Exam - really a tremendous pressure for students

Last month, May was the month of professional exam for fifth year medical student. I was involved in the exam for UIA and CUCMS students. It was a busy month for me. With my injury, I have to travel to Kuantan to fulfill my duty as examiner. My husband and my daughter, Ana accompanied me. I felt not safe for me to go by flight even though my knee injury was getting better. I could walk with one stick instead of crutches. It was really tiring to be the examiner for 3 full days from 8am to 5pm. However, the feeling of tiredness immediately disappeared when the students were able to answer the questions well. Most of the students performed well except for 4 of them. I guess that was a very good achievement. I was happy because my trip to Kuantan in my condition was rewarding. I am happy for the students and I hope they can become good HOs when they start working in a real patient and hospital environment. At the same time, I took the opportunity to bring my family for the holiday. During the exam, I met my old friends, who were the examiners too that I haven't met for a long long time.

Another exam to go which was CUCMS final year students. The students were some sort special to me and Dr Hafiza because this batch of students, both of us involved in teaching them since they were in the 3rd year, early clinical year. They came back to have teaching with me during their fifth year and could see their maturation in their training. Some of them were doing better than the others but generally, all of them improved a lot. I really have a very high hope that all of them will make it through the exam. I warned them many times to do their very best for the coming exam because I could see that they have the potential but very playful. I wanted them to take the exam seriously. During the final weeks, before their exam, I made the point to teach them despite of having difficulty with my knee injury. During the exam, I was paired with AP Dr Jamil who is my old school mate when we were in UKM before. We did not see each other since we graduated. It was fun to see my friend again. Many things we talked about. He is a psychiatrist now in HUSM. During the exam, I could she my students were in the great distress. They looked panic but calm. Some of them required many prompting questions to get the correct answers. They knew the answer but just couldn't say it out. I could see the frustration on their face when they couldn't answer the questions. I guess they don't want to disappoint me as their teacher. But thank GOD, all of them made it. All of them passed their exam. I hope they can become a good and successful doctors in the future. As a teacher, I shared their happiness.

That evening, after the CUCMS final exam, I got a phone call from my daughter, Iya. She was crying and kept saying that she disappointed me. She failed one of the exam paper that she had to reseat the paper in 3 weeks time. She passed the rest of the papers. She cried to the lecturer, Prof Hamid and asked him for his advice. For everyone information, Prof Hamid was my teacher when I was in the medical school in UKM and now he is teaching my daughter. He told her to calm down and try to study for the next reseat paper. I also told her the same thing. There was useless to look back to the result because it wasn't going to change the result anyway. What she needs to do is to prepare for the next exam. I know it is a great pressure for her because the expectation of the lecturers and her ibu's friends if she fail her exam. Everyone know that she is a daughter of mine. She wanted to show to me that she could do it but she failed. As for me, I know the terrible feeling that Iya has to go through. I hope she can learn from her mistake if there is any and try to be better next time and more focus. Medic is not easy especially if you want to be a good doctor. Failing in medical school is a common thing but don't make it as a must. Iya asked me whether I failed my exam during my medical school day?. The answer is yes, once, the pharmacology paper during end first semester exam due to cultural shock being in the medical school trying to remember too many drugs but I recovered very well once I knew how to study medicine. Since then I was doing OK in all the exams including professional exam. What I learned is that, you have to slow down on your social life a little bit and study more. "Bersusah susah dahulu bersenang senang kemudian". Don't miss the class. Be friend with your lecturers. Always ask their advice. Form a study group consisting friends that you are comfortable with and don't listen to the voices that wanted you to loose your concentration. Whatever you do, do it for yourself and not for anyone else. Don't waste government and your parents money and effort. Most of all, you can asked me if you need to.