I remember the day I got into MBBS.And then the day I passed out of it.What transpired in between the two days changed my life just as it changed the lives of the innumerable doctors that you see around you.This article is not about boring philosophies or emotional anecdotes -it is about the stark reality.
Getting into MBBS through a state or national level entrance examination is a great achievement.Give yourself a pat on the back.Have a party or a short picnic if you like.Then......just snap out of it!
Death is no laughing matter.And that's what you are going to be up against first-dead bodies!'Cadavers', if you please.For a full year ahead ,you are going to take them apart piece by piece,till you have the anatomy by heart.
All that you have learnt before MBBS is toast,my dears.Nothing is going to help you hence forth!(including old merit ranks and medals)
Wipe your mind clean and start afresh.
English language begins with A,B,C.MBBS begins with:-B,A,P.
B=Biochemistry
A=Anatomy
P=Physiology
I wrote Biochem first because you may find it familiar.Your Botany metabolic cycles will appear here albeit in a more detailed form.
Standard books are Rana-Shinde and Harper.But my personal favourite is the lucid and attractive Satyanarayan.Try it.It gave me a 'D'(distinction).
Next comes Anatomy-your first close encounter with the Human Body.'Cunningham'is your dissection partner-keep him near.Also refer the 'McMinn's' atlas to identify the various structures easily.
Don't hurry with your dissection.Show some patience and some finesse-go layer by layer.Use blunt dissection rather than having a field day with the scalpel.Wear gloves.Fingers are the best tools of blunt dissection .Do not hesitate to use them.
Chaurasia is irreplacable.Don't be distracted by names like Snell,Last and Gray's.Snell has good diagrams.Last is a good revision book(to be done last).Gray is huge and a reference book(strains your gray cells).Embryology is best learnt from Keith Moore.(IBSingh is an exam book.CVS and Pharyngeal arches given well)
Bhatnagar is the best for genetics.Halim das for surface anat.Chaurasia for General anat.Histology-de-fiore for journal and IBSingh for theory.
Last but not the least is Physiology.Interesting and addictive,this is your foundation for medicine.So,NO SHORT CUTS.Tide over your exams with Vijaya Joshi and Deepak Bhadra but master your concepts and systems from GUYTON.
Do not forget to buy the Question Bank from Bhalani/National of previous papers.Start at least 1 month before prelims.After clarifying concepts for 9 months,this is the easy mugging part.
Do all the questions,short notes and MCQs (use standard MCQ books)at least 2-3 times till your final exam.
Try to pass all the internal exams but dont get disheartened if you do fail in one or two.This is a learning curve.Discuss with your seniors and find the right balance.Be smart and confident in vivas.Try not to bluff but keep your wits about you.
Reserve your biggest effort for the finals.He laughs best who laughs last.
Make a small group of like minded students and learn group study.It will help a lot in the long run.
This in short is a guide to your first year in Medicine.Work hard,play hard.Enjoy this new phase of life.
Good bye and God bless.
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