Any MS1 or 2 slackers NOT get their gluteus maximi handed to them 3rd/4th year?

[ttac]

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Hi all,
Well, it's almost the end of my first year here, and I am SERIOUSLY worried that what worked for me this year is going to come back and bite me in the butt when I start clinical rotations.

Basically, I did pretty well, thanks to verbatim lecture notes and lecture videotapes, but overall, I was pretty lazy. If I didn't feel like going to an 8am class, well, then I slept in. I went out pretty frequently. I occasionally skipped gross lab 😱

I'm curious if there are any 3rd/4th years who had a difficult time making the adjustment from the preclinical years, when they pretty much could make their schedule?

The way I see it, there are alot of really HARD workers at my school. They go to every class, study their butts off, and have a heck of alot of self-discipline. Let's just say that at times, I can be a little lacking in the latter compartment. 😛 😛

So I'm thinking that I'm going to have to give myself a year (ie 2nd year) to get out of this slacker mode and start going to all my classes (yes, even the morning ones 😱 😱 ) and studying my ass off. That way, when I HAVE to get up at 4AM for a surgery rotation, I'll have the self-discipline to do it.

Any thoughts? Anyone find it a HUGE adjustment? a manageable one? comments from med students in the clinical years and beyond are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
ttac

 

[ttac]

Alright... Due to the overwhelming response to this thread, I have decided that by adding the word "NOT" in the title, I might get some responses... after all... who in their right mind would want to admit (on a semi-public forum) that not only were they slackers in their first two years, but they also got their asses handed to them the next two years?

It was difficult enough for me to finally admit that I was a slacker... I don't think I could admit to both at once 😛

Alright everyone, let's hear those anecdotes...

Don't y'all speak up at once, now, ya hear?

ttac

 

[Fletch_F_Fletch]

You don't sound like that much of a slacker to me. For instance, if I see that we have class at 8 am, I don't even bother to set the alarm. I skipped gross lab often, even taking week long vacations in the middle of the semester to get out of Boston. I did just fine. The way I see it, if third year you will be in the hospital all the time, why not go out and enjoy yourself as much as possible your first two years? You have the rest of your life to work hard, why start now if you don't have to.

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

As a slacker myself during the pre-clinical years of med school (I'd estimate I went to 50% of classes), I kicked butt in the clinical years. 3rd year is much more like a job and its much more interesting than just reading and taking tests. You get involved in patient care and things you learn stick because you see them in real life instead of just theoretical. Also, much of the grading during the clinical years is subjective by residents and attendings and being a social person with good people skills goes a long way. That being said, if you end up being a slacker in the hospital and not doing your share of work, your grade will suffer. For me, I felt for the first time like I was doing something productive so I worked much harder.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Moving to Clinical Rotations where it might get more response.

 

[ttac]

Originally posted by Fletch_F_Fletch
You don't sound like that much of a slacker to me. For instance, if I see that we have class at 8 am, I don't even bother to set the alarm. I skipped gross lab often, even taking week long vacations in the middle of the semester to get out of Boston. I did just fine. The way I see it, if third year you will be in the hospital all the time, why not go out and enjoy yourself as much as possible your first two years? You have the rest of your life to work hard, why start now if you don't have to.

Nooooooooooo!!!! I'm not a slacker? C'mon, please? 😀

So I take it that the slacker habits you cultivated during your first 2 years were not so deeply seated that you were unable to get up at 4am for surgery rotations?

That's good to know. I still think I'll crank it up a couple of notches for next year... maybe I'll come back a year from now and bump this thread after I get my board scores back...

ttac

 

[soon2bdoc2003]

I was a hardcore slacker as an ms1-2, i took 3 months to study for step 1 and never looked back from there. As much as I loved clinicals and dare i say i even enjoyed studying for boards, I HATED feeling like a lame-o college student during pre-clinicals. I hate lectures, labs, and all the worthless classes they force us to take. Just make sure you blow setp 1 out of the water and nobody will ever question your basic science knowledge.

 

[Square Pants]

Beware the concept of "BRANDING". If 1st or 2nd year faculty know you as a slacker, they may informally speak with 3rd and 4th year faculty who will in turn brand you a slacker even before you ever step foot in the hospital. This can happen especially when clinical faculty give 1st and 2nd year lectures.
Also, a student's reputation tends to go with him/her to the next rotation as well, for better or worse. Faculty speak with each other all the time. Get branded as a "strong student" early on, and you can cruise through 4th year.

 

[Crusher]

I wouldn't say i was a total slacker because I did study a lot, just NEVER went to a class or lab (not even gross).

Adjusting to 3rd year was a bit tough. I was used to sleeping in, studying and still going out at night and I was still kicking butt in my classes.

But after you resign to not having control over your hours and your just not gonna have the best social life sometimes, it all falls into place

 

[ttac]

Thanks for the replies.
Yeah, my usage of the word 'slacker' was probably a bit extreme, but I wanted to get my point across. Right now I admit to having a _slight_ problem with discipline, at least compared to my classmates, so I have been working on that aspect.

I also think I got a decent idea about what to expect after reading this thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68129

Square Pants: Can you elaborate a bit on how faculty would know you were a 'slacker' during your first and second years? I mean, nobody takes attendance at lectures or anything.

Thanks,
ttac

 

[fourthyear]

At my school, basic science faculty don't communicate too much with clinical faculty, so I don't know if I'd worry about that too much.

I found going to lectures a waste of time the first two years and preferred to spend my day studying on my own. I was pretty disciplined though, as I still got up early enough to begin studying by 9am on weekdays, earlier if it was close to test time. If you don't learn much from class, I'd suggest this approach 2nd year to break yourself into having a morning routine (even though it is later than you'll start on most rotations, it's still a good routine). If you force yourself to go to class, then sleep or daydream thru it, that won't do you any good at all.

Even though many of my classmates fit that profile you give of going out most nights, skipping class, I can only think of less than 5 people who ended up looking like slackers on the rotations, and that's more because of thier attitude while they were there. If you're always acting disinterested, trying to sneak out and leave early, or disappear to home while on in-house call, you will get caught and look bad, but very few people actually do that b/c you are in a team relationship with others and most people have enough decency to not leave their work at the hospital for others to do. Not to mention the decency to not compromise patient care by not getting things done! Your work at the hospital will feel much more important to you than studying basic science - you'll finally be doing what you went to med school for. As long as you're the type of person who has generally done well at your previous jobs (even part-time minimum wage jobs), works well with a team, and acts interested in patient care and learning how to diagnose and treat, you will do great on your clinical rotations.

 

[madcadaver]

Slacking in year 1 will have few long-term effects.

Slacking in year 2 probably won't affect you too much in year 3 (assuming you don't continue to slack in your clinical rotations), but it may make studying for step 1 a lot more grueling.

 

[Thewonderer]

When you HAVE to wake up at 4am, then you WILL wake up at 4am. Once you get thrown into the mix of things, you will respond.

I don't think that the issue is being a slacker or not. The issue is how responsible are you toward your own education and your future patients.

The whole third year is about being responsible (be there if asked by the resident, be there when you are on-call, do things that help your classmates, etc.). Oftentimes, grades are subjective and if you are the type who is concerned about grades only, then you will get upset (i.e. the evaluation does not come back the same as you expected or residents seem to favor your fellow classmates who suck up but don't do much work). And if you are only concerned about grades, you also run the risk of skipping calls (whenver you can get away without being noticed by the busy interns) to study and thereby incur the wrath of your classmates who do not have input into your grades but have to do scut works while you hide away with your books.

The best attitude is to show up and help out as much as you can. And use your own judgement. If it is within your ability and responsiblity, then stay and help out. But realize if something is not educational, then do ask residents to excuse yourself to leave so you can study, sleep, relax or whatever. So at least at the end of rotation, you feel that you have learned something for your own and your future patients' sakes. Being a slacker or not is irrelevant. If you are a responsible person, then you will adapt to the various degrees of demand.

 

[Doc Ivy]

Ok, so now I'm confused.

Do you scut, or do you study?

While running around doing mindless errands is not the highest use of your time. In theory I don't know if alienating residents by always leaving to pursue your educational goals is serving your purpose either.

Can someone clarify?

 

[Thewonderer]

Originally posted by Doc Ivy
Ok, so now I'm confused.

Do you scut, or do you study?

While running around doing mindless errands is not the highest use of your time. In theory I don't know if alienating residents by always leaving to pursue your educational goals is serving your purpose either.

Can someone clarify?

I was waiting for others to answer your question. but since no one else did, I will take it upon myself to answer my own question.

What you asked is very valid and that's why the clinical year stresses a lot of people out. The simple answer is that you have to find a good balance between scuts and studying. But that is very very very difficulty to do!!!!

In the beginning, you will bound be scared of the residents and are unsure about everything, from how to round to where you should stand in the OR. Later on, as you become more comfortable, you will need to be more actively and ask what each team expects out of you (every resident and attending has different expectations). BUT at the same time, understand what you want to get out of each rotation educationally. Help out as much as you can. But when you know you MIGHT not be needed, don't be shy and politedly ask the residents to be excused (I am not saying that you should scrub out of an OR case when it is past 7pm but if you see only gastric tube placements coming on a saturday afternoon and you have assisted in a couple already, don't be afraid to ask).

Honestly, it is difficult to describe this attitude unless you personally experience it by being on the wards 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No matter how much clinical experience you get in the basic science years, they will NOT prepare you for what you will see on the floor!!! I guarantee. So the best thing is to enjoy the free time you have during the basic science years and worry about these issues later when you have to face them.

By the way, which part of Canada r u from originally?

 

[Doc Ivy]

Western Canada, born in Calgary --home of the 1988 Winter Olympics and now living in Vancouver...

Peace ~ Doc

 

[Thewonderer]

Originally posted by Doc Ivy
Western Canada, born in Calgary --home of the 1988 Winter Olympics and now living in Vancouver...

Peace ~ Doc

cool. so i guess you were down in the states for a while, went back to canada and coming down south again.

enjoy your last free summer 🙂