We all knew the 2nd MBBS results were going to be released that day, but maybe not everybody knew how important the results were. That day was my first time of being around when the results were to be released, well it didn’t bother me so I went about my normal activities for the day. I had lectures till around 4, by the time I got back to my room, I was exhausted and very hungry. I was about to hit my bed when someone knocked really hard on my door and shouted, “MB results are out”. I’ll never really understand the rush of adrenaline that I felt, I found myself on my feet and wearing my clothes; my roommate was doing the same thing.
All roads led to Anatomy department of my school(a Nigerian University), the candidates of the 2nd MB were in their 3rd year in Medicine and Surgery, and they had written 3 major examinations; Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry. Each of the 3 aspects had their own versatile branches, and they had been preparing for A YEAR AND HALF. They kept having tests and assessments, everybody was looking forward to their results, everyone knew it hadn’t been easy. On my way to the department, I saw people with different reactions, some were jumping, some others crying, what I couldn’t say was whether they were crying for joy or for sorrow. Even on entering the gate of the department, I saw people rolling in the sand. ‘HA!’, that was the only thing that came to my mind. Then I started hearing their stories, One of them had passed with distinctions while her best friend was asked to withdraw completely from the college, instead of rejoicing she was rolling in the sand with her friend.
I took a look at the results, some people passed, some were asked to resit the courses they failed, those who failed more than one course were asked to repeat the year, and some of the repeat students from the previous year who failed again were asked to withdraw from the college. How painful for those who were asked to withdraw, some had stayed more than 4 years already. I left the department and went over to a friend’s room and she was so happy, jumping and screaming for joy; she had spent a year in Micro Biology, then she took another UTME examination, got admission to read Medicine and Surgery, after 3 years, she took her first MB examination and failed it. She took the exam a 2nd time and eventually passed(that’s 5 years in school already).
There’s another case of her friend who was asked to repeat her first year (while her mates were moving over to 2nd year), when she finally got into her 3rd year, she failed at her first attempt making that 4 years in the school, when she saw her result that day, she kept screaming and screaming because if she had failed, she would have been asked to withdraw.(after 5 years?)
I have met people who have spent more than ten years in school trying to attain a degree in Medicine and Surgery and eventually failed out but it was that day I truly understood the depth of studying Medicine and Surgery. I had never felt so many mixed emotions. I hope from now you’ll look at doctors in a different perspective. These are people who have suffered with Blood and sweat, lost many friends in the process, have had sleepless nights and have risen after every failure just to get to that position.
Listen to their stories, learn from them. Learn that failure is not the end of your struggle, learn to stand up after every failure and disappointment, learn to respect people who have tried and failed,, learn to believe so much in your dreams and hopes. I’m only studying a health science course, but I have learnt a lot from this experience, I hope I’ve passed across some of what I learnt.
In everything you do, STAY STRONG!
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MBBS: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.
UTME: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
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La Chica Bonita @lachicabonita
I'm young, I'm female. I write stories, poems. Hmmmn What else? I'm still learning.Go to La Chica Bonita's profile, and read more of his/her posts.
Truly, the outcome of such exams can be so important that they lead to candidates either experiencing the ecstasy of success or the agony of failure.
I like how you’ve captured the contrasting scenarios, as well as showing us just why some students were so happy/sad.
Well done, @lachicabonita.
PS Did you pass?
I love this writer. But I don’t share her sentiments about doctors.
I have six in my family. They are extremely annoying, plus they know nothing.
@TolaO. Thank so much for your observations and contributions. I appreciate.
PS: I’m in Medical Radiography, so we don’t write the MBBS. At least not yet.
@Kaycee you sound like you have contempt for the doctors around you.
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Hmmmn, yes they can be annoying because they always seem indifferent to things and people around them. But they sure know some things.
Thanks so much dearie. Though @Kaycee you sound like you have contempt for the doctors around you.
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Hmmmn, yes they can be annoying because they always seem indifferent to things and people around them. But they sure know some things.
@lachitabonita dearie, awwwww so sweet, thank u 4 capturing the emotions of medical school succintly, thank u so much. Verily verily I say unto u, its easier 4 a camel 2 pass tru d eye of a needle than it is to get a degree in medicine. I have been tru fire and tru flood. I know what I’m talking about. Medicine is now making girls old o. So, its really not easy. @kaycee, dey beef. Na ur business. Even if docs don’t know anything, one thousandth of what they know, u don’t know! If I were u, instead of beefing, I go go collect JAMB form.Fill UNIBEN medicine, spend 8years. Hehehehhe. We seem indifferent to things around us because d course is very tedious and demanding Mhmmmm?
Hehehe…on point…The journey isn’t easy. And if you happen to be in a school like mine. Failure would not only mean time loss, you would see hundreds of thousands going down the drain…Catastrophic!..
You captured Released results day well enough…Well done…$ß.
@sibbylwhyte thanks dear. I always pity them, I think I read too much, but I know they read excessively. What school is that?
@fiyinsiku hehehe. So you’re one? You done yet? My immediate older Bro is in 5th year Medicine and i think he’s blessed because he doesn’t have to read too much to understand. About kaycee, he’s probably talking from his point of view. Everyone has their story. Plus yes, they are indifferent cos they have to be strong for their patients. Nurses experience worse.
To each his own.
The emotions got me though. Good.
Honestly I feel sorry for medical students. My elder is a glaring example=10years gone in school!
I understand what they go thru. E no easy. Well done.
Hehehe…doctor…Medicine. That’s one hell of a course. If you stay around them, especially in Nigeria here, you’ll know they go through a lot. I envy them sha. They’ve got guts.
Welldone @lachicabonita.
@Raymond thanks.
@Elektrika thanks dear.
@johnnysnow
@Raymond thanks.
@Elektrika thanks dear.
@jonnysnow Wow.
@lachicabonita
Great work capturing this difficult training.
Having been through this myself I can say two things: 1. It’s bloody hard. Even if you don’t like doctors (which I can understand) you gotta respect the skills. 2. It’s impossible to do all that studying and not retain SOME knowledge.
Part of the reason it’s heartbreaking when people fail out is that each of us in the class was a “local champion” in their respective secondary schools. You then get to medical school and everything levels out-you eat humble pie. To fail out makes it seem like your “local skills” were nothing.
The truth is medical school is more about consistent hard work than it is about intelligence. It’s sometimes difficult for “local champions” to make that transition from dependency on intelligence to dependency on hard work.
@tadethompson just saw this. Thanks for dropping a comment.
And its very true, the Local Champion. One come outs to Medical School and see’s that all this while they have been Big Fish in a little pond.
Once again, thanks for your comment.