Fast, Strong, Fearless.

ifyoufeelthatway:

tkaaay:

bigtimecrushonsomeone:

30rockasaurus:

fuckyeaaaah-xx:

iwannahavethelifethatyouhave:

jforjoelle:

last time i did this my wish really came true. so im going to wish again

nothing to lose. :))

Let’s hope

Why not? :)

*crossing fingers*

pretty much^^^^

i got nothing to lose. (:

Last time i did this my wish came true.

this is hector the track and field skeleton

You can learn a ton from reading. Novel blog intro, eh? But as a bookworm by birth, know that I truly believe this. When I decided to pursue medicine as a nontraditional student, I started to create and tackle a growing subset of my To Be Read (TBR) list that is comprised of medically-related books. The list is still growing, but I want to share some of my the premed (and med!) reads with you:

When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

How could I not include this? A poignant memoir by a brilliant physician-writer who I’ll never have the privilege to meet. His memoir was published posthumously. There has been a ton written about Dr. Kalanithi, so I’ll just leave you with one of his beautiful online pieces.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

This was one that was not on my medically-related reads list and caught me by surprised when I picked it up. Read this if you’re interested in physician-assisted suicide from the perspective of a patient’s loved one. Fiction and excellent fiction at that.

Kay Scarpetta Series by Patricia Cornwell

Ok I’ve only read #10 of the series so far but it inspired me to read #1, which I purchased at a used book sale! A quick, enjoyable mystery read with a female forensic pathologist as the lead.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

One of the most beautiful pieces of lit I’ve read in recent years. Excellent plotlines. Prose with purpose. Anyone, in the health field or not, can enjoy this one. IMO, the most important medical commentary is under the surface. If you’re having a book club meeting about this, please invite me.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

This, like Me Before You, caught me by surprise. A very well-written novel paying respect to Sherlock Holmes through its main character, who seems is on the autism spectrum.

Complications by Atul Gawande

A compilation of well-crafted short stories/tales from the OR. Atul Gawande is a premed staple.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot 

Fascinating nonfiction work paying homage to a woman and her cells (HeLa cells!) who we all owe our well-being. Medical history is so very important and Skloot does the patient justice. Don’t skip this one.

The House of God by Samuel Shem

This cover tells you a lot about the book…

Sigh. This is depressing with dark humor, which I usually appreciate, but I couldn’t get on board with this one. Including it because it’s a staple premed/med student/physician read. I have an ignorant appreciation for the content but you’ll easily find me standing on my soapbox…I digress for now.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

With the growing population of aging baby boomers, this is a must-read (albeit difficult at certain points) for all present and future physicians. It’s about time someone made the case for respecting age, and who better than Dr. Gawande?

If  you’ve enjoyed (loathed) any of these premed reads too, what are your thoughts? Are there any books that I haven’t included here that you think I should read? Leave your comments on the blog, I love to read them :)

I was asked on tumblr to go into detail about a typical day during my MCAT study in Spring 2015. Others’ MCAT strategies were super interesting to me before I studied for the exam, so I’m happy to share mine with you! But keep in mind, this is the schedule that worked for me and it may not work for you or anyone else. I say this because I tried to replicate random study schedules the first time I took the old exam in 2014 and it was a time-suck and a mistake. No one knows your study habits better than you! Create a study schedule that will work for your needs.

Items of Note

General MCAT study tips to warm you up for the MCAT marathon.

MCAT study time: just under 9 weeks

I studied 7 – 8 hours a day.

My volunteering was on hiatus to maximize my free time for studying.

I was enrolled in 1 post bac lab course.

My job was remote and part-time.

I will include a schedule that includes a workout, which I incorporated every other day.

On the days I didn’t work out, I used that extra time to run errands, do homework for my lab class, or have dinner with someone.

For the first month of studying, I took Saturday and Sunday off. After that, I took one day off per week.

My Typical MCAT Study Day

730AM: Wake up! Occasionally earlier, and occasionally later. But this was typically the best time for me to wake up. 745 – 8ooAM: Make + eat breakfast, watch the news, let the caffeine from my deep, dark tea work its magic. 8oo – 1030AM: Study at home 1030 – 1050AM: Snack/talk to humans/email/text break 1050 – 130PM: Study at home 130 – 230PM: Lunch with TV + some work/emails 230PM: Get ready + drive to the gym 300 – 345PM: Workout! Usually cardio on the elliptical or a cardio-infused, strengthening workout of my own. It was quick + got me moving. 400 – 530PM: Shower + dinner. 530 – 600PM: Drive to library + set up 600 – 800PM: Study at library 800 – 820PM: Snack/talk to humans/text break 820 – 1000PM: Study at library 1020 – 1100PM: Whatever I want (usually tumblr or TV) 1100PM: Sleep

Why This Study Schedule Worked for Me

Experience has shown me that when I study into the afternoon, I get kind of down/lose focus/am uninterested. Mornings and evenings are the best time for me to study. Allowing myself a long break in the middle of the day where I get to unwind and be in a different environment makes me feel like a balanced human. Last Spring, it helped me recharge for the latter half of my studying at the library. If my day didn’t start early, I wouldn’t have had the luxury of long breaks. Luckily, I am somewhat of a morning person if I sleep at a reasonable hour! Overall, I was exponentially happier studying for the MCAT in 2015 than I was in 2014 — for multiple reasons, but my improved schedule was definitely one of them.

Tips for Creating Your Own Study Schedule

Be honest with yourself about what works for you. If you loathe getting up early, don’t do it! Just plan the rest of your day around that. But keep in mind that this is a short period of time where it is ok to be a little uncomfortable for the sake of your larger goals. You’re not going to be able to see your friends all of the time if you want to get a decent score, but you also don’t have to be a hermit for two months. A hermit-ish lifestyle will serve you best. Like most things in life, MCAT study calls for balance both for your sanity and your success. You will learn so much about not only science but yourself through this journey. It’s cheesy but true for me. Remember, every day that you study, you’re one step closer to med school!

Don’t forget to scope my general MCAT study tips that I shared in the thralls of last year’s MCAT study! As always, I love comments and tumblr asks so please send them over. I hope this was helpful to you!