THE EXAMS

This post will cover the layout of the exams from my perspective...

Bear in mind that i sat for the MDCN exam in LUTH in October 2013... so that is where my perspective is coming from...

After the lectures have run for almost three months you get about a week free of lectures to get finally set for the (2 DAY) exams.

We in LUTH numbered about 600 (or more) students from different and also from IUO. 

The exams usually run a course of two days in this format:

A multiple Choice Question (MCQ) paper covering all aspects of Basic and Clinical Sciences in 

Medicine and Dentistry.

A short Answer Question Paper (for medical candidates only).

A long Essay Question Paper (for medical candidates only).

Clinical Examination comprising Long and Short Cases or Objectives Structured Clinical 

Examination (OSCE).

Practical Examination which may include such items as identification of: instruments, 

specimens, interpretation of slides, radiographs and laboratory investigations.

Oral Examination (Viva voice)

                                                                                                      (copied from MDCN website)

For LUTH October 2013, ours was:

2 mcq papers on the first day.....first paper was 300 multiple choice (single best answer) questions in 2 Hours (if i remember correctly) and a second paper; 100 multiple choice questions in 45 minutes (again if i remember correctly) but ya....something like that.

Second day was slides....i think 20 slides projected and for each slide a couple of True or False questions (each slide was programmed for 2 or 3 minutes) exam was over at the end of the last slide.

What i learnt from my exams:

Manage your time during exams (extremely important)
The lectures are IMPORTANT....attending them may not be your own way of doing things but make sure you go through all of the lectures....every single one of them (attendance was not made compulsory for us but could be for you)
Questions can come from anywhere in the lectures, handouts or even past questions....pay attention to details (no matter how little)
Make sure you go into the exam full of confidence....this will be especially important if you are going for OSCE
There might be significant mark deducted for wrong answers...have that in mind while guessing

The exam is not particularly difficult....and you just want to turn a deaf ear to rumors that some people are favored or some are meant to pass....maybe so....but you will also if you decide that you must.

                ANYBODY CAN PASS THE MCDN EXAM.....I AM LIVING PROOF.

The few days after exam waiting for results could be very very long and nights could be sleepless....except you decide to take your mind away from the results.....i kept busy....i've got family members with high bp all around (may be easier said than done)

Personally, i can't really give you an exact method or formula of passing the exam.....it is going to be three months of pause in your life.....i studied as hard as i could, but i found time to hang out, watch football and even went to the cinema once. But that's me....i'm just trying to let you know that the exam is not impossible...not even close...you just need to dwell on relevant materials and positive thoughts.

I lost a great part of my lectures on PowerPoint due to a virus....but by next October i should be able to get them back and try to make them available for anybody who is interested.

Next post will concern you if you are going for the Abuja ceremony...

Best of LUCK!!

feedback? anyone?

THE ABUJA THING

The ceremony in Abuja will be something you have to prepare for after you see your name and number on the website, that you have passed. Instructions will follow on how to submit documents and then pay for the ceremony.

We payed by bank deposit, had to post copies via email and also send hard copies to the office in Abuja. Make sure you keep the tellers or any evidence of payment you will make because that is 10x more important than anything you are submitting. The best method of dropping your documents at Abuja is in person....take the original tellers along.

The ceremony is some kind of a formality but that is where you will get your temporary licence so you have to attend. At the venue you will be seated according to numbers....of course guys have to be in a suit and ladies 'respectably' dressed...in ours they didn't keep us unnecessarily (guess the dignitaries in attendance really had limited time) so you can plan an evening outing afterwards. Part of the induction will be to swear your oath and then re-affirm later by placing your hand on a Bible or Quran (whichever applies) one by one in front of the dignitaries (which includes the Minister of Health/Representative) before you collect your package (i'll post pics)

If you (like me) don't have a place to stay in Abuja there are options of hotels that you can book upfront as early as possible so you can get a nice place....

here are two i know...for about 5-8k and above per night:

Brickland Residence
Plot 32 Kinshasha Street in Wuse Zone 6
0805-2329250, 0806-9116930

Pope John Paul Catholic guest house
27, Bangui Street, Off Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse II
08057641895

there are more....search online or ask someone who knows abuja well.....or do it the street way:-D get to Abj, get a cab and tell the guy to take you around to budget hotels...lol that would be fun...and a payday for the cab guy.