Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

Friday's Digest #58

Is Cheating on Exams Worth It?

I glanced back at the chair behind me.

On that chair was my bag with my notes.

In these notes were the answers - that would secure me a passing grade.

October 6th, 2023

Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

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Preface
Main Article
Stuff

Preface

🍾 This week, I hit a milestone on YouTube - 1000 views in one month.

Compared to the vast majority of YouTube channels, this is a modest achievement.

But I did it on my own, in no time, and it made me proud.

📧 As a tiny YouTube channel, I receive many messages from individuals and companies specializing in inflating your numbers. They promise, for instance, 1000 subscribers or 10,000 views for a price.

They use fake accounts and other cheating methods to deliver this.

🤔 Now, you may wonder - why the fuss about these numbers?

The answer is straightforward - the more subscribers and views you have, the more likely your video will reach a broader audience.

In other words, getting your content noticed for a small channel is extremely difficult.

Have I considered using their services?

Not for a second.

🏋️ I prefer the hard work of getting my content out there and doing it on my own.

Seeing a video of mine helping 30 new people every day feels genuinely rewarding.

Do I have a problem with others cheating on YouTube? Boosting their numbers with these companies?

Not at all. I couldn’t care less.

And what about cheating on tests?

Well, that’s a whole different story. And that will be the subject of today’s main article.

🏊‍♀️ Let's dive in, shall we?

Number 58 is here!

Main Article

Storytime!

⌛ October, 2021. I’m in the last 24 hours of med school.

I have two final exams left, and they are 20 hours apart 😱.

Do you know that pulse-racing stress the day before a big exam? Now put another exam on that day. Crazy, right?

So that was my timetable in the final 24 hours of med school.

The first exam was oral, called “at the patient’s bedside,” where you’re supposed to showcase the diagnostic skills you’ve accumulated throughout med school.

You know, an “everything-you-know” kind of test.

😓 And 20 hours later, the final exam in psychiatry.

Now, this isn’t a typical med-student schedule. For the rest, exams are nicely spaced out and divided between the two final years of med school.

But, since I went into med school as an OMF surgeon, I had to take all my final exams in the same year.

So, I had to prioritize, placing more emphasis on psychiatry.

The reasoning - if I fail the “at the patient’s bedside” exam, there’s still a chance to retake it and earn my medical degree in time for fellowship.

If I fail psychiatry? I can wave my fellowship goodbye 👋.

Did I mention how stressful it was?

So, back to storytime of cheating on tests.

I’m going to my oral exam (“at the patient's bedside”).

I knew I would be tested at the pediatric department. It means I will walk into a room with an actual sick child 🤒 and their parent, review their medical history, perform a physical exam, and then diagnose and propose a treatment plan. All under the watchful eyes of two senior physicians 🧐🧐.

When I prepared for the oral test, I reviewed crucial aspects of pediatric medicine but skipped the fine details.

Specifically, I skipped two subjects - pediatric neurology and pediatric metabolic diseases, which are highly complex.

So I’m at the pediatric department, and the two senior physicians call my name. Then, we walked together into an actual patient’s room.

👩‍👧The patient and her mother, aware of my student status and test, were prepared for my arrival.

😵‍💫 The moment I laid eyes on the patient, I knew I was in trouble.

The patient was underweight with apparent limb weakness.

What does that mean, you ask?

Well, this patient might have a neurological issue, or a metabolic disease. The only two subjects I hadn’t thoroughly reviewed.

So I took history, performed the physical exam, and was then taken back to a silent room.

⏱️ They gave me a few minutes to gather my thoughts, reach a diagnosis, and recommend a treatment plan.

This exam didn’t aim to directly quiz your knowledge but rather assess your doctor-like thinking and action. However, hitting the correct diagnosis and treatment plan mainly assures you pass the exam.

A defining moment occurred in that room, gathering fragmented thoughts on pediatric neurology and metabolic diseases.

I glanced back at the chair behind me 🪑.

On that chair was my bag 🪑🎒.

In my bag were my notes 🪑🎒🗒️.

In these notes were the answers - a 10-second glance could solve the puzzle of this patient’s condition.

I continued to glance at my bag 🎒.

But then, I turned back to the desk and continued writing.

I didn’t open my bag.

Yet, why did I look at my bag in the first place?

I finished summarizing the mess I had in my mind, and the two physicians walked in to perform the final part of the exam.

Their questions led to the unavoidable subjects I hadn’t reviewed well: pediatric neurology and metabolic diseases.

Feeling like a complete fool, my note-packed bag could have been my savior. But I chose not to cheat.

Fast forward 15 minutes, and the test ended.

As they silently jotted something on the test forms, my mind raced. Did I just fail this test?

All I wanted was to pass, exit this room, and resume my psychiatry study.

Exhausted and anxious, they began discussing my test.

“We both think you did very well, and have decided that you passed this test."

My stunned response: “I passed?!” 😲

They both smiled and said, “Yes, with honors”. 🥇

That caught me off-guard.

“With Honors? For real?!” I asked. 😮

At that moment, they stopped smiling and looked somewhat confused by my reaction.

🥴 I felt like a complete idiot at that point, but I had to make sure.

And then they added: “Yes, this patient had been here for a while, and for the first few days, WE even didn’t know what’s her diagnosis.”

In my mind, I’m cursing them for picking this patient for my test.

But it was a happy ending.

After thanking them and leaving the room, I thought:

If I would have cheated on this test, I would never forgive myself.

But it was much more than that.

🤔 Let's contemplate together:

What would have happened if I had cheated on that exam?

I’m not referring to the obvious — the consequences if I were caught. Let's let our imagination roam there.

I’m talking about how the rest of my life would look if I had cheated.

1️⃣ First, I might not have received the “with honors” mark. If I had cheated, my answers wouldn’t reflect my thought process and my struggle to reach the diagnosis.

2️⃣ Second, even if I did manage to earn the “with honors” badge, I would probably resent it for the rest of my life. Something cool to have on your med school log, but paired with a lingering sense that I don't deserve it.

3️⃣ Third, this test taught me something about my abilities. Even when confronted with a complex scenario, and tested precisely on what I neglected to review, I used my clinical skills and judgment to solve it. And I did really well. This confidence continues to serve me and will continue doing so in the years to come.

4️⃣ Fourth, and this might sound funny, I wouldn't be able to claim that I never cheated on an exam. When my kids ask if I ever cheated on a test, I could simply say “No”, and then explain the life experiences they would lose if they cheated. It holds more weight than responding with “Almost never…” accompanied by a mountain of excuses.

So, let's wrap up this article with the four reasons why I believe cheating on tests is bad for you:

🔵 1. Pride in Accomplishments

Cheating would take away the pride in your achievements. All the fun will be gone.

🔵 2. Learning from Failures

Failure will get you where success never will.

🔵 3. Discovering True Abilities

When you make it against all odds, you discover your true abilities.

Life will surprise you.

🔵 4. Peace of Mind

That’s my general rule for life.

It goes well beyond cheating on tests.

I think it’s Matthew McConaughey who said that an honest person's pillow is their peace of mind.

Wait a second, why not Google it? 😃

Here it is:

An honest person's pillow is their peace of mind, and when you lay down on the pillow at night, no matter who's in our bed, we ALL sleep alone.
— Matthew McConaughey.

So, I would rather be worry-free and proud when I fall asleep at night.

Cheating will ruin it.

Stuff

📖 Book I read

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. I listened to the audiobook (three times!), and I highly recommend it over the written version.

Narrated by him, McConaughey tells his life story, while not conforming to the how-to-write-a-biography rules.

It’s the perfect book for people who value the journey, not just the destination.

Epilogue

That’s it for this issue.

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Have a great weekend!

Shay

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