YouTube.. Sure Why Not

Hi Everyone, I know its been a while since my last post and I have a ton of updates for you. I will post most of my life changing events in the form of videos and upload them to my YouTube channel.


It would mean the world to me if you all would go like and better yet subscribe to my Channel

"dREAM w/Shan"

Here links to the videos I have uploaded so far

https://youtu.be/HMRGzLBySGg

https://youtu.be/lf6huGAQzGg

https://youtu.be/0R1ONYqF4mo

Subscribe to the channel because our official VLOG drops later this month!!

Fall Off then Bounce Back

This is my first Blog Post in a while and this is actually my first post as a Second Year Medical Student (Drum Roll and Round of Applause!!!!!!!!!!)

As I am writing this post I am thinking of all of the items on my Monday Sept 25th, 2017 "To Do List" that I still have to do ;-) but I definitely want to share my thoughts on 2nd year so far.

Class started Mid August and I am currently taking Pathology, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Pharmacology, and Fundamentals of Medicine. In about 3 weeks we will begin Pathophysiology. I will share with you all in a later post more details about all of the classes. 

The last 5 weeks have been crazy, when I say crazy I mean crazy and to top it off we just completed our first set of exams for our year long courses. I can only speak for my school and my curriculum but 2nd year is completely different from 1st year, there is 5x more material to cover, longer class hours and did I say 10x more the material. 

But Five exams in 3 days does not sound that bad at first but it was definitely more challenging than I thought. And guess what I did absolutely... .....HORRIBLE (well not super horrible but bad enough on 1 exam to really make me rethink everything for a quick second). 

Learning to balance the new load of material was a challenge but the most demanding or worrisome part of the past 5 weeks had to be "other" issues I had to deal with equaling to an undue amount of stress, from financial stress, to home stress, to work stress, to financial stress, to just extra stress leading to an unfocused mind. And to be very honest I did not study everyday like I should had. Nope I didn't, on days when I was just completely over it, I might have studies for 30mins- 1 hr.  I was not getting adequate sleep, all adding up to not so ideal circumstances. 

A few good/not so good things that I did prior to this exam block was:

1- Met with a tutor to get an idea I how I should tackle studying for my courses. I received a few good tips but ultimately the tutor and I were not the same type of learner of many of the tools mentioned were not ideal for me.  Try out multiple tutors, until you find your match!

2- Attempted group study. This was not effective for me either (at the time) because I was the weak member of the group, I was ill prepared and honestly couldn't keep up. I could have more effectively used that time to catch up on material. Going forward I will use group study to review questions (share common or differing point of views) and topics that I don't fully understand. 

3- I did quite a bit of practice questions. Initially, I did practice questions to early before we covered all the material (so I could not answer many of the questions) and I didn't thoroughly review my answers afterwards. I plan to go back to my trusty MCAT question review method: Review all the questions and take brief  notes on topics I get incorrect, if the topic is in my "REPEATEDLY MISSED" list, take more in depth notes and discuss the topic with a tutor, professor or another student.  

Immediately after my exams, I emailed my advisor with revisions to the my study plan for the next test block, I met with one of my professors to discuss best practices for doing well in their course,  I reached out to another tutor, received tips/guidance and then I reviewed my missed exam questions. AND I GOT SOME REST, or simply put did something none school related.

My transparency is to let you know that life will continue to happen whether we are students or employed adults. I mean this isn't my first time failing an exam but as with any time that you fall short of your goal, you have reevaluate your actions and work harder the next time. 

New School Year!

Its that time of year again, the little kiddies are heading back to school, college students will be back in school also and so many scholars will experience the illustrious first day of their new school, new program, etc!

I start school in less than two weeks and I am spending the remainder of this limited free time getting my son prepared for his first day at a new school (starting next week) and my first day as a 2nd Year Med student.

How I am prepping (Him):

• Organizing all of his school clothes
• Buying school supplies
• Registration/Tour of the New school
• Starting our morning routine a week early
• Finding/registering for after school care
• Random reading, vocab and math quizzes 

How I am prepping (Me):

• Reviewing my school schedule and planning all his medical/dental visits
• Handling all/most of my Non-profit work now
• Resting 
• Buying school supplies, books etc
• Calculating my yearly budget
• Resting
• Finalizing my scholarship applications
• Looking for other streams of income
• Running endless errands for my grandparents while I still have free time
• Resting
• Reviewing pathology, microbiology, and pharmacology material
• And did I say resting

In actuality resting comes far and few in between but I am definitely getting more rest than I would if I was in class Mon-Fri and when my son starts school next week I will have more time to rest and work on my projects.

ADVICE TO 1ST YEAR Professional School students:

 

Whether you have started already or will start in the coming weeks or days:

Finances

• Review your financial aid information, make sure everything is accurate and never be afraid to ask for more free money (grants, scholarships etc). Also Do you know how much debt you have entering school? If youre like me an have a few degrees and have dabbled in federal pool money quite a bit, this is need to know information because there is a lifetime cap on federal education funding.
• If you haven't already apply apply apply for as many outside scholarships as possible, money matters. Yes we are all(majority) going to leave school with some type of debt but thinking about debt in school can be burdensome, especially if you have family or extra unexpected bills. 
• Make a budget, the frequency/timeline of your budget should depend on when you anticipate a refund check from your school. Its better to over estimate expenses than underestimate, by over estimating and moving my scholarship money to separate accounts, I never find myself in a position needing to request more funding.

Academics (keeping it simple because everyone is different)

• Pre-read before class, this doesn't mean you have to read the whole chapter but as least scan through majority of it, pick up on new topics and graphs/pics, after lecture if you notice one topic was more stressed than another and its unfamiliar information for you, read that chapter, watch videos on it or whatever works best for you.
• Its better to keep up than to play catch up. Our school Psychologist said this during orientation last year, and it didn't really hit me until I was knee deep in old material that I was seeing for the first time. Try your best to keep up with the class material each day, review and read, take notes or whatever works for you, each day after class. I know sometimes we get tired after a long day of being in class but try to at least review something before dozing off, that way it leaves less for you to catch up on. If you plan according Mon-Fri and stay on track, you have less work to review on the weekends and you are able to review some/all of the material for a second time (repetition is key) and when your exam nears there will no (or less) material that you are seeing for the first time!

Personal

• You are human and you body needs care just like you brain! Schedule time to enjoy life, whether it be an hour or 1 day a week!

These were some of the hard lessons I acquired after struggling a bit to find what study methods worked best for me. I found myself always fighting to catch up, give it a try and let me know how it works! 

Birthday Cake Please!

Hello World, I am happy to celebrate another year of life, another day to learn and grow and to work on being great (however and whatever I define greatness to be)!!

Something AMAZING, AWESOME and SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS was that I launched my non-profit organization website!

So please check out Conceive A Dream Foundation's new home! Learn about the organization, the work we plan to do in the community and with youth and women, and of course make a donation towards these efforts!

Overall life is life, I am taking the good with the bad and making sweet dessert out of it! My goal for this next year is to devote time and energy into self care, self love and participating in healthy activities that will me bring joy and fulfillment and by doing so I will be a better mother, family member, student and friend!

Beyond Thankful

God is Absolutely Amazing so Remember not matter what storm comes your way (or even a beautiful sunny day) praise him for the good and the bad, and spread the joy and love from his sacrifice with the world!

I am thankful that I was able to wake up today 

I am thankful for my family, friends, associates

I am thankful for the good health of so many

I am thankful that those with ailing health, have the strength to keep going

P.S I have tons of great things to look forward to: 2nd year, Leadership positions, Non-Profit work (Finally YAYYY) and immense personal and spiritual growth 

I am beyond thankful and All praise, honor and glory goes to GOD because I could not have made it on my own!

June the Rollercoaster!!

A sample of my June. 

June you were filled with humps, bumps, twist and turns!!

My June kicked off great! MPF Scholarship Recipient!

Me and my mini-me at the Scholarship Gala, Hyatt Regency Atlanta

Myself, fellow MSM classmates (rising 4th year and recent graduate) and a undergrad student from my alma mater Spelman, and the President and Dean of my school Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice
Scholars Forum Washington DC

The illustrious and historic U.S Congressman from my home state, John Lewis

The illustrious and historic U.S Congressman from my home state, John Lewis
cameo appearance by recent MSM MD graduate Dr. G

Washington, D.C

Random Washington DC Cuteness

Random Washington DC Cuteness

Year End Research Culminating Ceremony

Year End Research Culminating Ceremony: Physicians, future physicians, leaders and future leaders!

Introducing Shan,
 Mother
2nd Year Medical Student
 2017-2018 Co-Director of the student run H.E.A.L Clinic
Family Medicine Interest Group Vice-President
MSM SNMA Chapter Treasurer
 and Founder of Conceive A Dream Foundation, Inc. (official website coming soon 😊😊😊)

Hello June

Hello June

Hello to another awesome month

Thank you spring for wonderful things

Soon Hello Summer and all its magnificent wonder

Signed: Shan A.K.A Rising Doctor

Big Moments in June History (for me)

June 2016- First Year Orientation for Medical School

Trip to Mexico

June 2015- Summer APEX Program

June 2014- Began my AMSA Just Medicine Fellowship

Big Moments in June (to come)

Diverse Scholars Forum- I will (maybe) present my research! 

FAILURE is Not FINAL

It has been several months since my last updates post. This was definitely not intentional. I honestly had so many things I wanted to write about but could not organize my thoughts in the form of a post. The last 11 month of school, my first year of medical school to be exact, have been very challenging, from navigating through first year curriculum, to constantly worrying about how I will fund the next 3 years of school, family illnesses, personal struggles, parent guilt, granddaughter guilt and the list goes on, but here I am.

Did I survive my first year of medical school, hmm well I am here to write another post. This year has definitely not always gone in the direction that I wanted it to go in but as hard as school has been this year, I still think the hardest part of this journey for me was actually getting into medical school. No, I am not saying that this has not been the most challenging/rewarding academic year of my life but once you get into school no matter how hard it will get, you're there, you're in school, you made it (well semi-made it).  And, when I didn't perform how I wanted on an exam or even failed an exam (yes I said failed an exam in medical school 👀), of course I felt disappointed but I know from experience that Failure is not Final. My grades in undergrad were not the most stellar, my first attempts at the MCAT were not bomb.com run-and-tell-your-mom scores, I had a child in college and most people thought I would not even finish school let alone be working towards my life long goal, had I let those encounters permanently stifle my dreams and goals I would have not made it into medical school today.

After a year of classes I can't say that I know the keys to surviving your 1st year medical school but what I can say is that I know this is a continued learning process. Learning about yourself, learning about others, exploring your interest, learning new strengths, discovering new weakness. I am still figuring out what works for me, how to balance school, parenting and other obligations. But I did discover for me one major key to balance in school is finding time to be happy, even if that is just an hour a day/week, and eliminate things/people that bring the complete opposite into your life.

What brings meaning to your life? If you have this figured out already, GREAT, you have half the puzzle already mastered. If, not then that is ok too because you have time. Find what brings meaning to your life, embrace it and allow that to be your solace during the stress of school, training, and everyday living.

If you only remember one thing from this post, remember: Not matter what the next year(s) may bring remember to celebrate your accomplishments and do not dwell on misfortunes because Failure is not Final and your success should be measured by your perseverance in the face of adversity and not by how high you score, how many likes you get or the recognition you receive from others. You are the only person destined to Run Your Race!

Completion of Undergrad- Completion of Graduate School- 1st year of Medical School 

Lown Conference May 2017

Beyond the Bottom Line: Defending the Human Connection in Health Care

I had the pleasure of attending the Lown Conference a few weeks ago in Quincy, MA. This is the 5th Lown Institute Conference (click the link to learn more about this great organization).

Background: I attended the conference in 2013. This was before I entered medical school and I was working and volunteering heavily in healthcare at that time. I became aware of the Lown Institute after hearing a presentation from Shannon Brownlee during an AMSA Pharmaceutical Policy Leadership in Medicine event and became so enthused on the Right Care movement based on her presentation. I became even more excited about during the conference and enjoyed being able to interact with medical students, healthcare advocates and physicians. During the 2013 conference there was an emphasis of over-usage of medical services etc., and in my personal experience from living and working with mostly underserved minorities, I witnessed more under-usage of services than over-usage of services, so it was good that I was able to see the other side of that coin during the conference. I am also glad to hear that in more recent years, under-usage has been presented on a more in depth level.

I have been able to stay current with the organization and all of the great work they have been involved in over the years through weekly email updates but unfortunately, I was not able to attend the any subsequent conference events following my first in 2013. So I was very happy to reconnect with the organization through conference attendance. Additionally, when I attended the conference years ago, I was coming from the lens of a patient advocate and my experiences were vastly different. Since then, I have had the chance to work in different environments and even on projects that delved into interactions between pharmaceutical industry, medical education institutions and teaching hospitals, and began my training as a future physician. Despite having a different title now, I still consider myself to be a patient advocate first however now my perspective has slightly evolved to encompass a more dynamic viewpoint. I was thrilled to be able to attend the 3-day conference this year and learn about the progress that the Lown Institute has made over the years!

The conference kicked off events on Friday, during which there was a great Research Symposium where participants showcased the work they have done in the advancement of Right Care. That evening there was a mixer where many of participants were able to wine down and chat.

On Saturday I attended workshops during the day and had fun bowling that evening. There were so many great workshops available it was hard to just pick two 😕

But I narrowed my selections down and I attended the following workshop:

The Community Cafe: An Innovative Method for Harnessing the Power of Community Engagement.

I really enjoyed this session because it allowed me to learn about how this particular community in Camden, NJ empowers their community members, which consists of mostly Latino and African Americans, through education and healthcare. There approach is very community orientated and they take a very hands on approach in working to bridge the gap between access and available resources. Listening to the women speak so passionately about their community, the inhabitants and the work they have done, reminded me so much of the communities where I live. There is so much resilience despite so many of the "shortcomings" others see when they come to those areas.

Discover "What Matter" Instead of "What's the Matter" to Improve the Patient Experience.

This session started off very anecdotal, where the speaker used her experience with her son and a medical condition he was facing to shed light on simple things that everyone in healthcare (from the front desk clerk to check out) and patients can do to make sure that the patient experience is positive and reflect the true essence of what healthcare should be. Then it became very interactive, each table of attendee were able to correlate an emotion to the points of contact during a medical visit, that were experienced by the patients, the parent or event the staff. 

On Sunday there was Right Care Alliance Congress. I was able to stay for some of the activities before I had to depart for my flight. I heard from some of the new steering committee members and about their plans/interests and interacted with other attendees during a very interactive icebreaker!

Overall, I enjoyed my time at the conference. One thing that I will note is that communities that are underserved (whether medically, educationally, or economically), have a large population of minorities or both , are very unique. The obstacles to right care in Quincy, MA or Portland, OR maybe quite different than those faced in Camden, NJ or Atlanta, GA. And, it is great idea to have a wide range of experiences and people represented because Right Care may look different depending on where you are geographically and may sound different depending on who you ask but Right Care is Right Care. What I most enjoyed was being able to attend the workshops and hear from the speakers and take time to reflect on how I thought the Right Care Alliance could be applied to the communities I serve, as a patient myself and a patient advocate from an underserved community: what I thought right care looked like for me and as a future healthcare provider that will care for patients from all walks of life: how I could manifest Right Care for a diverse patient population!

Twenty Sixteen

Its only right that I close out this year with a post!

2016 has been a year I will never forget.

So many great things happened in my life this year that I don't even need to drudge up the unpleasant times.

I lived to see another year, Twenty-Great :-) to be exact

My son lived to see another year.

I started medical school

I've formed new bonds

And Im learning and growing every day

Balancing school and life been a welcomed challenge and i look forward to all the great things 2016 has in store!


Blessing to all!

Biochemistry NMBE

Tomorrow is our first Mini board of the year and first National Mini board ever. This should be interesting :-)

This is the final stretch and I will be free for a GRAND 10 day Winter Break (you should see the excitement on my face 10 whole days lol)

Share in the humor with me!

Fall Reflections

So far this week has provided me with a major boost in moral. 

As a first year MD student at my school we must participate in clinical preceptorships, which is similar to shadowing in some cases and in others, we visit sites that provide healthcare and other services for underserved population and learn more about the work they do, services they provide, and people they help.  Well, yesterday my random assignment happen to be at a Family Medicine office that I have volunteered at for the past 2 years. It was so refreshing to be there and chat with my mentor and see patients.  

Initially, I didn't feel any different walking in as a medical student as I did during my previous trips there but as the evening hours rolled on I realized things were different. I got really excited when the physician would mention topics that I had recently learned in class and I felt confident about my ability to answer clinical questions.  Like, despite how I may feel that sometimes info is going in one ear and out the other, my studying and the endless hours I am putting are not in vain. I realized that the main purpose of the preceptorships is not give us more shadowing exposure because we all have hundreds and hundred of hours but for those days when we are bogged down with book work, lecture notes and feel so far removed from our goal of practicing medicine, it shows us, "That hey this is why you spend all of those hour reading, learning and preparing, so one day you can see patients and be the best physician for them as you possible can". And, I really needed that yesterday!  

Then, today is my son's birthday!!!! I still can't believe how much he has grown and matured into a spectacular young boy. His birthday reminds me of my journey and how far we have come. He's seen me graduate from college, moved to Macon for grad school with me, seen me graduate from that treacherous program and now he is seeing me pursue my dream of becoming a physician! Today is just a reminder that my dream is really bigger than me because I have so many other people relying on my determination, my imagination and my success.

School for me this last month has not been all that I had hoped. Honestly, my motivation has been a bit lack luster, I am present but sometimes my mind is completely absent. Then, I set expectations for myself that I probably wouldn't even expect Albert Einstein to accomplish and when I didn't meet those goals it was difficult for me reevaluate how realistic of those expectations were but easy for me criticize my own efforts. But, I am learning to take easier on myself because while expecting greatness is great, burn out is real. I've done a lot of things in my life that I can reflect on but I've never done medical school before. I've never done medical school before as mother before. I've never done medical school before in my hometown with all my family (pro&con). This a whole different ball game and I'm just a rookie. But, I am learning, growing and still finding my way through. One thing I know is that, I dream about this, wished for this, prayed about this, and now I am hear. While people make plenty of mistakes, God doesn't! 

Relax.Relate.Release: DIY/ChefMD

When I need a break from my everyday routine a few things I enjoy doing are DIY projects and cooking!

Here are a few of my recent projects and dishes:

Year Around Center Piece: Rocks, 3 different floral arrangements and glass vase.

I purchased all of these items during a Dollar Tree Haul! I super glued various glass pieces together to make the bathroom decor items.

2 cheese, spinach, & mushroom Stuffed chicken with Zucchini, Squash and peppers

Devin Making his own chicken

Curry Chicken

Caribbean Style Cabbage

Sweet Potato Pie (before the oven)

Curry Chicken, Cabbage, Rice & peas

Organ Systems 1: The Game Changer

It has been a whole month since my last blog post and I definitely have a few updates to share. Of course I had the pleasure in participating in my schools annual White Coat Ceremony. My family and friends were able to be their and support me as I began this new chapter exciting chapter!

Mostly importantly (at least academically) I began the Organ Systems 1 block and the last 6 weeks consisted of our 1st test block mainly on Cardiology and randomly thrown in there Skin and the Nervous System. I also started Gross Anatomy lab and during this 1st test block we learned about the Back and Upper limb anatomy/dissections. I am very appreciative of the individuals that saw fit to donate their vessel/body for science, so that I and my classmates would be able to further our understanding of anatomy and the physical body! 

Now lets get to the good stuff. How I feel about Organ Systems/Gross Lab 1 so far!

Well Hmm (clears throat LOL) its like a coin toss there are aspects that I like and things that I don't like. Lets start with what I am not so fond of. I am not a big fan of the actual dissection part of Gross lab. I understand the practicalness/purpose of Gross lab but I know for sure in my heart (as of right now) that surgery is not my forte, I can barely draw a straight line let alone reflect/dissect/skin. The ambiguity of nerves, blood vessels and structures is mind blowing to me and while very fascinating, I find bit challenging in the aspect of memorization and discernment going from one cadaver to the next. As time goes on I am sure it will come with more ease but as of today, three days post Gross Lab Practical, I can't say that I am ever super excited when I see gross lab on the schedule.

Next, OS1 lecture: Since our first test block was 6 weeks, this 1st test was the longest test so far. As I may have mentioned before the subject matter is generally not at all difficult, the challenging aspect for me was the amount of material. I definitely enjoy learning new things. Many of the biochem, physiology and cell bio type topics were previously introduced to me during grad school. Learning about these topics in medical school has provided me with a deeper layer of understanding. Also we started Community Health. MSM missions is really community oriented and in this Service-Learning course we take an active role in the community and try to add additional value to the lives of those we service through mentorship, programming, and by implementing a health related intervention based on community needs.

Our 1st exam of this block was on Oct 18 & 19. Despite having had several exams prior, I can say this exam was an eye opening experiences. They showed me a lot about the effectiveness of my study style/schedule and about my personal drive and motivation. I got sick during this first block, a few random family things happened, and I have a minor fender bender. All things that could happen whether I am a student or not. Having all these things happened has help me reevaluate my own drive. Physical illness is something that I can't necessarily predict and sometimes even prevent but those days when I am just mentally exhausted and don't feel like sticking to my schedule, I can prevent. 

Tip for Today: Make a schedule and stick to it. Make sure your schedule is flexible and incorporate free/me/fun time into your schedule. Devote as much time to personal/mental relaxation as you do to academic preparation and progression!

WCW!!!

WCW

Not Women Crush Wednesday But WHITE COAT WEDNESDAY

Friday September 16, 2016 I participated in my schools 32nd White Coat Ceremony!!!

I have a few more years before I can add DR/MD to my name but I am definitely excited for the fun and challenges times to come over the next 4 years and beyond!

I literally could write for days how blessed I am that this day has finally come, rehash my undergrad, pos bacc, or grad school experiences that lead up to point, laugh at the MCAT statistics (Look I Made It), talk about my youth growing up in a single parent home etc, and go on and on but its all been said.

 Faith, Perseverance and whole lot of bandages got me here.  Remember if you fall, get back up, if you fall again and bleed, wrap your wound and get back up. Remember if you Fail, you are not a failure, success is in your horizon, you just need a little more time to figure out the kinks!

Check out one of my 1st blog post Dear Reapplicant It will be exactly 2 years since I wrote that post but the information still stands true to me. Best of luck during this application cycle to all of the current applicants and individuals applying in the near future!!!

News and Upcoming Pre-Med Event!

MSM First Look Event open to undergraduate and post bacc students!!!!

Click link for more information


______________________________________________________________________

Check out my Interview with Accepted.com!!!!

Accepted.Com Interview!!

__________________________________________________________________________

Interview Season has officially begun!!! Check out the following webinar hosted by Accepted.com

How to Nail Your Med School Interviews!

Your future medical career depends on your med school interviews!

Learn how to ace them with Accepted’s live webinar happening on Wednesday, September 7th at 5pm PT/8pm ET.

They’re sharing expert tips on the entire med school interview process during this webinar! You don’t want to miss this! Register for: How to Nail Your Med School Interviews

Goals!

Setting Goals are sooo important in every aspect of life. They help get a clear picture of things I would like to accomplish.

November 14, 2010 I sat down and listed out all of major goal for 5 years. On that document I listed monthly and quarterly goals that included items such as: Learn Spanish, travel out of country, become more financial secures, reduce debt, take the MCAT and an endless number of additional goals. I also listed the exact date that I hoped to enter medical school.

And one day my I woke up and my calendar read Jan. 2015. In a panic I realized that there was so much that I hadn't accomplished and things I still wanted to work towards, and it was time to extended my "Goal Docs"  out for a few more years. I noticed that some of my goals had been met and other had been marked through twice, copied and pasted to a later date but one thing that had not occurred was the need to erase any of my goals. Though I did slightly rephrase goals and move dates, I never lost sight of where I wanted to go or the dreams that I had and wanted to accomplish.

As a first year Medical School student, I recently reviewed my goals from 2010-2015 and I looked at the many times I had to move dates, and edits where I had to readjust "My Plans" and relocate my goals. I had to readjust my plans to fit God's plans for my life because sometimes it is decided unbeknownst to ourselves that we need to take a few detours before we reach our final destination. Sometime we are frustrated by the traffic we are met with on these detours but every interaction and reaction has its purpose. And, while I have have items on my goals list x'd and relocated, I still made it to my end destination for this particular chapter of my life. Now its time to add my goals for the next 5-10 years and I look forward growing and learning more about myself and those I meet along the way!

Never give up on yourself, make adjustments, rephrase and rededicate aspects of your life and/or goals and move forward because a missed goals is not a misplaced Goal!