One Year Down: Our IG Live Recap

On August 22nd 2021, All Things Physio hosted an Instagram live focused on the First Year Experience in the Physical Therapy program at UWI, Mona. Both regional and international students from the previous Year 1 class were in attendance. During the live they shared their overall experience and gave useful tips and advice to incoming students, who were also able to voice some of their concerns. Here are a few of the things mentioned within the live that are worthy of noting- for those who may have missed it. 

• Firstly, the previous Year 1 students noted and sympathized with incoming students about travelling during COVID, as the restrictions and uncertainty of the process at large have left many students feeling anxious and flustered. They also encouraged the incoming students not to be discouraged, but to exercise patience, as everything will work out in the end. 
• Next, incoming students were advised to keep in constant contact with all the relative individuals and/or organizations such as UWI for important notices, 138 housing if needed or Caribbean Airlines for flight details. 
• Students were also advised on some of the things to pack when coming to university, especially international students. They were told to pack goods from their country that are not readily available or different to the ones used in Jamaica. For example Trinidadian students were recommended to bring local spices or seasonings from home (eg. curry powder, geera powder, anchar masala etc.) and other green seasonings such as shado beni and pimento which is not readily available here. While Bajan students were prompted to do the same and bring other items such as dairy products (eg. cheese) and snacks (eg. Eclipse). 

*** Please note that some of these items cannot be packed in your suitcase whole and as such, should be ground in blender and placed in a plastic bottle or ziploc bag. Ensure to pack them amongst clothing and secure it safely in your checked-in luggage. 

You can also visit our YouTube page to view our helpful video on what to pack for university by clicking the link below.

                                         

• Additionally, the previous Year 1 students also stated some of the most challenging Year 1 courses for them. Some of them mentioned were:

1. Anatomy
2. Physiology
3. Orthopedics
4. Biochemistry
5. Pharmacology
6. Biomechanics

If you experience difficulty with Biomechanics, head on over to our channel and have a look at our Biomechanics series whereby we break down necessary concepts to make solving equations much easier for you. Click the Link below.

• Subsequently, they listed some of the helpful resources that each of them used throughout the academic year. This included textbooks, YouTube Channels and other medicine related websites. We will list a few of them below and if you are in need of further resources, you can check out our Resources Tab at the top of our blog page.

1. Textbooks: Kisner and Colby, Atlas of the Human Body
2. YouTube Channels: Ninja Nerd, Osmosis, Khan Academy, Anatomyzone, AllThingsPhysio
3. Websites: Teach Me Anatomy, Ken hub, Mayo Clinic, Physiopedia

• In closing, incoming students were given some general advice. This included:

1. Study daily
2. Pay attention in online class. 
3. Try not to sleep during classes and attend classes as attendance is taken.
4. For international students, make uniforms at home before coming to Jamaica.
5. Ensure you have enough shirts to attend classes and clinicals.
6. Purchase practical clothes at home as well (white t-shirt, white shorts).
7. Be focused and remember why you got into the field.
8. Study in groups and rely on each other. Do not withhold information. UWI has enough Grade As and degrees to give to every single one of you.
9. Purchase equipment needed from home and bring with you such as a stethoscope, manual BP machine and reflex hammer with pin and brush attachments. These are used for sensory testing. 
10. Take care of your mental and physical health. This is extremely important.

For those of you who missed the live, we hope this article was concise and helpful as we tried to pinpoint everything that was mentioned. We also want to reassure you that we are all here for you and if you ever need anything you can contact us using the social media handles below or via our personal social media if necessary. Do not be afraid to reach out or ask us for help. Congratulations for being accepted into the program and we hope that you will continue to work just as hard to make it through successfully. 

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for our next article!

Any queries or concerns, contact us using any of the following social media platforms below. 

Social Media Handles:
❤ Website: https://allthingsphysio.epizy.com
❤ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJl9Yc_-ysUkcihpKphaFgg
❤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allthingsphysio.co/
❤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllThingsPhysio/

❤ Email: allthingsphysio868@gmail.com

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