Anyone worked with a coach to help with ADD?

[sunseeker2021]

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Hi all, I created this anonymous account just to ask if anyone here has worked with an ADD coach. Somehow, I've made it to 4th year, but I still feel like school has been a huge struggle that is all consuming. Been taking meds for the past 10 years, and they work well enough, but they're not a magical pill as anyone with ADD knows. I'd like to not be feeling so anxious all the time about school and like to have a bit of time for a social life. I've never failed a class, but have gotten As, Bs, and Cs, so my GPA after 2nd year was around a 2.9. Fortunately, 3rd year has brought it up because I answer questions and present papers and socialize with much more ease than studying facts from a book. I'm not stupid (was valedictorian of my high school class) but my mind is all over the place and I easily become distracted by random details whilst doing questions or reading articles. All that to say, I'm not slow, just disorganized. I'm also always fighting my natural inclination to be tardy because tasks tend to take much longer than my brain calculates they will. Somehow, I've only gotten dinged on one rotation for timeliness, but that's still one rotation too many.

Step 2 is coming up, and I am trying to head off a nervous breakdown by getting this test anxiety and inability to stick to study schedule within a set time frame. I'm also tired of never really feeling good about taking a study break from step studying because it takes me so much longer to stay focused and absorb the material and memorize the details than it seems to take classmates. I usually get 1/3-1/2 of what I need to accomplish done in the timeframe I give myself. It's an endless cycle of frustration.

If you have worked with an ADD coach, I would be interested in hearing about your experience and getting the contact information for a good one. Send a pm my way if that would be easier. My rotation site is not located near a major city, so I couldn't work with one face-to-face, but it looks like many of them do teleconsults.

 

[Redpancreas]

Medical School Convinces High School Valedictorian That He Needs an ADHD Coach

Who wants to write this one up for Gomerblog? The meat of it’s already provided by OP.

 

[Mister Significant]

I feel you man, it is tough to absorb material with ADHD. However, socializing is sometimes easier because you don't overthink it. If your in your 3rd year of medical school then I'm pretty sure your competent enough and have the resources to read literature on what behavioral methods can help you stay on track. I find it helpful to start off the day with light exercise. Gets the dopamine fired up, gives me more focus. Also people with ADHD tend to be more visual learners, so try watching videos showing body processes.

 

[sunseeker2021]

I feel you man, it is tough to absorb material with ADHD. However, socializing is sometimes easier because you don't overthink it. If your in your 3rd year of medical school then I'm pretty sure your competent enough and have the resources to read literature on what behavioral methods can help you stay on track. I find it helpful to start off the day with light exercise. Gets the dopamine fired up, gives me more focus. Also people with ADHD tend to be more visual learners, so try watching videos showing body processes.

Thank you for your serious reply. I know the topic is one that invites trollposts ("ADD isn't real trololol"), but it's tough to live like this and not see a way out. You hear from residents that it gets busier and busier, whilst right now I feel like there's little time to do anything but sleep and work. I've read a few books about time management. Some of them are helpful. What we're doing in med school with the long periods of concentration and volume of details is pretty specific. Wish there was a med school guide written by someone with ADD who made it to the other side. My problem is being able to stick to the schedule I draw out. Everything just seems to take longer than I expect.

@Mister Significant exercise is great. I lift regularly and it helps me stay sane. Your tip about videos is good, too. I watch OME and osmosis, and those drawings are more memorable than reading a block of text.

 

[Mister Significant]

Thank you for your serious reply. I know the topic is one that invites trollposts ("ADD isn't real trololol"), but it's tough to live like this and not see a way out. You hear from residents that it gets busier and busier, whilst right now I feel like there's little time to do anything but sleep and work. I've read a few books about time management. Some of them are helpful. What we're doing in med school with the long periods of concentration and volume of details is pretty specific. Wish there was a med school guide written by someone with ADD who made it to the other side. My problem is being able to stick to the schedule I draw out. Everything just seems to take longer than I expect.

@Mister Significant exercise is great. I lift regularly and it helps me stay sane. Your tip about videos is good, too. I watch OME and osmosis, and those drawings are more memorable than reading a block of text.

Forgot to include this. I stole that exercise bit from this article:
Having ADHD made me more successful — here’s how you can, too
Not plagiarism if I only stole ideas.