ARE YOU STILL HAPPY WITH MED SCHOOL?

[HOPEFULLYANMD]

FOR ALL OF YOU ALREADY IN MED SCHOOL,
NOW THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED MEDICAL SCHOOL AND FELT THE PRESSURE THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT, ARE YOU STILL HAPPY YOU MADE THE CHOICE? AND IF YOU PURSUE MEDICINE DOES IT HAVE TO BE YOUR LIFE? OR CAN OTHER THINGS COME FIRST?
ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dr.sof]

Hopefully: If you feel that medicine is your true calling in life...your passion...if doesn't matter HOW hard it is. You have to do what you have to do in order to LOVE your work. Med school is HARD. There were many weekends I spent pulling my hair out over the next pathophys test or suturing some drunk guy's head at two in the morning.But, for every rough call or weekend study marathon, there were plenty of fun times. Remember, life is what you make of it. If you WANT to make medicine your entire life-you can. For your sanity, I suggest leaving your work at the hospital as best you can. Remember, patients want to be able to relate to you. The medical jargon tends to go down smoother if you know the score of last night's Knicks game or what happened on Friends!

 

[turtleboard]

I'm still extremely happy to be in med school. Does it have to be your life? Not for everyone, but whether it's No. 1 or No. 139 on your list of priorities, it's going to take up a big chunk of your time.

Being able to stomach the worlkload and keeping up with everyone else is a huge part of being successful in med school. Being bright can also help too.

Tim of New York City.

 

[[email protected]]

I've never been happy with med school, except for the day I was accepted. However, it is a means (a very very hard one) to an end. If I did not know that there was nothing more I'd rather do than help patients all day I certainly, certainly, would not have continued with med. school. Feel free to reply directly to [email protected].

 

[dr.sof]

Sound, I'm sorry to hear that. I know what you mean. I had a rough time in med school-esp. during those basic science years. What level are you at now? I found I had a hard yet fulfilling time during my clinical years. I had a blast during my 3rd and 4th years.(part. the last 3/4 of 4th year). Does you lack of satisfaction have to do with the craziness profs make us go through, or does it have to do with being surrounded by medical students 24/7? My main "beef" w/ the basic science years was dual in nature. I thought the study schedule was horrendous, but that was only one part of the problem. I also did not enjoy the company of a majority of my classmates. The type A personality is not the easiest to get along with?!!?

 

[LSurgeon]

I honestly can not say if I would do it again. I saw a number of my friends get so depressed that they had to seek counseling, I was lucky that I have a strong network of friends and family who were there for me during my first couple of years and kept me going even when school started getting to me. I have classmates who have dropped out (don't ask me HOW they are going to repay their debt), I found out a graduate from one of the US schools that went to the residency program I am applying to - hung himself during internship. etc. etc. etc. The only saving grace I can see right now is that third year is MUCH better.
I guess the reason I stay with school is because there is NOTHING else I can imagine doing with my life.
Good Luck!!!

 

[study buddy]

I'm happy, but being a first year the road ahead is so long it's easy for me to say i don't know if i would do it again. People are making millions on computers, stocks, etc - and they're doing it now w/o the huge debts we get. if i could do that then maybe i would build a clinic and donate some $$ and fulfill some of my philanthropic desires! but then again there is so much more satisfaction and security with this field than many others.
but i'm sure that when i am actually with patients instead of my books i won't have any qualms about my path whatsoever.

 

[[email protected]]

Originally posted by dr.sof:
Sound, I'm sorry to hear that. I know what you mean. I had a rough time in med school-esp. during those basic science years. What level are you at now?

Hi Dr. Sof. Thanks for your reply. I'm an MSII right now.

I found I had a hard yet fulfilling time during my clinical years. I had a blast during my 3rd and 4th years.(part. the last 3/4 of 4th year).

Yeah, I'm banking on 3rd and 4th years being a hell of a lot more satisfying. I hope its true!

Does you lack of satisfaction have to do with the craziness profs make us go through,

This is definately a factor. I mean, all *I* ask for are high quality hand-outs for my $$$ (a hell of a lot of $$$) and many profs cant even provide that.

or does it have to do with being surrounded by medical students 24/7?

yeah, I generally do not like being around med students. I was a writer/artist/bohemian type before med school, and unfortunately I am a rather odd bird in medical school.

My main "beef" w/ the basic science years was dual in nature. I thought the study schedule was horrendous, but that was only one part of the problem. I also did not enjoy the company of a majority of my classmates. The type A personality is not the easiest to get along with?!!?

Amen to everything you've said. I'm looking forward to my clinical years. Thanks!

jason

 

[chiari]

I'm about 4 weeks away from getting my M.D. and I am still positive about medicine as a career.

It seems to me that my classmates and the doctors I have worked with so far are split 50%- 50%- those who enjoy medicine and those who do not.

I find medicine rewarding because it gives me plenty of opp to play the role of the nurturing father figure. I also enjoy working with intelligent colleagues.

Try meeting people from both groups- ie like vs dislike medicine, and see which group your personality and interests match.

If you do not have good people skills and are averse to working long hours, clinical medicine is probably not a good career choice.

 

[karamelle2002]

I'm finishing up my 2nd year right now, and although I wake up everyday saying to myself "I hate school, I hate school", there's nothing else I'd rather be doing. As much crap as I have to go through, I still enjoy medicine. I'm really looking forward to starting clinics. The stuff that I can't stand is the way the school makes you do things to waste your time, etc. It's a LOT of work but eventually it will get interesting.

 

[jdaasbo]

I will second that last posting. This is a hell i would wish on few people, but on the other hand i think i would hang myself if I had a 9-5 desk job (nothing against those-just not for me). I am finishing my second year and like everyone else at this stage I am staring down the barrel of boards and getting antsy about getting to clinicals. I cannot wait... 6 weeks till boards.

would I do it again, yes but not in this life.

 

[spiderman]

I did have a 9-5 desk job, and trust me, sitting in front of a computer all day working on an Excel spreadsheet while not able to truly converse with other humans absolutely sucked... a hell I would never want to experience again. I was an automaton. Yes, medical school and post-grad will be tough, we all know that going in, but to be able to do something worthwhile on a daily basis, learning something new every day, and making an immediate difference in the life of someone else, etc... is truly living and is what it's all about.

 

[Dione]

I am on 1 week away from my first professional exam and I am very happy being in med school. I feel that my classmates are very supportive towards one another and I guess I am lucky as things goes very smoothly for me in med school. No prob with school work so far and I actually have spare time to give tuition. Probably I am still young in this profession but I am looking forward to my clinical years and medicine as my life.