One of the largest privileges of being a blogger for NUHS is I get to not only share my opinions about the field of chiropractic, but also my own experiences throughout the program. I find that although finals week is the busiest and seemingly most overwhelming for the majority of students, I personally am far more concerned with the first round of midterm exams. The main reason for this is that with every new class, and especially when you have a professor for the very first time, you have to learn how the exams are written and how best to study that specific material. I wanted to discuss how I am approaching this first wave of midterms of Tri 4, as well as how each of my courses have been thus far.

While I can’t talk about every class in fine detail, there are a few classes I am really enjoying in addition to some that are especially challenging. First, Normal Radiographic Anatomy and Variants is one of the most unique classes I have had. It is my first exposure to a large amount of medical imaging and the complexities involved with interpreting them. While it is difficult and has tremendous study requirements, I am quite enjoying the material. To study for this, like most exams, I try to start reviewing about a week ahead, going through each lecture PowerPoint and focusing on any topic that Dr. Martensen expressly detailed.

Another challenging class worth noting is Medical Microbiology II. While I have never personally loved biology as a subject, Dr. Nazik is an incredible professor who I could not speak more highly of, teaching the vast complexities and technical jargon in a digestible manner. Although I have had him as a professor before, this is the first 5 credit course he teaches that I am taking, which outlines just how rigorous and demanding of my time it is.

The final subject that is both uniquely difficult but really interesting is Dr. Ott’s class, Cardio-Respiratory and Renal Physiology. While our midterm exam for her isn’t until next week at the time of my writing this, I am confident that she has given us all the tools necessary to succeed, despite the intricacies masked by our ignorant bliss with regard to the mechanisms involved in breathing.

Although high credit courses are incredibly vital to allot adequate time to, I never ignore lower credit courses. Even though I am still in the basic sciences phase, Dr. Gantzer’s provides valuable clinical relevance. Her Human Metabolism and Nutritional Biochemistry II are some of my favorite subjects. They combine my interest in chemistry with clinical applications. The ability to see how what I am being taught can be brought into practice and directly influence patients is one of the most rewarding parts of being a student at NUHS.   

Students have different interests, struggles and lifestyles, but the most important skills I have found to be essential for success are time management and being proactive. It is necessary to balance studying for each class so you can prepare for all exams. I always review PowerPoints in addition to notes, note cards and any other sources of relevant text. START EARLY!

Learn more about NUHS’ Doctor of Chiropractic program at the Florida site here.