How to survive in med school

[prettymean]

Hello, I have a question about how to do well in medical school. I heard so many horror stories on how medical school curriculum is going to overwhelm you. So, can those who've been through it tell us how you managed to survive the onslaught? What is your study habits and time management?

Thanks

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[DrQuinn]

Its different for everybody. I actually found medical school to be a bit easier than college. I had much less free time (but still had plenty) than I did in college... and my second year of medical school I went out 2-3 times a week and partied... but I think the tests (once you get the hang of them) were easier than college.

Time management is different for everyone. You'll find your groove once you get there.

The biggest tip is to enjoy yourself every once in a while. You DO NOT need to study 14 hours a day... EVER.

Q

 

[BrooklynDO]

Ok its not that bad... think of it this way, instead of a job that you get paid for and spend 40 or more hours a week at, you are now paying for that honor.
This means that you have to put in the time, plan your time so that YOU feel like you h ave done all you can for now... other than that, feel free to have have fun and go out... just not excessively... now your fun time will have to be planned .
And remember one thing, you wont know what "really" works for you until the end of your first exams, so dont worry... and if things dont work out as you wish, instead of being upset , evaluate what you have to do, etc.
and have fun this summer

 

[Homunculus]

Originally posted by QuinnNSU
Its different for everybody. I actually found medical school to be a bit easier than college. I had much less free time (but still had plenty) than I did in college... and my second year of medical school I went out 2-3 times a week and partied... but I think the tests (once you get the hang of them) were easier than college.

Time management is different for everyone. You'll find your groove once you get there.

The biggest tip is to enjoy yourself every once in a while. You DO NOT need to study 14 hours a day... EVER.

Q

exactly what i would have posted. medical school is easier than college, and if you work the system right, it can be a blast. clinical years are a little more time consuming, but at least you're up doing something. if lectures don't benefit you-- don't go. avoid schools with attendance policies like the plague. and take time to enjoy yourself

 

[drchris33]

I think I would have to agree with everyone else. The difficulty level of the material (biochem, etc) is easier than it is in undergrad but the sheer volume of material is what is tough. I think it also depends on the school you attend. My school has a systems-based curriculum, which is awesome by the way, and you really get a lot of repetition, so if you don't get something on the first time around, you will probably see it again.

As far as my study habits, it just depends on the day. I typically put in about 4-5 hours a day, but I also work out, watch ER every week, and spend time with my wife and kids on the weekend (they live three hours away).

So medical school is definitely do-able, you just have to balance your time but keep your sanity at the same time!!

Chris

 

[Krazed_Medic]

Originally posted by Homonculus
if lectures don't benefit you-- don't go. avoid schools with attendance policies like the plague.

That's interesting. Can anyone tell me which schools have attendance policies? That way i can definately avoid them. I hate those policies. It seems that all my classes so far in undergrad have them, and i'm not to appreciative of them.

 

[Plinko]

I see you live in OK so this probably won't matter to you. TCOM has attendance policies for about a quarter of our daily schedule. Not the lectures so much, but once or twice a week each course will have what they call a "CIL" (clinical integration lecture) where they apply didactic facts we have learned to clinical settings. You have to go to these if you want the points. In the end they usually make up about ten percent of our grade. Also, all OMM classes require that a student be present, otherwise they will start taking points off your final average . This really miffs everyone. The class was always at eight in the morning, and very little was learned due to the quality of the teaching most mornings. Had it not been required, there would have been a twenty percent class turnout at best. I suppose that's why they made us go.

 

[aallaei]

Why doesn't TCOM hire a prof to teach OMM effectively? I heard that TCOM is one of the first schools to get funding to do research of osteopathic manipulation, is that true?

 

[giant ug machi]

LECOM has a mandatory attendance policy and they're serious about it. (They also have a dress code)

 

[sddoc]

From what I understand, the attendance policy at LECOM becomes less enforced as time goes on. There are some profs who are sticklers about it, but our OMM lecture is usually 3/4 empty. (Labs are mandatory, and they do enforce it.)

If you aren't into attending lecture 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, LECOM offers PBL and ISP pathways. For these pathways, you may be on campus 4 hours a week in addition to OMM. Most of your work is done at home and in study groups. I am just finishing my first year of PBL, and I can't imagine doing medical school any other way!

 

[hosskp1]

Originally posted by prettymean
Hello, I have a question about how to do well in medical school. I heard so many horror stories on how medical school curriculum is going to overwhelm you. So, can those who've been through it tell us how you managed to survive the onslaught? What is your study habits and time management?

Thanks

BE yourself and take care of yourself. For me that meant going to the gym everyday ( I lost weight and got into good shape). Studying has to be whatever it takes for you- no one else. You will see what it takes when you get there- right now go have fun for the summer and let it happen.