Stage 5 2018/2019 of my MBBS course hadn't been great. During the year, I had a huge crisis with my group which totally ruined my experience for the year. In the end, I failed the Stage 5 2018/2019 final exams and had to repeat the year. I was definitely hoping that Stage 5 2019/2020 would be a much better year. In particular, I wanted to make many friends in the new batch and have good memories with them.
On 20 August 2019, the student group list for the 1st semester of Stage 5 2019/2020 was released. Unfortunately, I was placed in the same group with 3 other students who were also repeating Stage 5, which limited my opportunity to mix with students in the new batch. I wanted to be in a group where all of the students are from the new batch, but no group change was allowed.
However, students would be randomly reallocated to different groups for the Primary Care rotation in November 2019. The Primary Care grouping was not yet released at that time. I decided to make a request to be placed in the same group with those in the new batch for Primary Care, and the lead agreed to consider my request. I really looked forward to Primary Care, which surely would be the most enjoyable part of the semester.
Stage 5 2019/2020 of MBBS began on 27 August 2019. Back in Stage 5 2018/2019, I didn't perform well in some of the in-course MOSLER assessments. For Stage 5 2019/2020, I set myself an aim of passing every domain in all 6 in-course MOSLER's. I decided that before the Primary Care rotation, I would just focus on passing the first 3 in-course MOSLER's.
The in-course MOSLER for Women's Health was on 19 September 2019, while the in-course MOSLER for Child Health was on 9 October 2019. I managed to pass all domains in both in-course MOSLER's. Meanwhile, the Primary Care rotation was getting closer and closer, and I couldn't wait for it to arrive.
On 14 October 2019, it was the start of the Mental Health rotation. As a matter of fact, I failed one of the domains in the Mental Health in-course MOSLER during Stage 5 2018/2019 because of a silly mistake. I felt bad every time I thought about it. To redeem for that, I definitely wanted to pass all domains of the in-course MOSLER for Mental Health in Stage 5 2019/2020.
On 19 October 2019, out of my expectation, the lead informed me that my request regarding the grouping for Primary Care had been declined. I wouldn't get to be in the same group with those in the new batch, the opportunity vanished before it even arrived. I felt so sad and disappointed about that, and I had no mood to study anything. I was having symptoms of depression, which was ironic for it to happen during my Mental Health rotation.
But 2 days later, I suddenly came to the realisation about something. If I still don't study because of my sadness, I am going to fail the in-course MOSLER for Mental Health. In that case, I will never get to redeem for my failure in the Mental Health in-course MOSLER last year, and I won't be able to achieve my aim of passing all of the in-course MOSLER's this year.
No, I absolutely don't want that to happen! So, I told myself that no matter how sad I am, I mustn't let it affect my studies. I quickly resumed studying for the Mental Health in-course MOSLER. Thankfully, there aren't many topics in Mental Health so 2 days isn't too much of a disruption.
I also realised another thing. In my current group, there are also a few students from the new batch and they are very nice, so I can just get close to them. While that may not be as fun as being in a group where everyone is from the new batch, it would still be a great experience.
I started building a good relationship with those from the new batch in my group. Soon enough, they had become my close friends. Indeed, this made me enjoy Stage 5 2019/2020 much more than before. Besides, it also helped me overcome the sadness.
On 31 October 2019, it was the in-course MOSLER for Mental Health. This time, I made sure not to repeat the same mistake I made in the previous year. With that, I passed all domains of this in-course MOSLER successfully. What's even better was that I coincidentally got the same examiner as the previous year, thus enabling her to see my improvements.
On the next day 1 November 2019, the student group list for the 2nd semester was released unexpectedly, and it was the same as the 1st semester grouping. However, students were allowed to swap groups, as long as it was between those of the same gender and race. That gave me hope.
I asked one of my friend if he could swap groups with me, and he said that he would consider it. If he agrees, then the sadness earlier wouldn't matter anymore, as I would get to be in the same group with those in the new batch for the entire 2nd semester which is much longer than the Primary Care rotation. I thought, is this a reward from God for my efforts in passing the Mental Health in-course MOSLER despite my sadness?
On 4 November 2019, it was the start of the Primary Care rotation. On 5 November 2019, my friend agreed to swap groups with me for the 2nd semester. It was no longer just hope, it had become the reality, and I couldn't be more grateful! I would get to be in the same group with those in the new batch from January 2020 onwards, and I was definitely looking forward to that.
However, I wouldn't be wasting the moments in the meantime. Primary Care is mostly Internal Medicine, which was my area of weakness in the previous year. Now, it's time for me to start working on that.
On 20 November 2019, it was the Primary Care in-course MOSLER. I got an examiner who is quite strict, but I still passed all domains of this in-course MOSLER successfully. With that, I had fulfilled the requirements for an overall pass in the in-course MOSLER's for Stage 5 2019/2020. However, I wouldn't stop at that. I definitely want to pass all domains of the next 2 in-course MOSLER's as well.
I am so glad that I was able to overcome my sadness quickly enough. I learnt to see things in a different way, and eventually, I got rewarded in every way! The whole incident also made me a more mature person, which is helpful in establishing a good relationship with my friends in the new batch.
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