Insane in the Sarcolemma: test week #2

So we just started test week #2 - musculoskeletal aka f-load of anatomy.  For non-MUSC readers, before every test we get a week off from classes and small group discussions to focus on studying.   I thought the last study week was crazy.  [link to test week #1]  Turns out that was only the beginning.  

don't waste your time

The last test went well - the class average was an 88.  That block was mostly a review of undergrad, but this musculoskeletal block has been completely different.  The material is almost all new, and there's a TON of it - one of my friends estimated 650+ powerpoint slides of anatomy - slide after slide of muscle, nerve, bone, ligament, artery, repeat.  It's hard to describe how hard it is, but I consider myself a fairly intelligent guy, and I've had to wake up at 5 AM just to cram in enough time to study.  And I just scored a 40% on the metabolism self-assessment.  

In a sense, this was the block med school got real and lived up to the hype.  It definitely got hard.  

exactly how I feel

But.. how real is it?  Anatomy seems pretty useless, although you could maybe sell me on it - I guess we should understand the structure of the body.  On the other hand, I'm about 200% sure glycolysis has nothing to do with being a doctor.  Personally, I want to be a cancer scientist - and glycolysis/TCA cycle/oxidative phosphorylation is even meaningless to me.  Sidenote - I'm pretty sure the Warburg effect is controversial, which isn't surprising considering Otto Warburg came up with it 50 YEARS AGO.  I would not be happy to see it on an exam of modern science.  Anyways, It might help to have a general understanding of metabolic principles - but to know the exact name of each enzyme?  Absolutely useless - just wiki that shit.

So why do we learn this?

Maybe we're trying to develop a crop of doctors that's planning to dominate bar trivia - I swear my classmates would be the top 160 trivia masters in Charleston.  We are REALLY good at memorizing facts.  But if any of you have complaints about your doctors not spending enough time with you, or not having a human side - don't hate the player, hate the game.  I'm surprised any doctors come out of this training system with a lick of humanity left in them.  

But anyways, here's my simple answer to why we're trained in this outdated style - because the class of 2015 learned it, and the class of 2014 learned it, and the cl...  It's the status quo.  But is producing trivia robts really what med school should try to accomplish?  Do patients want robot doctors?  Should students be investing $200,000+ in loan money for this?  Don't we deserve to get training that will actually help us be better doctors?  

See you on the other side,

from ken