Spring Break Reality Check

Maglin Halsey

Some might call me a nerd, but I embrace it. I could not let go of that nerd when I went on Spring Break a week ago. When I didn’t have any plans a few weeks prior to my break, my mom asked if I would be interested in going to Nashville. She was planning to attend the annual meeting for the Southern States chapter of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Despite being from Tennessee, I hadn’t spent much time in Nashville, so I was excited about the opportunity to visit.

And so, I spent the first weekend of my spring break in Nashville attending a medical meeting. The days were full of lectures from the top doctors in the field of Endocrinology from around the nation. We had just taken a test at school the day before break, which covered Endocrinology material. I thought that this might give me the chance to understand at least a few of the things discussed at the meeting.

The meeting started with some quiz questions that all of the attendees answered. These questions were used to introduce each of the lecture topics. I figured I was safe since all of the responses were anonymous, so I went ahead and answered. I then realized that they would be showing the distribution of responses for each question. For the first few questions, I received assistance, but then I tried to forge out on my own. I didn’t do too poorly until one question. The answer distribution showed that only 2% of the group had chosen one particular answer. With about 50 people sitting in the room, I figured that 2% was probably only one person, and that one person was me. I hoped no one would notice, but then the host said, “If you’re a medical student and don’t know these answers, don’t feel bad.” Chuckles from all of the attendees followed. While I wasn’t the only medical student in the room, there weren’t many of us. In my embarrassment, I stopped answering the questions.

At this point, I was a little nervous about whether or not I would be able to follow the lectures. Once they started, though, I was thrilled to discover that, not only did I understand what the doctors were talking about, but I was also able to critically examine all the topics. Some I understood better than others, but I left the meeting with reassurance that I am learning things in medical school! The questions were tough, but I wasn’t quite as embarrassed anymore about my wrong answer.

I can’t speak for all of my classmates, but I know that I sometimes feel like I’m not making any progress as I spend each day studying material that truly seems endless. I am still amazed many days by how much material we cover. And after my experience in Nashville, I am now amazed by how much I am actually able to retain and apply to real life scenarios.

I learned a lot and studied hard during my undergraduate studies at Clemson, but medical school has shown me a whole new level of learning. It is easy to get lost in the amount of material we cover now and forget how much progress we are making, but my trip to Nashville gave me the reality check I needed. More than anything, it rejuvenated my desire to learn. These experiences are integral to my success in medical school. I am so thankful for the things I learned over spring break, and I am ready to finish my first year of medical school with strength and enthusiasm. Bring it on!