Block 1: Fundamentals, 5 credit hours, A (80.11)
Block 2: Musculoskeletal, Hematology, and Lymphatics, 4 credit hours, B (79.01)
Block 3: Cardiovascular and Respiratory, 4 credit hours, C (67.83)
Block 4: Clinical Competencies and Skills, 3 credit hours, Pass (weighted like an A, or 4 points/hour)
Fundamentals covered everything on a basic level: lots of biochemistry, including molecular genetics and cell signaling, cellular anatomy, and the first two months of fetal development. The title for Block 2 is kind of self-explanatory, as is Block 3, but we weren't taught a single
subject; instead, we learned/were introduced to the pertinent anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, development, and pathology for the relevant systems all at once. I really, really enjoyed this approach, and it helped everything make sense all in relation to itself. My favorite section was probably the first 8 weeks of development in the fundamentals block, and paradoxically, cardiac and vascular development was probably my least favorite (this probably could have a lot to do with the respective teachers, however). Gross anatomy was included in every block and reflected both in our midterms/finals and our practicals, as was histology. Block 4 was overriding the entire semester, and included our simulations, doctor-patient society practical, and our problem-based learning (or PBL) group sessions.
The simulations were far and away my favorite part of the entire semester. For the simulation, they break us up into groups, and depending on the situation, we either learn about specific clinical skills (like listening for heart sounds), or have to perform in a hospital-like setting to care for our patient (the sim-man, a very, very high tech dummy that is about as close to a live person as you can get). I can't go into any detail due to doctor-patient confidentiality, but the hospital simulation was awesome. After the initial shock of the situation, we all flew straight into action and in less than 2 minutes I felt like I was actually treating a real patient, not a simulator. I can't wait for more stuff like this. Anatomy Lab was a close second, since I love the stuff, and I'm looking forward to next semester there too.
Our professors definitely run the gamut in quality. I've had both the best and the worst teachers I've had in my entire life, but fortunately there were only a couple bad ones, and most were at least good, if not great. Some of the teachers got better as the semester went on as well, which leads me to wonder if they struggle due to the limited material they are able to present to us early on (this was also very evident in our PBL sessions; at first, they were worthless, but by the end I enjoyed them immensely).
I didn't get to do a whole lot during the semester as far as seeing the island goes, but I made lots of new friends and had some fun too. I was on the Semester 1 flag football team, the Mountain Chickens; joined AMSA and was a fake patient for their 3rd semester mock practical; joined the Salybia Mission Project, which has twice-monthly health clinic for the Kalinago (Carib Indians) at the Carib territory; and got involved with the Ross Catholic Students Association, where I'm now co-Rosary chair.
That pretty much wraps it up for all the big stuff that happened to me over the first semester! I'll try to put up a preview post for the next semester when it gets a little closer, and I'll post about some of the things I've done over the break soon too.
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