No Grey’s Anatomy, this

Dissection at last!

After Medical School started 3 weeks ago, we’ve been flooded with anticipation over when we would start dissection in the Anatomy Hall. Finally we entered the hall on a bright Monday morning, sharp at 8:00 am. Shortly after we seated ourselves (10-12 to a single dissection table), lab attenders wheeled in a couple of carts containing about 4 Cadavers stacked up on top of each other! They promptly deposited 1 on each table and we were jolted to reality. So much for TV shows like ‘House MD‘ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘, this was it. This dried and pungent smelling cadaver lying down before us was what we had to deal with before we could entertain our dreams of fancy operating theatres and high-profile patients. However, this same cadaver proves to be the most invaluable tool for a medical student’s education. You can’t get more hands-on than this.

So our teacher started dissecting the chest portion of the cadaver by removing the Superficial Fascia to reveal bits and pieces of fat (which by the way looks like melted CHEESE! Never eating that again.) and some of the underlying muscles. It was a pretty unreal experience, being able to stand right next to a Doctor, who with the use of a scalpel and a pair of wickedly curved scissors, was able to turn an ordinary cadaver into a Mecca of information.

My favorite part from today’s experience was undoubtedly our view of the Muscle fibres of the Pectoralis Major. Recollect an image of the inside of a perfectly cooked steak as seen on Masterchef Australia and now imagine that same textural pattern and richness inside your body as a working muscle. The arrangement of fibres was absolute PERFECTION and it was thoroughly amazing to observe something like that from 2 feet away.

Looking forward to tomorrow’s session, Good Night!

Not Good Enough

I started Medical School about 15 days ago.

It’s ben go-go-go right from day 1. We have two hours of Anatomy Dissection smack at 8:00 am followed by three hours of continuous theory lectures in the subjects of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry. An hour’s lunch break follows from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. and classes resume with Laboratory Practicals from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. It is mind-numbing indeed. The amount of information that we receive everyday is astonishing.

I’m not complaining though. This is what I signed up for, this is what I’ve been dreaming of for a while now. It’s finally here and I’m happy like I’ve never been before. 3 hours of non-stop lectures seems like a long time to sit on your butt without getting up, everyday. I enjoy it however, honestly, I enjoy it. If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be spending what little free time I have talking to you guys 🙂

I’ll continue to brief you on my Med School travails as I walk along this path, but let me cut to the point of the above photograph.

Medical School has High Standards. I mean ANNOYINGLY high.

The photograph shown above is my answer to a 5-mark question asking us to describe the Clavicle. I drew a diagram, added 10 labels, and then listed exactly 10 points about the Clavicle’s pecularities, along with another 6 points on the insertion and origin of various muscles.

What do I get? My teacher smiles and says that I’ve done a good job, but my answer is good enough only for a score of 2.5/5.

*insert blank, uncomprehending expression on face*

However, I guess it’s valid considering that a score of 70/100 is considered REALLY good in College.

It’s going to take some time adjusting from school to a professional course, especially one as extensive and demanding as medicine, but I’m looking forward to this challenge like never before.