Feeling the Fire....

Okay, after 12 hours of studying yesterday, I am feeling the fire..."I"m on one."  I am in my study groove...Thank you Lord....It took me a while to get back in this groove since I made it back to the US...I guess over the past two years I equated coming home to the US as vacation time.  And now that I have a set time to take Step 1, I had to get my focus back....

I had some very exciting news that motivated me even more.  I applied to start a clinical rotation track. Thinking there might be a small chance that I would get the track due to the fact that I didn't have my Step 1 score and I know it is a really competitive track to get into, I applied anyway, just to see what happens...it was a track I had my eye on from day one and was so glad to finally be at this point to have the chance to get in...Well, our clinical adviser said it may be hard to get into  it, since I did not have 5th semester completed and getting all paperwork completed and submitted would be a challenge, etc, etc, etc....and guess what???  I got the track...OMG!  I didn't know whether to celebrate or cry....I felt more like crying because knew I had to get serious about studying and now I'm in a huge time crunch.  According to my acceptance letter, I must sit for Step 1 by April 4th....Oh no!

I had already resolved in my mind that I was going to relax this semester and casually study (in medical school causally studying means at least 4hrs after class..LOL) and then crank up my studying (12 + hrs/day) April and May and sit for Step no later than June 15th....Well, that has all changed...my schedule exam day is April 3rd.....I have to make huge leaps and bounds by then....

So, what does all this mean for me?  I have to juggle a million things at once.  According to our program directors, they do not recommend us trying to study for Step 1 during this semester because there are so many clinical things we have to learn....So, I am juggling my obligations to this semester and then studying til 2 am or so.....Right, now I'm running on adrenaline..I just pray it keeps me going til April 3rd...

I'm feeling the fire.  I am in my zone....I have to make this happen.  Step 1 is the most important exam a medical student can take...It is the first thing that is looked when applying for residency.  So, I have to hit a home run..I have to score high enough...What's high enough?  Enough to get the residency I want...No one can really say what enough is but I need the score that will get me through the doors I wish to walk through...There are statistics out there on average scores....But, I've never focused too much on those. Because I know I have GOD on my side..... But, I sure do not want to fall below them...I know with determination and persistence, I will get where I want to be, where I'm suppose to be.....But, I have to do my part and prepare for it..So, I will score my best...I will be prepared.  And if not...I will decline the track...and take the time I need...There will be more opportunities...But, who knows when they will come along, again...That's why it is so important to prepare NOW and seize the opportunity in front of me.  So, with that said...PRAY FOR ME, PLEASE...!!!