Studying for NPLEX Day 1: the warm up lap

Today I studied cancers of the blood. A bit of a depressing topic actually (though don't worry- for some of them the prognosis is quite good with appropriate treatment- I just needed to put that disclaimer in for anybody who comes across this page by googling one of them- also, if you're googling your disease: STOP IT! Google can be a terrifying place! Find a healthcare provider who you trust and can talk to, and who can direct you to reputable, non-random places where you can educate yourself).

Ok. Back to cancers of the blood: you can see how awesome my focus is today. Awesome. Awe-inspiring focus. Yes. Focus....

Confession: studying hasn't been going well... at all. I started today and expected all the information to just fly into my brain and file itself appropriately, awaiting recall when I sit down to write NPLEX in 2 months. That might seem like an unreasonable expectation... except that's usually how studying goes for me: quick, easy, relatively painless.

But here's the thing (there's always a thing): I haven't thought about anything academic since finishing school in Sept 2010. And I haven't really studied for anything since finishing 3rd year (way back in April 2009!). Sure there were tests in 4th year, but nothing worth hitting the books for. And yes, I did a lot of learning during my clinical year- I'd say more than in the previous 3 years combined! However: studying for the purpose of long term retention and application is a different animal than the cram-bam-thank-you-mam style of studying I prefer for multiple choice testing. Its just different. (And I know you'd think you could just study the same way for both- you could- definitely- but I kick-ass at multiple choice tests and I study differently for them.)

So it turns out my brain is out of shape. Sure its still perfectly capable of walking around the block and up the stairs without getting out of breath. Its not terrible. But I'm training for a brain-marathon. I used to run brain-marathons every day with my thalamus tied behind my back... now I'm barely making it around the block. Its a bit depressing to look back and compare myself to my former glory. But its also inspiring: I know I can get back there- I just have to put in the time and work!

Its like that with any activity you stop doing for a while- you slowly start to suck at it. You lose your mastery.

This is the reason I'm a little scared to start skiing. I was never really a ski-master (I'm not even sure there is such a thing) but I was good enough to enjoy myself. Tomorrow is opening day at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and I've been invited to go skiing. Even though I loved skiing back in the day, I'm not ready to gear up and head down some black diamond runs for the first time in over a decade (don't worry- green runs will be open when the snow comes down the mountain in the spring- or so they tell me). I don't know why I was sensible enough to know I'd need at least one warm-up run before heading down the hill, but it didn't occur to me at all that I'd need a warm up day (or couple days) before I get into the studying groove.

Tomorrow is a new day, and tomorrow I will tackle the rest of the conditions of the blood and lymphatic systems (malaria, phlebitis, septicemia, lymphadenitis, lymphadenopathy, lymphangitis, lymphedema, anemias, elliptocytosis/ovalocytosis, hemochromatosis, polycytemia vera, secondary polycytemia, spherocytosis, multiple myeloma, alpha and beta thalassemia, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, sickle cell anemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemophilia, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, vitamin k deficiency, Von Willebrand's disease, acidosis, alkalosis, acute intermittent porphyria, erythropoietic protoporphyria and last but not least, porphyria cutanea tarda). And tomorrow that's really got to get done, or my study schedule is going to go out the window- fast!

Tonight is also a new night, and not one dedicated to studying! (Woot!) I'm seeing Dehli 2 Dublin at the Regent... 8pm $7. I have no idea if they're good or not, but I hear good things! (Probably I could listen to their music on their website- but I prefer to be surprised!)

If they're not good, hopefully the Odds will be! I loved them in the '90s. They're playing on the CPR Holiday Train (Dec 13- Revelstoke) this year and I'm pumped about it. I always wonder if that'd be a fun venue for the artists or just terrible. It seems super cold and icy to me.

For any aspiring stalkers in Revelstoke, that's where you can find me. Please be gentle. 

PS: I also bought colorful felt-tipped pens today that will either help me focus on studying OR may alternatively help me procrastinate colorfully on the very paper I'm supposed to be taking notes on. They are cute little double-edged swords- I'll let you know how it goes... hopefully not tomorrow while I'm supposed to be studying.