Another nurse to Doctor

**Polldoll** · 06-05-2012, 03:14 AM

How the year has flown by! I have 4 exams to sit, starting on Saturday, and then that is first year done and dusted!!
So since I last posted, I passed my first semester module, in an average fashion! That covered a wide variety of topics, anatomy, basic overview of the systems, biochemistry, molcular biology, physiology, pharmacology, embryology etc etc.
Second semester was focused on the upper and lower limbs. Went into so much more detail, learning all the muscles, their attachments, nerve supply, actions. Covered more of all the other topics too, just basically huge volumes of material being thrown at us!

I had some issues this semester with depression and struggled to stay motivated and fell behind with my work. I failed my midsemester exam. That was quite a wake up call. I didn't come this far to fail now. So I am adressing my medical problems, and with the help of some close friends, I am back on target and studying hard for this exam. (apart from taking a wee break to nose around the forums!!)
I feel more confident for these exams, but still find the sheer volume of material to learn rather overwhelming. I had a chat with the head of my year, cause I feel like Im not clever enough to be here and she really encouraged me and reminded me that they thought I was clever enough to be offered a place, therefore I had to stop worrying and really focus on getting through.
So I will let you know how I do in these exams, and if I get to progress to second year, or if I have to resit over the summer. Fingers crossed!
Back to the books I go!
Px

**Polldoll** · 08-06-2012, 05:25 PM

Soooo... I passed first year and am allowed to proceed to 2nd year! My summer has been made!

Px

**Martigan** · 12-06-2012, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by polldoll

soooo... I passed first year and am allowed to proceed to 2nd year! My summer has been made!

px

*like*

**Polldoll** · 12-06-2012, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by Martigan

*like*

Thank you!! How are you getting on??
Px

**grub** · 17-06-2012, 02:37 AM

thats brilliant! well done x

**Polldoll** · 26-03-2013, 04:07 AM

Time for another update!
So only 8 weeks left of 2nd year and then my exams. How time flies! I have had an interesting year so far, its been confirmed that I am going to Glasgow for clinical years so now wishing it was September 2014.
I have been active on our surgical society committee, and helped to organise a national student conference, have arranged clinical skills workshops, written for the med school and presented a poster at 2 conferences. However I still battle with my mood, and if I belong at university. It sometimes is a very lonely place to be, and I really miss the buzz of the wards and my patients and colleagues from my nursing days. But so far I am keeping myself going in this preclinical setting, trying to ignore the academic competitivness that runs in my year, and keep my head down and focus on passing. I know life will be better when I reach the clinical stage so for now its jumping through hoops to get my degree.
Nursing experience really doesnt help me as much as people think it will. And in fact I'd say it almost hinders me at some points. But I will keep on going, put too much into this to quit now! Will enjoy my last week off and then get back into study mode and aim to get 2nd year out of the way!
That's all for now!
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**musttryharder** · 28-03-2013, 03:13 AM

Hi,
Great to read your blog.
I relieved to know there's someone fairly similar to me; slacked in A-levels, did a music degree (cos I had to do something) - was a trombonist. The took a place on nurse training (considered medicine but decided, like you, that the course was too long, I was too old, it was too expensive, entry was too hard...) Fast forward 9 years and I decided to give it a go after all - so I'm off to St George's in September.
Good to know us brass-playing nurses can use our skills in lots of different ways :-)

**DrDani** · 20-04-2013, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by Polldoll

Nursing experience really doesnt help me as much as people think it will. And in fact I'd say it almost hinders me at some points. But I will keep on going, put too much into this to quit now! Will enjoy my last week off and then get back into study mode and aim to get 2nd year out of the way!
That's all for now!
px

Hey Polldoll

I love your blog, quick question, in what way do you think your nursing experience hinders you?

**jcak** · 20-04-2013, 03:39 PM

I'm intrigued with DrDani's question too, also why did you decide you wanted to be a doctor rather than a nurse apart from the aforementioned "you don't need to know that" you kept being told. I presume it would have come up at interview?

**Polldoll** · 21-04-2013, 02:43 AM

Hey
So why does nursing hinder me. My knowledge base is very uneven, I have a lot of experience clinically, managing patients and am aware of a wide range of illnesses and treatment methods. However with the science part of my degree and also normal physiology I am very much below avaerage and really struggle. But there are a lot of assumptions made by staff and other students that I must know it all. (which I most def dont! lol)
All the clinical things that I have been taught so far are mostly things that I already do. (aside from examination of the various systems) But venepuncture, catheterisation, aseptic technique, recording observations etc I have been doing for years. I then have to be taught (sometimes by some staff that havent been near a hospital in years) and get used to doing things their way in order to pass the ospe. I guess its like being asked to sit your driving test again after you have been driving for 10 years!
And there are times when we get taught something I dont agree with, either because it is out of date or irrelevent. Lots of biting my tongue to keep myself from being to critical!
And why did I opt to do medicine? Well it's something I ask myself a lot these days. I didnt want to get to an age and look back and always wonder what if. I guess I had always put medicine on a pedistal and thought that it was beyond my capabilities but when I was actually nursing and ended up keeping some doctors on track, and being frustrated at their attitudes and skills, it became a sort of, well if they can do it, then I must be able to. That and academically doing very well in my nursing degree all gave me the confidence to actually apply.
I really am not that fond of the pre-clinical portion of my degree. I hate the competitivness and attitude of many students (where life is all about memorising material to pass the exams and be better than the rest, and less about gathering knowledge and understanding in order to be a doctor) so looking forward to my clinical years where hopefully I will actually get on the wards and be given opportunities to learn actual medicine!

Anyway, that's about all for now!
Px