Last Lecture Exam and Class!

Today was our last lecture exam! It was tough studying for this one. I felt like my notes were all over the place and the parts of the brain and their functions just wouldn't sink in! Sure enough, that was the question I know I got wrong. The test was rough. There were a few really specific questions that I'm sure most of us didn't expect to be there. Strangely, I think I got my best grade from this test. I'll know tomorrow. The prof said he'd give us our final grade at the end of the lab quiz.

I can't believe my last class is tomorrow (lab)! However, I won't have much rest. A&P II starts next Tuesday! :( Not much of a break. So I'm going to really enjoy my mini-vacation this long weekend. Being able to buy the iPhone 4 would realllllly make my weekend. But it's pretty slim chance that the Apple stores will be restocked. I guess I'll have to wait some more.

Mmmm... Cow Eyeball...

We got the Lab Quiz 3 results back today. I knew I got one wrong, but as promised on the first lab quiz, the professor gave me an extra point. I'm going for a perfect lab score! I know, I'm being really geeky about it. But this has all been about pushing myself. I know these pre-req courses are going to be the "easy" part of the whole PA track. So I have to keep it in gear.

We also dissected the cow eye today. We have 10 things to learn on it. It's a little hard seeing a scalpel applied around the cornea since you sort of "feel" it. But our group got over it and tore the eye apart in no time! :) We also reviewed the sheep brain from last week's class since our final lab practical quiz is Thursday. I badly needed that review. I think I have it down now, but I'm pushing it aside to study for tomorrow's last lecture exam. It's a lot to go over (nervous system) and I don't feel like I have the best grasp of it. I'm also not taking the day off tomorrow, as I usually do. I decided I rather have an extra long holiday weekend. So, I've really got to review for the exam!

Test 3, More Mnemonics, Baa Baa Brain

Whew. I finally got a solid A on one of my lecture exams! I'm pretty happy about it, since I'm aiming for an A in the class. This will give me a bit more room to breathe for the final exam and lab quiz.

We were instructed today to memorize those 12 Cranial Nerves. Well, at least I remember the mnemonic I made up. But now I have to actually know the names of the nerves they stand for. In order. Also, the organ they relate to. And whether it's a Motor, Sensory, or Mixed (both) type. :( Fortunately, there's a mnemonic for the Motor/Sensory/Mixed (B): Some Say Money Matters, But My Brother Says Big Balls Matter More. This one sticks only because one of my classmates uses it as his mnemonic. Unfortunately, it's now stuck. But I guess that's the whole point, huh?

We also started on the sheep brain in lab tonight. We have 19 places in the brain we have to be able to name for the final lab practical, including the cow's eye next week. I'm not as worried about that part, but the last lecture exam is going to be a lot to remember. A lot to read!

Tests: Week 2

This week's test resulted in a 92 for Lecture exam; 25/25 for the Skeletal Practical. Yay! Although they're fine, I would really like to get a solid A for one of those lecture exams since they accout for 60% of the final grade. I keep making stupid mistakes like changing my answer (they're multiple choice). I still have 2 more chances to better the average!

We're now studying muscle tissue and how they contract. The next lecture test is 70% on the muscle, so we were instructed to read the entire chapter. It's a beautiful day out, so I'm having difficulty heading out to do that. But I'll enjoy part of the day and then go to the library or Barnes + Noble. Unfortunately, it's too hot for a bike ride. I wish I had a pool to go swimming. I canceled my gym membership earlier this year because I never had the time to go. Now, I'm wondering if that was a good idea!

Bonuses and Netbook

So we were just told our bonuses at work today. Wheee! Last year's was really bad because our group didn't do well. But this year, we did much, much better! So we are getting a good amount. I'll be using mine to pay down my card debt. But I'll also save some and nowwww... I think I'll get the ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-PU27-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 14 Hours of Battery Life)netbook I've been eyeing for taking notes and portability to cafes when I need to look things up. And of course, I'll get the iphone... eventually! :)

My iPhone Quest

Ok, getting the new iphone is becoming pretty frustrating. The Apple site was down and I couldn't get through at all to reserve one for pick up on the 24th. :( And now, reservations are no longer available and pre-orders are not shipping till July 14th! So do I really want to show up at 7am on the 24th for the slim chance of getting an iPhone at the store, first come, first served??? Hell, yes! But, if there's a line the night before... forget it!! It's really a bummer though, because I really wanted one NOW. Especially, to take advantage of some great AP apps I saw on iTunes. Sigh. I'll just have to wait.

First AP Tests

So we had the first of our AP tests this week. It's always nerve-wracking to take the first tests because you're not sure how the professor is going to present it. I know it sounds boastful, but being my first science class since college days, I'm proud to say I received a perfect score on the lab quiz! However, the lecture test was a slightly different story. Although it was all multiple choice, I was thrown by some of the questions and just plain couldn't remember certain definitions that would have helped. :/ I eked by with a 90. I'm determined to get an A in this class, so I have to get a solid A on the next lecture test.

Next week, we have the Skeletal Practical exam for lab. We'll be tested on all the bones we've learned so far, plus the new markings we've learned in today's lab. I don't know why, but I really have no problem remembering and identifying these. They are work at first, of course, but the professor gives us time to get in groups and quiz one another on all the bones and review. Once that's done, it sticks. I will probably be able to get away with a short review before the quiz, but I am not sweating it. Now, why the lecture material doesn't stick as easily, I have no idea. Maybe because it's not as visual? Despite having plenty of slides, notes, charts, drawings, etc., some of these processes and details are lost in my memory. Somehow, I've got to improve that.

I was talking to my mother about how I don't ever recall wanting to get an A in any class... in high school or college. So this is really strange that I want to do well. Strange in a good way, but I probably sound super competitive and geeky. Now I know what it feels like to be those older students who sat in the front in my college classes! But I guess it's what comes with maturity—and when the drive is there to push yourself towards a goal. I know people who think I'm nuts to do all this schooling so "late" in life. But I'm actually enjoying it! And that's a good sign: I better enjoy what I'm planning to do!

Sleeping In

This was my first weekend without having to wake up at 6am for hospital volunteer work. It was such a nice change! Unfortunately, I still woke up at 6am! On Sunday, I did better and slept until 7am. But it's not all relaxation. I had to review notes and read for AP I class and the upcoming lab quiz. :/

Also, I added some new links on the side. A PA forum, PA news blog, and a PA student's blog that I found as a link on the news blog. I liked the thoroughness and insight into his PA schooling. More info to help me navigate through this maze! Hope he won't mind. :)

My Aching Back

Isabella by
The North Face

My 10+ lbs of books for this one class is killing my back and shoulders. Currently, the backpacks I own just aren't cutting it. One is much too large and the other is more "fashion" than utilitarian. So I did some research online and settled on The North Face's Isabella. Being petite, I don't want a bag that makes me resemble a turtle, but I still need something that will be roomy enough and make the weight manageable. It seemed to receive rave reviews and I liked it was designed to fit women. The bungee cord system on the front will be good for bulky things, like an extra sweater or jacket.

I visited a sports store in the city that I knew carried it, to test it out. Definitely a huge difference! It was so much more comfortable around the shoulders and plenty roomy. Also, the load seemed to weigh less than the bag I'd been using. Since Zappos' price was cheaper, I ordered from there. For some reason, the black color is $6 less than the other colors, but that's perfectly fine for me! I can't wait till it arrives!

I also bought the mandatory white lab coat for class at Barnes and Noble 18th Street. M. had shown me the 3rd floor where it's all medical and law books (mostly medical) and I remembered they had lab coats. They had run out of the XS unisex size at the school bookstore. B+N had both unisex and ladies sizes, so I took the ladies style since it fit better.

Need CME Credits?

I listen to a lot of different podcasts. About a month ago, I added Persiflagers Infectious Disease Podcast. I was browsing for some interesting medical-topic podcasts and this is one that stuck. I don't know anything about infectious diseases, but I still find it interesting and the guy humorous. Sometimes it's groan-inducing humor, but it's definitely not boring!

For those who need CME credits, some of the episodes are also CME-accredited and you can earn (I think) 30 mins of credits. Most of the info is over my head, but as you can imagine, I have been surrounding myself with medical "stuff" these days. Part of it is purposeful: the more exposure at different angles of everything, the more knowledge connections I make and therefore, the more it sticks (so I hope). Part of it is just that phenomenon of concentrating on one thing and then seeing it everywhere. Is there a word for that? If not, there needs to be.

Appendicular Skeleton

I've survived first week of AP I. Next, I find out if I survive the first of the weekly quizzes. Today in lab, we learned 126 bones of the 208 in the human body. This is the Appendicular portion of the skeleton. That would be everything except the cranial, thoracic, and vertebral portions, which would be the Axial skeleton. It sounds difficult, but broken down, it's not that hard. Since left and right are the same, we only needed to know 63. We'll learn the other 80 in the next couple of labs. Being visual, this is easier for me. So far. :)

Celebration + Lecture

Got my English Comp I grade: A !! Despite knowing I had at least an A-, the final exam's grade left things questionable. As I have mentioned: I don't do well writing essays in a timed environment. I have no idea what I got on the final exam, but the final grade is all that I care about at this point. I just hope I can continue this trend into the science classes. Which leads me to...

Tonight was also my first AP I lecture class. It was long and without breaks (unless you chose to leave the room briefly). But the positive side of that was, we got out an hour earlier! It was a lot of material, sometimes more in depth than I thought needed; other times, incredibly simple. I have a good feeling about the class, but I'll know better after the first tests. Every week there will be a quiz for the lecture class and another for the lab. Oof. But at least there will be no cumulative exam (except for the practical lab exam). So far, so good!

AP I - Day 1

My first AP I class (lab) was tonight. Lecture is M/W, lab is T/Th. And I am going to be geeky and say, "I really like it". It was a full class (about 24 students) and I feel fortunate to get a really good professor. We're also lucky that he teaches the lecture, so it will make things consistent.

Talking to other students, they told me he is really good. I agree! What I like about the professor is that he is very clear and concise, has some humor, doesn't just "lecture", makes the class interesting and go by relatively quickly (it *is* a 4-hr, class after all), and truly wants the students to do well. He is strict (will take 5 pts off your grade if your cell phone rings, you get an F if you miss more than 1 class) but has an excellent memory and says he will know all of our names within the week. And while lecturing in lab, he specifically says "write this down", and proceeds to rattle off specific information that you better know. He's not trying to make learning difficult or be mysterious of what will be tested.

Today's class was primarily the policies, but we also had a run-down of how to use the compound light microscope, how to measure field of vision, and learned anatomical positioning. We also got out 30 mins early. Granted, it's the first class and lecture remains to be seen tomorrow night, but I think he'll make it a good class. I can exhale a little. Just a little. :)

Down side: book/lab book cost me $270 combined. And I still have to buy a lab coat. Up side: they will also be used for AP II class.