Am I just wasting my time?

[SmoothER]

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SDN Community,

I'm trying to figure out whether I should actually be considering med school as an option at this point. My major question is, if I'm actually admitted, would I even be able to pass the classes once I'm enrolled? My reasoning is, there is no point in even spending more time, energy, years of life, and countless dollars if I just fail out of a med school after the first semester/year. The standard response to this question is, "If the adcom admits you, then you have what it takes to get through." However, I really do NOT believe this at all because countless med students have told me that a minority of people do fail exams (especially in the first block) and then have to make some sort of arrangement with the faculty to retake exams/classes so they don't get kicked out and wonder why they took out $XX,XXX in loans to pay for that first year.

I'm assuming people will want to know what my stats are so I'll just post it. I have a 3.6 overall GPA and I have no idea what my "BCPM" GPA is because I'm a humanities major and I've only taken about 6 science classes thus far. The grades in those classes are about an even split between As and Bs. These grades are from a top 25 undergrad school (as ranked by US News & World Report). I haven't taken the MCAT yet. My worst nightmare is that I'm admitted somewhere, and then I just fail out after the first semester/year. I'll also be saddled with debt given that I'd have to take out loans to pay for that year. I've wanted to be a doctor since about age 13 but now I'm wondering whether this is the right track for me and I'd really like to catch a huge life mistake before it occurs. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[medhacker]

SDN Community,

I'm trying to figure out whether I should actually be considering med school as an option at this point. My major question is, if I'm actually admitted, would I even be able to pass the classes once I'm enrolled? My reasoning is, there is no point in even spending more time, energy, years of life, and countless dollars if I just fail out of a med school after the first semester/year. The standard response to this question is, "If the adcom admits you, then you have what it takes to get through." However, I really do NOT believe this at all because countless med students have told me that a minority of people do fail exams (especially in the first block) and then have to make some sort of arrangement with the faculty to retake exams/classes so they don't get kicked out and wonder why they took out $XX,XXX in loans to pay for that first year.

I'm assuming people will want to know what my stats are so I'll just post it. I have a 3.6 overall GPA and I have no idea what my "BCPM" GPA is because I'm a humanities major and I've only taken about 6 science classes thus far. The grades in those classes are about an even split between As and Bs. These grades are from a top 25 undergrad school (as ranked by US News & World Report). I haven't taken the MCAT yet. My worst nightmare is that I'm admitted somewhere, and then I just fail out after the first semester/year. I'll also be saddled with debt given that I'd have to take out loans to pay for that year. I've wanted to be a doctor since about age 13 but now I'm wondering whether this is the right track for me and I'd really like to catch a huge life mistake before it occurs. Any help would be much appreciated.

what makes you think you would be among those who fail exams in med school?

 

[Its_MurDAH]

to be honest, i think you will be just fine.

It is *really* difficult to fail out of medical school. You have to WORK at failing. If you have a 3.6 gpa i think it shows that you are capable of maintaining a certain level of hard work over a long period of time so I will assume that you will have no problem dealing with the increased courseload. Besides, I think you should take the mcat and go with the flow. If you say you have wanted to be a doctor since age 13 i have full confidence (as should you) that you will be able to overcome any academic challenges that are thrown at you. A little confidence in your own abilities will go a long way.

I was dejected at one point in my pre-med journey about my MCAT results and i was really about to give up on retaking it. But my friend told me something that will stay with me forever. He said, "You have to see it. You have to want it so bad that it hurts. And you will get it." And he was completely serious. Everytime i feel ****ty about something those words always ring in my ears and I work harder to get to my goal.

go kick the mcats a$s, man.

goodluck.

 

[MedChic]

SDN Community,

I'm trying to figure out whether I should actually be considering med school as an option at this point. My major question is, if I'm actually admitted, would I even be able to pass the classes once I'm enrolled? My reasoning is, there is no point in even spending more time, energy, years of life, and countless dollars if I just fail out of a med school after the first semester/year. The standard response to this question is, "If the adcom admits you, then you have what it takes to get through." However, I really do NOT believe this at all because countless med students have told me that a minority of people do fail exams (especially in the first block) and then have to make some sort of arrangement with the faculty to retake exams/classes so they don't get kicked out and wonder why they took out $XX,XXX in loans to pay for that first year.

I'm assuming people will want to know what my stats are so I'll just post it. I have a 3.6 overall GPA and I have no idea what my "BCPM" GPA is because I'm a humanities major and I've only taken about 6 science classes thus far. The grades in those classes are about an even split between As and Bs. These grades are from a top 25 undergrad school (as ranked by US News & World Report). I haven't taken the MCAT yet. My worst nightmare is that I'm admitted somewhere, and then I just fail out after the first semester/year. I'll also be saddled with debt given that I'd have to take out loans to pay for that year. I've wanted to be a doctor since about age 13 but now I'm wondering whether this is the right track for me and I'd really like to catch a huge life mistake before it occurs. Any help would be much appreciated.

Focus on the positive! If you worry about the first year this far in advance you'll psych yourself out of your goal, which is doing well on your MCAT and getting to med school in the first place and may end up regretting it 🙁

 

[SmoothER]

what makes you think you would be among those who fail exams in med school?

Oh, I'm very glad you asked that. I had to STRUGGLE for Bs in certain classes (mainly chem classes). I haven't taken orgo yet but something tells me that's going to be trench warfare also. This tells me that perhaps I'm not cut out for med school and it's possible that I just don't have what it takes to get through. I do have As in about half of the science classes I've taken, but those were also rolling gun battles (studied ~4-6 hours/day in the weeks preceding exams). I just get this feeling like I'll be working and working working...only to stay afloat. Worst case scenario, I study my butt off and I still fail. Other med students will think, "Jesus Christ, he's stupid." Faculty will think, "The admissions committee made a mistake by admitting this loser." And everyone (faculty and students alike) will think, "Christ, I hope he doesn't kill some helpless patient." My question is not whether I have the work ethic for med school, but whether I have the aptitude/IQ/natural ability for it. I'm totally willing to work hard and put in however many hours it will take to learn the material. But I'm not brilliant. Something tells me I just don't have the aptitude it takes to get through med school. This is likely due to the fact that I had to spend hours and hours studying for chem exams...only to earn Bs in those classes. In one physics classes, I studed steadily about 3-4 hours/day throughout the whole semester. I ended up with a B+ in the class. I'm seriously wondering whether I'm actually cut out for this.

 

[Baritonebass]

Chem Sucks I got a B, then A- in G. Chem and B, then B- in Orgo and did decent on my MCAT (9P, 9V, 11B). so their is hope. Oh and I don't go to a top 25 school so I'm sure your even better prepared 🙂

 

[Doctor Bagel]

you don't have to be brilliant to be a doctor. from what it sounds like, the first two years of medical school consist mainly of rote memorization. you've got to work a lot, but you don't have to be a genius to do well. also, most students don't fail. once in, schools do their hardest to keep you there. even if you fail a class or two, you can remediate. but, that probably won't happen.

 

[DocRo]

Here's some advice:

I am currently a post-bacc and am living with two med students. One completely lacks work ethic and failed two of her midterms and the other works her butt off and is honoring her classes. You see med school is 100% about how hard you work, not just how smart you are, and once you are in they do not want you to fail out so they will do EVERYTHING in their power to keep you in. Also, professors are more accessible and care for you more than in undergrad and so they will address any of your academic weaknesses. You are in fine shape and are ahead of the game with your work ethic. Don't be blinded by your Bs and focus on your As because that proves that you can achieve outstanding grades.

 

[medhacker]

Oh, I'm very glad you asked that. .

I am glad you understood my question. SmoothER, you do not need to be brilliant to survive medical school, brilliant people flunk out of med school every year throughout the world (I can talk I have actually attended medical school). You will, however, need to be able to handle overwhelming loads in short amounts of time.

You stated you are already spending a substantial amount of time in undergrad bio and chem. Courses while at the zenith of your academic potential. Most likely this means you will need to spend much more time in med school to be able to survive. If you are willing to do this, and are confident that doing the work is not an issue then you should be fine. Honestly, if you feel doing 3 times the amount of work you are doing now is not doable, then your concerns are valid and you should not embark in this journey.

Although many other, well-intentioned, people may paint you a rosy horizon and ask that you just stay positive, the truth is this, you will have to work WAY harder in med school. Ask anyone who is there or has been there. Most sincere best regards while you make the best decision.

 

[SmoothER]

you don't have to be brilliant to be a doctor. from what it sounds like, the first two years of medical school consist mainly of rote memorization. you've got to work a lot, but you don't have to be a genius to do well. also, most students don't fail. once in, schools do their hardest to keep you there. even if you fail a class or two, you can remediate. but, that probably won't happen.

If I failed a class or two, I'd probably drop out due to humiliation+anger. To be honset, I'm probably not even "smart" by the conventionally accepted definition of the word. I understand that you don't have to be brilliant to pass med school courses. However, I'm guessing that you do have to be able to deal with a vast quantity of information in a relatively short period of time. I just don't think I have the intellect to pass med school courses. And I really don't think that the faculty at these med schools are nearly as forgiving/understanding as they're being depicted in this thread. Something tells me that the attitude of the faculty will be similar to the attitudes of faculty in undergraduate insitutions. Namely, "If you fail, it's your own fault for not working hard enough." What these "professors" don't understand is that people can study for every single waking moment of their lives (just take your notse and textbook into the bathroom with you and learn how to flip pages of a notebook while also feeding yourself with the other hand) and still manage to fail. Even at the elite schools like Princeton and MIT, SOME poor group of students have to finish at the bottom of those curves in those chem classes. Namely, someone has to fail in these classes. This doesn't mean those students are lazy. They were admitted to those schools specifically because they demonstrated excellent work ethic throughout high school. Point being, I just don't think I have what it takes.

 

[QofQuimica]

Point being, I just don't think I have what it takes.

Are you trying to convince us or yourself? Why do you want to go to medical school? Maybe you should start by figuring out what your goals are, and then you can figure out how best to get to them.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Oh, I'm very glad you asked that. I had to STRUGGLE for Bs in certain classes (mainly chem classes). I haven't taken orgo yet but something tells me that's going to be trench warfare also. This tells me that perhaps I'm not cut out for med school and it's possible that I just don't have what it takes to get through.

SmoothER, you're asking a serious question and it deserves to be treated with respect. I'm just surprised that I haven't already seen what I'm about to write.

Medical school is a crap-shoot for most of us. I took all of my prerequisites at night and it was very tough at times. Also, I applied at age 43 - which took some faith. By the time I actually applied, I had invested nearly two years of my life, several thousand dollars, and everybody I work with knew I was applying to medical school (so my career was damaged). I was accepted less than 2 weeks ago. Now, I'm walking away from a very secure, well-paying job that I enjoyed and probably could have kept for the rest of my working life. Will I be successful in medical school? I think so, but there are no guarantees.

Until the day the acceptance letter came, none of us knew for certain whether the premed courses, the heartbreak, the hours, and the money we'd invested was in vain or not. Some people ultimately won't be successful. There's only one way to find out - keep trying! I made up my mind that I would regret it the rest of my life if I didn't give my dream of medicine everything I had (after thinking about it for 10 years) - and I knew right up front that my chances were not necessarily good - but I decided that I was going to make it or fail with dignity, knowing I'd done my best.

If you have half A's and half B's, you have a BCPM of 3.5 - more than good enough halfway through. Will Orgo be tougher than Gen Chem? For many people, it is. It's not impossibly hard, but it will take up time. If you need extra study time to master material - try to get a light schedule to go with your first Orgo. I just think you need some "grit" and a determination to keep going regardless of the outcome - because you have a passion for medicine. The science can be challenging at times - but I thinking getting into medical school requires more focus, vision, and a healthy stubborn streak than it requires brilliance. If you can search your heart and find the "right stuff", you'll be just fine.

Sincere good luck to you.

 

[OddNath]

I'm pretty much repeating what other posters have said, but yeah, don't worry about predicting your hypothetical med school performance now. Just try your best in organic chem and see how you do on the MCAT. If those go decently well, then apply, by all means.

From what I've taken (and heard about other classes), you don't need to know much chemistry (or virtually any physics) to do well med school courses. I personally made plenty of B's in my pre-req classes (though I guess I could've worked much harder), and it's going fine now.

Just take a deep breath! (and exhale slowly) You're doing fine.

 

[Callogician]

...I just don't think I have what it takes.

I am a first year med student, and I was about to type out a lengthy, detailed response, but I injured my right middle finger while pacing about the room and deliberating my response. If you'd like to hear what I have to say, give me a call:

(310) 903-7188

 

[RubberDuckie7]

SDN Community,

I'm trying to figure out whether I should actually be considering med school as an option at this point. My major question is, if I'm actually admitted, would I even be able to pass the classes once I'm enrolled? My reasoning is, there is no point in even spending more time, energy, years of life, and countless dollars if I just fail out of a med school after the first semester/year. The standard response to this question is, "If the adcom admits you, then you have what it takes to get through." However, I really do NOT believe this at all because countless med students have told me that a minority of people do fail exams (especially in the first block) and then have to make some sort of arrangement with the faculty to retake exams/classes so they don't get kicked out and wonder why they took out $XX,XXX in loans to pay for that first year.

I'm assuming people will want to know what my stats are so I'll just post it. I have a 3.6 overall GPA and I have no idea what my "BCPM" GPA is because I'm a humanities major and I've only taken about 6 science classes thus far. The grades in those classes are about an even split between As and Bs. These grades are from a top 25 undergrad school (as ranked by US News & World Report). I haven't taken the MCAT yet. My worst nightmare is that I'm admitted somewhere, and then I just fail out after the first semester/year. I'll also be saddled with debt given that I'd have to take out loans to pay for that year. I've wanted to be a doctor since about age 13 but now I'm wondering whether this is the right track for me and I'd really like to catch a huge life mistake before it occurs. Any help would be much appreciated.

I don't think the question should be whether you have what it takes to do well in med school, I think the question should be whether you have what it takes to be a good physician. Are you confident that after years of med school and residency that you are capable of making life and death decisions? Would you be able to stay calm when performing surgery/procedures? I think the decision to become a doctor should take into consideration whether you have the intelligence/critical thinking ability; whether you have the drive; and whether you have the confidence in yourself. If you only have problems memorizing things, like much of what you'll have to do in the first and second year, then that's not that big of a deal. But if you have problems handling stress and are incapable of thinking critically, then being a physian might not be the best choice. Good luck with your decision.

It sounds like you are doing well in school so far.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

If I failed a class or two, I'd probably drop out due to humiliation+anger. To be honset, I'm probably not even "smart" by the conventionally accepted definition of the word. I understand that you don't have to be brilliant to pass med school courses. However, I'm guessing that you do have to be able to deal with a vast quantity of information in a relatively short period of time. I just don't think I have the intellect to pass med school courses. And I really don't think that the faculty at these med schools are nearly as forgiving/understanding as they're being depicted in this thread. Something tells me that the attitude of the faculty will be similar to the attitudes of faculty in undergraduate insitutions. Namely, "If you fail, it's your own fault for not working hard enough." What these "professors" don't understand is that people can study for every single waking moment of their lives (just take your notse and textbook into the bathroom with you and learn how to flip pages of a notebook while also feeding yourself with the other hand) and still manage to fail. Even at the elite schools like Princeton and MIT, SOME poor group of students have to finish at the bottom of those curves in those chem classes. Namely, someone has to fail in these classes. This doesn't mean those students are lazy. They were admitted to those schools specifically because they demonstrated excellent work ethic throughout high school. Point being, I just don't think I have what it takes.

i've got a few suggestions for you, but none of them are academic because i don't think that's your issue (yes, i'll acknowledge i'm not an expert in anything 😉 ). it seems like your making global assumptions about your ability to do well in medical school based on your performance in a few premed classes in subjects that honestly will likely never haunt you again after the mcat. however, when a person goes down this whole low self esteem road, lots of times they're not being rational. can you see how you're being maybe a little irrational here? the average mcat for matriculated students at allopathic schools is around a 3.6, which would allow a student to make a fair amount of b's. very few medical students don't graduate, so these b's that you're making in a few classes probably say very little about your ability to succeed in medical school. i'm not trying to be critical here because i do this myself, but it's a really great tool to be able to step back and examine if your feelings of inadequacy have merit (usually they don't 🙂 ).

if you think you'd really drop out of school out of humiliation or anger over failing a class, then that's something to work on. does your school have free counseling? if so, you might want to check it out. dealing with failure is one of the hardest things about being an adult, but i think we're all confronted with it at some point.

for some basic tools to work through the inadequacy feelings, check out the book "feeling good" by david burns (not entirely sure i have the right author). it has tools to fight back all this negative self talk and to deal with malignant perfectionism.

 

[medicalbound]

SDN Community,

I'm trying to figure out whether I should actually be considering med school as an option at this point. My major question is, if I'm actually admitted, would I even be able to pass the classes once I'm enrolled? My reasoning is, there is no point in even spending more time, energy, years of life, and countless dollars if I just fail out of a med school after the first semester/year. The standard response to this question is, "If the adcom admits you, then you have what it takes to get through." However, I really do NOT believe this at all because countless med students have told me that a minority of people do fail exams (especially in the first block) and then have to make some sort of arrangement with the faculty to retake exams/classes so they don't get kicked out and wonder why they took out $XX,XXX in loans to pay for that first year.

I'm assuming people will want to know what my stats are so I'll just post it. I have a 3.6 overall GPA and I have no idea what my "BCPM" GPA is because I'm a humanities major and I've only taken about 6 science classes thus far. The grades in those classes are about an even split between As and Bs. These grades are from a top 25 undergrad school (as ranked by US News & World Report). I haven't taken the MCAT yet. My worst nightmare is that I'm admitted somewhere, and then I just fail out after the first semester/year. I'll also be saddled with debt given that I'd have to take out loans to pay for that year. I've wanted to be a doctor since about age 13 but now I'm wondering whether this is the right track for me and I'd really like to catch a huge life mistake before it occurs. Any help would be much appreciated.

As with any aspect of life, you can "what if" yourself to death; I think your concerns are premature. Part of the undergrad prerequisites for medical school are to in fact determine if you have the ability to handle the rigors of the training. It sounds like you are off to an good start, so it just comes down to you deciding if you want to go for it. You still have a lot of time to reconsider, so I suggest doing what you can to improve your studying skills and keep at it. If you decide later that you don't want to pursue medicine you are no worse off (sans a little time and money). I doubt that you will feel the same if you successfully navigate the prereqs, MCAT, and admissions process. And like many others have said, you don't have to be brilliant, you just have to be strong and willing to work for it.

 

[silas2642]

I'm responding to this because you remind me of myself along with countless other pre-meds.

First let me start off by saying that there are no guarantees in this game. It is true that there are two applicants for every seat available in medical school, that admissions is kind of a crapshoot, and that there is a fair chance that at the end of the day you will end up empty handed. However, I can say that if you don't take the mcats, if you don't do the pre-reqs, and if you don't apply to medical school at all, you have a 100% chance of not getting in.

It's rough, I know, but if this is your dream then more likely than not you're going to be successful. You just need to get yourself together, focus and really work at it. I didn't think I was going to be able to do this either, I figured I wasn't smart enough, but now I'm in at my first choice school.

Here's something that one of the mods, a current medical student, wrote to me when I was freaking out about flunking out of medical school now that I've been accepted.

"Hi there,
If you were accepted into medical school, you have the brain power to get through. Most people flunk out of medical school or fail a test in medical school because something prevents them from putting in the time that it takes to master the material. This can be distractions, illness or just plain procrastination.

Contrary to popular belief, it does not take a "brilliant" mind to get through medical school and do well. I have never scored higher than 100 on the Stanford-Binet IQ tests. I did very well in medical school and very well on the USMLE Steps. I was a good student (disciplined) who put in the study time with few distractions. The material is very interesting because after all, medicine was what I wanted to study at the time. Everything builds upon your foundations of first and second year.

Getting "pimped" and missing a question on rounds is NOT the end of the world. Sometimes, your thinking is flawed and sometimes you just do not know. Admit your ignorance and move on. (Be sure to read if the problem is just a lack of knowledge). Also be aware that attendings will often ask questions that do not have answers so keep the "bull" to a minimum.

Medical school is all about getting the volume of information intergrated and mastered. It is a constant challenge but it is not that bad at all. If I can do it, anyone and I mean anyone with half a brain, can get through. After the first week of classes, most people get away from thinking that everyone in the class is "brilliant" and generally get about the business of getting the information mastered.

Once the tests start coming, you get pretty efficient about knowing how much time you need to devote to each class. For me, I thought I was always rushed during first year. When I got to second year, I realized how much time I actually had free during first year because second year built upon that foundation.

Rather than panic at this point, put all of your energy into: 1. getting into the best physical condition that you can muster (makes you more efficient). 2. Catch up on your trashy novels, movies, telly etc. because you will have to let these things go once class starts 3. Go somewhere exotic, warm and relaxing. Vacation time is golden even if it is for four hours on a Saturday.

Don't let anyone in your class "psych you out" about THEIR brilliance and YOUR deficiencies. You are all dead even and you all have the same capabilities to master the material. Those who usually boast about their brilliance are usually the most insecure. Nothing other than adjusting to the volume of material is difficult in medical school. You are just as likely as the next person to rack up a string of honors. You are your only competition so strive to do better and better.

Finally, you can really ENJOY the experience and make some great relationships. You are really going to find yourself laughing most of the time. It really isn't torture.

njbmd "

If this is really what you want to do with your life and your heart is in it for the right reasons, then go for it. Going for it and failing is far better than never trying at all-- not trying will guarantee failure.

 

[drmota]

an M1 friend recently told me that his first semester of med school was not as hard as some semesters of college, if that makes you feel any better.
-mota

 

[excalibur]

Dude, you need some self-confidence. Many, if not all students get a feeling of "what if I can't cut it" before entering medical school. What you're feeling is normal. Yes, a small percentage of students don't do well in med school, but most do fine. So why continue thinking that you'll be in the minority and fail?? Also, at my school (and I believe most schools), they don't want to see you struggle. They DO care if you're not doing well. They DO understand that you could have been studying everyday and still fail. Some students have to study everyday just to get by. They know this. But the professors do care and offer help. They talk to you and try to locate where the problem lies.

Also, do you honestly think that all the people who have gotten accepted before you had a higher "aptitude" as you put it. You need to get rid of this feeling that everyone else can do it, but I'm not sure about me. You need the EYE OF THE TIGER, man. If they did it, I can do it. If I want to do it, I'm gonna make it happen. Instead of worrying how much tougher everything is gonna be in med school, and if you can cut it, just focus on your current classes and the process of getting into med school. EVERYBODY has to face the challenge of studying more material in med school. It's just true that there is substantially more material in med school than college. But you make it sound like all the people graduating from med school have this super human ability that you fail to possess. Give me a break. We all do the same thing in med school. We study more often, we get help from teachers and upperclassmen on what's the best way to study for the classes, and we go from there.

So do me a favor It's time to start acknowledging that these "doubts" are normal, but please man, you gotta have more belief in yourself and your abilities that you'll be able to handle the rigors of med school just like the countless others who have before you, mainly because they were NO DIFFERENT than you one year prior to entering med school. Out.

 

[DrBowtie]

Med School has like a 95+% graduation rate. I'll take those odds.

 

[jbone]

Are you trying to convince us or yourself? Why do you want to go to medical school? Maybe you should start by figuring out what your goals are, and then you can figure out how best to get to them.

I agree. You need to have a love and desire to make it through medical school. Decide what you really want to do in life and go for it. If it's medicine then hit it with all that you have. You'll be fine. Keep your head up! 👍

 

[dynx]

if you're this much of a pansy now I would say give up.
Anyone w/ good enough numbers to get in can hack it as far as smarts goes. The reason people fail out is lack of motivation/personal problems/psych issues. You seem to fall into that catagory. Save us all the trouble and dont apply.

 

[UCDavisdude]

SDN Community,

I'm trying to figure out whether I should actually be considering med school as an option at this point. My major question is, if I'm actually admitted, would I even be able to pass the classes once I'm enrolled? My reasoning is, there is no point in even spending more time, energy, years of life, and countless dollars if I just fail out of a med school after the first semester/year. The standard response to this question is, "If the adcom admits you, then you have what it takes to get through." However, I really do NOT believe this at all because countless med students have told me that a minority of people do fail exams (especially in the first block) and then have to make some sort of arrangement with the faculty to retake exams/classes so they don't get kicked out and wonder why they took out $XX,XXX in loans to pay for that first year.

I'm assuming people will want to know what my stats are so I'll just post it. I have a 3.6 overall GPA and I have no idea what my "BCPM" GPA is because I'm a humanities major and I've only taken about 6 science classes thus far. The grades in those classes are about an even split between As and Bs. These grades are from a top 25 undergrad school (as ranked by US News & World Report). I haven't taken the MCAT yet. My worst nightmare is that I'm admitted somewhere, and then I just fail out after the first semester/year. I'll also be saddled with debt given that I'd have to take out loans to pay for that year. I've wanted to be a doctor since about age 13 but now I'm wondering whether this is the right track for me and I'd really like to catch a huge life mistake before it occurs. Any help would be much appreciated.

My advice: go listen to bjork, she'll make you think of things in positive ways......

 

[Pretty POHA]

If I failed a class or two, I'd probably drop out due to humiliation+anger. To be honset, I'm probably not even "smart" by the conventionally accepted definition of the word. I understand that you don't have to be brilliant to pass med school courses. However, I'm guessing that you do have to be able to deal with a vast quantity of information in a relatively short period of time. I just don't think I have the intellect to pass med school courses. And I really don't think that the faculty at these med schools are nearly as forgiving/understanding as they're being depicted in this thread. Something tells me that the attitude of the faculty will be similar to the attitudes of faculty in undergraduate insitutions. Namely, "If you fail, it's your own fault for not working hard enough." What these "professors" don't understand is that people can study for every single waking moment of their lives (just take your notse and textbook into the bathroom with you and learn how to flip pages of a notebook while also feeding yourself with the other hand) and still manage to fail. Even at the elite schools like Princeton and MIT, SOME poor group of students have to finish at the bottom of those curves in those chem classes. Namely, someone has to fail in these classes. This doesn't mean those students are lazy. They were admitted to those schools specifically because they demonstrated excellent work ethic throughout high school. Point being, I just don't think I have what it takes.

Success is 95% effort, 4% situational, and 1% aptitude. You may question yourself, but I'm betting that the others around you have faith in your work! If you had the discipline to sit down and study 4-6 hours for studying to get the highest grade you can get in one of your classes, then that's awesome, good for you for putting the required effort into it. You busted your ass, and you got an above average grade-- even if it was a B!
Say you have to bust your ass even more in medical school. You're obviously not stupid, and you obviously have the drive and determination. So what if it takes hard WORK to succeed? The pay off will be so amazing for you! I think that the people who really work hard to earn their goals appreciate their success that much more!

 

[SmoothER]

Success is 95% effort, 4% situational, and 1% aptitude. You may question yourself, but I'm betting that the others around you have faith in your work! If you had the discipline to sit down and study 4-6 hours for studying to get the highest grade you can get in one of your classes, then that's awesome, good for you for putting the required effort into it. You busted your ass, and you got an above average grade-- even if it was a B!
Say you have to bust your ass even more in medical school. You're obviously not stupid, and you obviously have the drive and determination. So what if it takes hard WORK to succeed? The pay off will be so amazing for you! I think that the people who really work hard to earn their goals appreciate their success that much more!

Well, what I'm worried about is that if it took 4-6 hours of studying just to study for and earn a B in an undergraduate class...how could I possibly pass a med school class? If I had to study every waking moment just to pass science classes in undergrad...how am I supposed to get through med school? Given that the workload is only gonna increase 1000x, how am I supposed to pass med school classes if I had to study every waking moment just to get a mediocre grade in undergrad classes? I'm at a loss here. I don't know what to do. I probably lack the aptitude to be a physician but I really don't want to pursue any other career. I've wanted to be a physician since age 13, but I had no idea back then that I lacked the intelligence to actually make it through med school. In high school, I finished at the top of my class and scored very well on a slew of AP exams. After I scored a 5 on the AP Biology exam, I erroneously thought that I was actually good at biology and that I could handle the biology curriculum in college. Needless to say, general biology at my college was a rude awakening. I studied endlessly, only to get a B at the end of the course. Yes, a B is not a disaster nor is it the end of the world. But given how many hours of studying I put in, it's just an embarrassment. Looking back on those courses, all I did was study for mediocre grades. I could have been out enjoying life and having fun with friends. Instead, I was cooped up in a library wading through pages of biology and chem textbooks...so I could earn a mediocre grade at the end of the term. All of those hours POURED into those classes...for nothing. I could have been out enjoying life...chucking around the football on the quad with friends, playing my favorite sport (tennis), participating in extracurricular activities, etc etc. Those hours could have been spent in MUCH better ways. Instead, they were spent struggling for mediocre grades that certainly won't impress any med school adcoms. I doubt any med school admissions committee is impressed with a B in general chemistry.

 

[p00psicleSTICK]

Get more confidence dude, and you'll be fine. 👍