I can never understand why people get bored. They'd have to be absolute sloths to still have all that time on their hands when there are so many things that can be done. I'm not saying they're all useful pursuits - in my case, they mostly are not - but at least I'm always entertained. For example, this morning I woke up, made a list of restaurants I want to visit in due course, ate a bowl of cornflakes, then decided to extend the mini-break that I gave myself yesterday before I start my weeklong revision for Saturday's CCT because, as usual, there's nothing I do quite as well as procrastinating and rewarding myself for trivial achievements, like nailing yesterday's presentation.
My dad is doubtful of the rationale behind having us prepare for a powerpoint on whatever topic we fancy - he doesn't think "to promote students' interests in orthopadics/to enhance their presentation skills, self-learning and collaboration" justifies the hours I put into it because, as always, that time could have been better spent reading a medical journal.
And as always, he has a point - my interest in orthopaedics has not been aroused at all and, in fact, is at an all-time low because I'd just looked at the test stations they had for the past year and realised fml there's so much to learn. What he doesn't know, however, is that while I originally intended to make a quarter-assed attempt to just get the whole thing over and done with, I ended up rehearsing my half of the presentation at the speed of a rampant machine gun about fifteen-million times the night before. And the best part of it all - it paid off.
Medicine humbles its apprentices by its breadth and depth, and I have felt defeated so many times that I may perhaps have even downplayed the importance of getting back up because it felt impossible at times. Yesterday showed me that giving a crap may just make a difference after all, and with my final MBs happening tomorrow exactly one year later, the reminder couldn't have been more timely.
And now, with my chest swelling with renewed pride and passion for my studies...I'm going to go finish my online shopping, maybe watch a few episodes of Grey's and get myself some cupcakes. Just so I'd have all my distractions out of the way, as well as something to munch on, while I'm, you know, studying.
Worth it because we owned it!
ReplyDeleteI agree that yes, the presentation fails to promote interest in orthopedics; in fact it was (as the whole O&T rotation has been) tailored for those who have any interest in orthopedics whatsoever to demonstrate it.
So I feel really lucky to have a group and have a group mate with an engine like yours that gave way more than a few glutei to the cause. Or else it would have been more like Ian's.
Competitiveness is good. Hard work, invaluable. Endurance a virtue. And who knows, maybe after all this we might get our one and only academic prize after 5 years stuck in this pedantic parfait of a class.