AND MY LORD WILL NEVER ABANDON ME

An account of my 3rd year in med school. Especially the pre exam & exam period.

11:52AM. 11/11/2024.

Today is Monday and my 1st MBBS result is set to be released in 12 hours’ time. Sleep has eluded me; my mind is racing; my neurones are firing haphazardly. I am listening to late Lata Magheskar’s Kabhi Kushie Kabhie Gham at the maximum volume of my ear pods. I have prayed and prayed. At this point, the only calming idea is to quickly journal my experience during my third year of medical school. I hope to fall asleep while writing this.

YEAR THREE CHRONICLES

On January 1st 2024, I started the year with a brief prospectus. I knew I’d be writing two career-defining examinations in 2024 and all I wanted is to pass both exams. Indeed, I passed my 2nd year pre-MBBS promotional exam in March 2024 and officially became a 3rd year medical student the following month.

The first thing I’d say about 3rd year of medical school is that it is the most elusive class and quite also the most dangerous, academically. Here in my school, 3rd year ranges between six to eight months depending on how long or short the 2nd year was. So we resumed in April but real work did not start until May.

In 3rd year, your lecturers expect you to already know things. So we were moving at a speed of light, trying to cover entirely new concepts in biochemistry, building on familiar concepts in physiology and anatomy. In this place, we do Head & Neck and Neuroanatomy in Anatomy; Endocrine, Reproduction, Gastrointestinal, Neurophysiology, and Special Senses in Physiology; Biochemistry topics are quite exhausting to list out, however, they are not common topics that you’d find in the textbooks.

In term of CAs, my tests were poor in Yr3 compared to Yr2. Somehow, I was either partially prepared or ill or get into the hall and become dazzed. However, I was optimistic. The bulk of the scores are in the 1st professional examination, and as such, I did not let my poor test scores deter me. Also, whilst the concepts were not entirely strange since I am not new to the courses, I was heavily unmotivated for the first several weeks of my Yr3.

A lot has changed in my class. Most of my classmates are now calmer since the Pre-MBBS that we wrote at the end of Yr2 has shown everyone shege banza. The class WhatsApp group is mostly quiet save for a few jesters. There were less banters and everyone was more interested in moving to the next class than engaging in class beefs. Literally, we were exhausted but optimistic folks hoping to be done with this tortuous medical education as early as possible.

When it was sixty days to the 1st MBBS professional exams, the timetable was released and I knew it was time. The marathon that began in April 2024 just started its final lap and I cannot afford to not make it to the finish line in due time.

However, a lot changed in the examination schedule. 1st MB here used to be a three-week examination period but it was cut to two weeks. There used to be gaps (a day or two between each successive paper) in the previous timetables but the gaps were removed. So based on the new timetable, I wrote essays and MCQs in anatomy on Monday, biochemistry on Tuesday, physiology on Wednesday in the first week. Then in the second week, I wrote anatomy practical on Monday, physiology practical on Tuesday, biochemistry practical on Wednesday, anatomy viva on Thursday, physiology viva on Friday, and biochemistry viva on Saturday. Rest on Sunday. 1st MBBs result is out the following day.

My class deliberated on the potential chokehold the timetable placed us in and decided to lobby for college to revert to status quo but our appeals were rejected on the grounds that college is scheduling multiple class exams and there is just no free days. So we accepted our fate.

I channelled the last bucket of energy left in me into preparing for the exam. I went from normal to overdrive within days. I gathered all my notes and ensured they were up to date. I sourced for past questions and solved everyone I saw like it was my potential exam question. I focused more on high yield topics and regularly check on the others. And when it was 28 days to the commencement of my exams, I progressed from overdrive to beast mode.

I moved out of my apartment off campus into the hospital’s trauma center where I lived till the day my result was released. In the trauma center, I met a couple of my classmates who moved in to read too while others regularly come from the hostel. Somehow, one goal united us all together – the need to pass this exam. We read in the same hall, discussed when in the mood, laughed, and shared both good and bad times.

However, I knew what I wanted and as such did not allow myself to be influenced by mediocrity. So I pushed myself harder. I studied longer since electricity was fairly constant in trauma. The hall was air-conditioned and the chairs were comfy for both reading and sleeping. All my personal effects like change of clothes, toothbrush, extra pair of footware, study materials, and gadgets fitted into two bag. They were all I had during that period. At first, I try to go home and bath daily, however, as my exam date came closer, I only went home once in four or five days.

There is something about 1st MBBS exam that makes it look like an easy exam here and that is because the marks were fragmented. Unlike in Pre-MBBS exam where you fight for a whopping 70 marks in each paper, during 1st MB you have more battles but smaller wins. The CAs done in the class carried 30 marks while main MBBS exam shared 70 marks between its different aspects. The theory is allocated 20 marks, the MCQ is 20, the practical is 20, and Viva is 10 marks.

THE GIFT OF FAMILY, FRIEND, & AN INVALUABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Exam period in medical school is stressful. For me, I had a lot of people who offered me support in diverse ways. Anas (a friend and senior colleague) got me breakfast two days to my first paper. Amanatullah (the former VP of my med school association and a senior colleague) cooked for me on the first day of my exam. DON brought me a plate of pounded yam and egusi soup on the second day of my exam. Fadila (a classmate) bought me food voluntarily three time during the exam weeks. Rosemary (my debate partner and junior colleague) made a delicious fried rice for me on the first day of my practical exam. Ummi (my med school bestie and classmate) brought fried rice from Davekem for me the following day. Hafsah paid for my drink once. Hikmat & Halimah got me lunch once during the exam period.

In terms of academic assistance Abdulmalik and James were the two immediate senior colleague who were always at service since they wrote this same exam about 8 months ago. Mai Fata and DON were my past question plugs and thalamus. Joshua literally gave me his preclinical folders and shared multiple tips with me. Chike, Asiwaju, Opeyemi, Aarinola, Ummi, Blessing, Munir, Jubril, Mutmainah, Abdullahi, Abdul, Dr Rufai, Rosha, Walliyullahi, HITS, Zurmi, Raphael, Abel, Iman, Usman, Abdulkareem, Okiki, Khatabu, AY, Ridwanullahi, Zak, Abiodun, Fatima, Kelvin, Habeebllahi Summayah, Mariam, Toyosi, Fola, Faithful, and many other wonderful people in my circle reached out multiple times to check up on me during my exam period.

In terms of finances, my family bankrolled it all. My elder brother was sending me money every three days. My dad, sister, grandma, and big mum made large contributions. I did not cook throughout my stay in trauma and for the one month I spent there, I ate Abusaf bread quite often. For a single meal I spent close to 3K and was haemorrhaging 20k in less than 5 days. Financially and spiritually, I depended on the money and prayers of my family, friends, seniors, neighbours, classmates, and virtual acquaintances. It was wholesome knowing that a lot of people care about my success.

THEORY & MCQ WEEK

There is a quote that says “do your best and leave the rest” and I think that aptly summarizes each of my exams. Let us start with the first week exams. Essay and MCQ of the three courses.

In Anatomy, I was able to answer 18 out of 20 questions and I attempted the other two in the essay. There were lots of unexpected questions and it was obvious that the department deviated from their status quo. I was hoping for at least a 10/20 in it. In the MCQ, it was 365 questions from the pit of hell. Whilst I did my best, I just assumed that with the negative marking used, I’d score 2/20 in that one. Everyone in the class knew the MCQ was designed to make students cry but I maintained my steeze.

In BCH, the theory questions were surprising because the professors that we assumed their questions would come out did not show face. However, I did my best in the theory and I hoped for at least a 10/20 in it too. For BCH MCQ, it was fully from the slides – which I did not intensively read. There was negative marking system in place too and the questions were just 118 so I only answered the ones I was sure of and left about 15 questions unanswered. I hoped for a better score in the MCQ compared to anatomy.

Something happened to me about 12hrs before my physiology exam. If you recall, our papers were back to back. After BCH exam I slept around 7PM, woke up by 10PM and tried to do last revision for the physiology I’d write the next morning. For the first two hours after waking up I could not comprehend shit in physiology. All the systems looked strange, I could not recall the things I knew in the course. The high yield topics that I had formed notes for, read multiple time and internalized all disappeared from my memory. I laid back and tried to sleep but it wasn’t coming, so I stood up and tried to read again, yet, my mind was still blank. Surprisingly, everyone around in trauma were moving stuff in physiology and some were even sleeping. Everyone around looked like their physiology is settled and it suddenly dawned on me that I just might fail physio. So, I went outside of the hall, found myself a corner and wept like a baby. That was the first time I’d be going blank in my life. Although it wasn’t in an exam hall, it felt just as scary as much. Munir and Jamiu were the ones who consoled me and gave me motivation and plenty of vibes. Then Kangiwa, a classmate, did a crash revision of respiratory physiology with me afterwards. When, I finally calmed down, I was able to read and assimilate better.

In physiology exam, I blanked out for the first 30 minutes of the exam but I was able to utilize the remaining 150 minutes well. I was able to finish 3 questions and attempted the remaining 2 halfway each. For the MCQ it was just 84 questions comprising different systems and I was able to answer it well. There was no negative marking system too. I think physiology department really wanted us to pass. Our MBBS exam was fairer than the pre-MBBS exam we wrote in Yr2. The MCQ was cheaper too.

HOW THE PRACTICAL EXAMS WENT

For anatomy practical, again, I think I did below average. The questions were toxic and they were not the kind of questions we were told to expect in anatomy steeplechase. Despite everything, anatomy department seems to be the weapon fashioned against my class. The timing was fair at 60 seconds, but then, if it didn’t dey it didn’t dey. There is just a limit to what can be synthesized within a minute. Afterwards, we submitted our histology manual and I prayed that at least a couple of marks be awarded for the drawings and histology assessments.

For physiology practical, I am glad I paid rapt attention during practical sessions. All the questions were cheap and they were very basic. Anyone who was at least 50% serious with practical classes would pass at least half of the questions. I wrote a lot, requested for extra sheet and kept pouring stuff. For the marks I believed I lost in theory I worked to recover them in practical. Also, I was graded 9/10 in my physiology practical report workbook.

For biochemistry practical, we had a revision class with the laboratory officials at the end of the practical session. Armed with the knowledge from the revision, it was quite seamless for me to enter into the practical exam and did quite well. I was late for this particular exam and the examination officer delayed me and requested that the latecomers write an apology letter before they’d be allowed to write the exam. Despite the delay, I was glad that I could attempt the 40 questions comfortably.

VIVA VOCE

I don’t know who invented oral examination as a method of assessing medical students but that person must be a crazy genius. My oral exams were the most tensed exams I partook in. Despite the fact that viva is only allocated 10 marks from the total 70 marks for exam, it is the most feared exam too. External examiners, who are only professors assess the students. These Profs comes from different universities across the country and the department gives them veto power. That is, even if you had passed the course by scoring 50 and above before going for viva, they could assess you and if you fail, reward you with a resit. So, everyone – both the distinction students and those in need of viva score to pass – try their best to impress these professors.

For my anatomy viva, I was asked 14 questions of which I got 13 correctly and failed 1. A lecturer from the anatomy department was with the external examiner and he helped me a lot by interpreting the questions in such a way that it was easier for me answer. God will continue to bless him. Everyone was told to be at the venue by 9AM, yet it wasn’t until 4:40PM before it got to my turn on the class list.

For my physiology viva, I was asked 2 questions only with a 2 minutes timer to answer the question. The student who were examined earlier in the day got 5 minutes duration to speak. My questions were quite cheap and I delivered. Also, due to my position on the class list, it wasn’t until 8:30PM before I was examined. It was exhausting because I had been in school since 9AM like others.

For my biochemistry viva, I could not sufficiently answer the first two questions the prof asked me. They were biochemical pathway questions and I am deficient in pathways. I find it tedious to learn pathways and not forget or mix them up. So I was honest and told the prof that I do not know a lot of pathways but my knowledge of the clinical aspects of biochemistry is impressive. So, he asked me a clinical related question and I delivered. Again, I was one of the last few people to be examined and I finished around 5:30PM.

If I am to rate my own performance in the oral exam, I’d say I earned a 9/10 in anatomy, 8/10 in physiology, and a 6/10 in biochemistry viva.

HOW IT ENDS

As I write this part, my results are not yet out. There is a board meeting by 11AM to deliberate on the results of the 1st MBBS exam. I am confident that I would pass at least 2 out of the 3 courses. My biggest fear is failing anatomy and having to sit for a resit in six weeks’ time. I have prayed, everyone I know prayed for me. I even informed my mum that based on what I did and how I graded myself, there is a good chance that I may resit anatomy. Nevertheless, I give thanks to God who strengthened me during the course of the exams. I am most indebted to all the people who supported me in one way or the other during the exam. The calls, texts, goodwill, assistances, and prayers were the wings I flew with.

I don’t think I say it often, but I’m extremely loved. I have the best support system. The people around me are absolutely interested in my wellbeing and are actively looking out for me. When I don’t have enough will, my support system are the ones keeping my candle burning. I have the capability to win and it is solely because these people crawled so that I could fly.

I retained my mantra from Yr2, and every time I felt anxious before and after my exams I say it many time. I tell it to myself: And my Lord will never abandon me.

Post edit: November 11, 2024. 3:30PM. Result has just been pasted on the notice board. I scrolled through the pictures set to my class WhatsApp page. I passed all three courses. I am now a 4th year medical student. Indeed, my Lord did not abandon me.