Advice for Term 1 at SGU & Moving to Grenada
Last Updated: December 2021 by the version of Rainee in dedicated
After some time at SGU, I made a lot of mistakes. This isn’t an exhaustive piece or professional advice (this is my buyer’s beware disclaimer), but things I noticed in my experience.
General advice for starting medical school
The rumors about medical school are both true and false. Nothing truly prepared me for how challenging it would be. I used to juggle two jobs (California is expensive), an internship, school, and living on my own - and I still struggled in Term 1 and found myself overwhelmed. Because I was incredibly humbled by my first term in medical school, like kicked in the back of the knees type of humble. I heard medical school was hard so many times. I was resigned to pay whatever price it took. My feelings really didn’t change how difficult it was (lol).
Don’t study before Term 1
This will be the last time where you can enjoy time without the pressure to study. When you show up to the following terms, there is less and less space for you to review during the term.
If you’re determined to do something, I think it’d be helpful to play around with resources like Anki or Quizlet. There is a high learning curve on using it, so looking at videos on how to use it can be a good place to start. I was fumbling around with it for the whole 1st year, and things turned out alright, so there’s no pressure to use it right away or at all. It might be helpful to think about an organization like how you’ll study/take notes - but that’s it. I am so thankful for moments where I can have nothing on my brain.
Be soft to change
I love routines. I need structure, especially when a lot is going on, like, say medical school. The darker side of this preference is it becomes neuroticism. I think I share that with a lot of my classmates, so if you can relate - you're not alone!
Be prepared for school changes. The only thing that stays the same throughout the terms is lecture times. Everything else like small groups, labs, and IMCQs are held at different times and days based on your assigned college. While on the island in Term 1, we had lecture at ~1 PM, but when we moved online, it was self-paced. Term 2, lecture was at 7 AM, and then for Term 3 it was at 1 PM. Changes like these are not uncommon. And a side note, if you're remote, Grenada does not acknowledge daylight savings and may not accommodate that.
Also, don't be afraid to try out new study techniques, even when you've been using other methods for years. I tweaked my study techniques every term because they all have their own personalities.
The worst advice is just to survive
I’ll walk that back to say if you find yourself struggling - that’s okay! And survival will be #1. However, I wish I had studied like I knew I would make it to Term 2 and eventually take STEP. Please try and commit the things from Term 1 and Term 2 to memory. The biochem, genetics, and MSK came back in Term 5 and Step prep!
You’ll come across mnemonics and videos that make things click. Have a home base to put these things. For me, that’s my First Aid. I can’t tell you how much time I wasted in Term 2 looking for something I loved in Term 1. Also, if you do well, like 83%+, opportunities like becoming a tutor and doing research are opened up to you in Term 2.
Emphasize active learning > passive learning like listening to lecture again or rewriting notes. I wish I could go back and beg myself to stick to Anki and prioritize practice questions.
Resources
I would not waste money on outside resources this term. I'm talking mainly about Qbanks and video resources (some notables in a minute). SGU material covers what you need to know decently. Most importantly, it's underrated how important it is to become familiar with how SGU teaches and tests. After completing 5 terms at SGU, I can say that the tests have a particular personality.
Next, there's this concept of resource dilution. There is a point where you have so many resources that they no longer benefit you. This is especially true in Term 1. You're just trying to get into a swing of things. To add on unnecessary stress of figuring out the gazillion resources may outweigh the benefit you'd get in Term 1.
Also, SGU students are very kind. There is an overwhelming amount of student-made resources as well. Check out those DES drives on Facebook!
Okay, here's my notables because I sit here today after buying way too many resources. Could've saved some money if I wasn't too anxious to get ahead and prep for this and that.
Notable: Anki
This flashcard app has saved my life on so many exams. Especially once you start adding volume (I'm looking at you Term 4) and cumulative questions. There's a steep learning curve, I'll admit. I don't use it in the strictest of terms, but I still benefit!
I was also a clear flashcard hater before, so keep your mind open. BUT Anki really isn't for everyone. I know a lot of others who use other methods, including Quizlet and Firecracker.
Where do I get pre-made Anki decks? I use the "M1M2" deck, which you can find on this SGU Anki FB page. You can also ask questions here. I like this deck because it includes Zanki. I love that it has SGU lecture slides in it for reference, Sketchy/Pixorze images, and is tagged for SGU lectures. Oof saved my life in Year 2 when you had to manually move over the decks.
How to learn how to use Anki: There are many videos about how to use the Anki decks. I would start here. A fellow SGU student made this ~3-hour video on using Anki with tips, especially for SGU students. There's also the AnKing Youtube channel for specific feature questions.
Notable: First Aid
People hype up First Aid so much that I was scared to buy it too soon. I remember running through the forums before Term 1, going back on forth on if I should buy the current First Aid or wait to get the most recent version right before taking Step 1. I settled on buying a really cheap older one and planned to get a new one. A couple of weeks into school, it wasn’t that helpful because all the references to First Aid pages were to the current version (2020) or the previous 2019. I realized I missed the purpose of FA is to have a home base. When you study for Step 1 or heck even when you study cumulative topics, it’s nice to have a stable source of notes with all the mnemonics and extra treasures you’ve accumulated.
I think it’s important to know that First Aid won’t teach you anything. It is the bare bones of high-yield things with some great memory hooks.
Anyways, once we were evacuated, I bought the First Aid 2021 even though I took Step in 2022. The differences between subsequent years are often minor or something you can pick up when skimming the PDF.
One of the best resources is your community
There's an overwhelming amount of resources offered at SGU, including resources made by other students. Don't be afraid to make a group chat with your classmates, small group, or people local to you. They're probably the closest to understanding what you're going through, but they can also help you filter out the noise.
I didn't take advantage of attending DES (peer tutoring groups) reviews in Term 1, but I highly recommend it. The peer groups are not offered after Term 2, so try to enjoy them as much as possible. I co-ran a DES group starting Term 2. My partner and I tried our best to concepts we had difficulty with easy and pull out the best resources for each topic.
Basic Sciences Structure
As I write in 2022, in the first year of basic sciences curriculum (+some Term 3), we learn normal anatomy and physiology with little tidbits of micro, pharm, and pathology. Then in the second year of basic sciences, we review everything twice more with the expectation that we remember it all from the first year! Term 4 is everything add micro, pharm, and pathology. In the last term, Term 5, you go all the topics for a third time, adding pathophysiology.
The specific modules for those curious start with Term 1’s Foundations to Medicine (FTM), Muskuloskeletal (MSK), and Cardio/Pulm/Renal. Term 2, you go over Digestion & Metabolism (DM), Endocrine and Reproductive (ER), and Neuro & Behavior (NB).
Term 3 and Term 4 are generally held back to back (We had a weekend, the term behind us had a week). Term 3 is a weird 6 weeks. There’s medical ethics, public health, intro to immuno and micro. It’s just a bag of fun and confusion. Then the beast of Term 4 happens. It’s fairly long.. Ours was 17 weeks. The first module is Foundation to Clinical Medicine (FTMC), then Cardio/Renal (CRS), Respiratory and Heme (RHS), and lastly Digestion, Endocrine, and Reproductive (DERS). Finally! Term 5 starts off with Musculoskeletal, Nervous, and Infection. Then you go over all the topics (yes, in one term!), adding clinical tidbits and pathophysiology.
At the end of Term 2, you take a BSCE. This is a cumulative test that will include all of the content of the first two terms. So don’t throw away all the hard-earned knowledge you stored in your brain! Anki is great for keeping these memories up. During Term 5, when we were on the island, students would take several BSCEs and then a final NBME (written by a 3rd party). My cohort had all our BSCEs changed to module exams, and the last final was a completely different grade from an SGU-written cumulative test.
Term 1 Structure
So the modules we’ve learned in Term 1 were Foundations to Medicine (FTM), Muskuloskeletal (MSK), and Cardio/Pulm/Renal (CPR1 and CPR2), each lasting 3-4 weeks with no break in between. Each module ends with a test worth ~15-20% of your grade. This term has no cumulative test, but there are usually cumulative questions within each exam. What surprised me was enforced mandatory attendance for all activities, including lectures, small groups (to discuss/present histology or clinical cases), IMCQs (multiple-choice sessions), and labs (ultrasound, wet labs, clinical skills). You must attend 80% of each category to get the associated points.
Lectures are presented by different professors presenting slides. I wish there was more continuity because the professors aren’t aware of what others have discussed. In term 1, there are usually 1 or 2 other activities a week (small group, IMCQ, lab). At the time, it felt like a lot was going on in Term 1. Going through basic sciences, I know that the number of required activities increases as you go through the terms - enjoy this!!
FTM felt like an expansion on undergrad genetics and biochemistry, which sounds like it’d be a breeze, but you’re hit with volume overload right away. This module, in my opinion, is about getting your footing with how SGU teaches, what they teach, adjusting to the island, and your schedule. This might be a smooth transition for you if you have a strong background in genetics and biochemistry. Many of the topics were familiar, like inheritance patterns and molecular techniques. Just adds a bit more with specific diseases and some drugs to memorize. Even though there is some pharmacology, it feels more focused on physiology.
Many things felt incredibly alien to me (histology!). The first couple of weeks, I felt like people around me had some kind of extraordinary talent. All I see are purple and pink dots, but you’re telling me they mean something? But hey, it’s normal, and the facilitators or professors expect this.
MSK is learning the anatomy of most of the muscles in the body in like 2.5 weeks. It’s very different from FTM but felt like a nice break. Everyone has a different way of learning here. If I could go back, I would be more open to discovering how I learn. Because it was different from those around me. It was helpful to buy an anatomy app to look at the body in a 3D aspect, especially since we didn’t have access to wet/cadaver lab (we were evacuated). For me, it didn’t start to click until the end. This was the turning point where active learning needed to be prioritized over passive learning (watching videos, writing notes, etc.).
CPR was so much physiology and big brain time. I was exhausted. I mean the heart, lungs, and kidneys?? They all have their own pressure and volume issues. This was the first module where I heavily relied on other resources like youtube (ninja nerd, dirty medicine, etc.) and a little of Boards & Beyond. B&B was beneficial since Dr. Ryan is a cardiologist.
Things to look forward to after Term 1
I wish someone had told me of all the things I could look forward to if I did very well in Term 1. The grade you earn in Term 1 opens up different opportunities and extracurriculars. Once past Term 1, they look at your cumulative grade.
IEA Honors: Of course, SGU has an honors organization. It is different from the US medical school organization. Besides something really cool to put on residency apps, benefits include tutoring peers and doing an extra honors class.
Selectives: In Term 1, I was so excited to do a selective. I thought I'd be traveling to Thailand or India to learn about Eastern Medicine. They even had a surgery selective. You do have to pay for certain costs, but these trips would be for a week or two, and you'd get to learn in an additional country. Very cool. Well, scratch that - the panini kind of ruined that. Currently, I am taking a selective about research and art, but they have other classes like wilderness medicine, leadership, and yoga.
AEP & PLG Facilitation: Peer Learning Groups are peer-led tutoring groups. You get paid a small stipend for the time you put into this. It's definitely not enough to pay any bills, but it's a nice gesture. You're usually paired up with someone, or you can choose your partner. You host weekly (more flexible if you're doing PLG) review sessions for Term 1 and Term 2 (once you complete that) students. My partner and I make powerpoints, questions, but I know other groups do things like worksheets. It was beneficial to do this to keep Term 1 stuff fresh for the BSCE.
Research: If you do well in Term 1, the research organization from the school will reach out about the research program. It sounds very cool because you get faculty help in publishing something! I didn't know about this, and I had reached out to the research faculty. It was too late, but they said I could reach out to any faculty and ask if I could do a research study under their guidance. I had a faculty member approve a study reviewing the history of primary care but ultimately dropped it because it was so daunting to do that on my own, with Term 2 feeling a bit much. So if you're determined, you can do it on your own!
Club Executive Boards: Once you complete Term 1, you are eligible to be on a club executive board to be more involved. I have begun the process to start my own club, so you can also do that!
Moving to Grenada, as told by a California Girl
Grenada was very different for me. I grew up mostly in different parts of California, but I had visited the Philippines (where my family is from), which had a similar feeling. Besides the humidity and heat, Grenada has a very friendly population. A good thing that I picked up and wish stuck with me was in Grenada, that every time you see someone, you greet them with a "good morning or good afternoon." If you're passing someone by or need to talk to someone, you always start with that kindness. People honk to say hello to passing cars.
Housing
I moved to Grenada with my pup, Kalbi. On the flight there, there were so many doggies. It was heartwarming. However, that meant I wasn't allowed to stay in the dorms (but I heard this might be changed). Embarrassingly, in my short two-month stay, I had trialed 3 different apartments - all with lost deposits (cries in broke student).
I had visited Grenada before school started on the See Grenada Tour. My flight, stay, and island tour was paid for by the school. Like many other Term 1 students, I found my apartment through Facebook listings. There are a lot of off-campus Facebook groups. I had arranged to wire my deposit to a very cheap apartment. The listing said it was a private furnished pet-friendly apartment only 15 minutes away by bus. While that was all true, I knew I could not stay there once I visited. It was tucked in on a hill, and you had to pass through some abandoned building. The lady who showed me the place (not the owner) told me the previous tenant collected cockroaches in the apartment to have as pets (GAG). The owner did offer me my deposit back if someone else took the lease, but I don't think that happened.
My second apartment was a finished basement. There were two more stories above mine. The landlord lived on the main floor, and a couple lived on the top floor. She was extremely kind and welcoming, but the reason it was love at first sight on Facebook was the massive fenced backyard. I stayed there for most of my stay, but what surprised me was the "cave" feel. The unit had little to no natural light. The guilt would hang on me during the day when I thought about Kalbi staying there waiting for me in the dark apartment. Then I found several cockroaches. I have to say that I'm terrified of bugs. I tried to make it work. I even bought a bed netting from another student like a little tent I put on my bed. I felt super depressed in that cave and couldn't sleep because I was scared of the cockroaches. I'm from California, I'm sorry!
I really loved my last apartment experience, the Divine Apartments. It's about a 10-14 minute walk to school, or the bus stops right in front of it. I felt safer being around a lot of other students. Plus, they had a washer and dryer, weekly cleaning service, and AC. The staff was so kind and accommodating. The only thing was because they only had a 1 bedroom vs. a studio to offer me, those electricity bills were off the chain! But that is common everywhere on the island.
Pets
Many people have pets on the island. Getting them on the island is a little involved, but the students who run the SGU Pet Alliance FB page were very helpful in outlining everything that needs to be done. Since there is a vet school, there's an animal clinic on campus too! Unfortunately, a pet daycare didn't exist when I was there. There were talks about exchanging pet sitting between students, though. I would try to keep my time away from Kal short and take breaks to go home and see him. I believe there are only 1-2 places to buy pet food. From the posts that I've seen, they often run low. However, the community looks pretty open to helping others feed their pets!
The campus
The campus is beautiful! Lots of hills and very hot, but the campus offers a lot. Plenty of indoor and outdoor study spaces. I've studied in the quiet halls, but I've also studied with an ocean view. A fair amount of places to eat. Also, on top of the hill, some locals will sell eggs and fresh vegetables.
As a former competitive powerlifter, the gym is pretty well done! The weight training things like barbells were outdoors. There was even a bag for boxing. The gym was often pretty crowded but had all the basics for weight training, bodybuilding machines, and lots of cardio machines. I definitely tried to take advantage of all the fitness classes. A lot of them are run by students. I tried boxing, Zumba, and Latin dancing when I was there. Very fun.
Bus System
Coming from city life, the bus system on the island was very different. I have too many memories of constantly checking apps to see if the bus will be arriving or chasing down buses that were off schedule in coming to San Francisco.
Well, on the island, it's pretty different. In my first introduction to the bus system, I was running late for my first day of school. I didn't get much sleep the night before because of the cockroach incident. Just the thought of one touching my face as I sleep…no. Anyway, my landlord said I'd know where the bus stop was because there are usually many students gathered. As I was scrambling down the street, there were no defined bus stops, no signs, no students. I busted my booty to where I saw all the cars were going and assumed that was the way to school. Once I turned onto a traffic circle, a white van marked for SGU halted next to me, and the door swung open. Is this the bus? I thought the school bus would be like the yellow ones at home. They didn't say a word, but I saw other students and stepped onto the bus.
I learned that the bus stops are defined but not marked. The schedules are divided by the routes; mine was True Blue. The schedule will tell you where the bus initially departs and a list of times it will be arriving at the stops on the way. On the SGU website, there is another document that shows the stops. Once you take the bus, you can see the route and stops. They are very timely. Generally, to stop, you knock on the window to let the driver know you want to be let off the next stop. I only took the bus to and from school and then to the grocery store.
If you made it this far, thanks for hanging with me. It is normal to be nervous and don't forget to enjoy this experience! Don't be afraid to reach out.
Warmly, Rainee
Beach near my apartment at SGU