It's begun again...2nd tri is here

So the first week of second tri has come to an end (ok, in truth, I'm in my last class of the day right now...shhh) It was a nice surprise that we don't have 8 tests a week at the beginning of the tri. The craziness doesn't truly begin until August....so my sanity will remain for at least a few more weeks!

 

So staying positive, laughing a little, is extremely important. I was personally feeling very overwhelmed on Wednesday, the first real day of classes. I got home from school, crabbed at my boyfriend, angrily ate some trail mix and then had to return to school for Spinal II lab. Let's just say it wasn't the best day. So I vowed to go to bed early. Lack of sleep in addition to stress is a lethal combination. Not only did I almost end up on "Caught you Sleeping" I knew that to have a successful tri, I couldn't continue doing what I was doing.

 

A few keys to being successful:

 

- get enough sleep! (but supplement with coffee as needed)

- find an outlet - I don't mean the nearest outlet mall. I mean some non-school hobby that you can do regularly to rest your brain and put some fun in your day.

- stay on top of your school work and don't wait until the night before to study

- eat healthy and exercise  - I can't stress how important exercise was for me 1st tri. It stimulate the release of endorphins and will undoubtedly improve your mood

- use your resources - use me, your professors, Dr. Margrave, PASS tutorials, etc.

- make things other than school a priority: your health, friendships, charity, etc.



And a new trimester begins...

Its the first day of a brand new adventure for a whole gaggle of new Palmer students.

I have this odd upper classman feeling now... I remember how nervous I was a trimester ago,  but this trimester I have a feeling of confidence. I know what is coming (and what to wear). So if you had your first day today, remember that you will be me in one trimester. You will make it through. It probably won't be all smiles and laughs, you may want to quit, or cry, or curl up in a hole, but take a break, read, exercise or do something to take your mind off the stress of school. You will make it!!

If it was, in fact, your first day, you probably heard a bunch of mumbo jumbo about sexual harassment, research, and the ALC. You won't remember this in a week. What you should remember is that you only need a small handful of the books on the list they gave you(the list will follow) and that these people will be with you for the next 3 years, so make friends! I was tempted to become a hermit, but soon found out that they wasn't doing me any good.







Book List:

- CNS (nueroanatomy) note booklet
- Neurophys note booklet
- Gray's Anatomy 
- Netter
- Locomotor (maybe) 

I did use any other books besides these. Also, I would HIGHLY recommend buying your books on Amazon. If you want to save even more money, go back an edition or two, the book will be essentially the same, but a fraction of the price. 

The last thing you need to remember is that the 1st tri is a period of adjustment. Not only are you getting used to difficult classes and a new school, but it may be the first time you've lived away from home, the first time living alone, or maybe the thought of having finally picked a permanent career path is scaring the begeezies out of you. No matter what, remember that you have people to lean on at school and at home. Also, everyone in your class is going through the same thing! Good luck! 

   

Living

So...the big question: Where will you live?

And possibly the bigger question: Who will you live with?

My advice, if you can afford it, is to start the program living alone (or at least without a random roommate). Most likely you don't know anyone else going into the program at the same time as you, and therefore you have NO IDEA about their living habits. The last thing you need to be worrying about during your 1st tri is your dirty/annoying/alcoholic/slutty roommate.

I choose to live in a studio apartment at Perry Hill (just 2 blocks from school) and I think it was a great choice. I just moved in with another wonderful girl from my class. However, this was only done after very careful consideration. We have the same living habits (clean, respectful, quiet) and we get along great.

Luckily, since I started at Palmer, the school has added a helpful apartment finder on their website. Finding affordable student housing on your own on the web is difficult. Most of the places don't have websites. So I would recommend using the new web application (the school will send you a password and info to log on).

As for choosing a roommate. I would highly recommend waiting. Most likely you will meet someone who you would feel comfortable living with after you have been at school for a while. I will report back after my roomy and I have been together for a while and tell you how it is!

1st Tri Class Overview

First tri is a toughy. You are likely in a new city, and possibly a new state or even country. You may be living alone (like me) or with a new roommate. The classes are challenging, the schedule is rigorous. And you are going to have to work hard. However, it always helps to have a little insight about what is to come.

 
Here is a little overview of the classes you will take:
 
Philosophy
 
This is by far your easiest class. Dr. Strang is super nice and towards the end of the tri you even get to do a little palpation. Look over his study guide and review sheets for 10 minutes before the exam and go to class - you will be golden.
 
Right and Responsibilities
 
Easy peasy, enough said.
 
EBCP
 
Not too hard, but tedious. Just make sure and do the assignments.

Information Literacy

Test out of this class if you can. The teacher will discuss this option with you on the first day of class. If you can't test out. Its not hard, just come to class.
 
CNS (Neuroanatomy)

The good is that this class has a "freeby" lab. By that I mean that a good chunk of your grade is based on lab and all you have to do to get those points is show up. In fact, if you show up to lab, you can get just 55% on every exam and pass the class. The bad is that the class is challenging and quite abstract. There is a lot of brute memorization of material, but its totally doable if you put in the time.

Embryology

This class is medium difficulty. Dr. Bhatti is extremely nice and wants to do everything she can do help you and alleviate stress; however, forming a human is no easy task. The process is quite complicated, so study study!


Spinal Anatomy
This class is a great intro to what you will be thinking of for the rest of your career. The 2nd test is challenging, so prepare accordingly, but the class is worth studying for since Spinal II is 2nd tri and a very difficult class (or so I've heard).

Gross Anatomy

I personally think this class was most difficult, but probably my favorite class. This class seems most relatable to life and chiropractic as a profession. It only covers the arms and legs and you learn tons of clinical stuff. The thing that really challenges you is the lab (which highly correlates with the class). Study early for the lab practicals and you will benefit greatly in class and lab.

Biochemistry

Many people struggle with chemistry, but don't let the name intimidate you. There is no mechanism or even molecule memorization. It is more of a biology class that takes you through the macronutrients and their digestion.

Neurophisiology

This class, admittedly, is extremely boring. Luckily, even if you find yourself sleeping in this class (it is right after lunch, after all), your book of notes (which you buy at the book store) has all the information for you.

Hopefully these short notes will help easy your nerves a bit. The unknown is often more scary than reality. I am more than happy to answer ANY question! Good Luck!



 

1st Post & Recap

 I should have started this blog at the very beginning of school but, you see, I was very overwhelmed my first few weeks at Palmer, so later I will give a little recap.

I am writing this blog as a way to stay in the present. All too often I find myself talking and thinking about the future: "When I am a chiropractor..." or "After school..." or "When robots run the world...". Ok so the last one is a joke, but you get the picture, I rarely celebrate the now! Someone famous once said that its about the journey, not the destination and I want to remember that and tell you about it!

Just as importantly, I want to be a resource for anyone who goes to chiropractic school and would like some advice, help, guidance, etc. I may not have done everything perfectly my 1st trimester, but if nothing else, I can help someone else avoid my mistakes ( tip #1: Don't go on a date after working in the cadaver lab, if you don't know why, you soon will) and hopefully I can help make the experience a little more bearable and you a little more sane! 

 

The Recap:

My first week at Palmer, all was well. School began at 7:30 and I would force myself to go to bed before 11. The second week was when things began to heat up. I almost had a break down in the CNS lab, I did have a break down after my cadaver (aka dead body) lab. I just wasn't sure Palmer was for me. Luckily I only live 2 blocks away and was able to run home each time before bursting into tears, but those tears really made me question my decision to be a doc. This stuff wasn't for kids.

After several weeks of tests and finally (no seriously, it took me over a month) figuring out my way around the Palmer maze, I realized that I wasn't as dumb as a box of rocks. Nevertheless, school was still consuming every minute that I wasn't sleeping or eating. Where was my time for fun???

So I met with Dr. Margrave and had an epiphany. She gave me lots of great advice, tips on studying, and told me I had to make time for fun. Like, she was forcing me to. Ugh. Forced to have fun. What a life. So the next day I up and went to a children's museum. My boyfriend and I were the only ones there over the age of 10 that didn't have children of their own. In fact, as we waited outside the ceramics room the other class participant had her head stuck in her mother's crotch and wouldn't tell me her name even when I used my cute little kid voice. Her mom had to tell me her name that that she was almost 3.

I ignored my embarrassment and we went in and I sat on the wheel and for just 10 minutes. Suddenly, I forgot about school, the stress, the 5 tests the next week. I forgot about how all my friends were back in Cedar Falls, how I lived alone, how I wanted to quit. It was therapy. Basically, I had seen the light. The remainder of the semester went much more smoothly. I stopped stressing so much, I made time for myself, and I made friends.

So lesson #1 of chiropractic school. It is not only about school. Its about your life at that time. Don't make yourself miserable. I didn't fail any of the tests the weekend after I threw pottery. In fact, I probably did better because of it. You have more time than you think you just have to manage it well. And smile, never forget that.