So, I finished my first year of med school about a month ago and went straight into my summer research experience (which has been OK but not great) and I find myself burnt out still from the year - I should be reading a a bunch of articles to prepare a lab presentation, but can't get myself to do it. I am not enjoying my summer much and overall, it's just depressing. Anyone else in the same boat?
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New SDN Article! High Yield: One Year of "Research for the Rest of Us"
I currently am a third year med student. After my first year, I went to an exotic foreign country, drank beer, hung out on the beach, met my current girlfriend who has moved to my city to be near me, and started second year refreshed and ready to roll. I definitely was not going to waste that summer in a lab. No wonder you feel burned out. You need to have some fun.
In all seriousness, take at least a couple weeks of vacation before your 2nd year starts. If you don't take care of burnout now, it'll only get worse.
While it's super that you drank beer and whatnot over the summer, that's not an option for some people, and is perhaps a little late for OP. Some people actually have to work to pay rent, eat, etc., and research beats the hell out of most summer jobs.
Perhaps one does need some fun, but if some fun requires a bankroll and three months without obligations, you may find the next 5-7 years to be disappointing. As someone has pointed out already, it's about time management.