Anyone ever get OVERWHELMED at the amount of commitment?

[jmin]

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So here's the thing. Most of us here - we love science, we're relatively intelligent (or at least hard working!), we find medicine interesting, and goddammit, we're going to be a doctor!

On our pre-med journey, our most significant worry is that we won't be accepted to Medical School. But do any of you guys ever think about life after acceptance?

Let's assume we're not non-trad.
We will be in our early-to-mid 20s when we start medical school.
Once we're accepted, we will spend the first two years literally living in our rooms or in the library, studying ~40 hours a week.

After two grueling years, we will spend another year living in the hospital, on rotations.

During this time we will have very little time for ourselves, our parents, our friends, and our SOs. Even when we're spending time with them, we might be stressed from past exams, upcoming exams, rotations, etc.

Finally, during 4th year, we'll get a slight break.

But then it will start all over again in residency, which is anywhere from 3-7 years, from what I understand. During residency, many of us will work ~80 hours a week. As expected, we will be incompetent during our residencies, but our incompetence will often be a point of derogation from attendings and nurses. Most residencies will be brutal.

While we might love medicine, from what I can tell, medicine is a 24/7 COMMITMENT for 7+ years of our lives, and needless to say, it's no easy commitment.

And I can't help but wonder, will it have been worth it? From my current vantage point as a 21 year-old undergrad, I can say "yes, of course. I will be a doctor. I will heal people. I will have a respectable and secure career. I will have many more options in life."

But I think about who I was seven years ago. Seven years ago, I was a 14 year-old kid who believed in psychic powers and tried to telepathically influence my teachers (lmao)... Seven years from now, I will probably be very different once again, with different priorities and perspectives.

So when I'm in my early 30's and just out of residency, and I realize the last decade of my life has literally been spent on medicine and little else, will I have any regrets? I feel confused and a little overwhelmed. How the hell can I truly know what I want to commit my 20s to? We only have one shot at life, and we're basically making a choice that will determine the rest of our youth + the next few decades of our lives by committing to medicine.

And it's not like I can pause halfway through my journey and backtrack once I'm six figures in debt.

Hmmmmm......

Anyone ever get thoughts like these?

/melodramatic ramble

 

[Cinclus]

I think we've all had those thoughts. If you haven't had these thoughts, then you probably haven't spent enough time thinking about your career choice.

 

[drizzt3117]

It's all about time management and efficiency. Certainly you won't have as much time to spend doing things other than medicine, but it isn't like that's ALL you're doing (maybe sometimes during residency)

That said, I was on a tough surg rotation the last two weeks and put in over 80 hours easily, still went out a couple times and went to a concert, and got some studying done, it's just about how you manage your time (of course, what you usually sacrifice is sleep, though)

 

[slatermd]

I understand why people feel this way, but I don't.

I am overwhelmed by the opportunity, not the commitment.

 

[PressPforPi]

I definitely did have thoughts like that. Medicine is a big commitment, but it's not the end of your life. If you decide anywhere in between that it's not for you, then you can stop doing it or change careers. Nothing is impossible. A lot of people on these forums come from other careers and transition just fine into medicine. I believe that transitioning out would be just as easy. Try to relax (as many people have already told me). It's only as permanent as you desire it to be. 🙂

 

[SoyRicoSuave]

It sounds fun to me. 🙄
Most jobs aren't challenging and demanding on a person. Call me a sadist but I love the idea of being pushed to my limits everyday and constantly having to learn.

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

Let's assume we're non-trad.
We will be in our early-to-mid 20s when we start medical school.

What's non-traditional about getting accepted in your early 20's?

---

Anyway: Yeah, school takes a lot of time, but my successful friends who are working in law, business, education, etc. are actually working about 85%-110% as hard as the med students I've known. Even my friend who's a hair stylist and will never make more than $35,000/year in today's dollars still works 50+ hours a week, so suck it up 😉

 

[Etorphine]

I think the difference between 14 to 21, is not the same as 21- 28.

Also, everyone is going to grow old eventually, there's no stopping that even if you quit medicine. If you feel that your time would be "wasted" by spending your time learning, then maybe it might for you personally. I've thought about it before, and I can't really come up with a better use of the next 7 years. I love information, and I love learning, and I love science. What better use of your time than doing something you love?

Don't get me wrong, I love messing around, partying, and hooking up with women as much as the next guy. But honestly, I've done so much of these in the past that I've gotten bored with them, and desire something more out of life. When I think of really famous celebrities and rockstars, I know they probably had a crazy life, but they don't have much to show for it and are probably pretty bored with things now. If I could trade places with any of them, I probably wouldn't.

At this point your probably going to say I'm going to change my opinion when I get to anatomy or this class or that, but I think there is a give and take with anything you do, and the overall worth of pursuing a MD outweighs the negatives.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Spin]

I definitely did have thoughts like that. Medicine is a big commitment, but it's not the end of your life. If you decide anywhere in between that it's not for you, then you can stop doing it or change careers. Nothing is impossible. A lot of people on these forums come from other careers and transition just fine into medicine. I believe that transitioning out would be just as easy. Try to relax (as many people have already told me). It's only as permanent as you desire it to be. 🙂

😕 Are your parents helping you pay for med school? Most of us would be in a lot of debt, and if we quit, we wouldn't be qualified for jobs that pay well enough to get us out of it... so we'd be trapped on the same path for quite some time, even after residency.

I think it's worth it, but the commitment is definitely intimidating.

 

[jmin]

What's non-traditional about getting accepted in your early 20's?

---

Anyway: Yeah, school takes a lot of time, but my successful friends who are working in law, business, education, etc. are actually working about 85%-110% as hard as the med students I've known. Even my friend who's a hair stylist and will never make more than $35,000/year in today's dollars still works 50+ hours a week, so suck it up 😉

Oh good eye!
I meant NOT non-trad. 😛

I guess you are probably right lol. I'm planning to work a year before medical school, so perhaps that will help me gain more perspective.

But from what medical students have told me (so a small sample I admit), their friends who have pursued non-medical careers have much more free time than they do, even if they don't make much money.

 

[getdown]

Let's be honest, it's more glamorous from the outside looking in than it is to actually be doing this stuff. It's actually downright awful right now 2nd year for me so I'm kinda biased. But when you step out of the dungeon cubicles and are engrossed in what you love doing, than it's all worth while. Is it going to be tiring and you're going to have to miss some of your kids' sporting events? Yes, but you know, it happens to everyone. Like someone said earlier, be efficient in time management and that'll save you.

Also, Drizzt, did you read all of Salvatore's books about you? You're a pretty gangster character. Just thought you'd like to know.

 

[PressPforPi]

😕 Are your parents helping you pay for med school? Most of us would be in a lot of debt, and if we quit, we wouldn't be qualified for jobs that pay well enough to get us out of it... so we'd be trapped on the same path for quite some time, even after residency.

I think it's worth it, but the commitment is definitely intimidating.

Lol I wish. My father is a truck driver and my mother is a nurse. They just got out of a 5 year bankruptcy. I couldn't ask them to help pay for that when they can barely make their house payments. 🙁 If accepted, I will also have to take out an extreme amount of loans. However, I have an extremely optimistic outlook on life, so that's where my comment is coming from. Hence the "Nothing is impossible" mindset🙂

 

[Spin]

Lol I wish. My father is a truck driver and my mother is a nurse. They just got out of a 5 year bankruptcy. I couldn't ask them to help pay for that when they can barely make their house payments. 🙁 If accepted, I will also have to take out an extreme amount of loans. However, I have an extremely optimistic outlook on life, so that's where my comment is coming from. Hence the "Nothing is impossible" mindset🙂

That's a good mindset. I'm in the same boat, and so are a lot of other people, so at least we won't be the only ones dealing with the debt!

 

[raltima07]

Let's be honest, it's more glamorous from the outside looking in than it is to actually be doing this stuff. It's actually downright awful right now 2nd year for me so I'm kinda biased. But when you step out of the dungeon cubicles and are engrossed in what you love doing, than it's all worth while. Is it going to be tiring and you're going to have to miss some of your kids' sporting events? Yes, but you know, it happens to everyone. Like someone said earlier, be efficient in time management and that'll save you.

Also, Drizzt, did you read all of Salvatore's books about you? You're a pretty gangster character. Just thought you'd like to know.

I agree - it seems better to say, oh, I can't wait till im accepted, but this is the best part of our lives...

 

[fahimaz7]

What's non-traditional about getting accepted in your early 20's?

---

Anyway: Yeah, school takes a lot of time, but my successful friends who are working in law, business, education, etc. are actually working about 85%-110% as hard as the med students I've known. Even my friend who's a hair stylist and will never make more than $35,000/year in today's dollars still works 50+ hours a week, so suck it up 😉

I'm looking forward to seeing how you feel about this after you start medical school. It may look easy on the outside, but it's really not. If you go to medical school and try to get in the top 20% of your class, you will see just how hard you have to work to do so.

I haven't had a single day off in almost three months, and I won't have a break until after Step 1 in June.

 

[MyInitialsAreDR]

So here's the thing. Most of us here - we love science, we're relatively intelligent (or at least hard working!), we find medicine interesting, and goddammit, we're going to be a doctor!

On our pre-med journey, our most significant worry is that we won't be accepted to Medical School. But do any of you guys ever think about life after acceptance?

Let's assume we're not non-trad.
We will be in our early-to-mid 20s when we start medical school.
Once we're accepted, we will spend the first two years literally living in our rooms or in the library, studying ~40 hours a week.

After two grueling years, we will spend another year living in the hospital, on rotations.

During this time we will have very little time for ourselves, our parents, our friends, and our SOs. Even when we're spending time with them, we might be stressed from past exams, upcoming exams, rotations, etc.

Finally, during 4th year, we'll get a slight break.

But then it will start all over again in residency, which is anywhere from 3-7 years, from what I understand. During residency, many of us will work ~80 hours a week. As expected, we will be incompetent during our residencies, but our incompetence will often be a point of derogation from attendings and nurses. Most residencies will be brutal.

While we might love medicine, from what I can tell, medicine is a 24/7 COMMITMENT for 7+ years of our lives, and needless to say, it's no easy commitment.

And I can't help but wonder, will it have been worth it? From my current vantage point as a 21 year-old undergrad, I can say "yes, of course. I will be a doctor. I will heal people. I will have a respectable and secure career. I will have many more options in life."

But I think about who I was seven years ago. Seven years ago, I was a 14 year-old kid who believed in psychic powers and tried to telepathically influence my teachers (lmao)... Seven years from now, I will probably be very different once again, with different priorities and perspectives.

So when I'm in my early 30's and just out of residency, and I realize the last decade of my life has literally been spent on medicine and little else, will I have any regrets? I feel confused and a little overwhelmed. How the hell can I truly know what I want to commit my 20s to? We only have one shot at life, and we're basically making a choice that will determine the rest of our youth + the next few decades of our lives by committing to medicine.

And it's not like I can pause halfway through my journey and backtrack once I'm six figures in debt.

Hmmmmm......

Anyone ever get thoughts like these?

/melodramatic ramble

I only made one post on this site before I basically decided that I will not be pursuing medicine, however I still check back daily because you guys have such a great community here I like to see any new developments or maybe people who feel how feel. Your fears are basically how I feel. It scares the hell outta me to basically put any career advancement on hold for 7 years. For anyone who does it, well I have a ton of respect because I can't take the leap, especially with the rising tuition and not-rising salaries.

Yeah, school takes a lot of time, but my successful friends who are working in law, business, education, etc. are actually working about 85%-110% as hard as the med students I've known. Even my friend who's a hair stylist and will never make more than $35,000/year in today's dollars still works 50+ hours a week, so suck it up 😉

I think this kinda hit it on the head! When deciding on alternatives, I realized basically any entry level job with any hopes of advancement, you're working more than 40 hrs a week. My current choice is working for a Big 4 accounting firm after college, and they're notorious for 60-70 hr work weeks. Then I can transition to industry accounting/management and have a lighter schedule.

Point being, the old adage that nothing worth having comes easy seems to be true. Any entry level job, be it at the Big 4 or as a resident or med student, if you wanna get somewhere, you gotta work. I'm sure the success after will be worth it for you guys as doctors and for me in whatever I choose to do. Me personally, I would just rather start being comfortable around 26 with no debt than 30 with a ton of debt. That's just me. Either way, I'm sure you'll be happy with your choice if you just remember to enjoy life out of work. Your career doesn't define you, your life outside of it does.

GL future docs!

 

[abcabc1]

So here's the thing. Most of us here - we love science, we're relatively intelligent (or at least hard working!), we find medicine interesting, and goddammit, we're going to be a doctor!

On our pre-med journey, our most significant worry is that we won't be accepted to Medical School. But do any of you guys ever think about life after acceptance?


And it's not like I can pause halfway through my journey and backtrack once I'm six figures in debt.

Honestly, it's probably harder after getting in than before. That's when there is more responsibility: patient care, debt, etc.

The last sentence above (from your post) captures the situation very well. What I would add is that people enter Medical School THINKING that Medicine is the best career for them. I say thinking b/c there's no real way to know since you don't have any experience working in the field (volunteering, shadowing, etc doesn't count).

If, for whatever reason, you're unfulfilled after more exposure to the field, this is one field where you can't leave b/c you can't repay your debt. That's one reason that I recommend that those who are uncertain err on the side of caution and start with something else. If they feel unsatisfied b/c they are not in Medicine, then they can re-assess their situation.

IMO, one of the problems is that many people choose Medicine as the default or reference career. My advice is that the default should be something else that doesn't require as much debt and time and that allows for easier exit options. If you look at some of the blogs from frustrated former med students (medschool hell and medicinesux), they both (esp MSH) emphasize the fact that, if you're considering anything besides Medicine whatsoever, lean towards that first.

I was referring to item 48 from this list and my paraphrase was not exactly correct.

http://www.medschoolhell.com/2007/04/24/101-things-you-wish-you-knew-before-starting-medical-school/

 

[PostHaste]

I only made one post on this site before I basically decided that I will not be pursuing medicine, however I still check back daily because you guys have such a great community here I like to see any new developments or maybe people who feel how feel. Your fears are basically how I feel. It scares the hell outta me to basically put any career advancement on hold for 7 years. For anyone who does it, well I have a ton of respect because I can't take the leap, especially with the rising tuition and not-rising salaries.



I think this kinda hit it on the head! When deciding on alternatives, I realized basically any entry level job with any hopes of advancement, you're working more than 40 hrs a week. My current choice is working for a Big 4 accounting firm after college, and they're notorious for 60-70 hr work weeks. Then I can transition to industry accounting/management and have a lighter schedule.

Point being, the old adage that nothing worth having comes easy seems to be true. Any entry level job, be it at the Big 4 or as a resident or med student, if you wanna get somewhere, you gotta work. I'm sure the success after will be worth it for you guys as doctors and for me in whatever I choose to do. Me personally, I would just rather start being comfortable around 26 with no debt than 30 with a ton of debt. That's just me. Either way, I'm sure you'll be happy with your choice if you just remember to enjoy life out of work. Your career doesn't define you, your life outside of it does.

GL future docs!

(Bolding mine) This is what I felt like 8 years ago. I looked at that 8-10 year timeline and the $x00,000 debt and just didn't have the courage. I spent 8 years working as an engineer in a number of different roles and fields (trying valiantly to love it) and now I've come full circle. There are a lot of days I wish I would've taken the plunge (I could be in practice by now!), but then again I got to see and do some really cool stuff in that time that I never would've had the chance to do otherwise. You know, plus the whole having kids and traveling while you're young bit.

It's funny, I'm so much less chicken now, when I have SO much more to lose. But I think I have a better perspective on things, too. I guess student loan payments don't scare me as much after I've already spent two years paying $2k/month in daycare on <$100k income. 🙄

Don't know if this helps, but sometimes I like to ramble to a captive audience, so there you have it.

 

[TornadoChaser]

For starters, I'd say it's different for each individual. I've heard some people say medical school is super hard and they barely have time to shower, I've heard others say they treat it like a full-time job and they're good. One thing I've learned for myself is to never listen to people who say such and such is hard. That's all I heard about this biology class, and I have over 100% at the halfway point.

Also, I think people tend to exaggerate how much work they're putting in. When you're not actually punching a clock, it's tough to estimate. You may think you're spending 80 hours a week studying, but when you factor in the breaks for food, facebook, SDN, etc, it probably amounts to much less. I read somewhere this was the case for average work hours in a number of professions as well. People who claimed they worked 60 hours a week in reality worked about 48, or something along those lines. You can work 50 hours a week and still have plenty of free-time to enjoy. I used to do it quite often (and yes, I actually punched a clock).

I have had the same thoughts as you, but then I realized I won't actually be giving up every other aspect of my life. It all boils down to time management. Besides, I absolutely hate having nothing to do, so if my free-time is limited each week, I will likely utilize it more efficiently (unlike right now, ha).

 

[hopefuldoc97239]

I'm looking forward to seeing how you feel about this after you start medical school. It may look easy on the outside, but it's really not. If you go to medical school and try to get in the top 20% of your class, you will see just how hard you have to work to do so.

I haven't had a single day off in almost three months, and I won't have a break until after Step 1 in June.

I did not say that med school is easy.

I'm just saying that success in other competitive fields takes about as much time. Medical students say no one has to study as hard as medical students. But law students say that no one has to study as much as law students.

For example, this web-poll suggests that 1 in 4 law students spend 86+ hours a week on their studies. I'm not saying that the web-poll is necessarily accurate, but I doubt it's any more exaggerated than the claims I hear from medical students.

And demanding work schedules are not the exclusive experience of the super-highly-educated and super-highly-paid. I knew a long-haul trucker who drove 90+ hours a week. I have a friend who's a high school English teacher, and she says that if you count her lesson plans and grading that she does at home, she works about 10 hours/day.

No, I don't think medical school will be easy. But that's life! 🙂

----

Side note: Looking at your SDN post history I counted 23 posts from March 7 to March 11... that's 4.6 posts per day during a school week...

 

[PressPforPi]

I did not say that med school is easy.

I'm just saying that success in other competitive fields takes about as much time. Medical students say no one has to study as hard as medical students. But law students say that no one has to study as much as law students.

For example, this web-poll suggests that 1 in 4 law students spend 86+ hours a week on their studies. I'm not saying that the web-poll is necessarily accurate, but I doubt it's any more exaggerated than the claims I hear from medical students.

And demanding work schedules are not the exclusive experience of the super-highly-educated and super-highly-paid. I knew a long-haul trucker who drove 90+ hours a week. I have a friend who's a high school English teacher, and she says that if you count her lesson plans and grading that she does at home, she works about 10 hours/day.

No, I don't think medical school will be easy. But that's life! 🙂

----

Side note: Looking at your SDN post history I counted 23 posts from March 7 to March 11... that's 4.6 posts per day during a school week...

Probably my dad😛

 

[drizzt3117]

Idk, I probably spent no more than 4-5 hours a day studying until I started preparing for step 1, 3rd year is a different story, though, because you have 40-80 hours of clinical work plus you're expected to study just as much as 2nd year.

For starters, I'd say it's different for each individual. I've heard some people say medical school is super hard and they barely have time to shower, I've heard others say they treat it like a full-time job and they're good. One thing I've learned for myself is to never listen to people who say such and such is hard. That's all I heard about this biology class, and I have over 100% at the halfway point.

Also, I think people tend to exaggerate how much work they're putting in. When you're not actually punching a clock, it's tough to estimate. You may think you're spending 80 hours a week studying, but when you factor in the breaks for food, facebook, SDN, etc, it probably amounts to much less. I read somewhere this was the case for average work hours in a number of professions as well. People who claimed they worked 60 hours a week in reality worked about 48, or something along those lines. You can work 50 hours a week and still have plenty of free-time to enjoy. I used to do it quite often (and yes, I actually punched a clock).

I have had the same thoughts as you, but then I realized I won't actually be giving up every other aspect of my life. It all boils down to time management. Besides, I absolutely hate having nothing to do, so if my free-time is limited each week, I will likely utilize it more efficiently (unlike right now, ha).

 

[Geekchick921]

I'm kind of excited. As it is, my bachelor's degree is useless and I have no desire to pursue it anymore (haven't since before I graduated, truly) so I like that I finally feel like I'll be doing something with myself career-wise.

It's funny. In the last 3 years I got married, had a baby (with another on the way), got into medical school, and my husband and I are now under contract on a house. The house is the scariest thing to me right now.

 

[eablackwell]

I've always been a long-term goal person. I find most short term goals unsatisfying and nothing is better than the feeling you get after setting your sight on something and working for years until you reach a huge achievement.

10 years ago I went into college knowing I was going to be a doctor, but life happens. Med school didn't.

2.5 years ago I decided to go back to school to do pre-med work and give getting into med school a shot. It's been a crazy 2 years, and I've been out of my mind busy, but that feeling I got when I was accepted in October was AMAZING, and a lot of it had to do with the planning and the effort put into the journey.

Becoming a doctor is something huge. I LOVE working myself to the bone. As my husband says, I don't idle well. It's so exciting for me to look ahead at 4 years of challenge to graduation, and then 3+ years of challenge for residency.

It's definitely a HUGE commitment, and it is daunting and difficult. That's why not everyone does it. However, it's a great opportunity that I am thrilled beyond words to have.

 

[dpk211]

It is overwhelming but the fact that I want to do all of it tells me that this is the career for me.

In the end, the satisfaction will be all worth it.

 

[jchodak2]

j

 

[eli20]

I think the amount of work feels a little overwhelming, but anytime you look at something in its entirety before getting there and breaking it into pieces it feels that way. If someone handed you your entire Bachelor's degree worth of work in a semester you'd feel overwhelmed too - things just look more monolithic when viewed from such a distant perspective.

Secondly I think the progressive nature of the training is actually rather comforting. Knowing that there is a set and ordered path to do what you want is much more relieving than trying to figure out a career that is far less standardized (at least for me, some people might like the freedom that entails).

 

[45408]

Yep. Now I can't turn back either. 8.5 years down, 5.5 to go.

 

[ButImLETired]

So here's the thing. Most of us here - we love science, we're relatively intelligent (or at least hard working!), we find medicine interesting, and goddammit, we're going to be a doctor!

On our pre-med journey, our most significant worry is that we won't be accepted to Medical School. But do any of you guys ever think about life after acceptance?

Let's assume we're not non-trad.
We will be in our early-to-mid 20s when we start medical school.
Once we're accepted, we will spend the first two years literally living in our rooms or in the library, studying ~40 hours a week.

After two grueling years, we will spend another year living in the hospital, on rotations.

During this time we will have very little time for ourselves, our parents, our friends, and our SOs. Even when we're spending time with them, we might be stressed from past exams, upcoming exams, rotations, etc.

Finally, during 4th year, we'll get a slight break.

But then it will start all over again in residency, which is anywhere from 3-7 years, from what I understand. During residency, many of us will work ~80 hours a week. As expected, we will be incompetent during our residencies, but our incompetence will often be a point of derogation from attendings and nurses. Most residencies will be brutal.

While we might love medicine, from what I can tell, medicine is a 24/7 COMMITMENT for 7+ years of our lives, and needless to say, it's no easy commitment.

And I can't help but wonder, will it have been worth it? From my current vantage point as a 21 year-old undergrad, I can say "yes, of course. I will be a doctor. I will heal people. I will have a respectable and secure career. I will have many more options in life."

But I think about who I was seven years ago. Seven years ago, I was a 14 year-old kid who believed in psychic powers and tried to telepathically influence my teachers (lmao)... Seven years from now, I will probably be very different once again, with different priorities and perspectives.

So when I'm in my early 30's and just out of residency, and I realize the last decade of my life has literally been spent on medicine and little else, will I have any regrets? I feel confused and a little overwhelmed. How the hell can I truly know what I want to commit my 20s to? We only have one shot at life, and we're basically making a choice that will determine the rest of our youth + the next few decades of our lives by committing to medicine.

And it's not like I can pause halfway through my journey and backtrack once I'm six figures in debt.

Hmmmmm......

Anyone ever get thoughts like these?

/melodramatic ramble

OP, I think it's very, very healthy to think this way, and very mature. Most people don't think about the commitment before starting the process, and I think it ends up biting them in the butt when they realize just how much they're giving up. As other posters said, the trick is to realize what the commitment is, and to decide that you love the prospect of the job anyway. Unfortunately getting on this journey is a bit of a gamble, because you can't know for sure whether you'll get to live the life you envision- you may not have the scores for it, you may not end up wanting it later on anyway, or medicine itself might change so much by then you don't even recognize it. I think you need to think about the stuff you don't like about medicine right now- the obnoxious patients, the endless workload, the angry attendings, the paperwork, the malpractice stuff- and consider whether you want to be a doctor despite all of those things. If you do, there's hope for you yet. But if you find yourself denying those things exist or thinking "meh, maybe everyone is just overdramatizing" then you might want to think harder. We're not overdramatizing.

I think the difference between 14 to 21, is not the same as 21- 28.

Also, everyone is going to grow old eventually, there's no stopping that even if you quit medicine. If you feel that your time would be "wasted" by spending your time learning, then maybe it might for you personally. I've thought about it before, and I can't really come up with a better use of the next 7 years. I love information, and I love learning, and I love science. What better use of your time than doing something you love?

Don't get me wrong, I love messing around, partying, and hooking up with women as much as the next guy. But honestly, I've done so much of these in the past that I've gotten bored with them, and desire something more out of life. When I think of really famous celebrities and rockstars, I know they probably had a crazy life, but they don't have much to show for it and are probably pretty bored with things now. If I could trade places with any of them, I probably wouldn't.

At this point your probably going to say I'm going to change my opinion when I get to anatomy or this class or that, but I think there is a give and take with anything you do, and the overall worth of pursuing a MD outweighs the negatives.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm not going to say you'll change your opinion when you get to anatomy, and I also think the overall worth of the MD outweighs the negatives (otherwise I wouldn't be here). But I do think you're going to change your mind to some extent during med school. Look, I've always been a planner. I have never in my life lived in "the now", and the medicine thing has been my ultimate goal since I was 6. I'm not a huge partier, I love school, I even spent a couple of years working so I could use that as a comparison for when I got into med school and I do like learning better.

But let me tell you, there's a difference between the theoretical awareness of how things are going to be, and the actual awareness of them. As I said, I'm not a big partier, but I do find myself occasionally going to bed at 8:30 pm because I'm so exhausted from the past 2 days and wondering where the hell my 20s went. My friends from college post pictures of these amazing vacations they've been on, these epic nights and parties. I maybe go out once every 2-3 weeks and I have to plan that carefully because if I drunk on a Saturday, that means that I'll wake up late on Sunday and be hung over most of the time, which means most of that day will be wasted- a whole day without studying is a bad, bad call.

And it's not just the workload. It's that I'm running a club that requires my attention, and I'm doing research which I need to go over data for, and I need to write a patient note for my physical diagnosis class, and I need to call my family and friends back cause I haven't spoken to them in forever, and I need to clean my apartment at some point and do laundry and get a haircut and buy clothes and groceries. And every time I spend money, I have to think carefully about my budget because money doesn't replenish itself at the end of the month. And I go through weeks before a test in which I'm eating like crap and don't have time to work out so I don't look the way I did in college. And all my high school and college friends are engaged now and I don't have the time to even think about that right now, and I'm not sure when I will. I feel like if I were giving up a different set of years- my 30s maybe, or my 40s- that'd be different. But when you're in your 20s, you're technically at your peak. You're never gonna be better looking, or healthier, or have more energy. And yet I am sick constantly, I don't look nearly as good as I could, and I'm chronically tired and sleep-deprived. I'm not traveling the world or climbing mountains or moving to fancy cities or building relationships. I haven't bought my first house, I haven't even thought about having kids (although this is the age I should be having them, really) and if I want a new computer I have to wait at least 2 more years before I can afford it. It's really pretty sad.

I'm not saying you won't handle things better than I will- I'm sure you will. I might be the worst med student of all time, who knows. But I'm using myself as an example because it's more than choosing whether you love to learn or not. You're giving up some things that are very, very real.

 

[Etorphine]

I'm not going to say you'll change your opinion when you get to anatomy, and I also think the overall worth of the MD outweighs the negatives (otherwise I wouldn't be here). But I do think you're going to change your mind to some extent during med school. Look, I've always been a planner. I have never in my life lived in "the now", and the medicine thing has been my ultimate goal since I was 6. I'm not a huge partier, I love school, I even spent a couple of years working so I could use that as a comparison for when I got into med school and I do like learning better.

But let me tell you, there's a difference between the theoretical awareness of how things are going to be, and the actual awareness of them. As I said, I'm not a big partier, but I do find myself occasionally going to bed at 8:30 pm because I'm so exhausted from the past 2 days and wondering where the hell my 20s went. My friends from college post pictures of these amazing vacations they've been on, these epic nights and parties. I maybe go out once every 2-3 weeks and I have to plan that carefully because if I drunk on a Saturday, that means that I'll wake up late on Sunday and be hung over most of the time, which means most of that day will be wasted- a whole day without studying is a bad, bad call.

And it's not just the workload. It's that I'm running a club that requires my attention, and I'm doing research which I need to go over data for, and I need to write a patient note for my physical diagnosis class, and I need to call my family and friends back cause I haven't spoken to them in forever, and I need to clean my apartment at some point and do laundry and get a haircut and buy clothes and groceries. And every time I spend money, I have to think carefully about my budget because money doesn't replenish itself at the end of the month. And I go through weeks before a test in which I'm eating like crap and don't have time to work out so I don't look the way I did in college. And all my high school and college friends are engaged now and I don't have the time to even think about that right now, and I'm not sure when I will. I feel like if I were giving up a different set of years- my 30s maybe, or my 40s- that'd be different. But when you're in your 20s, you're technically at your peak. You're never gonna be better looking, or healthier, or have more energy. And yet I am sick constantly, I don't look nearly as good as I could, and I'm chronically tired and sleep-deprived. I'm not traveling the world or climbing mountains or moving to fancy cities or building relationships. I haven't bought my first house, I haven't even thought about having kids (although this is the age I should be having them, really) and if I want a new computer I have to wait at least 2 more years before I can afford it. It's really pretty sad.

I'm not saying you won't handle things better than I will- I'm sure you will. I might be the worst med student of all time, who knows. But I'm using myself as an example because it's more than choosing whether you love to learn or not. You're giving up some things that are very, very real.

When it gets down to it, it probably wouldn't be that much different than it is now as a pre-med for me, as this describes most of my life already. I spun too many plates in college, with picking the hardest major that my school offers, doing research on the side, clinical work, etc. I already go to a school that is 3000 miles away from my family, and most of my $ for food comes from a business I started a couple years back that gives me a couple hundred bucks every month, but it's always never enough.

I'm also one of those students that got a terrible gpa the first year, and spent the last 3 making up for it with heavy duty studying (10+ hours/day/7days/week), which significantly altered my life. Someone told me a while ago that you can only pick 2 things out of these 3: good grades, social life, or sleep. Guess which I picked. Like I said, I don't care much about climbing high mountains and going to fancy cities anymore. Looking back at my life before I got serious, I did a lot of crazy ****. I mean seriously crazy all-night parties and "building relationships" and all these things you said. But I always knew in the back of my mind at the time that all these things were fleeting. Statistically speaking, even half of your friends that are "engaged" now and living in this fantasy book marriage are going to end up divorced.

When I look at medicine, it's a sort of permanency that I've never found in anything else I've done in my life. Once you get your MD, you keep it. As you complete residency and pursue higher levels of training in fellowship etc., you keep adding permanent levels of expertise, which I think is so cool. There are also the intellectual aspects, in which the information is yours once you master it. As a US-trained specialist, you will be a world class expert in whatever field you choose, with access to the most advanced knowledge to date.

From what I've seen, there is no possible way that pursuing a MD will lead to a normal life, at least in contemporary US standards. I've lived all over the world, so my sense of "normal" is a bit different than most though.

 

[romanjetfighter]

no need to romanticize "studying"

is that really what you live for? to just study and gain knowledge? like grinding in pokemon games to get exp. points to get to lvl 100? psh, not for me, and not for most people. i think most people live to seeing the world and travel and discover new places, building relationships. experiencing life this way isn't meaningless just because it's so transient. in fact, i think it makes it more meaningful.


mastering information is not the ultimate goal for me, though its a means of understanding and appreciating all the complexities of the world. it does not make me happy.


it's a big commitment of time, money, and energy. very big, but it also comes with a lot of opportunity in forms of having skills that save people's lives (people's lives are the most important thing to me) and $$$. $$$ = power and influence, so you can maybe start an orphanage or fund a legit, truthful politician to improve the world. whatever. the $$$ is not primary goal. would you give up 10 years of your life just to make 50k-200k more a year than a normal person for the next 30-40 years? at 60 years old, how much would you pay to live your 20s again? a million? two? is it worth it to you?


many of my doctor cousins (i have 5, with a few pre-meds like me) and some of them regret going into medicine, because 1) it's not what they imagined and 2) the commitment is so huge. this commitment is not just their 20s but the rest of their life. this is DESPITE their HUGE, HUGE pay.

MDs will never have a normal life. ever. medicine is an all-consuming thing, no exageration!

 

[apumic]

LIFE is a commitment. You're going to be here about 70-90 years. You can do with it what you want, but the fact is time will go regardless of what you're doing. People going into medicine, it seems, generally love to learn and are, at their core, achievers. It is what they do best. Medicine requires that kind of person and tends to draw such people. Honestly, I'm not overwhelmed at all by the commitment. I am excited for it and ready to take on the world [literally and figuratively) when I finish. The commitment is my life. It's not a mere 8 years (or 20-30 total of education).

 

[Mornhavon]

.

 

[BAMF]

Unless you die in a freak accident right after residency. SUCKY LIFE.

 

[Ost3oclast]

I understand why people feel this way, but I don't.

I am overwhelmed by the opportunity, not the commitment.

^^^^ THIS. I've never worried about the commitment it takes because I truely want to be a doctor. Whatever comes with it (be it commitment to school, the job, anything) isn't a problem.

However, I do get overwhelmed with pressure at times as I think we all do as pre-med students. Its hard, there is alot of competition and not everybody gets in. Just know that we are all in the same boat and that seems to help me.👍

 

[2012mdc]

LIFE is a commitment. You're going to be here about 70-90 years. You can do with it what you want, but the fact is time will go regardless of what you're doing. People going into medicine, it seems, generally love to learn and are, at their core, achievers. It is what they do best. Medicine requires that kind of person and tends to draw such people. Honestly, I'm not overwhelmed at all by the commitment. I am excited for it and ready to take on the world [literally and figuratively) when I finish. The commitment is my life. It's not a mere 8 years (or 20-30 total of education).

+1

Also I think people exaggerate the time commitment. The only time where I've felt my life was 24/7 med school was the couple of months before Step 1 and my surgery rotation. Med school is tough and time-consuming but if you are efficient you will have free time.

They were not directly school related by any means but I can say I've had some of the best times of my life while in med school and have made some GREAT friends

Can't comment on residency

 

[sgtbrushes]

So when I'm in my early 30's and just out of residency, and I realize the last decade of my life has literally been spent on medicine and little else, will I have any regrets?

Think about it like this: to have a good job, you need to go to college anyway. While you may work marginally harder to have a good GPA and ECs, you still have a large amount of freedom.

The first and fourth years of medical schools is not that different from undergrad (Disclaimer: second hand information). The second and third years are the most challenging, so here's two years in which your quality of life is significantly worse than your peers'. You get paid during your residency, and for most residencies, if you work 80 hours/ week or less, you're not working that much more than any other profession that is highly compensated (lawyers, bankers, etc.), and it only lasts a few years.

Besides, what are you really missing out on? Watching TV? Sitting around at the beach? As much as I love sitting at the beach, the fact that I can only do it when time permits makes that time that much more enjoyable.

 

[Sesom]

Your twenties only seem important because that is where you are at now. You can do whatever the hell you want your entire life. Life expectancy in the US is like 78 or something now.

 

[Amalgamate]

I understand why people feel this way, but I don't.

I am overwhelmed by the opportunity, not the commitment.

I feel the same way




As a non-trad that had a corporate IT job, I've worked 80 hour weeks, and slept in the office (sometimes my car) for my job, for nothing more than my paycheck at the end of the week. I'm ready to do the same for something that I'm passionate about, and something that is for the rest of my life.

I have had those days studying and just saying wow this is the next decade of my life and sometimes I look at how depressing it is going from a career that I hated but made really good money, to living off savings, loans, and budgeting. I'm excited though honestly, its one of those things I look at and just say I'm ready, I'm content spending the next few years dedicating my life to this, to be what I want the rest of my life

 

[jman128]

I think a lot of people here overestimate the time we have in life. I look at college and Im wondering where those 4 years went.

Your 20s and your 40s are not the same. You have waaaaaaay less responsibility at a 20 something than a 40 something. Just because you are a doctor now doesn't mean you can just get up and do what you want. I would say you have less freedom. You have a job commitment, a family, expenses, etc.

I hate people who say, "Oh its just 4+ years of your life! Not a big deal!" Every second of your life is special. Don't write off your life.

 

[ButImLETired]

Your twenties only seem important because that is where you are at now. You can do whatever the hell you want your entire life. Life expectancy in the US is like 78 or something now.

Uuuuh, strongly, vehemently disagree. I can't imagine that there are too many 70 year olds who'd tell you they don't wish they could have their 20s back. Sorry, not the same. Sure, I'm looking forward to making good money and retiring well and being comfortable in my old age. But I'd much rather have more fun now than when I'm retired. I look better in a low cut top now, I'd like to go clubbing.

Plus, for some people (not all, but I'd argue that it's the case for many of us based on my experience with the other ladies in the class) postponing your 20s also means postponing the exciting time of your life when you're supposed to fall in love, choose your life partner, and start a family. Most (all but 1, actually) of the people I know who are on that track in med school were already with their SO before starting school. It may be hard for you guys to imagine missing days of clubbing and going to the beach, but I'm guessing you can all imagine getting to age 65 or 70 and wondering why you never took the time to start a family and find someone to spend your old age with. Or realizing that you had kids later than you would have otherwise so you couldn't have as many as you would have wanted. Or maybe you wish you'd had more time to date before settling down. Etc etc. These things are real, and far more likely than missing your wild and crazy 20s.

 

[popprincess]

I'm a pre-med and pursuing medicine as a non-trad. Medicine is a HUGE commitment and it's not a decision that one should make lightly... I definitely understand why you would feel overwhelmed and I do, too. But I have been thinking about medicine for a little while now and one of the reasons I am interested IS because of the commitment, the constant challenge, the constant learning. I am in my mid-twenties and while I have had some amazing experiences traveling and working cool jobs, it hasn't been enough for me. Some people would say I have a dream job -- in fact, I would say that for myself, too. But it isn't enough because I have this pull, something calling for me to dedicate my life to something that's for someone else, to helping and giving back to the world. I've been in jobs where I just coast through, kind of like a lot of classes in school. I haven't really been CHALLENGED mentally (not that the job I am doing now is brainless) and I love to be challenged. I have so much potential and I don't want to live my life wondering if I wasted it. So, I know I will be sacrificing some of the things I love in order to pursue this path (but I genuinely believe I can incorporate those things in my life, just in a different way), but the yearning inside of my soul will finally start to be satisfied and that's more important to me.

 

[Sesom]

Uuuuh, strongly, vehemently disagree. I can't imagine that there are too many 70 year olds who'd tell you they don't wish they could have their 20s back. Sorry, not the same. Sure, I'm looking forward to making good money and retiring well and being comfortable in my old age. But I'd much rather have more fun now than when I'm retired. I look better in a low cut top now, I'd like to go clubbing.

Plus, for some people (not all, but I'd argue that it's the case for many of us based on my experience with the other ladies in the class) postponing your 20s also means postponing the exciting time of your life when you're supposed to fall in love, choose your life partner, and start a family. Most (all but 1, actually) of the people I know who are on that track in med school were already with their SO before starting school. It may be hard for you guys to imagine missing days of clubbing and going to the beach, but I'm guessing you can all imagine getting to age 65 or 70 and wondering why you never took the time to start a family and find someone to spend your old age with. Or realizing that you had kids later than you would have otherwise so you couldn't have as many as you would have wanted. Or maybe you wish you'd had more time to date before settling down. Etc etc. These things are real, and far more likely than missing your wild and crazy 20s.

You need to really think about it though, of course 70 year old people want their 20's. I am sure 30, 40, 50, 60 year ranges also want their 20s. But it's not like there aren't people in peak physical condition in their 30s and 40s and even 50s. It would be nice if you could reset back to 20 and live extra life so who wouldn't want to be in their 20s at the ass end of life. Furthermore, it doesn't mean a single thing to want to go back to you 20s with nearly a lifetime of maturity under your wings. I mean my uncles is pushing 60 and unloads trucks for a living (didn't go to college) and he just barely got married. Through premed and medical you are still going to have a chance to go to a club here and there so you won't miss out on that. Families and SO are also obtained during these times regardless of school intensity.

I don't know about anyone else but going through school as a premed so far has been the best time of my life. Every semester there are new people in my classes and I make new friends.

People think they miss their 20s but there wasn't actually anything different there other then the fact that you are in your 20s. If you had not gone to medical school it doesn't mean that you would be sitting on a beach with a hottie by your side. But it might, and that can also happen at a lot of different ages. People who think they miss their 20s have absolutely no clue what could have gone down or would have gone down, they only dream. You could have done something that led you to becoming a billionaire or maybe you knock up some chick and end up stopped at a bachelors degree or not getting it at all. All circumstantial.

To me it would be very sad for someone's day to day life to suck so bad that they think there was some sort of magic pill to swallow in their 20s that they didn't get. Always look forward.

 

[jsh52]

So here's the thing. Most of us here - we love science, we're relatively intelligent (or at least hard working!), we find medicine interesting, and goddammit, we're going to be a doctor!

On our pre-med journey, our most significant worry is that we won't be accepted to Medical School. But do any of you guys ever think about life after acceptance?

Let's assume we're not non-trad.
We will be in our early-to-mid 20s when we start medical school.
Once we're accepted, we will spend the first two years literally living in our rooms or in the library, studying ~40 hours a week.

After two grueling years, we will spend another year living in the hospital, on rotations.

During this time we will have very little time for ourselves, our parents, our friends, and our SOs. Even when we're spending time with them, we might be stressed from past exams, upcoming exams, rotations, etc.

Finally, during 4th year, we'll get a slight break.

But then it will start all over again in residency, which is anywhere from 3-7 years, from what I understand. During residency, many of us will work ~80 hours a week. As expected, we will be incompetent during our residencies, but our incompetence will often be a point of derogation from attendings and nurses. Most residencies will be brutal.

While we might love medicine, from what I can tell, medicine is a 24/7 COMMITMENT for 7+ years of our lives, and needless to say, it's no easy commitment.

And I can't help but wonder, will it have been worth it? From my current vantage point as a 21 year-old undergrad, I can say "yes, of course. I will be a doctor. I will heal people. I will have a respectable and secure career. I will have many more options in life."

But I think about who I was seven years ago. Seven years ago, I was a 14 year-old kid who believed in psychic powers and tried to telepathically influence my teachers (lmao)... Seven years from now, I will probably be very different once again, with different priorities and perspectives.

So when I'm in my early 30's and just out of residency, and I realize the last decade of my life has literally been spent on medicine and little else, will I have any regrets? I feel confused and a little overwhelmed. How the hell can I truly know what I want to commit my 20s to? We only have one shot at life, and we're basically making a choice that will determine the rest of our youth + the next few decades of our lives by committing to medicine.

And it's not like I can pause halfway through my journey and backtrack once I'm six figures in debt.

Hmmmmm......

Anyone ever get thoughts like these?

/melodramatic ramble

I 100% agree. I thought the exact same things when I was in your shoes. I decided to get a PhD instead (free...actually they pay me) and continue to mull the doctor thing over. Now I'm about to graduate with my PhD and am applying to medical schools. I always would have had some doubt if I went right to medical school, I think, particularly because I love science and love working in the lab. That probably doesn't help you 🙂