My First Spots Exam Ever.

Where do I even begin?

I'll start with what spots is all about. Tell a non-medical or non-dental student/person about spots and all you get in return is a what-the-fuck-are-you-going-on-about look on their face, but tell that to a fellow medical student and they immediately brighten up with glee.

So, about spots. There are cold metal slab tables, like those you see dead people lying on in CSI, arranged in a huge circle in the middle of this cold room called the Dissection Room (DR). On these metal tables lie prosections, bones, histology images and radiology images. Each station has either one of the four groups of specimens with a little flag in them that can be stuck into just about anything and everything- nerve, muscle, artery or vein usually. Then at each station, there're 2 questions which you have to answer in relation to whatever the flag is stuck into, say "identify this structure" and "name the nerve which innervates this structure". The thing is, you only get one minute at each station before the bell goes and everyone moves in a orderly fashion to the next station on their left.

There is no looking back. All you do is go forward after each bell. Bell, move, next station. Clipboard in hand, scribble down your answers. Don't know the answer? Sure, there is a minute for you to gnaw on your fingernails or pen or bottom lip. Bell goes. Move.

It's winter. I'm wearing a sweater and a bomber jacket with my labcoat over on top and I am still freezing. I'm shivering as I try to orientate myself around the prosections, sometimes having to put my face as close as I can get to the preserved flesh (we're not allowed to touch anything).

I'm glad I survived. Can't say the same for the histology questions though. I knew I should've had a look through my notes last night instead of slumping into bed at 9 in the night.. just because I thought I needed at least 10 hours of sleep before looking at cadavers.