Inside My World

        "There are plenty of other foods you can eat to improve your mood that are healthier than a packet of crisps. The key is to pick foods that contain natural feel-good properties."        The body produces its own uplifting chemicals, known as endorphins, by breaking down food, and it is therefore possible to raise the levels of these substances in the brain by eating foods containing a combination of nutrients which release endorphins.         Low endorphin levels can be caused by certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Certainly, a lack of B vitamins (particularly B12) and vitamin C, or of minerals such as iron, potassium and zinc, can cause you to feel low. So it is important to include the so-called happy foods in your diet to stave off low mood swings. "Melinda Amato, of the Institute Of Optimum Nutrition, suggests ten endorphin-releasing foods to make you feel happy." Chocolate   (...

I always said to myself, "I know medschool is tough but I know it isn't impossible for me". But now that I am in it, the huge wave of infos, subjects, topics and despair, devastation, realization that came with it is rushing over me like an uncontrollable tsunami. This is totally different from what I was expecting. Now I can attest, medschool isn't anywhere near easy. I have come to realize that I lack a ton of lots of things. My weaknesses slap my face like a giant wet hand. It seems like 24hours is so not enough for a day and there's literally no time for fun. Piles after piles after piles of items to memorize and test after test after test to answer. I have come to realize that everything in me is not enough. I have come to realize that I AM not good enough. But in that sense, I will strive hard. And if still I won't be able to catch, I'll strive harder. It will be tough. I remember the salmon swimming against the current, against gravity as it swims ...

by Virginia Gaces Hurdling medical school is a herculean task. It does not only require intellect, perseverance and hard work, but also the correct study skills. Wise strategy is needed for you to be able to conquer those mounds of notes and piles of books. If you're to imagine one subject having numerous reference materials - sometimes several books - then multiply these with your number of subjects , then you get hundreds of books per subject to read. This of course, is not possible even for a genius. That is why you have to adapt a smart strategy to maximize your learning process. Here are some study skills that you can utilize: 1. Know the reference books recommended by your professor. This is usually found at the end of your course syllabus. If the professor recommended a textbook, then this would be your first priority. You should buy the book. If you have enough budget, then buy at least three additional reference books listed in the syllabus. If you don't have t...

by: Erich Rosenberger MD Medical school is considered by many to be one of the hardest academic curriculums that a person can go through . It is four years of intensive study, long hours, lack of sleep, and exam after endless exam . Good study skills are essential for medical students. As a medical school graduate, I have learned a few tricks over the years that made my study life easier. There are some things you can do to make your studying more efficient. Of course, everyone is going to have a slightly different style, there is no one-size-fits-all study method for every medical student. Attend the lectures. There are lots of medical students who find the lectures an inefficient use of their time. It is true that lectures can take up a large part of your day during the first two years of school. And it's also true that there are some lectures which are a waste of time. However, in general, lectures are the best way to get the information you need in an organized way. ...

Questions about life in medical school I have found some grueling informations about medical school on the Internet and I was curious about its accuracy. Can anyone assess if the following things are true? 01 - Everyone, including my doctor, told me to get the hell out of medicine before I got in. 02 - I busted my ass in high school, college, etc...to get to med school. 03 - Once in medical school, what you did to get you there no longer matters. 04 - Be prepared to study....then study somemore, and then a little more... and then be prepared to not do well on the test. 05 - Be prepared to accept the reality that you may be an idiot (this came as a shock to me). 06 - Be thankful that everyone else in your class is also an idiot and no one expects you to know everything all at once, and for every test. 07 - Realize that getting ahead in med school means making lots of friends ... those who step on toes to get to the top are quickly shunned by the rest of the class. This is very bad since...

from medicinefromthetrenches.blogspot.com Study Skills Learning Style One of the most useful things that I did was figure out my learning style. I am a very visual learner. I love to color-code information and I never go anywhere without my different colored highlighters and multi-colored pens. When I am studying, I use my highlighters to circle information, rather than highlighting words. Each color has a particular significance such as blue represents the main headings, pink represents the words that must be defined and all important concepts are circled in yellow. Green is my check-off color as I check off things as I study. This lets me know what I have accomplished. Visual learners like to sit in the front of the classroom for less distractions. During my first and second year of medical school, I sat on the end of the third row so that I could see. I was not a front-row person (too easy to get covered in saliva) and I would only sit in the back if I was doing something else (like...

So, here I  am. I believe I have come to my crossroads, took this path and walking with blindfolds. Everything is becoming extremely difficult lately, that it always crosses my mind if I really am in the path that i really want. On the verge of breaking down, I still seek for air. Gasping. Trying to find my way and catch up with the pace. I feel  like I'm a fish out of the water, or some clown attending a funeral. So many thoughts unorganized up there, I don't know how to start. Or if I did start,  where to pick up. All the smiles and  happy memories  fade away as grime thoughts and frustrations pile up,  creeping up on every sunny window that's left of  the previous days of rainbows and sun-shines and butterflies. Worse part is, I  feel helpless and alone and bleeding. No one to hold, no one to hold tightly when there's an upcoming loop up ahead this roller-coaster ride. I'm so fragile,  so naive. I feel  like I'm jumping...

After all those years of schooling, I'm actually done. I can't believe it. Anyway, after days of just lying around whole day and spending afternoons of baking (and eating), I realized an almost horrible truth: I can't stand not studying! I can't live without tasks, things to study about, I miss doing those sick requirements and going on hospital duties, and most of all, I miss learning new things everyday. Knowledge aquired from school is totally different from the knowledge you get at home even if you read books and read write-ups on the net. The teachers already know exactly the things they're teaching. The words they use are like carefully crafted for the consumption of the fragile brains of the students. Yes, I have high regards for the teachers at my school. Believe me, they are GOOD! Going back, even if I'm not that outstanding in class, I believe I enjoy every second of it-spending time with my genius classmates (all of them are), talking...