It’s been nearly 2 years since that OB/GYN rotation, but we still share a bond that I will forever be grateful for. We don’t always get to catch up via phone conversations, but she often sends texts with pictures of her children, who I absolutely fell in love with. She sends me articles that she has published and magazines that she is featured in. She even gave me a list of fun places to check out during my upcoming vacation. If I need her, I know I can count on her.
Good friends of my family have a 16 year old daughter who has an interest in pursuing a career in medicine, and I now have the privilege of being her mentor. Every time we talk, I think of the suggestions and recommendations that I received from Dr. C. More importantly, I am reminded that the life I live and my encounters with others will probably teach my mentee more than any of the advice I give her.
So yes, Dr. Seuss, I do have brains in my head, and feet in my shoes; however, the path that others’ shoes have traveled continues to shape me into who I am today. If you have a mentor or someone who has motivated you in some way, give them a call or send them a text today just to say ‘thank you.’ Who is your mentor and why? Let me know in the comments.
-thedoctorjb
COMLEX/USMLE Preparation and Test Taking Tips
It’s that time again, I know all of you 2nd year medical students are probably freaking out right now because your board exam is right around the corner (if you haven’t already taken it). I have put together a list of tips that helped me along the way. Now, I don’t claim to have the BEST suggestions, but given the fact that I had to take that stupid exam more than once, ya girl can tell you a thing or two. By the way, I only took the COMLEX exam and not the USMLE, but I’m sure there is some general overlap in the way you would prepare.
1. Probably the most important piece of advice: FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!
People learn in different ways, so know that what works for your friend may or may not work for you. I fell into the trap of asking all of my classmates and upperclassman their study strategies and tried to make them my own. Some of their tips work and some didn’t. Just keep that in mind moving forward with this list.
2. Manage your time wisely.
Create a study schedule and stick to it as closely as possible. I’m an Excel person, so I made a spreadsheet. I allotted a specific number of hours for each subject, giving the most time to my weaker subject areas. Regarding your study schedule, do not set yourself up for failure. Allow yourself some time to do things that you enjoy. For example watch your favorite 30 minute TV show (no binging though) or work out. Trust me, if you don’t have some sort of balance you will go coo coo for coco puffs.
3. Don’t use too many resources.
I found, through trial and error, that when I was using too many resources I became overwhelmed and actually was studying less efficiently. After narrowing things down, this is what I used for Level 1:
–First Aid for the USMLE
–Doctors in Training (DIT)
–COMBANK and COMQUEST question banks
–OMT Review by Savarese (the green book)
I would advise going through First Aid multiple times. It’s pretty much the Bible for board prep. I took mine to my local office supply store and had them cut off the binding and put spiral rings in it. That make it easier to navigate. DIT was helpful, but I only used it for Level 1. Some of the videos are a tad bit corny, but hey, the info sticks. I really like the study guide workbook that comes with it. Now for my osteopathic people, there are multiple articles and reviews all over the interwebs that list the advantages and disadvantages of COMBANK and COMQUEST. I used them both for Level 1, but only COMBANK for Level 2. I like them both, but for different reasons. Here is a good in-depth review of both from Alex at Medical School Success. To the USMLE folks, I can’t give my two cents about Kaplan question banks but I did use UWorld for Level 2 (but only for a few weeks). In my opinion, the questions are good for reinforcing general clinical knowledge, but if you are using UWorld to prepare for COMLEX, they way in which the questions are asked is not a good reflection of how they are asked on the COMLEX. Regarding OMM on the COMLEX, if you go through the OMT Review book and do multiple runs of the OMM questions from your question bank of choice, you will be fine.
For Level 2 CE, you will be learning on rotations so study and review for whatever rotation you have that month. I used Step Up to Medicine and Master the Boards. I also did an OMT refresher with the Savarese book and used COMBANK again.
4. Do as many practice questions as possible.
Once you complete all of the questions in a particular question bank, do them again. Repetition is key here. When first starting off, I did questions to coincide with the topic I was studying. Later on, I did them in random mode. As test date approached I used the timed mode to get used to going against the clock. When reviewing the questions, I strongly recommend that you go over every single answer choice for each question, no matter if you answered it correctly or not. Trust me, it helps. Additionally, take a few practice assessments before the real exam. You can buy the COMSAEs from the NBOME website or purchase the assessments from COMBANK. It’s cheaper to use the latter.
Note: The following applies to preparing for the COMLEX Level 2 PE:
5. Practice your history taking, physical exam, and OMT skills with classmates/friends.
I used the COMLEX Level 2-PE Review Guide and went through all of the clinical cases. I also wrote a practice SOAP note for each case and did it timed on the NBOME website here. I made a habit of typing the assessment and plan first, before typing anything else. That way, if I ran out of time typing, at least I would have that filled in. This came in handy when I took the real exam. For OMT, I focused on mastering a couple of techniques from each body region. Again, repetition is key so once you do the same techniques over and over while practicing with someone you will be fine.
Now, a few tips for test day.
6. On the night before the exam, relax and get a good night’s rest.
Yea, it’s common sense, but you do NOT want to be tired during an 8 hour exam. By relax, I mean don’t spend the final 3 hours before bed studying. Do something to ease your anxiety, like watch your favorite movie before bed.
7. Eat breakfast on test day, and bring lunch.
Be sure to eat a good breakfast, but don’t go to IHOP and get a stack of pancakes before heading to the test site. You don’t want that postprandial sleepiness (aka food coma) to kick in while you are only 2 hours into the exam. Bring something light for lunch for the same reasons as above. Additionally, don’t drink too much water because unscheduled bathroom breaks will take away from your test-taking time.
8. Don’t spend too much time on one question.
If you are unsure of an answer, choose something, mark it, keep moving to the next question and come back to it later. You still have a chance of getting points if you guess correctly. That’s way better off than leaving an answer blank then possibly running out of time to come back to it.
9. If you fail it’s not the end of the world.
Trust me, I know. If you find yourself in this situation, do a self evaluation to figure out what went wrong. See what subjects you performed poorly in, and get back in the saddle. Start to prepare to take the exam again, and be confident.
10. When you pass the exam celebrate and know that your hard work paid off.
-thedoctorjb
Sallie Mae Back
Being from Louisiana, I take pride in its culture, food, music, and so much more. Did I mention food? Anyway, back when I was in graduate school I fell in love with the music of New Orleans rapper, David Augustine, Jr., better known as Dee-1. He has that strong Creole-inspired NOLA accent that only those who’ve spent some time in New Orleans can fully understand. More importantly, his lyrical content is creative, inspirational, witty and motivational. Dee-1 prides himself on making music that is free from profanity and explicit content. He does not call himself a “Christian rapper,” rather “a Christian who raps.” His music will definitely stimulate your mind and encourage you, all while bobbing your head to a sick beat.
In February of 2015, Dee-1 released a video that went viral on social media and even made headlines on CNN. His song, “Sallie Mae Back” is a celebratory anthem about paying off his student loans. The song is very catchy but aside from that, every person who hears it is propelled to examine their own relationships with “Sallie Mae.” According to Student Loan Hero, there are approximately 43.3 Americans with student debt totaling $1.23 trillion. That’s crazy! How many zeros are in 1.23 trillion?
Of course, becoming a physician is a costly decision and I have a ton of student debt of my own. Just looking at the actual amount of money I owe in student loans scares the heck out of me. For a long time I tried to ignore it, until recently when it hit me how close I am to graduating and starting residency. Additionally, I plan to get married and start a family some day and I don’t want to bring my hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to the table without a plan. I know debt isn’t just going to magically disappear and it was time for me to figure out ways to tackle the beast that is loan repayment. Since I finished my coursework and clinical rotations in November, I have had plenty of time to enjoy family and friends and also focus on things may get neglected in my intern year, like financial planning.
I wasn’t taught much about money and finance growing up, and I didn’t take finance classes in college, so I was somewhat ignorant of the terminology of the finance world. One day I decided to do something about it. I finally finished “The Total Money Makeover,” authored by Dave Ramsey, which I had started to read months prior. 
That book is a must-read for EVERYONE, not just people who have student loans. If you have a desire to manage your money wisely you should read it. His book lays out seven Baby Steps to financial freedom. I won’t go into details, and I don’t agree with everything in it 100 percent, but the book is definitely worth reading.
I also went to the library and checked out two books: “Personal Finance for Dummies” by Eric Tyson, and “The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need” by Andrew Tobias. I read the latter while using “Personal Finance for Dummies” as sort of a glossary or reference book.
After finishing all three books, a fire was lit underneath me. I had a new perspective of how money works and didn’t feel as afraid of debt as I once did. I was excited and all I kept talking about was money, budgeting, and saving. My parents and my boyfriend probably got tired of hearing my rants. I was now motivated but still needed to come up with a plan. That’s where a fourth book came in, “The White Coat Investor” by James M. Dahle. This book was extremely informative, as it is written by a physician and is applicable to those in similar high-income professions. Dr. Dahle also has a website that provides awesome resources and a wealth of knowledge that has helped me plan my student loan demolition. 
I have my own personal financial advice that I would give to those who are contemplating a career in medicine, but that will be a separate post. Basically it’s just common sense. To put it briefly and simply:
#1 Live within your means in college, medical school, AND residency.
#2 Try your best not to accumulate unnecessary debt. Of course taking out loans in medical school is inevitable, unless you are in the Armed forces or your parents are filthy rich, but DO NOT fall into the trap of credit cards, fancy cars, and borrowing money to keep up with the Jones’ (which goes back to number 1).
#3 Start saving early.
Again, I have so much more to say about that, but will save it for later. I just wanted to give some insight on the resources I used to plan my road to financial freedom. I have a goal of being debt free by age 40, and by the grace of God it will happen if I stay disciplined. Please believe I will get in my car (which will probably be the same one I drive now), turn my radio up loud, let my windows down, sing along with Dee-1, and truly know what it feels like to “finish paying Sallie Mae back!” Y’all check out his video below.
Do you have a plan to become debt free? I’d love to hear about it. Hit me up in the comments below.
-thedoctorjb
Can I Testify?
God is faithful to those who trust in Him! On February 8th, I received an email that I matched at my top choice for residency. Since the 4th grade, I knew I wanted to be a doctor, and my journey has been a challenge like no other. Here is my testimony:
The first 2 years of medical school were extremely fast paced and required me to alter many things in life (like functioning off of little sleep and not having a social life). These 2 years were full of lectures, reading, studying, and exams. Not bad you say? Well, the amount of material that you are expected to learn is daunting. I can remember someone comparing it to drinking water from a fire hose. Did it feel like that? Yep, pretty much. I was always studying and felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day. Learning to use my time wisely was a necessity. I never got used to it, but I managed to find what worked for me. Once I finally got into the swing of things those two years had nearly flown by. Before I knew it, I was headed to year three. I was extremely excited to finally put everything that I had been learning to good use and begin to see patients on my clinical rotations. That excitement faded pretty quickly, however.
See, between the end of second year and the start of third year is when medical students take their first of many board exams. There are Levels 1 and 2 (also known as Step 1 and 2) that students take in their third and fourth year. Then after you graduate and start residency you take Level 3 (Step 3). I had taken my Level 1 exam in June of 2013, and just like many medical students across the country, I anxiously waited 4 long weeks for my score. I remember the day I received my score like it was yesterday. I didn’t see the sun at all that day. I was on my general surgery rotation, which meant that I was at the hospital before daybreak and did not leave until it was dark again. When I finally got home I was tired, hungry, and my feet were killing me from standing up all day. After plopping on the couch, I checked my email and noticed my score had been released. I was so anxious, then became crushed as I saw the words, “FAIL.” I couldn’t believe it! After an emotional phone conversation with my parents I realized that it wasn’t the end of the world, I would just take the exam again.
I registered to take the exam again, and attempted to figure out what went wrong. I got all kinds of study tips and advice from friends and classmates. I continued on with my rotations and was really connecting with the ability to see and treat patients. I had learned so much and really worked hard to show my preceptors that I knew my stuff. They gave me feedback and I had gotten superb reviews on my evaluation forms. Things were looking up.
The time had finally come to take the exam for a second time and I was ready. I knew that I had prepared and studied my butt off. I walked out of the testing center with a sense of relief. I was glad that the exam was behind me. Then I became a player in the waiting game again. Four long weeks later, the highly anticipated email came. Unfortunately, I had failed again. By this point, I was really beginning to think that maybe this becoming a doctor thing isn’t meant to be. I had always made good grades and did well all throughout college, graduate school, and the first 2 years of medical school. I could not understand why I was doing so well on my clinical rotations, but was struggling so much to pass a standardized exam. I felt defeated and discouraged. I was embarrassed, ashamed and hated when friends and family asked me how school was going. Honestly, I even questioned why God allowed this to happen to me.
Taking the advice of my clinical advisor, I took time off. Basically, that meant that I was removed from clinical rotations to focus solely on passing my board exam. Eventually I passed the exam and went back to rotations, but taking time off put me “off cycle” (meaning I would not graduate with my incoming class). One of the hardest things for me was watching my friends walk across the stage at their graduation as I sat in the audience. I was genuinely happy for my classmates; however, I couldn’t help but think, “That’s supposed to be me.” Nevertheless, I pressed on. I realized that getting knocked down is ok, but staying down is not acceptable. I made up in my mind that I was not going to allow discouragement and depression to attack my mind, and that I was not going to allow a standardized, man-made exam define my future success as a physician.
It wasn’t easy, but I continued on with my third year and went into my fourth year with a new mindset. I had more bumps in the road, but by November 2015 (when I completed all of my rotations) I had a new found appreciation of what I went through.
Let’s fast-forward to today. I have received my degree in the mail, signed my contract for residency, and now just counting down to graduation day. Even though I have my degree, I don’t think it will feel complete until I actually walk across the stage.
All of the glory belongs to God! Looking back, I now know that my struggle wasn’t just for me. It was to help someone else who may be going through a difficult time or a similar situation. When God has called you to do something, trust that it WILL happen in HIS timing.
The Message translation of Habakkuk 2:2-3 says, “And then God answered: ‘Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. The vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming – it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.’”