End of Year: Self Analysis

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Introduction

My passion is to become a trauma surgeon so that I can help people wherever I am and whenever I can. I know that it’s not going to be easy and I have to be hard working and dedicated to my studies. After getting the opportunity to come to Sulaiman Alrajhi College three years ago to study medicine and to be able to realize my dream, I knew I had to do my best to accomplish my dream.

The previous years were interesting and challenging at the same time, as I was forced to combine my strengths and do my best.

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With hard work and dedication, I was able to complete those years with a good GPA.

During my fourth year, I also had to give more than my previous years as it was now more of clinicals and I knew it is going to be tougher and more challenging. And so far, I can say that I have been able to do my best and hope to continue like this until the end of the year.

Strength Analysis

During my previous years, my strengths have helped me achieve my goals and objectives. So, I tried to maintain my strengths and also work on my weaknesses to make them into strengths too. Since I had the opportunity to ask for advice from my tutors and seniors during my first and second years, I gained more experiences on how to maintain my strengths. I completed most of my tasks and responsibilities on time with the help of a timetable.

I also tried very hard to follow my planned timetable so that it can guide me.

I try to be regular and punctual for educational activities like SOEPELs, case-based discussions, lectures and clinical skills although I missed some few days. I try to complete my topics and studies before going to the discussions (SOEPELs or seminars) so that I can share and participate in discussions with my colleagues. Before I go for seminars or for the clinical skills, I read about the topic beforehand so that I can follow what is been taught and ask questions regarding what I’ve read. Also, I read the clinical skill books and watch online videos for the clinical skills to get some relevant information before going to the skills lab. These has helped me to better understand and improve my strengths.

In the first rotation (Internal medicine), I was able to get a good score in the oral exams as I prepared well for it and understood what was needed from me regarding the exams. Since I will be encountering such exams in the coming, I needed to further improve on this strength and make it better.

During discussions and other academic-related activated like hospital visists, skills lab, seminars and workshops, I try every now and then to behave professionally. Since professionalism is one of the most important qualities of a good medical doctor. These includes coming to such educational activities early, putting on the right and prescribed uniform, knowing my duties and responsibilities and completing any duties or assignments given to me.

I also try every now and then to seek the advice and consult with my tutors and colleagues about the best way to go about with my studies. This has helped me make the right decisions and avoided unnecessary mistakes in regards to various aspect of my studies. This has been my problem since the basic years, but In Sha Allah I was able to tackle it and make it into my strength.

In our everyday activities, there are a lot of ups and downs. So as a medical student, I sometimes find it easy and sometimes difficult. Similarly, I sometimes achieve the result I was hoping for, and sometimes not. But I don’t allow my fallback to be something that will make me sad or demotivate me. Thus, I find ways to motivate myself and hope for the best the next time. This has helped me to maintain a high grade(above B+) in the rotations.

Weakness Analysis

Because of the issue of corona virus pandemic, our way of studies and changed and this became a problem for me in the early weeks of the online-learning. I had to adjust my timetable as well as take it upon my self to make sure I make use of the information given, even though some of the activities had to be conducted online. One of such issue was with hospital visits which has been changed into case discussion and clinical skills now done via the online-learning. This hasn’t prevented me from making full use of this opportunity to understand how to approach patients of various diseases. I can’t say it is as equivalent as before, but it’s better than not doing them.

During the fourth year, one of my greatest problems was with the basic anatomy and physiology since I need to have a very strong understanding of these courses in the specialty I wish to pursue. This can be seen from my 1st international progress test were I couldn’t answer most of the basic anatomy and physiology questions correctly.

Another problem of mine is lack of proficient understanding of the Arabic language as this is very important in my clinical rotations in the hospitals. Thus, I’m not able to ask and fully understand what the patients are saying. This has hampered with the improvement of my history taking skills although I think I have no problem with taking history in English language.

Through the case-based discussions we have online during the surgery rotation, I have learnt the skills of history-taking as well as other skills like consultation and approach of patient. All these has given me the opportunity to improve upon the feedbacks from tutors during the course. Most of the comments that I received was to further improve my approach and think in a broader aspect regarding my patient.

Lastly, I was almost always lagging behind on the deadlines of most of my assignments and tasks. This usually interferes with my ability to perform well and give my best as I’m on a rush to complete the assignments in time.

Learning Objectives

To be able to tackle my weaknesses and maintain my strengths, I decided to first make a plan regarding my daily activities and how to follow such plan strictly so as not to waste time.

I also sought advice from my tutors and seniors about the type of references to use and how to manage my time well. I tried to also focus on the feedbacks given to me after the discussions by both the tutor and other students and try to work hard to correct the negative comments and improve upon the positive ones.

I also needed to revise the basic anatomy and physiology, so that I can be able to build up upon them in the fourth year. I needed to find ways to maximize my concentration during my personal studies or during other academic activities like seminars or workshops.

Also, regarding the lack of proficient Arabic language, I attended Arabic language courses to improve my understanding of the language and I’ll also find time to practice with my roommate regarding history taking in Arabic.

Learning Plans

First and foremost, to deal with the issue of time management, I decided to make a planned timetable that can guide me in my daily activities and further prevent waste of time in unnecessary things. With this I can be able to focus on relevant stuffs and avoid spending too much time on other things that are not required of me. I’m able to also get more time to engage in other non-educational activities like sports and exercise that will help me stay fit and healthy always.

Secondly, to tackle my weakness in basic anatomy and physiology, I got a concise and summarized basic anatomy and physiology pamphlet that is helping me revise my previous knowledge. Every week, I try to finish at least one unit in the pamphlet. This has helped me to answer most of the basic anatomy and physiology questions in the subsequent international progress tests and increase my scores. Not only did it help me in the international progress tests, but also in the following rotations because I was required to revise all basics in the previous years before starting every theme or topic. This prevented waste of time in returning to learn the basics and saved me more time to concentrate on the cases and to learning it in more details.

In addition, I had to find a way to improve my concentration during studies since it was one of my weakness so that I don’t get distracted when I’m studying. I read articles and researched on how to maximize my concentrate and not lose attention during my personal studies. Thus, I had to find a place that is appropriate and conducive as well as where there were less distractions like in the library or an empty tutorial room, I kept my mobile phone and other electronic gadgets away during studies and created a study plan to guide me.

Regarding my inability to communicate in the Arabic language with patients during hospital visits, I started an Arabic language course with which I’m starting to understand and communicate with other people. Also, I’ve made a plan with my Arabic speaking friends to practice history taking in Arabic at certain scheduled times. However, I need more practices in the language.

Furthermore, I designed a personal daily study plan that guides me to do all the activities in the set period of time and also avoid procrastination. I also set aside a time for other stuffs such as non-educational activities. Before I begin a topic, I look for all the references I need to write them down to help for smooth and easy study. With these strategies, I was able to concentrate, use my time wisely and finish the topics and other lectures within the allocated period of time. All these played major roles in my result in the internal medicine rotation.

During the case-based discussions sessions, I had some few feedbacks from my tutor improving my approach to patients and think in a broader aspect. With this information, I decided to work on this by reading textbook such as MacLeod’s clinical textbook and focusing on textbooks that discuss to patients with various clinical features to come to the appropriate diagnosis.

I found a way to help me complete my assignments and responsibilities on time by highlighting the duties or tasks on a personal calendar in my room as well as setting reminders on my phone or laptop before the final deadline. This has helped me to avoid rush and procrastination on my assignments or responsibilities.

Although I was good at answering modified essay questions, I wanted to become better. This is to help me answer questions more accurately and to the point. I was advised by my tutors to answer what has been asked of me in a clear and understandable language. I also researched on how to answer the MEQs online. I got a very helpful website with an article that covered what I needed. This helped me scored a high mark in my Emergency Medicine rotation’s modified essay questions (MEQs).

Conclusion

To conclude, the basic years have helped me prepare for the clinical years as I had the opportunity to reflect on my weaknesses, analyze them and find many ways of improving them so that they don’t hinder my progress as a medical student. I also found various methods of identifying my strengths and further improve them as far as I can. I had the honor of seeking advice and suggestions from my tutors and they were able to provide me with very helpful information that has helped me in my 4th year as a medical student. I wish to find many more ways that I can help myself and others in the incoming years.

Lillie Lane
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