A MEMO to me and everyone who needs some motivation…
Because life sometimes happens to all of us, and we need a boost every now and then
Here are 5 tips to inspire you:
1. Dear Sister (brother or friend), why wait for another to validate you?
2. Be Confident, Stay Attractive.
3. You’re BEAUTIFUL, act like it!
4. If you can dream it, you can live it
5. You’re strong enough to do all you’ve been called to do
:::requ1ne:::
❤️❤️❤️
The MDCN exam is relatively easy to attempt, if you have the right kind of information.
I’ll share a few tips that worked for me, which you can apply as well in preparing for the exam.
1. To thine own self be true.
Know why you’re in Nigeria. Not all that came to write the licensing exam, plan to use it. For some, practicing in Nigeria is a second, third or fourth option. Roughly a quarter of the candidates in my centre were planning to port (i.e. Return Abroad). If you’re not ready for Naija wahala, just sit at home and chill. And if you’re in it for real, then make sure you double up.
2. What you don’t know, you don’t know.
You may have to unlearn and relearn some things, especially with history taking and physical exam, because Naija stuff get levels and as far as “they” are concerned, it’s either their way or no way.
For instance, when I saw the way they palpated for enlarged lymph nodes in a patient, I just humbled myself and went to learn it.
Another example was learning to use the Mercury sphygmomanometer, which I wasn’t very familiar with. When you’re not sure, just ask. It may be embarrassing at first, but it’ll be to your advantage later on.
3. Listen with sense.
Not everything you hear is true…learn to sift through the noise and hold on to the fact. There will be rumors to your left and to your right, and some of them will overwhelm you but you must not allow your heart to fear. Remember, it is just MDCN, not an exam to enter heaven 😂
4. Be present when it matters.
Not every tutorial, not every call, not every seminar counts…but MOST of the rounds and classes are important. MDCN requires 70% attendance (of ward activities/classes) for you to participate in the exam; and over 80% of the exam material will be covered during lectures. Be wise.
5. There is no time to waste time.
Start studying the moment you resume…unless you’re a specific kind of genius with a type A brain, your plans to start studying just a few days to the exam won’t work. Trust me, the work load piles up on you like toppings on a slice of Pizza. Just like med school, you can use some of these STRATEGIES to scale through the MDCN exam. Past Questions are the main resources you should revise with for the exam. Don’t be lured into buying giant textbooks and whatnots. The truth is, you don’t need them.
6. Beware of 419.
There are evil people ready to scam you of your money, abuse your body (Dear Ladies, take heed) and rob you of your integrity. You don’t need the backdoor to succeed in the exam, nor any “special help” from those in-the-know. Exam Malpractice is a grievous offense and the examiners take a lot of measures to curb it. If you’re caught, you’ll be asked to face the music.
7. Don’t lose your Confidence.
This is by far the most important tip. Your Confidence is your greatest ally. Prepare as much as you want, if you lack confidence, you’ll mess up. It took me weeks of motivational articles, positive self-talk and prayers, to get myself mentally ready for the exam. Thankfully, I was able to scale through it.
*** ***
The Exam Format (LUTH Centre)
From the information I gathered, the exam varies from Centre to Centre. In Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where I sat for mine, the exam was 3-fold.
Day 1
PAPER 1- 150 MCQs
PAPER 2- PICTURE OSCE and Clinical Scenarios
Day 2 (Main OSCE)
Station 1 (Pediatrics): History taking from the mother of a jaundiced baby.
Station 2 (Surgery): Abdominal examination for a patient with suspected Acute Cholecystitis.
Station 3 (Obstetrics): History taking in a woman who presented for Antenatal care.
Station 4 (Medicine): Cardiovascular Examination in an otherwise healthy young man.
PS:
– For the MCQs, it’s advisable to do as many questions as you’re certain about and leave the rest. We were made to understand that “negative marking” was implemented for our exam, and a lot of candidates in my centre were affected.
– Each OSCE station was timed for 5 minutes, so it’s important to work within the given time. The more you practice with your colleagues, the easier it is to achieve that.
– Arrive early at the venue of your examination, you don’t want to be stressed out before you start. And have a light breakfast if you can, you’ll be glad you did.
“You can get horses ready for battle, but it is the LORD who gives victory.”
Proverbs 21:31 GNB
With God, MDCN is possible.
I wish you success.
:::requ1ne:::
❤️❤️❤️
*OSCE: Objective Structured Clinical Examination.
Hello People,
This is for the Foreign Trained Doctors who want to take the Nigerian Medical Licensing Exam conducted by the Medical And Dental Council Of Nigeria (MDCN).
(Pls note that the exam is applicable to both citizens and non-citizens of Nigeria).
Having successfully participated in the last licensing exam that took place at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), I will share a few helpful tips:
1. Resume the MDCN remedial course early and learn your ropes quickly. The earlier you get settled into the program, the easier it will be for you.
2. Know how to take the routine vital signs (BP, RR, PR) and the normal values across age groups. It’ll likely be your first test, and if you’re on point, you’ll be the BOSS.
3. Be confident and always say what you know. Silence is assumed for ignorance. Even when you’re not sure, just say something.
4. Guys, don’t forget your ties. Without it, you don’t belong on the ward. Come along with your ward coats, scrubs (preferably green if you’ll be in LUTH) and name tags too.
5. Malaria and TB are super high yield. Learn all you can about them beforehand.
6. Revise your history taking and physical examination skills ( especially CVS, RS, ABD and CNS). You’ll be glad you did.
7. Stand TALL, let no one intimidate you. Bad belle people dey Naija. They don’t really like how you went to spend “their” dollars abroad 🙄🙄
8. Don’t go solo, your colleagues will usually know something important that you don’t know.
9. If you could scale through medical school (no matter where you studied) you can survive MDCN. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
10. Pray without ceasing. It is NOT a Joke!
Cheers!
:::requ1ne:::
❤️❤️❤️
For more information about MDCN, please visit www.mdcn.gov.ng
Hey guys,
I have received lots of encouraging feedback about this post where I shared some important lessons from my medical school journey.
As a follow up, I have put together few tips that helped during my medical school days. I hope my blog readers who are medical students will benefit greatly.
These are strategies that worked for me and they are quite simple to apply:
1. Have a study schedule
I can’t overemphasize this. This is the most important studying strategy to use. Having a schedule helps you to know
– WHAT you want to study
– WHEN you want to study and
– HOW LONG you need/have to study
2. Start with what you know
I like to ask myself what I know about a particular topic before studying it.
For instance before you study about Bacteria, try to brainstorm on what you remember from your high school Biology or premed Microbiology, then continue from there.
Ask yourself these:
– Have I heard of this topic before?
– What do I remember about it?
3. Make use of multiple resources
This was a major strategy that helped during my clinical rotations. By multiple resources, I mean videos, textbooks, Q banks, lecture notes and even study groups.
For instance, you can start by watching a video on Burns, then read it up in a textbook, then revise what you have in your lecture notes, and finally discuss it with your study group colleagues.
The more channels you have carrying the same information into your brain, the more likely you are to retain the info.
4. Test yourself
This is another very important tip. There’s no point studying for hours, if you can’t answer a few questions in between.
It’s a good habit to jot down some questions for you to answer when you’re done studying a topic or better still make use of practice questions.
Testing yourself helps you to differentiate what you actually know from what you think you know.
5. Maximize your non-studying hours
This is one of the simplest strategies you can apply. Whether you’re taking a shower, doing some laundry, or sitting in the hospital lobby, you can task your brain with simple actions like recalling the definition of diarrhea or listing the ABCs of ER resuscitation.
6. Attend classes/seminars/rounds
I’ve come across lots of medical students who skip classes as tests/exams approach, claiming that they need more hours to study. In my opinion, that’s not always the best choice to make.
Medical school is about self discipline, there are a lot of other things you can cutback on while preparing for an exam eg TV, Sleep and Social media.
As much as possible try to attend those few classes preceding your exam, you might be fortunate to get one or two tips that will be of help later on.
7. Make it real
One way to add fun to your studying is to make it as real as possible, in your everyday experiences.
Practical application of medical knowledge is the most authentic way of making it stick.
While in medical school, I used to tease my flatmates (also medical students) about food poisoning by Bacillus Cereus and other organisms, when leftovers were not properly kept.
There are pockets of opportunities to apply any new knowledge you’ve attained on a daily basis.
PS:
I know it’s a real struggle for many medical students to find the balance between knowing enough to pass and knowing enough to practice.
The truth is if you don’t know enough to pass your exams in the first place, you can’t move to the next semester, and then you won’t be able to graduate as a medical doctor.
You may find yourself debating on whether to learn about all the facial muscles, their origin/insertion as well as their blood supply/drainage, or to just focus on the few important ones that might come out during your exam.
My advice is that for now, you should focus on knowing enough to pass from the level you are in, unto the next. With diligence and focus, you will build up on what you already know while you gain newer knowledge.
Most importantly, ask God for wisdom and direction as you study. Should any of the above strategies fail, don’t stop PRAYING.
I hope these tips help.
Thanks for reading,
:::requ1ne:::
❤️❤️❤️
Hey friends,
GIVEAWAY RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT
Unfortunately, I got only one response to the Giveaway offer in my last post.
And although the condition for the offer (leaving a comment on how my blog was discovered) was not met, I have decided to give away the prize anyway.
Congratulations, Ayo.
Thank you for subscribing to my blog.
:::requ1ne:::
❤️❤️❤️
Hello and welcome to my blog.
Eunicesmiles blog is a great place to be, whether you’re a first time reader or a returnee.
I run a Journal kind of blog, where I write about topics that I’ve spent time to reflect upon. In other words, my blog is like an open book, which anyone and everyone is free to read about.
My favorite topics centre around God, Life, Christianity, Medicine, Family, and Friends.
The primary goal is to INSPIRE as many people that find their way here, by sharing my thoughts, lessons, challenges as well as victories, and ultimately introduce them to the person of my faith, Jesus.
The message of my blog is simple: The best time to live is NOW!
Not Yesterday. Not Tomorrow.
Right Now.
And what better way to Live than to Believe in the one who gave his Life, for you and for me?
Christ.
He is the reason why I live.
Sometime in 2015, I wrote this post highlighting some of my reasons for writing and well, blogging in particular. Those reasons haven’t changed much over the years.
Today, I’m thankful for this BLOG.
It’s one of the things that gives me so much joy.
And this makes it three years since I started blogging.
It was something I couldn’t have imagined doing until I had enough courage, motivation and enough momentum to begin.
I’ll always be thankful to my mentor in this blogosphere, Dr. Dami of adroitmedic’s blog, he also owns the blog adroitphotography.
I’ve been richly blessed in many ways since I started this blog. Here are a few of them:
1. Self discovery- This blog has made me realize a lot about myself, my likes/dislikes, musings, attitude to life and everything in between.
2. Creativity– I’ve also had the privilege of learning, discovering and working on a few creative ideas (like photography/videography/advertisement) by virtue of running this blog. My writing skills have remarkably improved too.
3. Inspiration– Tbh, this blog has been a source of inspiration to me as well. Sometimes I read a post I wrote in times past and just smile. I’ve found encouragement and motivation in down times, through the pages of this blog. For that I’m thankful.
4. Diligence- Well as a matter of fact, running a blog isn’t as easy as one is made to think. Especially when no financial renumeration is involved. My responsibility towards my readers is my main motivation for trying my best. This is a platform I do not to take for granted, because I never know who needs the words I have to offer. Thankfully, I get some encouraging feedback from time to time.
5. Fame– Haha. Pls believe me when I say this blog has given me a level of fame. I mean on a global scale too…because I have readers from all over lol. For that I’m thankful. A number of times I’ve had people approach me unexpectedly and say, “So you run a blog?” And I’m like “ok, so how did you find out?” The response differs from time to time.
Thanks to everyone that has contributed to the blog through liking, commenting or by simply following my posts.
Thank you for being here, anonymously or otherwise.
There is no BLOG without you.
I can’t confidently say whether this blog is for a season or is indefinite, but for now, it’s a platform I’ll continue to use to the best of my abilities to reach out to others.
Hey, before you leave!
So as a way of saying THANK YOU, I have decided to do a giveaway. I will be giving out tokens of airtime (MTN, GLO, AIRTEL & ETISALAT) to FOUR of my blog subscribers.
PS: The giveaways are exclusive to my Nigerian followers only. I hope in future I can extend the giveaways to my readers across the globe.
See details of the giveaway here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
The winners will be announced (hopefully) by Friday, the 10th of May, and I will give further instructions on how to claim the prizes.
Cheers!
Spanish phrase for the day:
Tiengo un perro- I have a dog
(PS: Our family dog, Captain, who had been sick for sometime, died a few days ago. It was a sobering time for me in particular, as I was the last family member to see her alive. Thankfully, she left a 3-year old daughter, Lucy, and we hope she lives in good health for many years to come).
Thank you for reading.
❤️❤️❤️
:::requ1ne:::
A couple of years ago, I was that girl who would skim a few words from a book, use them as “quotable quotes” on social media and feel good about myself afterwards. I hardly completed any non-fiction book.
I was that lazy.
A lot of my friends and family members assumed I read a lot. If only they knew.
I remember while I was in the University, some kind friends who happened to care about my destiny more than I did back then, bought me great books, but I didn’t read more than the first few pages.
Such folly.
Worse still, I carelessly gave some of the books away.
Some of my colleagues were even kind enough to put a variety of ebooks on my laptop, but I mostly glanced through the titles and with time forgot those books existed.
I can imagine how transformed my life would have been by now, if only I’d diligently read those books.
Thankfully in the last few years I’ve been able to develop a steady habit of reading books, across several genres, and a number of them have remarkably changed my life.
There are several reasons people read, here are five reasons why I love to read:
1. To broaden my knowledge
“A great book should leave you with many experiences.”- William Styron
2. To improve my vocabulary and comprehension skills
“Few activities are as delightful as learning new vocabulary.”- Tim Gunn
3. For my personal (spiritual, physical, mental, financial, social and emotional) development
“Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body.”- Joseph Addison
4. To communicate better with people (via speaking and writing)
“Great books help you understand and they help you feel understood.”- John Green
5. To have fun.
Sometimes reading a book makes me sober and reflective. Other times I burst into laughter. Whatever the case, reading a good book definitely improves my mood.
Have you ever wondered the level of ignorance there would be in the world today, if no one bothered to read?
“HAVE YOU NOT READ?”
That was the question Jesus asked the Pharisees in Matthew 12:3-5 and again in Matthew 19:4.
Ignorance is indeed a disease, but reading is a life-saver because it produces knowledge which leads to action.
Although not everyone considers reading (especially non-academic literature) fun, but the benefits cannot be overemphasized.
“A person who won’t read has NO advantage over one who can’t read.” – Mark Twain.
The beautiful thing is that Reading is cheap. Generally, books are more affordable than most clothing and gadgets. And with the rise of electronic devices, e-books are easily accessible still and many of them can be gotten for free.
Today, I’m thankful for all the books I’ve read and the many lessons I’ve picked from them. I’m also thankful for the authors that God inspired to write those books.
Here are my top five reads (over the years):
1. Why You Act The Way You Do (Tim LaHaye)
2. Attitude is Everything (Keith Harrell)
3. Marriage and Family life of a Christian (Watchman Nee)
4. The Four Loves (C.S. Lewis)
5. Awaken The Giant Within (Anthony Robbins)
My favorite book so far this year, is: FERVENT by Priscilla Shirer. The book is on strategic prayer and has deepened my understanding about some of the cunning approaches of the enemy and how to counteract them. It’s such a great read.
Tbh, I’ve been thinking of doing some book reviews (or summaries) on this blog, but I’m yet to figure out how that would work.
I’m Currently Reading:
1. Lioness Arising (Lisa Bevere)
2. Unstoppable (Christine Caine)
3. PASSING IT ON (Myles Munroe)
4. Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Peter F. Drucker)
Books to read:
1. The Pilgrims Progress (John Bunyan)
2. Make it stick (Peter C Brown)
3. The Art of the Start (Guy Kawasaki)
4. Living in the light- Money, Sex and Power (John Piper)
5. No idea (Greg Garelt)
6. How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
7. Undaunted (Chistine Caine
8. The Applause of Heaven (Max Lucado)
9. Do It Afraid (Joyce Meyer)
10. THINK & GROW RICH (Napoleon Hill)
11. This Momentary Marriage (John Piper)
12. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey)
13. Cents & Sensibility (Scott and Betty Palmer)
14. Lean in (Sheryl Sandberg)
15. Madly in love with me (Christine Aryle)
16. I’ll have what she is habana (Bobbie Houston)
17. My Love Diaries (Itunu Taiwo)
18. The Power of Forgiveness (Joyce Meyer)
19. Wild Grace (Max Lucado)
20. So Good they can’t ignore you (Cal Newport)
21. Out of Control & Loving it (Lisa Bevere)
22. Unglued devotional (Lysa Terkeurst)
23. Found: God’s will (John MacArthur)
24. Love Me This Way (Ketsia Gustave)
25. Marriage Makeover (John and Lisa Bevere)
26. 101 Questions to Ask Yourself (Celestine Chua)
27. Without Rival (Lisa Bevere)
28. The Power of the Tongue (Kenneth Copeland)
So that’s my library at the moment.
And I look forward to investing in more books in future.
Eventually, it’s not about the books we read but the lives we lead.
It won’t matter how many books I’ve read but how many lessons I apply.
Kindly share with me the titles of books that have imparted you as well, so that I can be on the lookout for them. ☺️
So what are you thankful for today?
Spanish Phrase For The Day:
Quiero comprar unas manzanas- I want to buy some bananas
:::requ1ne:::
Welcome back!
One of my favorite things is to look into the scriptures and see it come alive in my own life.
“The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 GNB
By meditating on the scriptures, I’ve been able to get more insight into his wonderful promises.
Every now and then I come across a part of the scriptures that literally blows my mind…and I’m just like WOOW!
Here are three things the written word of God does in my life:
1. It enlightens
2. It encourages
3. It empowers
A few months back I gained a better insight into this bible verse:
Bread is NOT enough.
You simply can’t be sustained on carnal food or the philosophies of this world or the shallow opinions of men or even the convictions of your own heart.
You need God’s word to live.
There are lots of issues beyond human comprehension. I have several testimonies from the past year that there is always a word for every season I found myself in, if only I’m diligent enough to listen.
For instance, a few months ago on my return to Nigeria, I found an apartment in Lagos and moved in with a friend.
Unknown to us the power (electricity) situation in that neighborhood was extremely poor, on some days our light bulb didn’t blink at all.
For the first few days I was frustrated and lived in a state of despair to the point of second guessing my decision to take that apartment in the first place.
Then a friend invited me to church on a particular Sunday, and the sermon was so astounding that I returned home to begin to confess God’s word and to declare that we had light in the house….and soon enough it came to be.
You see whenever we key into God’s WORD in obedience, the results are EXCEPTIONAL.
There’s nothing more important to the believer than God’s word.
It is laziness for a Christian not to study God’s word on a daily basis.
It’s not enough to listen to sermons or use a devotional.
Learn to develop the habit of going deeper into God’s word.
Study it. Meditate on it. Memorize it. Believe it. Act upon it. Share it.
One revelation from God’s word can change your world in a moment.
Here are some resources I use that can wet your appetite for studying the bible:
3. Verses app
5. Gospel sermons and podcasts app
God’s word…don’t just read it, live it. James 1:22
10 Scriptures to meditate on:
“Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.” Psalms 119:105 GNB
“Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth.”
John 17:17 GNB
“I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you.”
Psalms 119:11 GNB
“Your word, O LORD, will last for ever; it is eternal in heaven.” Psalms 119:89 GNB
“So also will be the word that I speak — it will not fail to do what I plan for it; it will do everything I send it to do.” Isaiah 55:11 GNB
“Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night.”
Psalms 1:1-2 GNB
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living,”
2 Timothy 3:16 GNB
“Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8 GNB
“For the bread that God gives is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 6:33 GNB
“Yes, grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God endures for ever.”
Isaiah 40:8 GNB
And let this song be your prayer,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ouTgX9hcwk4
Don’t stop believing that the WORD works!
SPANISH PHRASE FOR THE DAY:
Quiero agua: I want water!
:::requ1ne:::
eunicesmiles 