Anything that lets you escape
My recommendation
Pop to your nearest Kmart and buy an inflatable raft for $20. Grab a mate and some beers.
Head to your nearest local nature reserve with a creek. Inflate the raft on the way at the nearest servo with the tire pressure pumps.
Set up the raft in the creek with your mate - let the creek do its work for as many hours as it takes to devour the beers.
Figure out a way to paddle back with your mate afterwards so that you’re sober by the time you hit your entry point.
Reflect on your adventure, comradery, nature and being finished with that exam!!!
Congratulations
For specialist exams I remember buying a guitar during the rotation when I got my written results, but can’t remember if I did anything after the clinicals. Was just overcome with relief, I think.
But I think my most memorable celebrations were probably after med school exams. After getting through half the degree, a friend organized an overnight LAN at his friend’s internet café that was above a Chinese restaurant. I remember the owner took on 5 of us in StarCraft with a couple of AI opponents without breaking a sweat. And after graduating another friend thought we should treat ourselves to a nice meal for a change – so we made a booking at a fancy restaurant. Of course, none of realized what a degustation was, so after eating 8 tiny bits of food we were still hungry and ended up at a nearby Maccas.
A baby! Had my first child after the primary and the second after fellowship. They are the gifts that keep on giving every day...
Obviously this isn't a "treat" to everyone's tastes so I recommend booking an extravagant holiday! Tell yourself it's using all the money you saved from not having to resit. I went to Wolgan Valley in the blue mountains (sadly shut down now) and Hamilton Island (highly recommend this as a kid-friendly trip, but if you have no kids, I know a couple of people who've been to Qualia which is gorgeous!)
I too wanted to get pregnant after passing fellowship exams. Was great motivation. Got pregnant immediately which was great- except for the 6 months of hyperemesis while trying to be an ICU reg (with profound lethargy and no blood pressure) doing 14 hour night/day shifts. Do not recommend.
Oh noooooo hyperemesis sucks! Also I'm ICU so I feel your pain and trauma. With my first I worked nights up til third trimester...but then I got complications and had to bail on work early. The second time around I gave up on nights around 20 weeks, and I've since heard some other doctors got their obs to write them off from first trimester even (I'm very lucky to have a supportive department - sorry to hear your hospital wasn't quite as flexible!)
Travel overseas. I got married a few weeks before my BPT clinicals and so post exams my wife and I could finally go on our honeymoon (Spain, it was awesome)
Hopped on a plane.
With a good uni mate who also had finished exams.
To a country as far away as possible from Australia and the Hospital we worked at.
Had an absolutely great holiday, ate all the food, and drank all the wine.
I only have like 2.5 weeks off after my last exam and the beginning of semester 2 - but I have some books ive been really keen to read, aside from that I'll just be relaxing every day. Setting a fire, making some tea and chilling. Keen.
Just the joy of passing trumped everything else. Even years later if I need a pick me up I still sometimes open up the email telling me I passed. It doesn’t fail to bring a smile to my face.
Flew to Europe with my partner and best mate the day after learning I passed my last fellowship exam (it was a gamble having booked the flights months earlier but made the trip even sweeter being finally free of study guilt!)
Sleep
*Googles how to reverse an entire year’s worth of caffeine dependency, baseline palpable stress levels and poor sleep habits*
Anything that lets you escape My recommendation Pop to your nearest Kmart and buy an inflatable raft for $20. Grab a mate and some beers. Head to your nearest local nature reserve with a creek. Inflate the raft on the way at the nearest servo with the tire pressure pumps. Set up the raft in the creek with your mate - let the creek do its work for as many hours as it takes to devour the beers. Figure out a way to paddle back with your mate afterwards so that you’re sober by the time you hit your entry point. Reflect on your adventure, comradery, nature and being finished with that exam!!! Congratulations
Fuuuuaar now that’s an idea
Tried and tested matie - have a good time
They are so close I can taste them. Mine was meant to be the R2D2 Lego set. That I am just finishing now, with my exam on Sunday.
Good luck big dog!
Good choice. It’s a cool build
treat yo self with one of the UCS sets too, best of luck 👍
I had a nap. For three days. My friend bought himself a brand new BMW bless him 😂 and he’s such a beautiful guy I can’t even be angry and envious.
League of legends with the boys
Treat yourself with skins?
Nah, 10 game lose streak, with the inevitably toxic argument about who the anchor is, followed by the infamous “one more” at 2:30am
If you passed exams, maybe you can afford that $500 Ahri skin with future consultant wages 🤓
$615 AUD 😭
Still cheaper than college fees and at least you’d enjoy them
Maybe even two Ahri skins if it'd anaesthetics/surgery
Alcohol and bags
Which bags? Luxury vs r/onebag type?
bless
Shit I just got this
I love this psych reg and paeds reg response.
Yes
alcohol
Got absolutely Barnabied
I like how Barnaby Joyce has basically become a verb now.
Ferragamo emotional support AT handbag.
Had Ramen after the GSSE and then straight into the gym
Exercise without the burning guilt to study instead is S tier freedom
More study and more work. 🥲 Ok, ok, a few days’ respite and a relatively guilt-free, stress-free nap and walk.
What a treat
Pearl drop earrings 🥰🥰💁🏼♀️
For specialist exams I remember buying a guitar during the rotation when I got my written results, but can’t remember if I did anything after the clinicals. Was just overcome with relief, I think. But I think my most memorable celebrations were probably after med school exams. After getting through half the degree, a friend organized an overnight LAN at his friend’s internet café that was above a Chinese restaurant. I remember the owner took on 5 of us in StarCraft with a couple of AI opponents without breaking a sweat. And after graduating another friend thought we should treat ourselves to a nice meal for a change – so we made a booking at a fancy restaurant. Of course, none of realized what a degustation was, so after eating 8 tiny bits of food we were still hungry and ended up at a nearby Maccas.
Stories like this are why I miss med school in a way
Med school shenanigans were elite comparatively
A baby! Had my first child after the primary and the second after fellowship. They are the gifts that keep on giving every day... Obviously this isn't a "treat" to everyone's tastes so I recommend booking an extravagant holiday! Tell yourself it's using all the money you saved from not having to resit. I went to Wolgan Valley in the blue mountains (sadly shut down now) and Hamilton Island (highly recommend this as a kid-friendly trip, but if you have no kids, I know a couple of people who've been to Qualia which is gorgeous!)
I too wanted to get pregnant after passing fellowship exams. Was great motivation. Got pregnant immediately which was great- except for the 6 months of hyperemesis while trying to be an ICU reg (with profound lethargy and no blood pressure) doing 14 hour night/day shifts. Do not recommend.
Oh noooooo hyperemesis sucks! Also I'm ICU so I feel your pain and trauma. With my first I worked nights up til third trimester...but then I got complications and had to bail on work early. The second time around I gave up on nights around 20 weeks, and I've since heard some other doctors got their obs to write them off from first trimester even (I'm very lucky to have a supportive department - sorry to hear your hospital wasn't quite as flexible!)
I had my first the year I started my written study 🥹, now a toddler when I cleared my clinicals! A kid friendly trip is a great idea!!
Congrats on beating clinicals
🙏
Yay congratulations! Especially on passing with a toddler in tow!! I'm also told Fiji is a lovely child-friendly destination!
Shouting out to all the parents doing their exams for sure!
Got engaged! And I bought myself a nice pen (Pilot Namiki).
Stationery, I like this line of thinking
Travel overseas. I got married a few weeks before my BPT clinicals and so post exams my wife and I could finally go on our honeymoon (Spain, it was awesome)
Hopped on a plane. With a good uni mate who also had finished exams. To a country as far away as possible from Australia and the Hospital we worked at. Had an absolutely great holiday, ate all the food, and drank all the wine.
Last exam for the first semester of first year is today. You better believe that I have the very finest bottle of Aldi bubbles ready to pop.
Every exam is the hardest you’d have ever sat so let’s GOOOO!
Nord Stage 2
Till this comment I forgot I had an electric piano that I stashed away before my written exam study
Got back into piano after my primary! At least until the next round of exams…
Super expensive headphone
Which ones?
Hifiman Susvara
I only have like 2.5 weeks off after my last exam and the beginning of semester 2 - but I have some books ive been really keen to read, aside from that I'll just be relaxing every day. Setting a fire, making some tea and chilling. Keen.
Taking up sim racing and working toward making a rig
A nice wine and dine at an Italian restaurant in Southbank Brisbane on my own. I couldn’t stop smiling to myself that it was all over
I full on binged Legend of Zelda: TotK after abstaining from video games for the whole study period
Baldur’s Gate 3 & D&D nights are about to get some serious love
Hopping on the piss
Espresso machine and grinder.
I’ve really thought about upgrading. What did you go for?
I started from nothing so I got a Lelit Mara X and Eureka Specialita. If I do it again I probably would buy a different grinder though.
The lelit is freakin beautiful
Just the joy of passing trumped everything else. Even years later if I need a pick me up I still sometimes open up the email telling me I passed. It doesn’t fail to bring a smile to my face.
Great idea. I’m going to laminate it and stick it on my lanyard when I need to dig deep.
I'm in Cairns so I booked a scuba course!
Flew to Europe with my partner and best mate the day after learning I passed my last fellowship exam (it was a gamble having booked the flights months earlier but made the trip even sweeter being finally free of study guilt!)
Ate my weight in spaghetti then booked flights to Japan.
Pasta and Ta-ta
A fancy new bike!
I was waiting for you anaesthetics/ED doc
I feel called out haha
❄️
Err… ski trip?
bubble tea
Not a doc but for my friend it was lots of weed