Is med school or residency better?

[deleted445355]

Hi guys,

I'm a 1st year medical student interested in pursuing dermatology. I was just wondering if all you residents feel that residency or medical school is better and why. I keep telling myself that things will get better in residency, but I am also aware that residency presents an entire spectrum of new challenges. Would appreciate any insight from you all!


PP

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[dermie1985]

Hi guys,

I'm a 1st year medical student interested in pursuing dermatology. I was just wondering if all you residents feel that residency or medical school is better and why. I keep telling myself that things will get better in residency, but I am also aware that residency presents an entire spectrum of new challenges. Would appreciate any insight from you all!


PP

I think residency is better than medical school. Though, this may be specific to derm residency...which is def way different than most residencies.

Pros: You get a salary ($$$), you get to concentrate on something you love (rather than all areas of medicine), there's less pressure to "impress" people and the motivation for learning becomes more about making sure you're a good physician for your patients rather than "getting the grade".
Negatives (some could also be positives): More responsibility, higher overall performance expectations to meet, more strict work schedule (at least compared to MS1/2 years), there's still lots of studying to be done (though will admit I'd rather study derm than many other areas of medicine....even if it's genodermatoses).

 

[deleted445355]

I think residency is better than medical school. Though, this may be specific to derm residency...which is def way different than most residencies.

Pros: You get a salary ($$$), you get to concentrate on something you love (rather than all areas of medicine), there's less pressure to "impress" people and the motivation for learning becomes more about making sure you're a good physician for your patients rather than "getting the grade".
Negatives (some could also be positives): More responsibility, higher overall performance expectations to meet, more strict work schedule (at least compared to MS1/2 years), there's still lots of studying to be done (though will admit I'd rather study derm than many other areas of medicine....even if it's genodermatoses).

Thanks so much for your insight. I've been struggling in med school so far in many ways and not sure if there is a light at the end of the terminal. Your response really helped me put things into perspective.

 

[MOHS_01]

Honestly -- there is no easy part of life -- at least not that I've found. You worry about different things at different stages. The actual risks are worse as you get older, the perception of risk is worse at you get older, so those things will combine to suck some of the joy out of "making it".

Develop good coping mechanisms. Good luck -- struggles change, but they will always remain.

 

[derm_skyisnotfalling]

It all depends on the people around you and the friends that you have. At every level, you'll find people complain or be supportive. I personally found residency much easier because 1) you are more sure of your path in life, 2) I had amazing co-residents (not always true as some derm residents are uber-competitive), and 3) you are doing what you love.

Somehow people seem to find a way to stress and complain during all parts of life which I find fascinating. Its your choice. Are you going to be in a positive mindset or not. Bottom line. I went through medical school and applied to derm "low-stress". I don't care what anyone tells you, it's perspective and mindset. People that stress will always stress. People that are OCD will always be OCD. People that seem to take life as it comes, will continue to do that. That toughest part is that people that stress all the time can't understand how another person can get through life without stressing all the time. Find those people that constant stress and avoid them as much as possible.