Accepted- Can I cut it med school?!?!??!?!?

[GreekPre-Med]

I have recently been accepted to medical school. That being said, my desire to do well in school has plummeted. I am now content with average grades and I don't have the desire to "be #1" as I did previously. Does the work ethic increase the year one starts medical school?

In addition, I have another question. Does performing strictly "average" in upper tier science classes reflect well on one's performance in medical school? Case in point- neurobiology. My prof is teaching for the first time, the material is dense, and I am already in medical school. I score right around the average for every exam, but i just don't care. Is this a trend I should be scared about? Does it all rebound the first year?

Thoughts/Comments/Reflections Appreciated

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[Rendar5]

in med school you won't have a choice but to work hard since all the material is extremely dense. But the material is also easier than the upper-level science courses. So I wouldn't worry about it honestly.

 

[Flopotomist]

I just wanted to say on a similar line - I too have an acceptance now, and all of a sudden am TERRIFIED that I am not going to be smart enough to keep up with a room full of these uber-genius pre-meds. I also was not a science major, so will be starting with a disadvantage. I imagine that self-doubt and insecurity is a normal thing at this stage...at least I hope so!

 

[madonna]

in med school you won't have a choice but to work hard since all the material is extremely dense. But the material is also easier than the upper-level science courses. So I wouldn't worry about it honestly.

is it really easier material than upper div? nice to hear
but guys dont worry, you are going to be in class with the same people you went to college with, just less of them, if you got into med school, you are just as smart
goodluck

 

[DrHuang]

the material isnt that hard but theres a LOT of information to absorb

 

[stoic]

yea, what they said. med school (at least the first year) is only hard because of how much you have to learn. at first it seems completely impossible to learn so much info, but you just sorta sit down and do it. you'll suprise yourself, i promise.

have fun this year,
s

 

[njbmd]

I just wanted to say on a similar line - I too have an acceptance now, and all of a sudden am TERRIFIED that I am not going to be smart enough to keep up with a room full of these uber-genius pre-meds. I also was not a science major, so will be starting with a disadvantage. I imagine that self-doubt and insecurity is a normal thing at this stage...at least I hope so!

Hi there,
You are NOT at a disadvantage by not being a science major. You completed your pre-med courses and they are all that is needed to do well in medical school. I was AOA and did extremely well with an IQ of 100. I have always been a very good student (surprise that's how I got into medical school in the first place) and I mastered the material that I had to learn. I watched a few of my "brilliant" but undiciplined classmates crash and burn.

Anything new carries a bit of uncertaintly but it also carries a bit of adventure. Contrary to what some of your pre-med folks would like to have you believe, everyone is dead even on the first day of medical school and everyone has the tools to do well. The best way to do well is to keep up, study daily and close your ears to rumors. You and your study habits are important factors in how well you can do in medical school. It is just material that needs to be mastered. If you are capable of learning, you are capable of doing well in medical school. Do NOT let anyone, including yourself, talk you out of doing well. Medical school is all about what you CAN accomplish so drop excuses and substitute action.

Medical school, unlike undergraduate school, is like boot camp. You have to get over the wall. Some people will clear the wall by several feet and some will scrape on the way over but you all have to clear the wall in order to bcome physicians. How much you clear the wall has little to do with how well you will be able to treat patients but you will never treat a single patient if you do not go over that wall. None of my patients has ever asked for my USMLE score or what I got in Microbiology. They just want me to treat them.

Start enjoying your time before medical school. Get a good vacation and learn how to worrk TIVO if you are hooked on the telly. When medical school starts, you won't have loads of free time so read those trashy novels and go to the movies now.

Everyone who fails out of medical school does so because they have not put in the time that the curriculum demands for whatever reason (illness, distractions). Keep up and get help the minute you sense trouble. If you put in the time and get the job done without excuses, you get the grades.

njbmd

 

[AJM]

I have recently been accepted to medical school. That being said, my desire to do well in school has plummeted. I am now content with average grades and I don't have the desire to "be #1" as I did previously. Does the work ethic increase the year one starts medical school?

In addition, I have another question. Does performing strictly "average" in upper tier science classes reflect well on one's performance in medical school? Case in point- neurobiology. My prof is teaching for the first time, the material is dense, and I am already in medical school. I score right around the average for every exam, but i just don't care. Is this a trend I should be scared about? Does it all rebound the first year?

Thoughts/Comments/Reflections Appreciated

My diagnosis: You have a classic case of senioritis, exacerbated by admission to medical school, which means your future is now secure and you're subconsciously realizing that it doesn't matter any more how you do in school. Prognosis: excellent, as long as you pass enough classes to graduate from undergrad.

Typical treatment: 2 beers, a celebration, the rental of many movies, and a nice LOONG vacation. If you adhere strictly to the recommended treatment, especially the movies and vacation part, you will be rejuvinated and ready for the nice kick in the a$$ that 1st year of med school will give you.



In other words, don't worry. You'll be fine. Go have fun.

 

[Law2Doc]

yea, what they said. med school (at least the first year) is only hard because of how much you have to learn. at first it seems completely impossible to learn so much info, but you just sorta sit down and do it. you'll suprise yourself, i promise.

have fun this year,
s

Med school is hard both because the info is volumninous, and because everyone from college who was a B student or below has been truncated. Thus the average student in the class is now a B+ student, so its a heck of a lot harder to be above the mean, which is often frustrating for a previously solid student. Those who have taken a ton of upper level science in undergrad often have a distinct advantage for the first couple of months.

 

[BooMed]

Yeah, before I was afraid of not getting in, now I'm terried of just the opposite.

That's totally normal though, and if I never did anything I was afraid of I would probably be living in my mom's den watching soaps.

 

[D123]

Yeah, before I was afraid of not getting in, now I'm terried of just the opposite.

That's totally normal though, and if I never did anything I was afraid of I would probably be living in my mom's den watching soaps.

Awsome!!!!

 

[Dookter]

I'll have to say I am in the same boat and am scared of medical school now as well. I remember this feeling from my senior year in high school. After it was all over and I got my scholarships and had myself set for the next year, I felt really out of place. Like a fish out of water or something. I feel the exact same way now. And I have a real choice as I see it--either I can try to stay fresh on all this stuff I "learned" as an undergrad, or I can blow it off and relax as much as possible and read books for fun and rejuvenate my tired self. I just don't want to slack and get to medical school and have it kill me.

 

[QofQuimica]

One thing that has really impressed me as I've gone to interviews and met various med students is how supportive they are of one another. I'm sure there are some jerks everywhere, but it seems that the students overwhelmingly go out of their way to help one another by having study groups, older students tutoring younger ones, making up study sheets and posting them for the entire class to use, etc. I have yet to visit a school where the students said that their classmates were the competitive backstabbers of pre-med urban legend. This makes sense: one person's success should never mean another person must fail, especially since so many schools use P/F or absolute grading scales (not curves). Plus, we all have strengths and weaknesses that can compliment one another and allow the whole group to succeed. For those of you who end up being my classmates, I'll be happy to help you with biochem and pharm if you'll help me with anatomy, path, and histology.

 

[stoic]

Med school is hard both because the info is volumninous, and because everyone from college who was a B student or below has been truncated. Thus the average student in the class is now a B+ student, so its a heck of a lot harder to be above the mean, which is often frustrating for a previously solid student. Those who have taken a ton of upper level science in undergrad often have a distinct advantage for the first couple of months.

this is actually a good lead in to one of my observations so far: all the people i know who are completely stressing themselves out in our class are (in my opinion) overly concerned with how they are doing compared to everyone else. everyone here is smart, true, but so what? by virtue of being admitted it's pretty clear that you are also smart. adcoms have a lot of practice... they don't screw up very often.

my point is that one way to make med school even more emotionally draining than it is already is to focus too much on how you're doing compared to other people. remember to keep some perspective; by virtue of just passing your med school classes, you will be learning more than you'd ever thought possible. if your best effort is an average grade, then so what? if you're slacking and doing less than your best, then you've got to be ok with that, too. in the end passing DOES = MD.

 

[Hausdaddy24]

this is actually a good lead in to one of my observations so far: all the people i know who are completely stressing themselves out in our class are (in my opinion) overly concerned with how they are doing compared to everyone else. everyone here is smart, true, but so what? by virtue of being admitted it's pretty clear that you are also smart. adcoms have a lot of practice... they don't screw up very often.

my point is that one way to make med school even more emotionally draining than it is already is to focus too much on how you're doing compared to other people. remember to keep some perspective; by virtue of just passing your med school classes, you will be learning more than you'd ever thought possible. if your best effort is an average grade, then so what? if you're slacking and doing less than your best, then you've got to be ok with that, too. in the end passing DOES = MD.

Exactly what I was going to say about adcoms... they are VERY good at what they do. I'm not exactly sure what the percentage of matriculants who don't end up graduating is but it is extremely low (~5%). So basically just the fact that you got in should give you more confidence about your abilities, not less. Relax and try to do something meaningful and fulfilling between now and the time you matriculate. Best of luck

 

[PhillyEaglesFan]

Sounds like good advice from the mods. Thanks!

 

[Pretty POHA]

I just wanted to say on a similar line - I too have an acceptance now, and all of a sudden am TERRIFIED that I am not going to be smart enough to keep up with a room full of these uber-genius pre-meds. I also was not a science major, so will be starting with a disadvantage. I imagine that self-doubt and insecurity is a normal thing at this stage...at least I hope so!

Congratulations! You'll do very well in medical school!!!

 

[gdbaby]

One thing that has really impressed me as I've gone to interviews and met various med students is how supportive they are of one another. I'm sure there are some jerks everywhere, but it seems that the students overwhelmingly go out of their way to help one another by having study groups, older students tutoring younger ones, making up study sheets and posting them for the entire class to use, etc. I have yet to visit a school where the students said that their classmates were the competitive backstabbers of pre-med urban legend. This makes sense: one person's success should never mean another person must fail, especially since so many schools use P/F or absolute grading scales (not curves). Plus, we all have strengths and weaknesses that can compliment one another and allow the whole group to succeed. For those of you who end up being my classmates, I'll be happy to help you with biochem and pharm if you'll help me with anatomy, path, and histology.

As usual Q, we are thinking alike. I was so amazed by Iowa's learning communities: whereby each M1 is palces in one of four community learning groups that has an equal proportion of M1's-M4's. Each group has their own two-story learning center with a computer lab, kitchenette, community room, quiet study room, etc. There were so many people working together that I just knew that this was a school that was dedicated to the success of the students and that this sentiment is passed down to the students themselves.

As a student and a professor, my philosphy has always been that there is so much more to learn from others. My weaknesses are another's strengths and vice versa. When put together, it's the true definition of synergy.

I haven't moved passed the "how the hell did I get in?" phase to be scared of what will happen once school starts! I'll probably be back in a week or so with simialr feelings.

 

[Law2Doc]

this is actually a good lead in to one of my observations so far: all the people i know who are completely stressing themselves out in our class are (in my opinion) overly concerned with how they are doing compared to everyone else. everyone here is smart, true, but so what? by virtue of being admitted it's pretty clear that you are also smart. adcoms have a lot of practice... they don't screw up very often.

my point is that one way to make med school even more emotionally draining than it is already is to focus too much on how you're doing compared to other people. remember to keep some perspective; by virtue of just passing your med school classes, you will be learning more than you'd ever thought possible. if your best effort is an average grade, then so what? if you're slacking and doing less than your best, then you've got to be ok with that, too. in the end passing DOES = MD.

That's basically true - but if you have dreams of some of the more competitive specialties, you really want to do better than average and then really crank on the boards (both of which are somewhat related as I suspect that if you struggle in the courses during the preclinical years, you are less likely to score way above average on that same material when you hit it on the boards after your second year - but if you somehow do, all is forgiven). But if you are open to all specialties, there are certainly plenty of opportunities for all who muddle through.

 

[masterMood]

This is a good thread. I'm only a freshmen in college but if there's any advice i can give youse alllz it is

from the words of Cartman

"Follow your dreams, you can reach your goals, beefcake beefcake!!!"

 

[neovenom]

i too have recently began to feel insecure about med school. i certainly didn't see it coming in the past, because all i was thinking about then was making it in. the positive responses are helpful, but i don't think the insecurities and doubts will disappear until i start getting comfortable as a med student.

 

[Pewl]

Dude, med school is not hard because of the difficulty of the concepts, but rather the volume of information. My graduate work was a hell of a lot harder (Biomedical Physics) because some of the concepts were really difficult to grasp in physics. Med school is just sheer memorizing =P