# Dr. J's Study Diary
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 22, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291 "2000-04-22T02:04:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/1 "2000-04-22T02:04:00Z")
As I mentioned in the Burnout thread, I’m coming up on the most important (and challenging) academic crunch of my life, with a Path test Monday, Path and Pharm finals next week, and the Step I Boards coming up.
Taking a cue from Satan’s “Quitting Smoking Diary” (crazy mad props on that, by the way) I’ve decided to start a thread to record my progress. Hopefully it will make me feel like I’m accomplishing something, and maybe the Dopers out there can offer words of support.
Sure, I could do this in Microsoft Word for my eyes only, but this is more fun.
If you don’t give a rat’s ass–and I can’t imagine why you would–just pass this thread right on by. Don’t be afraid, though, to drop in and say, “Log off the damn computer and study, ya slacker!”
Dr. J
* * *
“Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera
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### Author:  [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/2 "2000-04-22T02:11:00Z")
Log off the damn computer and study, ya slacker!
OK, proceed.
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### Author:  [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/3 "2000-04-22T02:14:00Z")
Go, **DoctorJ**! Nose to the grindstone!
Good luck (from one Kentuckian to another) 🙂
* * *
Those who do not learn from history are condemned to fail the class. --A **WallyM7** creation
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/4 "2000-04-22T02:51:00Z")
Friday, April 21, 10:30 PM
OK, so I had a nice big entry typed in for today, and the computer crashed. It’s a sign–I know it is.
Anyway, of six topics for Monday’s Path test–GYN path, male GU, genetic disorders, pediatric path, skin, and “other”, including some stray topics–I know the female GYN cold and the genetics and GU somewhat. I haven’t even looked at the skin material yet–it scares me.
I am still going tonight, though, after a Friday night de-compression ritual featuring extra-spicy Kung Pao from Great Wall and “Straight Outta Compton” at high volume. I want to get through all of my flash cards (the med student’s best friend–250 for this test alone) before I give it up for the night.
I decided today that I’m going to get an A on Monday’s test, if it kills me. If I get an A, I don’t have to panic so much about the final. If it kills me, I don’t have to take the final. I figure I’m a winner either way.
Dr. J
* * *
“Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/5 "2000-04-22T05:12:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I know the female GYN cold
Doc, all we ask is for you to warm your hands before you do an exam. 🙂
Good Luck and I wish I had some kind of medical pun to make you crack up, but alas…
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### Author:  [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/6 "2000-04-22T05:22:00Z")
If you’re still up to see this, Doc, I hope it’s just something you peeked at after working the flash cards since your last post.
Most of my acquaintance during college years were perfectly happy to study skin.
Carry on, pal, oops, I mean ya slacker!
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### Author:  [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/7 "2000-04-22T14:34:00Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I haven’t even looked at the skin material yet–it scares me.
Dude, PLEASE e-mail me. My mom is a dermatopathologist in private practice in Cleveland, and I KNOW she’ll help you on that if I could get you two hooked up.
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### Author:  [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/8 "2000-04-22T16:22:00Z")
Thanks for the crazy mad props, sir.
Know that I will be watching, even if the only contributions I can make are the smart-ass commentary that you know and love me for when you set me up for it and nobody beats me to it! 😃
* * *
Yer pal,
Satan
[http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif](http://www.raleighmusic.com/board/Images/devil.gif)
_Still not smoking, but away from my meter!_
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2000, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dr-js-study-diary/16291/9 "2000-04-23T23:58:00Z")
Drainy–thanks a bunch, once again. It’s pretty much too late now. Besides, my trouble with the skin isn’t understanding, so much, but volume of material and lack of inclination to study it. 🙂 I do have great respect for your mom, though–pathology is tough.
Anyway…
Sunday, April 23, 7:45 PM
Coming up on 12 hours to the exam…I’ll probably sleep for 5, leaving me 7, of which I hope I can use 5 or 6. That’s plenty.
I hate tumors.
There are structure people and function people in med school–those who like the way things are, and those who like the way things work. Those who loved Anatomy and hated Biochemistry, and vice-versa.
I am very much a function person. I can explain heart murmurs, and preeclampsia, and diabetes, all day long. Give me a list of tumors and what they look like, and my eyes glaze over like a Krispy Kreme. I suppose I’m destined to be a pill pusher, instead of a surgeon or pathologist. That’s OK by me.
I also had the biggest horror that a serious student can have–I realized that I was missing a section of notes. I don’t attend class very often (few in my class do, anymore), and we usually get the Path notes in our mailbox. However, looking at the syllabus, I realized that there was a lecture on soft tissue tumors that I never got! My panic was brief, though, since it didn’t take me long to hunt down a copy and it wasn’t that tough.
I’ll be glad to get this test behind me, so I can study for finals. Pathology and Pharmacology make up the bulk of medical science, between them, so I’m going to try to approach studying for finals as reading about this subject that I’ve always been fascinated with rather than as an uphill task. I’ve got all week, no classes to attend, plenty of coffee, and an ass-high stack of notes to get through. No problem.
Dr. J
PS: To Satan–if you want another reason to be glad you quit smoking, I’ve got two words for you: penile cancer. Smoking is a risk factor.
* * *
“Seriously, baby, I can prescribe anything I want!” -Dr. Nick Riviera