Well, just a quick word from me: I wanted to let you know, Dear Readers of The Lancet Student, that I have sat for and -much to my surprise- passed my last final exam. So, basically, my days as a full-time student are pretty much over. I am happy.
Currently I am on the “IAR”, as we call it, or “Internado Anual Rotatorio”, which consists of spending 8-10 months on 6 different electives: Clinical Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mental Health, Primary Healthcare and Pediatrics… fully exam-free!
When did I take my last final exam, you ask? Well, last May. Yes, May. I know you’re probably thinking: Wait. Why is she telling us this now? Why did she wait this long? I have no idea. It just happened. Everything has been so hectic around here and things have been happening so quickly that I haven’t had much time to think about anything really.
I dreamed about this day for years and when it finally happened… well, I hardly noticed. That’s a funny thing about life, you know? There’s always something new to wish for, something else to hope and work for, so if we are not careful, we lose track of where we are and why we are there. Well, at least that’s what happened to me. I was already thinking about my specialty and I completely lost track of what I accomplished.
So today, exactly 5 months later, I want to take a break and share this with you. I know you of all people understand how important this is, even if it took me this long to realize.
PS: In case you want to know, my last exam was on Pharmacology. I was asked a few simple questions about NSAIDs, beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. The doctor who asked me these questions was very kind, gave me advice for my future career and congratulated me. It was a wonderful experience that, as usual, I was far too nervous to fully appreciate.
PPS: By the way, one of the best phone calls you’ll ever make is the one that starts with “Hello, mum? Guess what: I just passed my last exam!” It’s a beautiful moment. Take my advice, seize it and enjoy it. And get ready for the hugging, kissing, toasting and congratulating that will ensue in the following weeks. You totally deserve it.
2 comments
Congrats Doctora Fuertes! You deserve it!
I think perhaps I should explain the picture a little bit... Here in Buenos Aires, when we sit for our last exam, we have a "ritual": as we take our exam, all our friends and family gather outside the university. When we come out with the good news, we are hugged and congratulated and we all go to the park that's in front of the uni. There, friends and family start throwing things at us: pretty much everything you can find in a fridge and/or pantry, plus paint! They sometimes cut our hair and tear our clothes too. So by the time they are done with us, we are one big happy mess. We then go place our dirty hands on the marble plaque in the front of the uni and take a customary picture. That's it.
In this picture you can see the hand prints of many fellow med students in their happiest moment.
What about you? Are there "last exam rituals" at your University?