In my very first blog post back in May, I shared some of my hopes for this trimester. Now that the end of the tri is approaching, it’s a good time to reflect on my growth.

My first hope was to learn a lot to do well in classes and for my future patients. This trimester has been full of learning, not only in my classes, but also with reviewing for board exams. I’m doing well in the majority of my classes and struggling in just one… the one I crammed for, leading us into hope number two.

Plants in downtown Glen Ellyn

My second hope was to study proactively and not cram. This goal of mine slipped a few weeks into the tri, especially with taking a week off for the homeopathy seminar in Montreal. For the last three weeks, I’ve been doing better with keeping up! Some of my final exams will be cumulative, so it’s important for me to continue reviewing both old and new material.

My third hope was to study consistently for NPLEX. Earlier in the summer, I was leisurely studying for boards, but my methods weren’t the most time efficient. The last few weeks, I modified my study habits, and I’ve been very focused. The reality is that it’s impossible to be 100% prepared by knowing every piece of information, and I’ve come to terms with that. 

My fourth hope was to write interesting and educational blog posts. Looking back, I’ve had a lot of fun writing each week, and I think several of my posts fit those criteria. I haven’t gotten feedback from many readers, so send me your thoughts and questions ([email protected]) if you feel inclined!