There was a time when every member of the 2011 batch of KMC Mangalore looked better. A time before the dark circles beneath sagging puffy eyes and the unkempt hair. A time when they actually cared about what they wore and what they ate, and who was watching and who really mattered. And now, those times shall return.
Examinations are a core and fundamental component of any education system and while different systems employ different methods to teach and test the knowledge of students, pressure and stress are common factors among all students. But if anyone came forth and claimed that the intensity of these does not differ much and tends to be common among all students, then they probably have not studied in India…moreover, MBBS in India.
After a long second MBBS of a year and a half duration and a very intense last three months, finally we got done and stepped out into the sunlight. This got me thinking about a lot of factors and how examinations influence our lives, not only in the academic department, but in shaping us as a whole. So I decided to write on this topic in different views.
The first department involves India and the education system here. Ever so often, you will hear someone or the other talk about the unique education system that has formed a pattern for the average Indian student. You may want to look into the details, but in short, the system involves grinding the student and his/her mental ability to a level of grounded dust and often involves a more theoretical approach and objective view of academic material. Fact: The average Indian student has the capability to mug up an entire textbook the night before an examination. This has its pro’s and it’s cons. I will not dwell too much into the system, but I do know one thing for certain. When people come up and ask me, that as a foreigner and one who has traveled around a bit, why and how I ended up here? My answer remains the same, that no matter how tough it is and how nerve wrecking it may seem, India is known to produce some of the best doctors in the world and the clinical exposure and knowledge here is ample and very beneficial. So, whether it’s the system or something else, some way or the other, it seems to work. Maybe just requires a little smoothening around the edges. This applies to a couple other fields too.
Secondly, over these three months, the phase of caffeine and nicotine, of tears and random outbursts of laughter, of going three days without showering, of waking up thinking of what we need to get done that day and sleeping off to what we did get done, of alarms going off at random times and of course the randomized and disturbed sleep cycles and eating patterns, every student underwent something else too. Some may have recognized this within themselves, some may not have yet, but through phases of hardship like examinations, a student tends to mature, both mentally and in personality and that is one prime phase of growing up. You tend to see life differently and your communication and relationships with different people also arise in many different lights. This may be attributed to how interesting, amazing, tempting and relaxing just about everything, from the latest Telugu movie to lying on bed staring at the ceiling seems during the tough examination times, or it could have its foundation and basis in the fundamental ‘growing up’ as we mature and understand more about priorities and life.
All in all, one must remember that examinations exist in every stage and phase of life and they come and go, but what is of the utmost importance is the journey of growing up, maturing, prioritizing and letting every challenge shape another bit in us for the better. As of now, let the holidays begin, home is calling out to us and our best wishes to our juniors who are yet to encounter the deadly beast called the II MBBS. Adios! 🙂
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