A Black Female Medical Student

I’m a long way from Step 1 studying now. I’m about 1/2 way through my Surgery rotation, which I love. I’m having a great time. I just finished Gen Surgery today, I start Urology next week, and then I finish up with Anesthesiology.

Aside from that, not much going on really. Its kind of hard to have a life when you’re working 12-14 hr days everyday.

I know people are curious to how I did on Step 1. I gotta say, I wasn’t so happy with my Step 1 score (I didn’t do horrible, just not as well as what my practice scores would have predicted), so I feel some pressure to do really well 3rd year. Which is easier said than done. Thus far my verbal feedback has been largely positive, but I guess we have to see what’s actually written down.

Either way, I think my plan for this year will be to put more weight into my shelf exam performance. Just cuz its harder to make someone like you, and because I feel like my Step 1 score doesn’t give an accurate representation of my ability to perform well on standardized tests.

In other news, I found out my father was diagnosed with colon cancer a few weeks ago. Its been a little distracting, but I’m doing alright. I’m going home next weekend to spend some time with family, which I’m really looking forward to. My family has had a bit of a rough time over the past couple of months, so I would to be able to go home and just hang out with them.

Life is just so busy these days. With being on Surgery, my obligations to SNMA, and trying to make time for family and just myself, I feel like I’m being pulled in a million directions. I had such an optimistic attitude at the beginning of the summer, but I gotta say, my energy is starting to get a little low.

I think I need a vacation, so after Surgery I’m gonna take a trip to someplace wonderful lol. I just need a break.