The 2007 Therapeutic Guidelines contain guidelines in Analgesic (2007), Antibiotic (2006), Cardiovascular (2003), Dermatology (2004), Endocrinology (2004), Gastrointestinal (2006), Neurology (2007), Oral and Dental (2007), Palliative Care (2005), Psychotropic (2003), Respiratory (2006), Rheumatology (2007), and Developmental Disability (2005).  This is an excellent resource for medical students and doctors. Read the rest of this entry »

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The general pathology exam review ebook in pdf format contains loads of information to help you study for the USMLE and medical school. Chapteres in this free ebook include general principle of lab medicine, cell injury, inflammation, immunopathology, fluids and haemodynamics, acids and bases, nutrition, genetics, environmental pathology, and neoplasias (cancers). Read the rest of this entry »

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The DAT dental admissions test 777 pages comprehensive study guide contains useful information to help you supplement your studying.  This study guide is for the American computerized version of the dental admissions test and contains sections on survey of natural sciences which include biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry.  Also contains chapters on perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning (mathematics). Read the rest of this entry »

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Download this free anatomy atlas of upper gastrointestinal and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery ebook in pdf format.  This surgery study guide contains 971 pages of useful information to help you pass your medical specialty exams.  If you’re interested in gastrointestinal, liver, peancreatic, and biliary surgery then have a look at this book. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Vascular Surgery Basic Sciences and Correlations ebook contains 636 pages in pdf format filled with lots of useful information to help you study the basics of vascular surgery.  Contents include vascular pathology and physiology, non-invasive vascular diagnostics, invasive vascular diagnostics, medical management, endovascular intervention for vascular disease, and comparision of conventional vascular reconstruction and endovascular techniques. Read the rest of this entry »

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Just from the title I’m sure you can figure out what I’m about to talk about.  No it’s not the working title to the critically anticipated “Scrubs” movie where Dr. Cox walks around with an imaginary stick up his ass and J.D. does everything he can to remove it… and then successfully does so with his teeth.  Damn I just spoiled the best movie ever.  Anyway, back to reality…  I’d like to vent about the phenomenon called “Med Student Stick-in-Ass Syndrome,” you know, the disease predisposed to medical students.  The disease spreads like wildfire and without warning.  It’s harmful in the sense that everybody wants to kick your ass.  I hope I don’t have it, but I have been told (on more than one occasion) that I have a mild form of Stick-in-Ass syndrome.  Sadly, it literally sticks with you until the day you die.  Morbid isn’t it?    

Besides from making you look like a jackass to the rest of the world, Stick-in-Ass syndrome does help with posture.  But the harm definitely outweighs the benefits.  There are 3 documented forms of the syndrome.  You can have full blown stick-in-ass syndrome where the person actually thinks that he or she is GOD and his or her opinions OR answers to exam questions are ALWAYS right – hence why they walk around with their nose and chins pointed towards the sky to give the illusion that they’re above everybody else.  If you see one of these people around, feel free to chuck a rock at their face.  They won’t know it’s coming because well they’re busy looking at the sky.  This form of Stick-in-Ass syndrome is the most contagious and it can be spread either sexually, skin-to-skin contact, or through the air.  It’s like herpes… but much MUCH worse. 

Type II Stick-in-Ass syndrome consists of these specific criteria… a blood test may be required but not necessary.  A. The person uses big words to trip you up during conversation.  I’m pretty sure they’re talking out of their ass half the time – which gets pretty difficult when you have a stick lodged up there.  But they manage to find a way.  B.  Is friends with a law student.  Let’s face it, all law students wish they were like us medical students.  That’s why they try to sue us every chance they get when we’re doctors.  However, that doesn’t stop them from doing everything they can to be just like us – they will even go as far as trying to catch our Stick-in-Ass disease.  So if you see a law student clinging to a med student – stay away because the Stick-in-Ass force field around them is too strong and you’ll most likely be sucked in and spit out if you get too close. C. Ability to judge you with their eyes.  Well we’ve all heard the term, “smiling with your eyes,” made popular by the world renowned supermodel Tyra Banks, but few possess the ability to judge you with a blink, a ticker, or in some cases a twitch of the left eye.  Criterion C is the one most likely to be overlooked and often misdiagnosed for a bad case of the crazies.  Don’t be fooled when they make eye contact with you during a practice OSCE.  It’s not about building rapport or looking interested in what you have to say.  It’s about looking deep into your soul and taking whatever dignity you have left. 

Type III is known as Silent Stick-in-Ass Syndrome.   It is an autosomal recessive disease.  Type III is more common than you think and it just so happens that it poses the most threat to society.  These people look normal on the outside but on the inside they are wired to think that they are better than everybody else.  The difference between Type I and III is that in Type III these freaks don’t voice their opinions out loud… because if they did they will surely be shot.  Thus, they bottle it in until one day they burst into flames killing everybody within a 10 km radius.  Type III people are also careless and periodically you will notice them slip up.  It might be as subtle as raising one eyebrow and tilting his or her head 5 degrees to the left indicating that your opinion is worthless or something a little more overt like “fake-laughing” at something you deemed funny.  At one point or another we’ve all been a victim of fake-laughter… and it hurts.

So what type are you?  I think most of my classmates fall under Type I.  Thus, rocks need to be thrown immediately to quickly bring them down to reality.  Remember that you can have overlap between types and that mild form of each type exists.  In the unfortunate event that you were born with all 3 types – it looks like that stick is staying in there for good. 

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Oxford is well known for its academic excellence and has more to offer than just intellectual clinicians. 

How to contact Oxford University Medical School Offices to set up your Medical Student Electives: 

Mailing Address:

Oxford University

Medical School Offices, John Radcliffe Hospital,

Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom

OX3 9DU

Telephone Number: +44 1865 221689 or +44 1865 270207

Fax Number: +44 1865 750750

Oxford University Website Address: www.ox.ac.uk

Hospitals Affiliated with Oxford University School of Medicine:

The main teaching hospital, the John Radcliffe loacated at Headley Way, Headington, Hoxford is huge and caters for most needs.  To contact John Radcliffe please telephone +44 1865 741166.  The Churchill hospital is located at Old Road, Headington, Oxford.  To contact Churchill Hospital please telephone +44 1865 741841.  The Radcliffe Infirmary is located at Woodstock Road, Oxford.  To contact Radcliffe Infirmary please telephone +44 1864 311188.  Both Churchill Hospital and Radcliffe Infirmary are older hospitals.

Oxford has a pleasant centre, and there is abundant student life.  It’s not just a university town.  London is only an hour away by train.  Electives can be arranged in most medical specialties.  The school has limited accommodation for reasonable rent.  The best part about doing your medicine electives at Oxford University is that there is no elective fee!

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There comes a time in every young medical student’s life where he or she has to buy his or her first stethoscope. The stethoscope plus doctor uniform that you happened to get from your girlfriend on your 21st birthday purchased at a dodgy store located in the “whore district” of your town just won’t do anymore – plus need one that’s been disinfected thoroughly.

I ended up purchasing a 3M Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope from Medshop.com.au mainly because our class had gotten an exclusive 10% off deal from them. The whole thing ended up costing me less than $200 with shipping. I got my stethoscope delivered to my Australian address within 2 business days. I’m quite happy with my purchase – they were fast and friendly.  If I had more time I would’ve shopped around.  Some of my classmates ended up going the Ebay route.  The only problem with Ebay is that it could take weeks before you received your stethoscope – that’s if you get it at all. However, on the plus side Ebay always has great deals.

Another online Australian store that offers medical supplies is Medisave.com.au. They are more expensive than Medshop, but they do offer laser engraving which is nice. I’ll probably get my stethoscope laser engraved at a local store in the future because I have a tendency to lose things – my mind included. You can probably get a better deal from either of these stores if you offer to buy the stethoscopes in bulk. They might be able to waiver the shipping costs or give you a 10% discount like our class got. In any case, whatever you do don’t go and buy a pink stethoscope. It just makes you look like a whore.

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I’m beginning to notice that there is a lot more to be expected of you in second year.  You can’t skip as many classes, you can’t show up late to lectures, and you definitely have to open up a textbook once in a while.  Hmmm, it’s going to take some time getting use to.   OK let’s just put it out there, I really hate studying.  I just wish I could coast through medical school but no retard is ever going to hand you a medical degree without doing anything… well maybe at certain schools… YOU know which ones!

The classroom drama still keeps everybody, especially me, entertained.  “Blondie” gained about 100 lbs, “SBB’s” boobs got bigger over the summer break (I did not think that was possible), SBB and Mop Head broke up over the summer and now there’s this awkward tension between them - it doesn’t help that they’re in the same class.  How many times must I tell people that dating your fellow medical school classmate is a bad idea?

The class seems noticeably smaller because there were quite a few people who dropped out or failed in my year.  Which is fine with me as long as I’m not one of them.  I figure I only have one chance to do everything and I want to do it right the first time.  I’m going to try to not procrastinate as much this year, but promising myself that is like asking Britney to promise not to flash her vajayjay in public.  Hell, I’m procrastinating right now by writing this damn post.

Love.  It’d be nice to be in that ideal relationship where she does everything and I do nothing.  By “everything” I mean cook, clean, and the occasional “knitting.”  But sadly, the perfect woman does not exist.  OH and it would be nice if she didn’t talk as much.  As a busy med student, I shouldn’t even be thinking of meeting somebody.  It’s just way too much effort.  I’m beginning to realize that I don’t have a lot of opportunities to meet anybody new.  I mean I have my medical school friends and then I have my home friends which so happens that most of them are medical students in upper years anyway.  For once I’d like to meet somebody who’s doing a bullshit degree, like arts, and talk about things totally unrelated to medicine.  Mind you, I would never marry this person.  Hmmm, maybe I’ll find a part-time job, meet a girl doing arts, have interesting conversations about me, and bring her home so she can clean my apartment…  I’ll let you know how that goes…

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The University of Cambridge is located in the United Kingdom and has a reputation of excellence.

How to contact University of Cambridge Faculty of Medicine to set up your medical electives:

Mailing Address:

Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Faculty of Medicine,

Hills Road, Cambridge,

CB2 2QQ

Telephone Number: +44 1223 336700

Fax Number: +44 1223 336709

Hospitals affiliated with the University of Cambridge:

Addenbrooke’s Hospital (+44 1223 245151) is a large well-run hospital with nearly all specialties provided on site.  This hospital contains 900 beds.  Cardiothoracic surgery is done at the Papworth Hospital (+44 1480 830541).  Other hospitals include Hinchingbrooke Hospital and the West Suffolk Hospital.

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