MBBS Year One Complete

I suppose now having survived first year of Medical school, I should share my ‘wisdom’. Nothing could have prepared me for what I have gone through this past academic year, from moving across country to live in a new city, new language, new people new dynamics, saying goodbye to new friends & letting go of the little piece of home/hope I had made for myself in Jinan. Most of it was a struggle, it took months for me to adjust to the changes that had happened. So here it goes…

• First year of Medical school doesn’t make sense. But still study & try pass everything.
• You will go around campus telling people that you’re doing Medicine but attend the same courses as your Medical science laboratory major students along with half the campus students.
• Not all lectures are worth attending. Relax, you’ll be fine, work on the material yourself. You’ll make it.
• You will feel like you’re drowning in this small town & that Life feels like it’s on a standstill.
• After getting over the ”I study with diverse people, from all over the world” crap, you will realize that some fellow ex-pats are mean & inconsiderate to other people’s culture & feelings in general.
• Natives are mostly ignorant, especially in a small town with little to no foreign exposure. Deal with it. AND there are some good one’s, I want to write about them on a separate blog post. They deserve that much.

I’m glad to say though, I’ve survived a year of Medical school & Life as an ex-pat. For my Summer break I’m going to Africa, haven’t seen my parents in almost two years. I’m stoked about that. But before that, I’m traveling for a days. As Stethoscope & Hanzi tradition, I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

I would like to thank the blogging community, they have been a huge support system for me. Following and Reading your blog posts religiously has kept me sane at times when I didn’t want to go on, whether it be attending Anatomy lab session, to waking up & study and to even just being here. I follow Medical students, junior doctors to Consultants from all over the world and get a glimpse of their reality and struggles. What I have realized is that their struggles are not as different from mines ( well some of it is), and the best part is seeing that all can be conquered & achieved.

I still don’t have a complete hang of how I should be doing Medical school & living in a foreign country. What I do know for sure, is that I’m a year closer to making the dream a reality.

”the carousel keeps turning” – Dr Alice Grey