The Second Chapter: A Sneak Peek into MBChB II
Explore second-year modules and gain valuable tips from MBChB II students.
Hello there! Firstly, congratulations for successfully completing the academic year. It was not an easy journey, but you persevered, and you should take pride in your accomplishment. We also want to express our sincere gratitude to you for being an integral part of the Med Echoes community. Your presence and engagement enrich our newsletter and we appreciate your continued support.
We’ve heard rumors about second year being one of the most demanding years in medical school. What better way to alleviate our anxieties than by preparing for it? We’ve consulted a few second-year students for insights into the expected modules and gathered tips on navigating the upcoming year. Our aim is to equip ourselves, ensuring we enter it not blindly, but well-prepared. We recognize the diversity of our community with students across different study years, however, this feature is tailored specifically for students going into their second year of study.
Homeostasis (BOK 280)
This module features physiology to a large extent and it will cover topics such as carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, protein and energy metabolism, vitamins and minerals, control systems of the body, acid-base equilibrium, and clinical hematology. There will be practical work on histology.
Tips: This module does not only have physiology but also integrates biochemistry, chemical pathology, pharmacology, anatomy, hematology and neurophysiology which builds on MBChB I.
Evidently, the module is intense, so it is advised to try to know at least 80% of the work covered each day to avoid a buildup of content as new information is added daily during lectures. As soon as you realize points that need clarity, watch Ninja Nerd - it is a YouTube Channel that delivers high quality medicine lectures for free to supplement learning.
Anatomy (Dissection) 288 (GNK 288)
In this module, students will dissect cadavers (dead bodies). There will be dissection of the upper limb, neck and back, head, brain, thorax, abdomen, pelvis and lower limb.
Tips: You can expect to be in a group of 5 (students in previous years have been allowed to choose their own group members). In the group, not all group members will dissect the body on one occasion - 1 person must be a group leader, 1 person must read the atlas of the human body part to be dissected in order to guide the group on how to dissect and the remaining 2-3 people make the incision.
Typically, the items needed for a successful dissection are a dissection kit, a set of scrubs, closed shoes, a pair of gloves, mask if sensitive to smells, and a dissection guide however, not all members of a group are required to own a dissection guide as one per group is sufficient. Overall, anatomy is noted as really fun - like a thrilling adventure into the human body! It's like being a detective, peeling back layers and discovering the incredible puzzles that make us tick.
Basic Emergency Care (GNK 286)
This practical-oriented module will provide students with training in basic life support, automated external defibrillation, and first aid treatment to the suddenly ill or injured patient. The theoretical content will be offered in an interactive format where students are expected to master the content as self-directed learning. Practical skills will be demonstrated in the skills laboratory and students will get the opportunity to practice the skills under guidance and supervision.
Tips: This module teaches CPR - resuscitation. As long as you know that the first thing to be done during a CPR is checking the safety of a scene and not putting your lips right away on the mannequin, then you will be fine. You will be surprised how learning to place your mouth on a doll might save someone’s life someday so precise every step.
Longitudinal Clinical Attachment Programme (LCP 280)
The longitudinal clinic attachment programme will link students to one of about 40 clinics in Pretoria and its surrounds. Each student is allocated to a specific clinic in Tshwane, Hammanskraal or Metsweding for a four-year period - from the middle of the first year to the middle of the fifth year. The activities they do at the clinic will be the practical application of the theory they acquired in class with the added benefit of the experience of the context of the patient and the healthcare system.
Tips: There will be a total of 2-3 visits for the year and previous students have been given the liberty to remain in their MBChB I groups or form new groups so, budget wisely and choose your team mates strategically. For some visits like hospitals, scrubs may be necessary but in totality, you can expect to be impacted by the people encountered as they sharpen us into being compassionate doctors who recognize the interplay of sociocultural factors that influence the health of South Africans.
Infectious Diseases (BOK 287)
This module is about the study of microorganisms which cause disease in the human body. This module entails the study of the interaction of microorganisms with the human host which results in disease. You will learn about the shapes of bacteria.
Tips: This module is allegedly easy-peasy! There are daily tests for an hour based on work covered for the day and the block test is rarely any different from the daily tests, making it possible to pass with a distinction.
The first 2 weeks focus on basic information on bacteria such as their shapes and the other 2 weeks on the impact of bacteria and its management - if you pay attention to work covered in the first 2 weeks, the remaining 2 weeks becomes easier and manageable. Check out Sketchy Learning on YouTube if you are a visual learner when learning about various bacteria.
People and Their Environment (BOK 284)
This module is about learning interpersonal skills; contextual and environmental aspects within which patients develop and live with their specific problems; medical ethics with regard to the community, patients and the medical profession; the role and duties of the medical practitioner within the South African legal system, especially with regard to interpersonal violence in society, injuries, the process of dying and death; genetic disability in the South African society; public health and health research. This section of the module can only be taken by medical students.
Tips: This module covers ethics and dilemmas as a doctor, with an incorporation of public health. There is a real-life case study which counts 50% of the block mark, take it seriously even if it looks like a total yawn-fest during the lecture.
Generic Procedural Skills (GPS 280)
In this module, students are taught practical skills such as how to draw blood and do IV infusions. There will be assessments such as the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) were students are expected to perform various skills with precision to show their clinical competence, under supervision.
Tips: Read the instructions well in preparation for the OSCE and practice clinical skills on mannequins and willing friends as much as possible. If there is an asterisk next to an instruction point, commit it to long term memory because if you miss that step during the OSCE, you will fail. Otherwise, you got this (future) doctor and well on your way to understanding common OSCE dad jokes such as, “Why did the nervous OSCE examinee bring a magician to the exam? To make their mistakes disappear!”.
Anatomical Pathology (GNK 285)
This module focuses on pathological conditions such as heart attack and tumors in their various kinds from benign to malignant. The module also has a component of immunology. The objective of the module is to help students understand pathology at an anatomical level and its causes.
Tips: Anatomical Pathology makes use of histology pictures taken from HistoWeb so, know how to identify the various pathologies at tissue-level. There has also been a repeat of past papers, take note of them and make use of the tutorial notes.
Languages
The languages including Sepedi, Afrikaans and isiZulu are not continued in second year.
Helpful Resources
Here is a variety of resources to help you prepare better for MBChB II.
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the resources below and they are made accessible to the public at a third parties’ discretion.
⚡ Google Drive: MBChB Survival Kit with documents and lectures for various MBChB modules. Click here to access.
⚡ YouTube Video: Sihle Mogorosi reflects on his personal experience of MBChB II at University of Pretoria. Click here to watch.
⚡ Instagram: Laaika Amod provides a guide of how to navigate MBChB II at University of Pretoria. Click here to read the guide.
⚡ Website: Affordable set of scrubs including both pants + top starting at only R290.00. Click here to visit site.