From dentistry, with love

I have never, NEVER been so tired and stressed out in my life. Really.

Not O's, not A's, not even uni days.

The last week of October to the end of November is just all about assessment after assessment, exam after exam. I'm not kidding, just the sheer content and volume of things that we have to know is just insane. What's worse is that every freaking exam is a barrier, ie: you can't afford to fail. It just all adds up.

To be really honest, I've never put in so much effort into a semester as I did this one. I was keeping up with lectures and notes and it still isn't enough. I don't know. I'm just really really tired.

I love this, I won't trade this for the world, but I really am knackered. To my bones, no wait, not even that, to my marrow. Countdowns for an exam have never been THAT long, that tedious.

I don't know many who would understand what I'm going through, and I don't wish this upon anyone either. It's almost so hard to comprehend for non-dentally related people to why a profession about teeth would require that much effort, THAT much studying.

This is not just a matter about dexterity, practical abilities and patient management. It's is ALL of that and complex hospital politics and insane amounts of theory that you have to read up, on your own. If you haven't been taught and it's examined, TOO BAD FOR YOU, cause this is dentistry and they don't have all the time to teach you, you should have read up on your own.

This is a course that requires you to pull in about 36 to 40 contact hours, 30 hours in good weeks, out of which, 4 to 6 hours are spent in lectures. ONLY THAT.. and the rest, in clinic, in lab and in the library planning for your next patient. I don't know why/how they expect us to do our own "STUDY" outside of school.. I can try to cover lecture materials, but I barely have enough time left to breathe and to do that extra reading up. seriously.

I know guys.. "It's just teeth right?" just think for one second, at the end of 5 years, I have to independently provide treatment for you, in your mouth, for a whole range of problems. We have to be trained to be GOOD ENOUGH for that. Doctors have their internships and residency to make their mistakes and learn, but we.. We're on our own. and you don't want us to stuff up.

I really am awfully tired. Best end of the year present, from dentistry.. with love.