I never liked the expression, 鈥淟ife Happens,鈥� and always believed that we control our life if we plan accordingly.
When I started the AOM program, it did cross my mind that it was a long program and I just hoped that nothing would happen to delay my graduation. I鈥檝e seen students who had to take breaks for different reasons, and for the last two years I pushed myself all the time and I said no breaks. As long as I knew I鈥檇 be in school just 3 years and then be done with it I could take anything.
For the last 2 weeks I鈥檝e been struggling to find the perfect schedule for the next 2 trimesters. Everything changed a lot but the good news is that I鈥檓 still planning on no breaks and graduating on time, but the schedule will look completely different.
First, besides Biomedicine boards, I can鈥檛 take Foundations and Points exams before July because of some weekend class that apparently is required, and you have to get a final grade before the dean approves you for boards.
In case you plan on taking boards before graduation, make sure you ask for the list with everything you have to take before boards. I didn鈥檛 ask, and then I realized I am missing that weekend class and I will be forced to take two boards just before graduation. That doesn鈥檛 make me very happy. I鈥檒l make it work, but I wish I knew this a long time ago.
Second, Senior Exam was supposed to happen this trimester, but again I don鈥檛 seem to have all the classes required for that.
Next trimester, I won鈥檛 be in clinic at all since I鈥檓 done with my associate internships; I鈥檒l have to wait to do all my senior clinic shifts during last trimester, and this means 8 clinic shifts per week. This is not ideal, but this is the only way I can graduate on time, be out of school, and start working as soon as I want.
Next trimester will probably seem boring because I really love being in the clinic, but I鈥檒l have more time to work, less classes, and also time to prepare to boards.
Good luck with midterms and make sure you plan better than me! 馃檪
