This is our last week of general exams, it can't go by fast enough. And this epic failure exam was this Monday. Let's start from the beginning. This exam material was taught by a new professor that taught the same (vascular physiology in case you're interested) material last year. And last year the material had to be re-taught because the students didn't learn it. I know what you're asking...why let her teach it again? No idea, second chances, torture, humor...no idea. Either way, turns out we didn't know it. And I felt like I did. As much as I really didn't want to (and trust me I didn't, I need a break really badly right now) I did study this weekend, I worked hard and when I had to explain the concepts to others, I really felt like I grasped the material. I felt pretty good going into the exam. As good as I ever feel, mostly I was just determined to not get the same "B" I always get, that is starting to get really frustrating. As I started reading the exam I do the same thing I always do, read all the questions, answer the one's I'm sure of, mark the one's I have NO idea and know that the answer will never come to me (I probably never knew it, so no use wasting time) these are my "eenie meenie monie moe" questions. Then I spend the majority of my time on the questions that I need to reason through, or really think about. This is usually a good strategy, it works well when I know a lot of the answers. The physiology exam is always 25 questions. I recieved the exam and marked 15 of the questions as "eenie meenie monie moe" not a good sign. I went back later and thought, "ok, maybe I can reason through some of these." Apparently that was not the case. The questions were so far out of left field, so complicated and so much stuff I had never seen before I never had a chance. (Just an example: "What happens with respect to mean arterial pressure, left ventricular contraction force and total peripheral resistance after an alpha 1 agonist is administered and the barorecptor responds, chemoreceptors may or may not come into play") I did the best I could, thought maybe I guessed well and turned in my exam. Everyone else pretty much shared the same feelings about that exam..."What was that?!?"
All in all I am remarkably unphased by my grade on this exam. Perhaps it's because I pretty much have the same grade as everyone else, and a little part of me is just glad I didn't get the same 84% I have had all semester (at least I am capable of something else). To my knowledge this is the first time I have ever failed an exam (maybe a spelling test in 2nd grade?) I thought it would be an earth shattering moment, that I would cry and scream and there would be gnashing of teeth (ok, maybe not that bad). But, as it turns out the earth keeps spinning, life goes on and my overall grade, while it was SIGNIFICANTLY effected, is still a "B". Looks like the "A" I wanted is out of the question, but it's hard to complain about a "B"--a grade I am more than used to.
We are still waiting for some discussion on this exam. The class average fell 20 points after one test, this basically means we are not stupid, the material was just not presented well. We're hoping for a curve or a make-up or something. But so far nothing, we are just stuck with this crappy grade (that I don't think is all my fault) oh well, I have decided to just take it and move on.
On another note, say prayers that I will make it through the week. I need a break very very badly. I have never been quite so ready for Thanksgiving before. I can't even see to Christmas, just ready for a small hiatus that will not be filled with dobutamine, T regulatory cells, and terminal alveoli...uggggghh! It is becoming increasingly hard to get out of bed, almost impossible to study and down right difficult to pay attention in lecture. I have 2 more exams on Friday, both of which constitute a major portion of my grade, so I should get off this thing and hit the books---maybe just maybe I'll make it to Saturday!
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