Surviving the 1st year studies

Study Guidelines For The Freshers

By Umama Ameen (D’18)
(With some contributions from Muhammad Faizan Ali - D’18)

Assalam-o-Aleikum all the freshers, the DOWITES' 19, "the doctor-to-be" out there !:)

Kudos on your selection to your dream place "DOW MEDICAL COLLEGE !" (Don’t kill me if this proves a nightmare at some points in the upcoming years. :p ) We hope you're enjoying your tafreeh days, exploring places, making new friends and being ragged mercilessly jovially by your seniors. :D

Now, as everybody who is going to enter this field of medicine would know, this is recognized to be one of the longest and the toughest undergraduate course taught worldwide. But take a breath! This is the most rewarding one too! Trust me; this is going to earn you, not just riches, but respect & a place in Allah's eyes, if you do it honestly and righteously. And to be able to achieve all this, first a thorough medical knowledge would be required; and this is what you are going to learn theoretically as well as practically in the forth-coming years.

What I've tried to tell you in this article (pardon me if this gets too long :D) is sort of a study guideline that might help you survive your upcoming modules and semester exams, and hopefully get over with them with flying colors I.A.

Pattern of studies

As you became aware in your orientation, DUHS has acquired an integrative pattern of studies instead of a subjective one. So, you would be doing all the basic science subjects (Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry) from the very first module (Foundation module) along with clinical subjects (Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology and Pharmacology) and accessory subjects (Community Medicine and Behavioral Sciences.)
 

The chapters covered in each subject will be divided according to the system being taught in that particular module. So make up your mind to take everything and every subject along as you move on.

Study Tips

• Try to attend most classes in the beginning, and then you'll easily figure out with time, which lectures are worth attending.
• Go and give a read to the topic taught TODAY at home. Leaving them till tomorrow is going to be the BIGGEST mistake ever!! 
• Studying on a daily basis really would save your time and energy. You'll have to study, whether today or tomorrow, so better do it today, and make things easier for yourself! :) 
• Use other means of acquiring knowledge too besides books: surf over internet, go through video lectures, and arrange group discussions whenever you need; discussion would especially help you memorizing the tedious stuff. 
• Help yourself with 'Kaplan video lectures for USMLE Step 1' for revision. 
• Go for Dr. Najeeb's video lectures preferably for the incomprehensible topics that come your way. 
• You need to take some time out for refreshing yourself every now and then. Don’t just burry yourself into book always as this isn't going to help... GET SOME LIFE DUDE! :D

Books choices

Which books to buy is one of the biggest challenges that you'll be faced in your initial days. I hope you guys will have your online lecture outlines that might help you as well.

GROSS ANATOMY

-           For GENERAL ANATOMY, go for "HANDBOOK OF GENERAL ANATOMY BY B.D.CHURASIA"; according to me this is the most helpful and handy book to carry for your beginner (foundation) module.

-           Since there is great emphasis on nervous system in all the modules, be it foundation or any other, make sure you have a nice grip over this. I did this from "KLM CLINICALLY ORIENTATED BOOK OF ANATOMY" and found it quite conceptual.

-           Go for "NETTER'S ATLAS OF ANATOMY" to help you with diagrams.

-           I won't go into discussions for your gross anatomy book choice that you'll come across in your 2nd semester. Do it from Gray’s for Students (pretty diagrams man!), KLM (clinical) or BD (especially for osteology) whichever you feel comfy with.

-           And yes, I would recommend BRS (board review series) anatomy when you'd come to your gross anatomy revisions later on.

HISTOLOGY

-           For an easy start, facilitate yourself with "LAIQ HUSSAIN's HISTOLOGY", I've found it quite a student friendly book so far.

-           For OSPE, better go through "WHEATER's COLOR ATLAS OF HISTOLOGY" briefly too. (especially if you've been bunking your histo labs off and on :D)

EMBRYOLOGY

-           I personally liked "LANGMAN's EMBRYOLOGY" for its compactness and colored illustrations. Its summaries are quite implementable.

-           "KLM's EMBRYOLOGY" is by no means inferior to Langman, for it teaches you in the simplest possible manner. So with this, the choice is yours.

PHYSIOLOGY

-           Go for GUYTON, it’s the easiest one to start with.

-           GANONG, quite a smart book. It would work, I guess, only for the smartest kids out there.

-           When you've got your exams round the corner, you could also use short revision books: "POCKET GUYTON" and ‘’BRS Physio’’ would be a good choices.

BIOCHEMISTRY

-           "LIPPINCOTT's BIOCHEMISTRY" is a very comprehensive book for this completely dry subject.

-           “HARPER”is quite a lengthy and difficult book. It would help you sometimes, but I won’t suggest it for regular use.

PATHOLOGY

-           No doubt a VERY lengthy book, "ROBBIN's PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASES" still would be my suggestion.

-           To help yourself, keep "POCKET COMPANIAN TO ROBBIN's PATHOLOGIC BASIS OF DISEASES" by your side too and concern it to conclude the topics.

-         "ROBBIN's PATHOLOGIC BASICS OF DISEASES" is yet another option.

PHARMACOLOGY

-           GOD!!! The most horrible subject of medicine you are expected to know well; again "LIPPINCOTT's PHARMACOLOGY" is going to ease you like none other.

-           Keep "KATZUNG REVIEW" by your side too, go through its tables, it’s quite a nice and precise book. I love it!

 MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY

-           Mainly you have to worry about these subjects in your Blood, Inflammation, Neoplasia and Immunity Module (Yes, this is the name of a single module :p ). The most popular book used is LEVINSON.

COMMUNITY MEDICINE AND BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES

-           Since they are sort of minor subjects, going through lecture outlines would be enough.

-           "MUHAMMAD ILYAS's CM" would be the text book for CM and ‘’ASMA HUMAYUN’S INTEGRATING BS IN HEATHCARE’ would be for BS, though hardly anyone studies these subjects from books, if at all.

 Examination Preparation Strategy   

• Plan your preparation leave thoughtfully. 
• Your concepts should all be clear by the time you begin with your preparation leave. Utilize this time for revising the stuff and memorizing the important clues and facts. 
• Don’t leave much of the stuff on the last days before exams. 
• I won't advise you to solve every random BCQs books available, just go through the questions and their explanations given at the end of each chapter in your textbooks. 
• Most importantly, keep your nerves under control on the exam day; don’t let yourself puzzled-up when you look at the question book, otherwise your efforts could go all in vain and your paper a complete mess, even if you were well-prepared.

Go, give a try and conquer it. Just do your topics on a daily basis and relish all your spare time. The forth-coming moments of your life are going to be the most amazing and wonderful time you've ever had or you'll ever have!

Make them memorable.

GOOD LUCK! :D