Advice to anyone who gets into medical school

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

Yes, that was exactly what I meant. I just think you're not doing yourself, or anyone reading your posts, any good by going on and on about how miserable you are. I'm sorry that your school counselor sucks. Just like how you said because I know people who are happy not everyone is, just because you are miserable doesn't mean everyone is.

I've just read a lot of your posts, and you seem to not be in the best place. I think you need to help yourself before you try and give advice to others. I truly hope you find the best path for you, whether that ends up being in medicine or not. I didn't mean any negativity towards you, and I'm sorry if it came off that way.

Gonna throw you under the ignore function.
My posts are asking for advice:
Anatomy
Being miserable in general
Study aids
Cost of rural healthcare

This post's main purpose is pretty much in bold, to be ready to sacrifice most of your life for 3-4 years to get through medical school. To be ready to be at risk for depression, adhd, what ever it is students dont plan on dealing with until they actually get to medical school.
If your opinion is my advice is useless because of what ever reason, feel free to ignore it, dont discredit me.

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[CaptainJackSparrow83]

Yeah. I respect your opinion.. but someone who is possibly depressed is almost always going to have a negative opinion about what is making them depressed.

And here you are along with the other poster as reasons for why people suffer through medical school. Discrediting.
"Oh he is depressed (your opinion) so his advice is useless"
"He has a negative attitude towards school so it probably means his opinion is invalid"
"My friend is doing just fine so you must be doing something wrong"

The same things happen in medical school,
He got a B or a C on the anatomy exam dont let him do any dissections
You dont want to study 30 hours a day to get A's? Youre going to be a horrible doctor.

Youre a part of the toxic environment in medical schools.

 

[Chibucks15]

And here you are along with the other poster as reasons for why people suffer through medical school. Discrediting.
"Oh he is depressed (your opinion) so his advice is useless"
"He has a negative attitude towards school so it probably means his opinion is invalid"
"My friend is doing just fine so you must be doing something wrong"

The same things happen in medical school,
He got a B or a C on the anatomy exam dont let him do any dissections
You dont want to study 30 hours a day to get A's? Youre going to be a horrible doctor.

Youre a part of the toxic environment in medical schools.

Sounds like you just go to a toxic school man...my school is nothing like that. Grades don't get brought up at all. Look for outside help there are mental health resources for students available

 

[MADD!!!]

I HATE these posts, they always scared the crap out of me. It's harder but it's different. In some ways it's easier and it varies HEAVILY on your background and which undergrad you went to. I went to a UC and many ppl in my class are from state schools and small liberal arts colleges. Ppl who complain that it's really hard haven't found their groove yet.

Put simple, the harder you worked in undergrad, the easier med school will be for you. Ppl who I hear complain about difficulty say their undergrad was a joke and they barely studied. I studied ALL the time in undergrad and I study all the time here. Med school is easier for me because I care more about passing here vs getting A's in undergrad.

Seriously though to add, these are the posts that give SDN a bad stigma. If anyone has any questions regarding first year plz message me for a different opinion that isn't "it's the end of your life."

 

[fldoctorgirl]

@edgerock24 I'm checking out of this thread, you should probably do the same. OP seems to be twisting anything we say into a personal attack against him.

Apparently we are just another couple of the many people who are the reasons why he is suffering through medical school. Anyone who blames their suffering on others is just immature and can't own up to their own shortcomings.

 

[edgerock24]

And here you are along with the other poster as reasons for why people suffer through medical school. Discrediting.
"Oh he is depressed (your opinion) so his advice is useless"
"He has a negative attitude towards school so it probably means his opinion is invalid"
"My friend is doing just fine so you must be doing something wrong"

The same things happen in medical school,
He got a B or a C on the anatomy exam dont let him do any dissections
You dont want to study 30 hours a day to get A's? Youre going to be a horrible doctor.

Youre a part of the toxic environment in medical schools.

Not discrediting you at all. As I said, I respect your opinion.

 

[Shotapp]

Believe me Im working every day to find a way to tell my father I call it quits in medicine Im going back to engineering (and its not like engineering is an unrespectable profession either). I think medicine was a choice by family pressure but also that I do enjoy seeing what doctors do, I just dont think I have the patience, to get through 7 + years of training anymore.

I perused some of your posts and this one stood out the most to me. I don't think you are in any position to be offering advice about medical school if you are displaying a half-hearted/depressing attitude about being a med student.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Gonna throw you under the ignore function

Lol, sorry dude but they are right.... your post history is very concerning and does not paint the picture of someone who should be giving advice.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

Lol, sorry dude but they are right.... your post history is very concerning and does not paint the picture of someone who should be giving advice.

What so concerning about it???
That Im a med student studying for hours on end to make a 200 k salary. My advice is pretty simple, med school isnt for everyone, think twice before you start it.
Are you all of a sudden a doctor to tell me I am depressed?
I hate the daily bore of clinical sciences memorizing facts that I know I will mostly never use. Simple as that.
People who work half as hard as you will make a ton more.
Anyone can give that advice.

Quit bashing on me.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

I perused some of your posts and this one stood out the most to me. I don't think you are in any position to be offering advice about medical school if you are displaying a half-hearted/depressing attitude about being a med student.

My decisions waver. I could quit, go back to engineering, the potential to make alot of money is high, but the chances of landing an every day boring desk job is also very high. I am looking at different careers and seeing where I would be happiest. Being a doctor isnt a bad thing, going through medical school is truly hell though. Just because I dont like studying doesnt mean I cant offer advice. I have an A in biochem/histology, and in Embryology, A C in anatomy, dont see the issue here in offering advice.

 

[de Ribas]

My decisions waver. I could quit, go back to engineering, the potential to make alot of money is high, but the chances of landing an every day boring desk job is also very high. I am looking at different careers and seeing where I would be happiest. Being a doctor isnt a bad thing, going through medical school is truly hell though. Just because I dont like studying doesnt mean I cant offer advice. I have an A in biochem/histology, and in Embryology, A C in anatomy, dont see the issue here in offering advice.

why these people even go to medical school?

When I hear this, I don't see why you went to medical school...

Comparing medicine and engineering in terms of boredom, income, job happiness is just not right.

Medicine is about passion and calling. In many countries, medicine is one of the least paid jobs (while one of the challenging) and they still become doctors.

I would advise to look elsewhere, otherwise you would be miserable in medicine and that will impact patients.

 

[Mbeas]

how about the 80-100 hour work weeks in residency? the grass isn't any greener in residency. enjoy having the opportunity to sit down, study, and make your own schedule everyday.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

why these people even go to medical school?

When I hear this, I don't see why you went to medical school...

Comparing medicine and engineering in terms of boredom, income, job happiness is just not right.

Medicine is about passion and calling. In many countries, medicine is one of the least paid jobs (while one of the challenging) and they still become doctors.

I would advise to look elsewhere, otherwise you would be miserable in medicine and that will impact patients.

Heres the thing, I dont know how valuble a DO degree will be, but pretend I had an MD, if I wanted, I could go into research, into finance (Wall street Financial Analyst ), I could teach anatomy at an undergrad school where Ever I wanted. Or I could keep toughing it out, become a family doctor and work 2-3 days a week.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

how about the 80-100 hour work weeks in residency? the grass isn't any greener in residency. enjoy having the opportunity to sit down, study, and make your own schedule everyday.

Residency sounds fun actually. Even clinicals sound fun. And from shadowing, it seems alot more fun than just sitting on a desk memorizing facts. Being able to apply the things we learn in residency and hopefully get some of it right. will be the most rewarding part of these two years of misery.

 

[de Ribas]

My decisions waver. I could quit, go back to engineering, the potential to make alot of money is high, but the chances of landing an every day boring desk job is also very high. I am looking at different careers and seeing where I would be happiest. Being a doctor isnt a bad thing, going through medical school is truly hell though. Just because I dont like studying doesnt mean I cant offer advice. I have an A in biochem/histology, and in Embryology, A C in anatomy, dont see the issue here in offering advice.

Medical school is not about stats, but about passion, work ethic, personal character, and resilience.

When someone loves some career field, they focus on their passion and not negative things of that so much. Every single career has negatives and positives. Choosing medicine just because positives outweighed negatives on my list is not reason to go to medicine.

I know how hard medicine is and how hard school will be. I have passion, I am set. There is nothing else I will be better at and nothing else that I would love so much. I chose medicine because it is who I am.


I have experienced several careers. many are great in terms of income, hours and such. But it's just not who I am.

I think these are the reasons to go to medicine.

 

[de Ribas]

Heres the thing, I dont know how valuble a DO degree will be, but pretend I had an MD, if I wanted, I could go into research, into finance (Wall street Financial Analyst ), I could teach anatomy at an undergrad school where Ever I wanted. Or I could keep toughing it out, become a family doctor and work 2-3 days a week.

it's up to you. Does not seem like you have done your homework yet. Usually people make all career analysis before they go to medical school. I would suggest to see what you like best, what you would enjoy and be good at it and go with that.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

Medical school is not about stats, but about passion, work ethic, personal character, and resilience.

When someone loves some career field, they focus on their passion and not negative things of that so much. Every single career has negatives and positives. Choosing medicine just because positives outweighed negatives on my list is not reason to go to medicine.

I know how hard medicine is and how hard school will be. I have passion, I am set. There is nothing else I will be better at and nothing else that I would live so much. I chose medicine because it is who I am.


I have experienced several careers. many are great in terms of income, hours and such. But it's just not who I am.

I think these are the reasons to go to medicine.

again its just your opinion of why you wanted to go into medicine. Theres no right or wrong answer for why someone should go into medicine.

 

[Mbeas]

Heres the thing, I dont know how valuble a DO degree will be, but pretend I had an MD, if I wanted, I could go into research, into finance (Wall street Financial Analyst ), I could teach anatomy at an undergrad school where Ever I wanted. Or I could keep toughing it out, become a family doctor and work 2-3 days a week.

The worst part about being a DO is being forced to do family medicine. I wish we could do surgery or something cool.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

it's up to you. Does not seem like you have done your homework yet. Usually people make all career analysis before they go to medical school. I would suggest to see what you like best, what you would enjoy and be good at it and go with that.

I did do my career analysis though. I know the salaries, the steps it takes, the courseloads, even the variations between schools.
But until I got to medical school, I never said Holy ****, should I be spending 2 of my best years in my twenties in an apartment studying and then the remaining 2+ 3 year residency in a hospital every day while my remaining friends enjoy life in their twenties.

There is a benefit to all this. I can become an IM/Family doctor start a practice then hire others to run it for me.
Or I can start my own investment portfolios from the almost near 200 k guarantee salary medicine gives.

 

[de Ribas]

Heres the thing, I dont know how valuble a DO degree will be, but pretend I had an MD, if I wanted, I could go into research, into finance (Wall street Financial Analyst ), I could teach anatomy at an undergrad school where Ever I wanted. Or I could keep toughing it out, become a family doctor and work 2-3 days a week.

Based on that, I would never want to be your patient. Looks like your plan is to just have comfortable life in expense of the patients.

 

[de Ribas]

again its just your opinion of why you wanted to go into medicine. Theres no right or wrong answer for why someone should go into medicine.

ok...

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

The worst part about being a DO is being forced to do family medicine. I wish we could do surgery or something cool.

Why are you forced into family medicine?
My understanding is almost 50% of my class ends up going into IM, from there , you could go all the way into Interventional cardiology which could be more coveted than cardio thoracic surgery.
Internal medicine as a hospitalist also sounds fun, complex patient cases, or even simple ones, and using data provided, tests, to figure out whats the pathology. Even better is if it gets too complex- throw a referral and its not really your problem anymore.
Youre not barred from surgery either.
There are two DO's in my home town, one is an orthopedic surgeon, and the other is some kind of robotic surgeon, I didnt pay attention to his speech.

 

[de Ribas]

I did do my career analysis though. I know the salaries, the steps it takes, the courseloads, even the variations between schools.
But until I got to medical school, I never said Holy ****, should I be spending 2 of my best years in my twenties in an apartment studying and then the remaining 2+ 3 year residency in a hospital every day while my remaining friends enjoy life in their twenties.

There is a benefit to all this. I can become an IM/Family doctor start a practice then hire others to run it for me.
Or I can start my own investment portfolios from the almost near 200 k guarantee salary medicine gives.

lol

 

[Chibucks15]

I did do my career analysis though. I know the salaries, the steps it takes, the courseloads, even the variations between schools.
But until I got to medical school, I never said Holy ****, should I be spending 2 of my best years in my twenties in an apartment studying and then the remaining 2+ 3 year residency in a hospital every day while my remaining friends enjoy life in their twenties.

There is a benefit to all this. I can become an IM/Family doctor start a practice then hire others to run it for me.
Or I can start my own investment portfolios from the almost near 200 k guarantee salary medicine gives.

You shouldn't have picked one of the most grueling trainings for the "comfortable life". If you truly did an analysis you would've realized this. I'm guessing this is why you're having a tough time. Nothing in life is how its portrayed on TV...

 

[Mbeas]

Why are you forced into family medicine?
My understanding is almost 50% of my class ends up going into IM, from there , you could go all the way into Interventional cardiology which could be more coveted than cardio thoracic surgery.
Internal medicine as a hospitalist also sounds fun, complex patient cases, or even simple ones, and using data provided, tests, to figure out whats the pathology. Even better is if it gets too complex- throw a referral and its not really your problem anymore.
Youre not barred from surgery either.
There are two DO's in my home town, one is an orthopedic surgeon, and the other is some kind of robotic surgeon, I didnt pay attention to his speech.

oh good. didn't realize that. i guess i have hope then.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

You shouldn't have picked one of the most grueling trainings for the "comfortable life". If you truly did an analysis you would've realized this. I'm guessing this is why you're having a tough time. Nothing in life is how its portrayed on TV...

Yeah man I definitely made my decision based on Greys Anatomy . And Doctor house.
I made my decision on financial security, Ive said it, the job doctors have for the most part seems very fun, and job security. Every other career you hear about layoffs in masses

 

[Robin-jay]

I did do my career analysis though. I know the salaries, the steps it takes, the courseloads, even the variations between schools.
But until I got to medical school, I never said Holy ****, should I be spending 2 of my best years in my twenties in an apartment studying and then the remaining 2+ 3 year residency in a hospital every day while my remaining friends enjoy life in their twenties.

There is a benefit to all this. I can become an IM/Family doctor start a practice then hire others to run it for me.
Or I can start my own investment portfolios from the almost near 200 k guarantee salary medicine gives.

You haven't reached peak maturity yet.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

oh good. didn't realize that. i guess i have hope then.

Idk if youre trolling or not here.
But as a DO student, within the United states, you are allowed to do ANY residency that an MD student can do. You could infact (theoretically) be competing with the TOP student from Harvard/Stanford/JHU/UCSF for the best dermatology residency in the country.
You will probably be somewhat discriminated against as a DO and the above scenario is quite unlikely but you definitely have a decent shot at general surgery if you do well on boards.
The people who have to worry alot about matching into a moderately competitive specialty like gen surg, are foreign grads.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

You haven't reached peak maturity yet.

Thats good news. I hope and pray I will finally be a big boi when I finish graduate chemistry school after medical school.

 

[de Ribas]

The worst part about being a DO is being forced to do family medicine. I wish we could do surgery or something cool.

you are not necessarily forced. There is IM, EM, Peds, Psych, and other specialties.

 

[hurtem&healem]

I respectfully exited this thread, but then I received this message in my inbox.

I am not a confrontational person in the slightest, but I refuse to be harassed for a message I left on a public forum because the OP didn't agree with what I had to say. If OP wants to send me private messages because he thinks he can bully someone privately, he can think again.

Is no one else going to address this? Harassment should really be a banable offense.

 

[Chibucks15]

Yeah man I definitely made my decision based on Greys Anatomy . And Doctor house.
I made my decision on financial security, Ive said it, the job doctors have for the most part seems very fun, and job security. Every other career you hear about layoffs in masses

Alright man I see you're getting a little snippy at people telling it like it is. Basically my point is, if you aren't in this for the right reasons, itll chew you up and spit you out. So if you want to keep grinding, then go ahead, but there isn't a need to come after people who are telling everyone else on this forum that it really doesn't have to be the worst experience of their lives. I know that I took everything on here too seriously as a premed. We all go through it, get outside help if you need to, and do what you gotta do to get through. Delayed gratification at its finest

 

[Robin-jay]

Thats good news. I hope and pray I will finally be a big boi when I finish graduate chemistry school after medical school.

For your patient's sake, I hope so.

 

[Mbeas]

you are not necessarily forced. There is IM, EM, Peds, Psych, and other specialties.

gotcha. just not surgery.

 

[Chibucks15]

.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

Wow I didn't see this...grow up OP. For christ's sake you're in a program to become a member one of the most respected professions in the world. Act like it @CaptainJackSparrow83

Thats not harassment. I told her to quit bashing on me, told her shes not a medical student yet shes already making assumptions, and said if i am struggling to get through with my stats so will she.

 

[de Ribas]

Yeah man I definitely made my decision based on Greys Anatomy . And Doctor house.
I made my decision on financial security, Ive said it, the job doctors have for the most part seems very fun, and job security. Every other career you hear about layoffs in masses

There are many careers that are far less stressful and pay better. Business, leadership, engineering, finances, investments, become CEO - they make millions.

You will work at least 3 years, 80-100 hours per week in residency getting paid around 50K. If you want to specialize, sounds like you do, that's another 1-5 years of getting 50K and working a lot.

Make your choice.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

but pretend I had an MD, if I wanted, I could go into research, into finance (Wall street Financial Analyst )

Uh no you couldn't... the only people who do this from medical school generally come from Harvard or Stanford caliber schools. It's not like every run of the mill MD could make this jump.

I could teach anatomy at an undergrad school where Ever I wanted.

You can do this with a DO.

But until I got to medical school, I never said Holy ****, should I be spending 2 of my best years in my twenties in an apartment studying and then the remaining 2+ 3 year residency in a hospital every day while my remaining friends enjoy life in their twenties

Then that's your problem, I knew this was what I signed up for long before I ever stepped foot on campus. You did a real crappy job of doing your own research.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

you are not necessarily forced. There is IM, EM, Peds, Psych, and other specialties.

They are trolling OP, that poster is a resident I believe.

Is no one else going to address this? Harassment should really be a banable offense.

Pretty sure it is, if it was reported then the hammer will be coming shortly.

 

[Robin-jay]

Thats not harassment. I told her to quit bashing on me, told her shes not a medical student yet shes already making assumptions, and said if i am struggling to get through with my stats so will she.

You never make assumptions.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

There are many careers that are far less stressful and pay better. Business, leadership, engineering, finances, investments, become CEO - they make millions.

You will work at least 3 years, 80-100 hours per week in residency getting paid around 50K. If you want to specialize, sounds like you do, that's another 1-5 years of getting 50K and working a lot.

Make your choice.

Business, high failure rate
leadership takes several years and luck
engineering- yes, chance of layoffs, but yes I agree with engineering
finances- to land a job at a big bank, you will make 150 k with some luck working 80-90 hours a week and be fired by the time youre 27 if youre not the one to get promoted

Im pretty set on internal medicine, nothing more nothing less. I have my mind open to other specialties but in order to get into internal medicine I need to pass boards, apply to the junkiest programs there are, get in, and nothing stops me from taking a small loan of a million dollars and opening up a private practice.

 

[Mbeas]

They are trolling OP, that poster is a resident I believe.

lol. hard to believe they would think someone who has been a member since 2010 with thousands of posts doesn't know what a DO is.

i guess they don't make pre-meds/MS-1's like they used to.

 

[de Ribas]

Business, high failure rate
leadership takes several years and luck
engineering- yes, chance of layoffs, but yes I agree with engineering
finances- to land a job at a big bank, you will make 150 k with some luck working 80-90 hours a week and be fired by the time youre 27 if youre not the one to get promoted

Im pretty set on internal medicine, nothing more nothing less. I have my mind open to other specialties but in order to get into internal medicine I need to pass boards, apply to the junkiest programs there are, get in, and nothing stops me from taking a small loan of a million dollars and opening up a private practice.

good luck

 

[hurtem&healem]

Thats not harassment. I told her to quit bashing on me, told her shes not a medical student yet shes already making assumptions, and said if i am struggling to get through with my stats so will she.

You PM'd her to say that her stats are **** and that she will fail med school. That is absolutely harassment.

 

[Chibucks15]

Business, high failure rate
leadership takes several years and luck
engineering- yes, chance of layoffs, but yes I agree with engineering
finances- to land a job at a big bank, you will make 150 k with some luck working 80-90 hours a week and be fired by the time youre 27 if youre not the one to get promoted

Im pretty set on internal medicine, nothing more nothing less. I have my mind open to other specialties but in order to get into internal medicine I need to pass boards, apply to the junkiest programs there are, get in, and nothing stops me from taking a small loan of a million dollars and opening up a private practice.

This doesn't acheive "the good life". We're all gonna be in the red for at least a decade...

 

[Chibucks15]

This doesn't acheive "the good life". We're all gonna be in the red for at least a decade...

I'm off this though. Don't really have much else to add. Best of luck OP I hope you get stuff figured out

 

[CaptainJackSparrow83]

You PM'd her to say that her stats are **** and that she will fail med school. That is absolutely harassment.

Can you cut copy and paste? I dont know her stats. High chance they are lower than mine. Never said she will fail, said she will probably struggle too.

 

[de Ribas]

lol. hard to believe they would think someone who has been a member since 2010 with thousands of posts doesn't know what a DO is.

i guess they don't make pre-meds/MS-1's like they used to.

Sorry. I am on my phone right now. It does not show amount of messages and such. On PC I can see that and I pay the respect.

 

[Chibucks15]

Can you cut copy and paste? I dont know her stats. High chance they are lower than mine. Never said she will fail, said she will probably struggle too.

I had stats worse than you and I'm not struggling...you have no idea what people's mindsets, abilities, or outside lives are. We all can't be god's gift to the world like you but we try our best. Peace

 

[Mbeas]

this god forsaken thread needs to be closed