, anyphysiology, like it's all
pretty brand new to me.
So it's yeah, no experience inthat.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
All right and
obviously you're doing very,
very well.
You are on the Dean's list and,as you mentioned, the concepts
seem to be coming very easily,or relatively easily, to you,
much easier than you hadexpected.
And you're not just studyingfor yourself but from what I
(06:00):
hear, you're also giving back tothe best of your abilities at
this point and obviously you'regoing to get many, many more
opportunities to do that, movingforward and as you finish your
MD and become a full-fledgeddoctor.
But can you tell us what you'redoing now to help as many
students as you can?
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Okay, so right now
I'm actually a tutor and mainly
I'm tutoring for physiology andepidemiology and biostatistics
this semester.
Last semester I was morefocused on histology and
biochemistry and genetics.
So that's really what I'm doingnow in terms of giving back,
because I think that I want tohelp people succeed.
(06:41):
I want to see them do well andI really I been teetering since
I was in high school, so it'slike it's not new to me and it
really gives me joy seeing otherpeople do well, because it's
not nice to see people aroundyou struggle when you know you
understand the concept.
So why not help others?
Because this is an acceleratedprogram, we go through things
(07:02):
really quickly, so some peoplejust need like an extra one on
one time, you know, just toexplain certain things that may
be difficult, because you knowmaking it as simple as it can be
is really the key, becausethat's how I understand things
the same flights, it's explained, the easy and quick it is for
me to now, you know, move to themore complex stuff.
(07:24):
So tutoring right now is, yeah,I'm doing that and I really
enjoy it.
In fact, after this, ourpodcast session right now, I
have a session after, so it'ssomething that I enjoy doing and
it also helps me, you know, goback to those concepts that I
have already done.
So I have to go back reviewbecause before the students have
(07:44):
the meetings with me, I alwaysask them what topics they want
to go over so that I can go domy own review and learn more,
and I find that that reallyhelps me.
There were some concepts inbiochemistry that weren't my
strongest, but when I had toteach someone else it forced me
to go back and really understandthose things and that was very
important to me that's excellent.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
So would.
If you know and honestly I'mgoing to be very frank with you
a lot of students are like youknow, I really don't have time
for that, I can't tutor what?
What would your response be tosome of your colleagues in
school who are saying that Ireally don't have time to tutor?
What would your response tothat be?
Speaker 3 (08:25):
my response would be
like would be that tutoring is
actually studying, becauseeverything we learn from mb1 to
mb4 is going to come back, soyou really need to revise those
things.
Most of the time we're focusingon the current semester
subjects that we're learningwhile forgetting that the things
we did last semester, thesemester before, we still need
(08:47):
to know those things.
So whenever I have sessions, Ijust see it as this is time for
me now to go back and kind ofreview those sessions.
So when it comes MD5, when I'mtaking comprehensive exams, I
will already have, you know,studied those portions and I
wouldn't have to go back againfor you know another time, maybe
just a quick review.
So really it's helping yourselfand helping the other person.
(09:10):
It goes both ways, I think.
So I really suggest or likeencourage people to do it
because it's really helpful.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Okay, so is there any
kind of student who you think
would not make a good tutor Is?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
there any kind of
student who you think would not
make a good tutor?
Um, maybe someone who isn'table to take I wouldn't say take
correction.
But, like you know, when you'retutoring someone, you don't
want to act like you knoweverything.
You need to be a little bithumble, because and you need to
be patient as well, becausesometimes you might have to
explain something in differentways and you ways, and multiple
(09:44):
times before they understand,and you don't want to make
anybody feel like you know, feelless of themselves.
So you really need to be humble, you need to be patient.
I think that's two veryimportant things.
So if you aren't able to dothat, then maybe tutoring isn't
for you.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I see, and, generally
speaking, do you think you know
?
As I mentioned, a lot ofstudents are talking about time
constraints.
Can you tell me a little bitabout how you're managing your
schedule, Because obviouslyyou're on the Dean's list,
you're doing very well, you'restill making time for other
students but at the same time,you seem to be in very good
control of your schedule.
(10:23):
Are there any tips or tricksthat you would recommend in
order to manage schedules?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
how do you do it
really that's the question after
eight hours of classes doingtutoring and still acing your
exams so I would say try to makeas much and I've been saying
this since mv1 try to make asmuch as you can out of the class
times because, yeah, we're inclass almost eight hours almost
every day, so you have two hoursper lecture, so you really want
(10:53):
to make sure you'reassimilating the information
that's being given to you.
And that's how I, when I'mlearning as an actively while
I'm there, and then after schoolI can focus myself on questions
and then not like going back tothe slides, because going back
to the slides after class isreally time-consuming.
I've personally never been ableto do that, so trying to make
(11:13):
the most of being in class andthen afterwards do the questions
.
If there are concepts I seemyself constantly getting wrong
or not understanding, then I go,you know, watch few videos,
read a few books, and that'sjust how I manage my time,
because there's really no time.
But you really need to make themost of the little time that
you have and also rest, sleep.
(11:35):
I sleep.
I don't lose sleep as much aspeople would think, because I
think it's very important forthe memory.
That's probably another secret.
I have make sure you sleepbecause not sleeping will make
you forget.
I sleep a lot and it keeps mymemory intact, I think that's.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
That's awesome.
So unpack that statement aboutmaking the most of class a
little bit more.
How do you make the most of aneight hour class?
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Well, just trying to.
If you're following along withthe slides or you're trying to
listen to what the professor issaying, just try to understand
at least the main thing thatyou're talking about.
You don't have to rememberevery single point.
Because I think the mistakepeople make is that whenever the
teachers tell you you you'relearning 80 of your learnings in
class, they feel like you needto know 80.
But the truth is, after mostlectures I don't like when the
(12:34):
questions, because a lot of thetimes the professors will have
questions after class and halfof the time I can't really
answer the questions in thatmoment.
So like it's not like youhave to know what you just
learned, but try to at leastassimilate some things so when
you go back you don't, becauseto me, reading a slide that
someone else made when theyhaven't explained it to you is
(12:55):
very time consuming, unless youwon't read their slides
eventually.
But that's what I mean bymaking it most of the time you
have, because it's not like I'msitting in class and I'm like
after the lecture, I knoweverything, I'm answering the
questions, the opposite.
I'm always like what'shappening right now.
But then I go back and whileI'm doing my own personal study,
(13:16):
what I've listened to and whatI've learned comes back and I'm
like, okay, now this makes sense.
I take it at my own pace, I see.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
And do you do any
preparation before attending the
classes?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Sometimes, but not
often, because I try to, but not
as much.
But that really helps especiallyin classes where it's things
like biochemistry, where you'relearning pathways, I have
suggested to many people to atleast watch a 10 to 15 minute
video before class.
That's what I did inbiochemistry.
That's probably the one class,and maybe pharmacology as well,
(13:52):
because now I'm takingpharmacology and it's something
you kind of have to have an ideaof some of the drugs that are
going to be mentioned and alittle bit about how they work.
So watching videos before classat least to get your mind ready
to hear what you're going tohear, especially if it's
something you have no idea about, because, like I said, like two
hour lecture to go over a wholesomething that's probably
(14:14):
taking people in other schoolmaybe two, three days to go over
.
So you need to really make sureyou have an idea before you go
to class.
Don't go to class completelyblank, especially when you
notice that you're having a hardtime following.
They know there's no time, butthere are short 10 15 minute
videos, just you know.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah okay, and and
what about during class, when
you're assimilating all thisinformation?
What do you mean byassimilation?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
well, sometimes, when
you're listening to the
professors, try to understandwhat are they actually saying
and if you have questions youcan ask, or ask during office
hours.
A lot of people don't reallyuse the opportunity of going to
meet the teachers after.
So, like, if you're notunderstanding something, you're
trying your best, you can askthem after.
But what I'm saying byassimilates is I'm trying to
(15:02):
understand what is the mainpoint of what they're trying to
say.
So when we're learningsomething like, let's say,
glycolysis for instance, andshe's trying to tell you all the
enzymes and how they're workingwith each other, the main
points of that class is reallyto know your regulatory enzymes
and when they are deficient.
So when someone has adeficiency in a certain enzyme,
(15:23):
how will they manifest, whatsigns will they show and what,
um, how will they present?
So things like that.
You need to know what's themain point of this class.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
try to understand
that and it will help you okay,
and and while in class, do youhave, do you actually take, or
are you just entirely payingattention to the teacher?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
So I take, I take
notes, but, um, trying to
understand, for then I'll take anote.
Just, you know, sometimeshighlight some key points, but
taking notes if they'reexplaining something and you are
like not sure, so just tryingto write down what they're
saying, so you go back and readit yourself, because sometimes
you can understand, I'llremember this, but you need to
(16:06):
put pointers next to the notes.
So you know.
Okay, this is how I understoodit in this moment, because
sometimes you know you learnsomething and when you go back
you're like wait, what does thismean?
you knew it before, but you needto, you know right okay, I
understood it in xyz way andthen that will help you for your
reviewing.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
So you're basically
saying that you're not sitting
there while the professor'steaching, you're not taking
feverish notes, you're reallyactively listening and then
really jotting down the mainissues and then, when the class
is over, essentially you go backthat evening and then you kind
of review those topics that youthought were noteworthy and are
(16:48):
essentially doing a deeper diveinto those particular topics.
Uh, is that an accuraterepresentation?
Speaker 3 (16:55):
yes, but at the same
time, you know, it's a little
bit different for each class.
I'm thinking now about what I'mdoing now.
What I'm doing now, that iswhat I'm doing now.
But in md1, when I tookhistology because the professor
was explaining it's in a verysimple way, so I was trying to
write down everything he said,because annotating or
transcribing what he was sayingwas really helpful for me.
(17:18):
And then something likemicrobiology, where there's a
lot of information.
You also want to make sure youare capturing a lot of those
bacteria and viruses and thedrugs.
So it depends on the class,things like that.
Yes, I'm taking feverish notes,but the other things, like
physiology, for instance,instance, you really want to
understand how it works.
Taking notes might not help asmuch.
You really want to understandhow it works.
(17:39):
But when it's a class whereit's information you're getting
giving and you're being givenand there are no, it might not
be on the slide or it'ssomething that if someone has
asked the question and somethingcomes up, you do want to take
note of those important thingsif you can.
It just depends on the class.
Really, it's okay, yeah so.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
So, if I heard you
right, it almost sounds like you
had a particular strategy toapproach classes in md1 versus
an md4.
Your strategy is different yeahand so your strategy went for
taking lots of notes in thebeginning classes to more active
listening at MD4.
Speaker 3 (18:17):
Yes, is that right,
mm-hmm?
Speaker 2 (18:19):
How did you decide
that your strategy needed to
change?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Um, how did I decide?
Well, md4 just started, so Ijust decided because I was now I
know more.
I think by MD4, you know a lotmore, like the person I was in
being of MD1 is totallydifferent person now, like I
know more, so I don't reallyhave to take as many notes of
every single thing because youknow more, so you can just focus
(18:48):
on paying attention, refreshingyour memory, because now,
learning pathology, we'relearning a lot of the genetic
disorders which we alreadylearned in MD1.
So it's more like a refresherand I don't have to be writing
down everything because theseare things that you already kind
of know, which I like.
Like a lot of the classes wealways talked about clinical
correlates, so now withpathology, they are almost like
(19:10):
a revision to those diseasesthat you've already learned
about Nice.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
And that's very
interesting because you know I
mean, I'm going to be veryhonest A lot of students, when
they come into an acceleratedprogram like ours, are usually
struggling Not usually, but alot of them are struggling and I
think the things that youpointed out are very, very
(19:39):
mindful and deliberate, in thesense that those strategies seem
like generic enough that theywill help everybody, but
surprisingly, not everybody doesthat.
And again, I've dealt with alot of students.
A lot of students will probablycome to class and do something
that is completely irrelevant tothe class that they're sitting
(20:02):
in for.
So, for example, if they'redoing a histology class, they
might be doing a whole differentsubject or they're not focusing
on the chapter.
Do you think that that'sadvisable at all?
Speaker 3 (20:12):
honestly, I don't
know, because I don't really do
that, but I do see people doingthat and I think it's the fear
that you don't have enough time.
Maybe the one time I would dothat is, let's say, I have a
quiz that day and I'm in anotherclass and you're like you feel
like you're not fully ready andyou might want to like be
(20:32):
looking at your other classnotes for the quiz you have
after this class.
So I see why you could do that,but I think it's the fear of
falling behind another class andyou're like you just have to do
what you have, I guess.
But I would not advise it.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
I rarely do that
unless I have a test and I'm
still unprepared for Well ifthere was any irony, I think
that is it that you have thefear of falling behind.
As a result, you're not payingattention in class and then you
really fall behind in thatparticular class.
That's a very interesting takeon things.
(21:11):
So, going back to tutoring, howmuch time do you allocate to
tutoring?
Speaker 3 (21:17):
So it depends.
I usually have my hours openfrom five to seven on most days,
except Sunday.
I don't have any sessions onSunday, but I usually have it
five to seven on most days, andexcept the days where I have a
quiz the next day.
So I only block out the dayswhere I have a quiz the next day
.
So I only block out the dayswhere I have a quiz the next day
(21:37):
, or maybe I just want that likethat evening off.
But on average, let's say, twohours a week.
It's not really as much as itseems, but recently, this
semester, I've had more sessionsbooked.
I think I've already done 11 inthree weeks.
So 11 hours in three weeks isabout almost four hours a week,
(21:58):
which seems like a lot, but it'sreally not, because it's like
one or two a day and then you'redone.
So generally I would allocatemaybe if I do eight hours, eight
hours is quite a lot.
Let me say, four hours a weekis probably going to be my max.
So that's what I would allocate.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
All right, and is
there typically any compensation
with tutoring associated withtutoring?
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Yeah, so for each
session, which should last 45
minutes to an hour, we get $15off tuition.
Yeah, so per hour, $15.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Oh my God, that's
amazing.
So this is not just free.
You actually benefit a littlebit by reducing your tuition
burden.
It's almost like a scholarship,if you will.
But again, I mean, as Imentioned, a lot of students
just don't want to do tutoringbecause they keep saying that,
no, I don't have the time, etcetera, et cetera.
But you're saying the tutoringhas really, really benefited you
(22:55):
to assimilate or consolidatesome of the concepts that you
might have had a hard time withNow.
Have you had any regrets doingall this tutoring?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
No, not at all.
No, not at all.
And it's given me theopportunity to get to know some
of these students at a bettertime.
Because you're in your classmost of the time, don't really
get to know people in other MDlevels, so it's given me the
opportunity to get to know someother people, which is good.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Okay, so the other
thing that a lot of students
really want to know and theyalways talk about is work-life
balance, or study-life balancein your case.
Can you touch upon that alittle bit and tell me, number
one, what that really means toyou and, number two, how are you
(23:50):
doing in achieving a study lifebalance?
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Well, I don't go out
much, but my life balance is
that I like to sleep, so whenI'm not, yeah.
So if I'm sleeping, yeah, Ineed to sleep.
And I don't know how I do it.
Let me think yeah, I just okay.
The only time where I wouldcome back from school and
probably be like maybe not to anall-nighter, but stay up even
(24:19):
when my body is telling me Ineed to sleep, is a day, two
days before my test.
Normally, I sleep at leastseven, six, seven hours every
night that's not a whole lot ofsleep.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
By the way, you made
it sound like you're I mean
we're meant to trust me.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Some people are
sleeping like three hours, I
don't know, like I don't know.
I actually don't know how manyhours I sleep, but I do sleep a
lot.
I don't wake up like groggy ortired.
If I'm feeling sleepy I will goand lay down, but I think that
you just need to make a tinytable.
I have a tiny table, like Iwill write down each day,
(24:58):
because you, I really can't domultiple things in a day.
I focus one day.
I'm gonna focus on this subjector this course tomorrow.
I'm going to do this.
I first of all put down all myexam dates and then I will
organize it in such a way thatwhen the exam date is coming up,
then I will start to focus onthose lectures, but then in
between I'm trying to catch upon the other things that I have
(25:21):
to do, so that I don't wait tothe very last minute.
And then it's like everything'syou know, I don't know, piled
up.
So I always write make aschedule.
I make a schedule foreverything.
Like I don't know piled up, soI always write.
Make a schedule.
I make a schedule foreverything.
Like everything to the hour.
Six to seven.
I'm going to do this seven toeight.
I'm going to do this just tokeep myself on track so that I
(25:42):
can, you know, try to be on time.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
So it seems like
there's a lot of self-discipline
, and how do you enforce thatwith yourself?
Speaker 3 (25:53):
I just tell myself
that you know this is what you
wanted to do like and you justhave to make it.
You have to make it out.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
You have to yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
So when you think
about how much you really want
to do something, you just wantto keep going and you want to be
done as soon as you can, solet's focus on the goal.
Focus on the goal.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
You know.
That's very interesting that yousay that, because I've I deal
with a lot of students, I dealwith a lot of practicing
physicians, I also deal with alot of alumni as well, and I
also deal with some students whoaren't successful and and I and
I think I've always said thisthat it seems like intelligence
(26:38):
is what it is.
I mean, and you do needobviously some basic
intelligence, but you don't needto be a Mensa member or
something like that to do wellat anything, not just medicine,
but at anything.
But it seems like most peoplewho aren't successful as
(26:59):
students are students who reallyhaven't prioritized achieving
their goals.
And I think that's exactly whatyou're saying, that students
who are on the island and arethinking that you know what, I'm
going to take a nap, when Idon't necessarily, you know,
need to, or I'm going to doeverything else because this
(27:21):
particular chapter is too hardand I want to avoid it.
But it seems like youdefinitely have that
self-discipline that you'reforcing yourself to go through
it just because you have youreyes on the prize, so to speak,
which is obviously becoming alicensed physician.
And I think what you're sayingreally echoes my observation,
(27:42):
which is, the only students whoaren't successful are students
who aren't prioritizing theirgoals and their careers.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Rina.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Pardon.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
I'm glad there's
something you mentioned and I'm
glad you did, because it'sreminding me of something you
said.
Sometimes some people wouldwant to take a nap when they
don't want to face, be like,okay, this chapter is too hard.
I want to just not focus onthat right now.
And I think a big part of whypeople don't do well is fear and
feeling like they're not goodenough, because I've heard a lot
(28:14):
of things from people liketalking about you know, maybe
I'll take comp like three tothree times.
Or, you know, a lot of peopledon't think they will pass the
first time, which I feel likeyou shouldn't be saying that to
yourself.
Even from MD1, people werealready to the point where they
know they won't pass it thefirst time.
You can't say that to yourself,and I think that that's
(28:35):
something that I've neverthought.
I've never thought that youknow and not good enough to do
this.
I mean, people have done it, soyou can do it too.
Is the fear like sometimes Ifeel scared too, but I have to
push myself because the fearokay, the fear is going to be
there, but I'm the one that'sgoing to face the consequences
of succumbing to that.
(28:57):
So it's the fear.
I know a lot of people arereally scared and they don't
believe in themselves.
That's really what it boilsdown to.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Right.
So I want to talk to you aboutsomething.
I don't know if you've everheard of this term, but have you
heard of the term manifestation?
Yes, but have you heard of theterm manifestation?
Yes, it's almost like if you'replanning to take the exam
multiple times.
You're manifesting, you know,failure and not manifesting
success, whereas you, on theother hand, are manifesting
(29:26):
success, and I think that that'sa very, very big difference.
Constantly telling yourself I'mnot good enough, you know what.
It becomes a self-fulfillingprophecy, and you end up not
being good enough, whereassomebody like you, you're coming
in guns, a blazing, saying youknow what?
I'm here for a job, I'm gonnaget it done, I will, you know,
(29:48):
relax and I will take it easywhen I achieve my goals.
And I think, generally speaking,that is a very, very, uh, very
good advice.
And I think, uh, in yourtutoring sessions, you should
really talk about that do aboutstudents and how to study,
because I sometimes feel that alot of people, given the volume
(30:09):
that you have to go through, getoverwhelmed and they're like
you know what, I'm not evengoing to do, that I'm going to
go take a nap, or you know what?
I'm just going to go out andhave a drink with my friends and
maybe things will get betterthe next day.
But if you're not chipping awayat it, things aren't getting
better, they're probably gettingworse.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
That's very, very
interesting.
When you do tutor the students,do you ever really talk about
study techniques and not justthe actual material they had?
Speaker 3 (30:40):
Yeah, I try to.
I also give them links.
I try to tell them what worksfor me and, you know, try to
help them out in the best waythat I can.
But you know, and I also triedto give them pep talks too,
because sometimes it's, yeah,they do feel overwhelmed.
I let them know you don'treally have to be, you know,
shouting the answer out in class, like I never did that, because
(31:02):
I mean now I can, because Iknow more, but in the very
beginning, um, yeah, it was allnew.
So you're just trying to, youknow, learn as much as you can.
Don't feel, you know,discouraged, don't feel like you
can't do it, because I kind ofhad a little bit of no, I won't
say self doubt.
But, you know, coming into aschool and half of your
(31:24):
classmates are either nurses orparamedics or physician
assistants, like, and then Ihave no medical experience or
anything of that sort.
So it almost got to me.
But after the first test I didreally well and I was like, oh
okay, so I can do this.
But even if you don't do wellin the first one, you don't give
(31:44):
up, don't feel less thanbecause you're here for a reason
and you just have to keep going.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
All right, in your
way you look, in your world view
, do you really think that thereare?
So I should caveat my questionby saying most people who go to
medical school have a certaindegree of motivation, typically
(32:13):
a motivation that is greaterthan the average person.
That's why they're in medschool to begin with.
Now, in your worldview, do youthink that there might be some
people who shouldn't be there atall because they don't have the
right temperament, they don'twant to, etc.
Etc.
And be honest with your answer.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I mean, yeah, of
course there are a few people
who you know well, for whateverreasons, I'm not sure what the
motivation is, because I feellike for you to come here, a lot
of us have, you know, we havedegrees from before or you know
a few years out of college.
So to me I feel like everyonebrought themselves here, but at
(32:57):
the same time, you don't reallysee the motivation in some
people.
It feels like someone forcedthem to be there, which I
sometimes find very difficult tounderstand.
But yeah, you really can't tellanyone where they should be or
where they can't be.
But at the same time, the systemwill end up taking out those
(33:23):
who aren't probably able to doit or aren't motivated enough,
because you really need a lot ofmotivation, not just for med
school.
After you finish, you stillhave to do residency, which is
its own beast, so it's just howit is.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
And I will let you
know that residency is really
just the beginning because onceyou become board certified, that
board exam if you think USMLEStep 1 and Step 2 or the NBME
exams are hard, the board examsare much, much harder.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
It's much.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
And these are things
that you have to take.
These exams are exams that youhave to take practically
lifelong.
As long as you're going to bepracticing, you'll be taking
exams.
So fortunately or unfortunately, I think medicine requires you
to be a good test taker.
The good news is that medschool, with the number of exams
that you are taking, you willbecome a good test taker by the
(34:23):
end of it.
Speaking, you will become agood test taker by the end of it
.
So, board exams the content isa lot more dense than what you
will ever see in step one orstep two, but at the same time,
by that time, you're so honedand so polished that the exams
are relatively feel easier, butcontent wise there aren't.
(34:43):
Yeah, speaking of yeah, go aheadSorry.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
I agree with that.
That's so funny because I wasthinking about it a few days ago
, about how I have maybe four orfive classes.
Each class has four quizzes,two exams, and it's like when
you calculate it, it's like Ihave 20 something tests in four
months and it feels normal now,but if you think about it it's
actually not normal.
Like you said, being in medschool forced you to be a good
(35:10):
test taker.
My test anxiety has drasticallygone down, because how many
times am I going to be anxiousbefore I go in for a test?
I'm taking this so much thatI'm just like you know, it's 150
questions, okay.
Whatever I'm just going to goin, it's 150 questions, okay.
Whatever I'm just going to goand sit down, do my questions.
It's actually yeah, that'sprobably the biggest shocker for
(35:30):
me the amount of tests and theamount of questions it is going
to do.
Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Okay, so tell me this
Anizu, at any point did you
have test taking anxiety?
Speaker 3 (35:44):
Yeah, I still do to
an extent a little bit, because
you know you want to do the bestfor me.
It's because I want to doreally well, so I'm like I have
to put my trust best footforward.
Am I going to remembereverything that I've studied?
So that's where my and I thinkI also have.
I wouldn't say I push myself.
(36:04):
I try to push myself a bit toomuch.
I put so much pressure onmyself sometimes.
So for me now it's not justabout passing, it's about like I
want to get an A in my classes.
So that's why I'm, I'm, I'manxious, yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
OK, but, but I think
that that's a good kind of
anxiety that you know.
Oh my God, these questions.
I'm looking at these.
I don't know that I will get aperfect score but I might get,
you know, like a B but not an A,but that's any day better.
But that's a different sort ofanxiety, to the point where,
(36:39):
like and this is post-pandemic,to be very candid with you
exam-taking anxiety seems to bean issue not just with St James
students but just studentsacross the board, and I know a
lot of universities and I go toa lot of conferences.
Everybody talks about this.
That, especially post-pandemic.
(37:04):
The management of anxiety, andexam anxiety in particular,
seems to be getting harder andharder for a lot of folks.
And this is not generational,it's not a Gen Z or a issue or a
Gen Alpha issue at all.
This is across the board.
People seem to be having a lotof anxiety issues, a lot of
anxiety issues, and it's reallyheartening to hear that you had
(37:27):
something on those lines.
To whatever extent it mighthave been, but through hard work
and really repeated practiceand really focusing on the tests
, you have done better andbetter.
So that's really, reallyimpressive and I think, as you
seem to have a very, very goodplan about tackling and you're
(37:50):
very systematic and methodicalabout tackling these things.
I mean, you know, as people say, that you know even the ocean
is made with a single starts,with a single drop of water.
So I think and that's kind ofthe approach that you've taken
and no matter how big thematerial, you're going to take
small baby steps, focus on thatbaby steps, build the
(38:11):
foundations and then keep goingup and up and up, which is
exactly what you've done.
So now, speaking of you know wetalked about board exams and
residencies.
Why don't you tell us a littlebit about where your aspirations
are?
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Okay, so I really
want to go into cardiology,
however that may be, if it's,you know, being an
interventional cardiologist or acardiothoracic surgeon, but
anything to do with the heart iswhere I would like to be,
mostly due to family experiences.
(38:45):
So, yeah, I lost my father.
He had, he had a heart attack.
So now the cardiology thing isreally like very personal for me
.
So I would really want to dothat, you know, in honor of him
and to also help other peopleother people, okay, and um, do
(39:11):
you have a plan?
Speaker 2 (39:12):
do you know?
So, since you are from nigeria,do you want to go back to
nigeria?
Do you want to stay in theunited states?
Do you want to stay in thecaribbean?
Do you want to go, uh, the, uh,the united kingdom?
Do you have any?
Have you thought about this?
How how have you laid this outin your, in your mind?
Speaker 3 (39:25):
I mean for training
purposes.
I would prefer to be trained inthe United States and just, you
know, possibly practice thereand also, you know, go home for
more pro bono work, because thatwould be the best route for me.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Okay, so our clinical
dean, who is an alum from St
James, dr Gujarati.
He's in internal medicine, somost of our students do get into
internal medicine and I thinkthat that's the typical pathway
to become a cardiologist pathwayto become a cardiologist.
(40:05):
So at some point I would highlyrecommend reaching out to we
have over 800 graduatespracticing medicine across the
United States and Canada.
Reaching out to them, as manyof them as you can, talk to them
about the pathway, and Igenuinely think that that'll
open some doors for you.
But I do think that that's avery noble aspiration and, in
(40:29):
fact, once you come to theUnited States, I will introduce
you to some of our clinicalfaculty who have done exactly
what you just said.
They've come from differentparts of the world.
They have practiced in theUnited States, they're making
good money and what they'redoing is they're giving back by
(40:50):
starting up, not for profits, intheir local regions, whether
it's Africa, whether it's SouthAsia, whether it's some of them.
Even, you know, one of ourboard board members went back to
rural america and startedsetting up practices there and
just giving back, and I thinkthat that is truly the thing
(41:11):
that sets students from st jamesapart from the, the, the rest
of the students who and I'mgoing to be honest, a lot of
students, especially the newergroup of students that are
coming into medicine really wantto do this for the money,
because apparently it's for them.
It's a quote unquote easy wayto make like a huge salary which
(41:36):
is not easy and.
I think, and that's what I keeptelling them.
You know, I mean this is not aneasy way, but a lot of people
don't see that.
A lot of people will watch acouple of movies, TV shows,
maybe a couple of personalitieson television, and are like, oh
you know what that sounds great.
I'm just going to do it withoutmuch thought to it.
(41:58):
But I think what you've done isobviously you've thought about
this, You've planned it out andthe way you're tackling
everything.
I can almost guarantee and I'mno soothsayer and I'm no
clairvoyant, but I can tell youthat you have an exceptionally
bright future just because ofthe way you're approaching the
methodical and systematicapproach of taking huge portions
(42:21):
of a curriculum and breaking itdown and mastering it.
Thank, you.
Thank you for being somethodical about this and thank
you for being a tutor whereyou're passing this information
and this knowledge on, because,I'm going to be very honest with
you, in a lot of theconferences that I go to, a lot
(42:44):
of the educators say the samething that, especially with the
changing times, with how weingest information, where
everything is 30 seconds, thatyou know that, that expectation
that I'm going to be able tofocus better and essentially set
(43:29):
their expectations right,because studying medicine, as
you pointed out, with the amountof hours that you're putting in
with tutoring and classes andstudying afterwards, it's not a
30 second video, it's notwatching a couple of Instagram
threads.
This is hard work and it takesa lot of energy and you have
(43:50):
really gotten it down to ascience and you're really
encouraging other students thatyou're tutoring to follow the
same.
So thank you so much for thatand I'm sure all the students
that you're helping out reallyappreciate that a lot.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Thank you so much,
anizu, for giving us such an
insightful view into the day inthe life of a student at St
James, and what's particularlyheartening is that you really
don't seem to be afraid orfearful or apprehensive of the
coursework and course material,and you really break it down
(44:30):
into small pieces, master thosesmall pieces and keep building
on it, and I think that truly isthe secret to success.
But thank you so much forproviding us that glimpse into
how to prepare and how to studyfor medicine.
If you liked the content thatwe shared today, please do not
(44:50):
forget to give us a like and afollow.
It goes a long way for us andif you are interested in more
content, please feel free todownload more episodes of Med
School Minutes from any of yourfavorite podcast platforms.
And remember, before signingoff, there's no shortcut to
being an MD.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
Thank you so much for
tuning into our show.
We hope you enjoyed anotherepisode of Med School Minutes.
If you like our content, pleasefollow us and receive
notification when a new show isposted.
This podcast is brought to youby St James School of Medicine.
For a video version of thispodcast, please check us out on
sjsmorg slash video.