I'm Gettin' Nothin' for Christmas...

At least from the vet school....So our exam was yesterday. As much trouble as I had motivating myself, I went through my cattle and sheep notes (74 lectures worth) THREE times. I felt I knew the big cattle problems enough to be able to answer our case-based essay questions. Our exam had 40 multiple choice (worth 25%), and 2 out of a choice of 3 essays (worth 50%). (The other 25% is covered by clinical exam practicals we have in April.) However, in order to pass the module, you have to pass both components (written and oral). I'm still slightly confused about the grading, but moving on. There were 2 cattle essays and 1 sheep. There was no way in hell I could answer the sheep one, so I had to do both cattle. The first was on digestive issues (even if half of it did involve diagnostic tests grrr), and I think I managed to write enough to at least pass. The second question, however...

They spent all semester telling us that trace element deficiencies in cattle were RARE. We only had two lectures on the subject. I felt safe in not meticulously learning every detail. So of course they decide this is what they need to ask us an ESSAY on. I was furious. There were 4 parts to the question. After the case history we had to give our main differential diagnoses - fine. Then how we would go about further investigation - fine. The third part was blood results that WE HAD NEVER BEEN SHOWN HOW TO INTERPRET. Let's just say the marker reading my paper will have a good laugh on that one. The last part had to do with how we would correct the problem. The supplementation methods are pretty similar, so I may get points for knowing the major techniques even though I managed to diagnose the wrong deficiency. It depends on what kind of a mood the marker is in. GRRRRRRRRR

This is really just the straw on the camel's back this semester. I don't know why I'm surprised anymore when they ask us evil exam questions. Of all the very IMPORTANT cattle diseases, they choose to ask a question on an issue that most of us will NEVER see.

This also emphasizes how much I DESPISE the testing system here. I am very uncomfortable with the idea that my passing a qualifying exam comes down to the mood of the exam marker and whether or not they like my writing style. (I kid you not! The Americans tend to score slightly lower because the Brits don't like how we answer our essays.) It's way too subjective, and I feel does not adequately test my knowledge. Also, there's so much information we have to take in now that there's no way to learn it in depth enough to be able to write a solid essay. Multiple choice or short answer allows a greater range of questions and can ask about the major concepts without forcing us to memorize arcana. I despair, I really do...I hate to say it, but, right now, if I had the opportunity to transfer to a US school without having to redo any time, I would. It's not the quality of the education so much as all the crap we put up with. I suppose it's not any better anywhere else. :P

Anyway, it's over and done and there's nothing I can do now. If I fail and end up having to resit the exam in August I will make my displeasure heard. I don't think the school realized that when they started to admit more Americans they were going to have to deal with the American attitude toward getting the most out of our money, education, etc. Hehehehe

It takes a lot to make me cranky this time of year as I LOVE Christmastime. I think I'm one of the few people who don't get stressed. :) (Appropriate I suppose as my name means "Christmas child".) So, enough about my exam. I'm flying home on Saturday - hurrah! Hopefully KLM won't have crappy television and the snow will hold off 'til Saturday night....

I'll have a few thoughts on Christmas to post in a few days. There's an incredibly creepy Christmas sculpture outside St. John's church here that I'm hoping to photograph tomorrow. Next post will be on US soil - woohoo!!