Spare a bit for the poor medic?

Its appalling.
Truly appalling.
I don't understand how it can be so.


No I'm not talking about the lack of world peace. Neither am I talking about global warming (well, while I am talking about it, I'd like to point out that I don't completely believe in it - I think there's a cycle of cold-hot - like the cold snap that eliminated the dinosaurs, but thats a by-the-by). And I'm definitely not talking about the NHS.

I'm complaining about my self. To be more precise, about my memory. Or lack of.
It's really frustrating - I cannot remember stuff I learnt as a medical student - even as recently as two or three years ago. And what I do remember is patchy and slightly muddled. What's making it worse is trying to study for exams (I plan to sit for MRCP part 1*) in May, and being quizzed by my GP tutor (who has too many letters after his name, as proof of his infinite wisdom).
There I am trying to wrack my brains, when this annoying voice pipes up "you used to know it, you know...do you remember knowing it?? huh? huh?!" arghh!

If I were the pill-popping sort, I think I'd consider something like ginko biloba or one of those other plant extract-thingys supposed to boost one's memory. But as I'd probably end up as an old crone with a zillion co-morbidities for which she's been given a suitcase full of medication, and yet always ends up in hospital with the same story "well, you see, I don't really like to take tablets, doc"....anything apart from food and dessert is out. And my mum isn't around to hide/force it down me.

So I'm stuck with myself and hoping that soon my brain will remember where it put all the knowledge I stored in it over the past seven years.



*member of the royal college of physicians - a necessity for career progression in general medicine; consists of three exams - part one and part two being written and paces (not sure what that stands for), which is a clinical examination.