Journey to DMSPA Doctorate

Journey to DMS | Chapter 3

We are now 2 weeks into our cardiology module and the LMU DMS program as a whole.

While I feel like I’m starting to get a hang my new schedule–this was a tougher a week.

The assigned reading was 15 pages covering heart failure and myocardial diseases. There was only one anatomy lecture and no separate pharmacology reading but I struggled a bit to find my way through the quizzes. 

The pre-test we take at the beginning of every week was 15 questions rather than 10 and I felt like they were much more difficult than the previous week. Maybe this has to do with my lack of in-patient and critical care experience or everything else I have going on in my life right now but I didn’t have as much time to internalize the reading and I had a harder time keeping all the details straight. I think I could have done better had I taken the time to study the more difficult topics. 

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s group discussion with the program’s cardiologist–that was the highlight of last week.

I need to start thinking about my research project as well. We are enrolled in two courses at present: the all-inclusive cardiology module and then “Research and Writing” which is designed to help us get started with our projects.

The Research course is competency-based. Students progress individually in a self-directed and mentor-supported manner. I’m not completely sure what my project will be… I’d like to present some form of primary research but time is limited and I have no readily available source of funding. I’ve also never conducted any form of clinical research and that idea is a bit intimidating. 

Next week will be a bit lighter, thankfully. There are no new lectures from the radiologist. Our MKSAP reading is on arrhythmia and pericardial disease. 

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