Anyone else feel like this?

[tik-tik-clock]

Does any of you guys feel like your premed years are all about yourself. I feel that I am selfish, I speak to people only in the pre med organizations. I have no other life. I am friends only with my books. There are groups on campus that walk together, study together etc. sometimes I feel I should be walking in groups too. But then I have no friends at all and that I do everything by myself and for myself.

Does anyone else feel like I do?

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[susan96]

No, not at all. Yes, I did study a lot, but I had plenty of opportunity to go out and party and do other stuff. I never really talked about being pre-med, and a lot of people were surprised when I told them I was going to school next year. I guess I don't want to be placed in that "pre-med" group, and I especially hate when people judge you or make you feel bad by asking you questions about why you didn't get an interview at this top 10 and blah blah...so I guess my experience being pre-med is different because it's been sort of my alter-ego, haha

 

[synapse lapse]

I don't feel that way at all either. Sure, I have plenty of premed friends, and we certainly talk about going into medicine, but that is not my life. Most of my friends are not even in any way related to medicine, some don't even go to college and do more artsy type stuff. Of course, these are friends I have had since before college, so I guess that has something to do with it. BUt my friends in college are a very diverse group as well. I also help otehrs out with my med school info, so don't feel selfish at all. Try and discover that there is more to life than school.

 

[tik-tik-clock]

 

[HumptyDumpty]

Does any of you guys feel like your premed years are all about yourself. I feel that I am selfish, I speak to people only in the pre med organizations. I have no other life. I am friends only with my books. There are groups on campus that walk together, study together etc. sometimes I feel I should be walking in groups too. But then I have no friends at all and that I do everything by myself and for myself.

Does anyone else feel like I do?

I hear you, tik-tik. Being pre-med seems to almost imply being at least a little competitive and individualistic during undergrad, and it's so ironic considering we're trying to get into a field that is dependent on cooperation and the team. But I think it sort of comes with the territory, and you've just gotta do what you can to find friends and groups of people w/ whom you can be comfortable. I do think it helps sometimes to have friends outside of the pre-med community, as susan and Alexander have already mentioned.

 

[lulubean]

i didn't really feel like that my pre-med years (which from my gpa you can see i didn't take too seriously) but this past year, with mcats and applying, i definitely feel your pain. i am always swamped, whether its with mcat studying, amcas, secondaries, interviews... i really miss my friends and going out all the time...

anyways, i totally understand how you feel, in fact i am sure most of us do, but don't want to admit it... anyway, hang in there! just think of how exciting life is going to be again once we start med school!

 

[slickb12]

Does any of you guys feel like your premed years are all about yourself. I feel that I am selfish, I speak to people only in the pre med organizations. I have no other life. I am friends only with my books. There are groups on campus that walk together, study together etc. sometimes I feel I should be walking in groups too. But then I have no friends at all and that I do everything by myself and for myself.

Does anyone else feel like I do?

Hey there,
Chin up. Obviously, becoming a doctor is important to you. Unfortunately, I think that this desire has overcome you to a point that is beyond healthy. What may be even worse, this obsession may actually hinder your chances at medical school admissions. College is about life experience; and if you don't gather any because you spend too much time with your o-chem books, this will probably come in at some point in the application process--perhaps the PS, but I imagine in the interview moreso. Enjoy yourself! I have had a blast in college and have had nothing but success in the admissions process. I know others who might be considered to be in similar situations like you, and many have not faired well in this process. You owe it to yourself to get out of the study room and enjoy the sunshine! Don't lose your desire, but don't lose sight of what a doctor (generally speaking) is: an altruistic, friendly person that wants to do something that matters.

 

[45408]

Yeah, sometimes I'm one of the few people in the library studying while other people are out and about, but I have to get stuff done. That said, most of my friends aren't pre-med (but plenty of them are interested in PhDs or pharmacy, etc). I talk to lots of my friends throughout the day, and I talk to my girlfriend quite a lot too (an RN).

 

[NontradICUdoc]

I am not sure what year in school you and I am certainly not talking from experience because I am going to be throught the applications process very soon. But many schools want to see that you have extra curricular activities. This does several things. For one, it allows you to get a break from studies. It is not healthy to be all books all the time. You will run into burnout real quick. It can get so bad that if you do get into medical school you may be so burned out from studying that you will drop out and hate the experience.

The other reason for the activities is that it makes you well rounded. You get different experiences. You will meet new people and you may even enjoy it.

you need to give the body and the mind a rest. Do yourself a favor and devote sometime this semester to joining any club other than science or pre-med. You may find that you will enjoy it and it will certainly be to your benefit.

 

[Avenue Q]

i didn't really feel like that my pre-med years (which from my gpa you can see i didn't take too seriously) but this past year, with mcats and applying, i definitely feel your pain. i am always swamped, whether its with mcat studying, amcas, secondaries, interviews... i really miss my friends and going out all the time...

anyways, i totally understand how you feel, in fact i am sure most of us do, but don't want to admit it... anyway, hang in there! just think of how exciting life is going to be again once we start med school!

Lulubean - I just looked at your profile and see that we have a lot of overlap. I worked at PPNYC, and am a rape/dv hotline counselor and advocate (i'm on call as i type this). way cool

 

[Ross434]

I disagree with some of the people here. i dont think you have to socialize in order to be "rounded" enough to get into med school. I dont have a strong group of friends (heck, i dont even talk to anyone) here at my school, Most of my relaxation time is spent on sdn or with science books. Yeah being obsessive about pre-med can be stressful, but, then again, friends can be too. Dont feel pressured to live a certain way to meet other people's standards or to fit in. If you can handle being alone, dont worry about socializing. If you're really stressed out by not talking to people, then just go out and make friends. Either way, get good grades and do some volunteering. How social you are (in terms of how outgoing or party-like) doesnt really have much to do with getting in to med school, so long as you have a good resume and can talk to your interviewer.

 

[stifler]

I feel like I'm one of the few ppl at school doing premed, so I have all these labs (21 hours this semester) and all my friends have the standard 12 hours. I am annoyed when I have to go to lab, but other than that I still have a normal life. Woke up in my bed with a random girl last night, so I guess socially I'm still fine. Maybe when I take orgo, I'll have my orgo book when I wake up. Hope not though.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Rest the body as well as the mind or you will most undoubtedly suffer burnout. Trust me.

 

[lulubean]

Lulubean - I just looked at your profile and see that we have a lot of overlap. I worked at PPNYC, and am a rape/dv hotline counselor and advocate (i'm on call as i type this). way cool

that's awesome! are you still in new york? good luck with the med school process!

 

[cowgirl]

I disagree with some of the people here. i dont think you have to socialize in order to be "rounded" enough to get into med school. I dont have a strong group of friends (heck, i dont even talk to anyone) here at my school, Most of my relaxation time is spent on sdn or with science books. Yeah being obsessive about pre-med can be stressful, but, then again, friends can be too. Dont feel pressured to live a certain way to meet other people's standards or to fit in. If you can handle being alone, dont worry about socializing. If you're really stressed out by not talking to people, then just go out and make friends. Either way, get good grades and do some volunteering. How social you are (in terms of how outgoing or party-like) doesnt really have much to do with getting in to med school, so long as you have a good resume and can talk to your interviewer.

ugh....here he goes again.

 

[DieselPetrolGrl]

no
..i am not the problem in my pre-med world..the problem is that my support structure is small and does not worship me fully.
IF it isnt indeed about me who is it about??? you!?? ha? tell me!