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To a MEDEX 1st year student: what's a typical day in your life like?


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I am currently in the online portion of the first year of the program. We will not report to Seattle until July. However, if you're interested in how the online course is I could give a little insight. We have a test every week that covers a different topic. We must also respond to a question regarding medicine and site our references. It is a little more time intensive than I had anticipated. If you're able to attain a position at MEDEX I would suggest getting the book asap and begin studying before the course begins. When they say that everything in the book is covered, believe it. I have read every page so far (multiple times).

 

I am currently working, as are many other students in the class; however, I am quitting soon. We are told that classes are Mon-Fri from around 0830-1600. The number of hours of study time vary from person to person. I study more than some and less than others. I will say that I have never studied as much in any other class, as I have for this course. I hope that this helps to satisfy some of your curiosity. Good luck in the pursuit of your goal.

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Thanks Kempoguy!

Another person that's taking the online course right now has said the same thing (He works with my mother-in-law, so I get to hear tidbits from her about his experiences): that the online portion is a little more intensive than he anticipated. It's good to have some insight! Good luck with your studies! Keep me updated with exciting MEDEX news?

 

-Jess

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  • 2 months later...

I am a second year student, but a "day in the life of a first year student" will be burned into my brain forever, so I think I can answer your question.

 

Up at 0700 - standard morning routine. I hand wrote study sheets in big lettering and taped them to the mirror so I could glance at them while getting ready for school. (Seriously - how nerdy was I???) That was the extent of my AM studying.

On the road by 0800. At school by 0820. Sat and chatted with classmates, reviewed the objectives for the day.

Lecture starts at 0900 - whirlwinds of information like the entire subject of hematology covered in 3 hours. I paid fastidious attention in every class period that actually had to do with medicine. Not so much with professional role development.

1200-1300 - lunch and I usually studied during this hour.

1300 - butt back in the seat for 3 more hours of more information than a brain can handle. I took copious notes on everything. Some of my classmates elected not to listen to the lecture and instead worked on studying their objectives or just filling them out. I only filled in objectives during lecture for 1 class - MCH (maternal child health). This was the only way to really grasp the concepts the instructors were trying to get across. Very difficult class.

1600 - head home.

1630 - 2000 was family time. I tried not to study during this time and was successful except during finals week.

2000-0100 (usually more like 0200) - Work on objectives/study/projects.

Saturdays I would study from 0800 to 1700, Sundays I'd study from 1800 to 0000. This gave me at least one 24 hour period off per week. Some weekends I didn't get this, but usually I did.

During finals week I would study for at least 12 hours prior to the exam and wake at 0600 to be on campus by 0700. I'd do a quick review for 1.5-2 hours, then take the test. I was usually home by 1200 so I would study until 0100. Repeat x4.

 

Thus I was studying or in class for for at least 77 hours each week. Only a few of us studied this much, though, and everyone passed and will be graduating soon. From our Spokane class of 19 we didn't lose a single student. In the whole program of 96 students we have lost I think 9 students total from the beginning, but most of these re-matriculated the following year.

 

I should probably add that my personal goal was straight A's. This was not a requirement by the program, so this much studying is, again, atypical for my class.

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  • 6 months later...
I took copious notes on everything. Some of my classmates elected not to listen to the lecture and instead worked on studying their objectives or just filling them out. I only filled in objectives during lecture for 1 class - MCH (maternal child health).

 

Are you saying that the objective sheets are like fill-in-the-blank study sheets? Do you guys make them or are they passed out?

Also, just curious, but did you make your goal of all As?

Thanks!

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I took copious notes on everything. Some of my classmates elected not to listen to the lecture and instead worked on studying their objectives or just filling them out. I only filled in objectives during lecture for 1 class - MCH (maternal child health).

 

Are you saying that the objective sheets are like fill-in-the-blank study sheets? Do you guys make them or are they passed out?

Also, just curious, but did you make your goal of all As?

Thanks!

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The objective sheets are made up by the instructors. It is a guideline of the bulk of the material you will be expected to know. Some objectives can be answered in a few lines. Others it may take a few paragraphs and then sometimes a page or more to fully understand what the objective is pointing out.

 

What is the role of Thrombopoietin-?

Also known as megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MDGF)

Thrombopoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced mainly by the liver and the kidney that regulates the production of platelets by the bone marrow. It stimulates the production and differentiation of megakaryocytes, the bone marrow cells that fragment into large numbers of platelets.[1]

 

That is a short one...

 

the lengthy ones could be something like a multifaceted question about the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS ...

 

The objectives let you narrow your focus on what the most important things are to study. You can not read each book entirely... I would still be reading if that were the case. You can scan the material and then when an objective "pops" out of your scanning you can focus on it and take notes of what you think is important.

 

You are responsible for "all" material of the readings though. Just because it is not an objective does not mean they may not throw a question or two that are not objectives. 90% or more of the questions are based out of the objectives though.

 

Good Luck!

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The objective sheets are made up by the instructors. It is a guideline of the bulk of the material you will be expected to know. Some objectives can be answered in a few lines. Others it may take a few paragraphs and then sometimes a page or more to fully understand what the objective is pointing out.

 

What is the role of Thrombopoietin-?

Also known as megakaryocyte growth and development factor (MDGF)

Thrombopoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced mainly by the liver and the kidney that regulates the production of platelets by the bone marrow. It stimulates the production and differentiation of megakaryocytes, the bone marrow cells that fragment into large numbers of platelets.[1]

 

That is a short one...

 

the lengthy ones could be something like a multifaceted question about the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS ...

 

The objectives let you narrow your focus on what the most important things are to study. You can not read each book entirely... I would still be reading if that were the case. You can scan the material and then when an objective "pops" out of your scanning you can focus on it and take notes of what you think is important.

 

You are responsible for "all" material of the readings though. Just because it is not an objective does not mean they may not throw a question or two that are not objectives. 90% or more of the questions are based out of the objectives though.

 

Good Luck!

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  • 2 months later...

As redoneEMS said - the objectives aren't fill-in-the-blank study sheets. They are guides for where you should be focusing your knowledge gathering process. And to be honest, I don't remember at this point whether or not I got all A's which shows you how much folly there was in that goal in the first place. If I can't remember, then who else will possibly care? I did very well, that I know. I didn't score less than 92% on any medicine exam. I struggled with some of the research stuff, though.

 

Andrew

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