Burnt out... Need help and advice PLEASE

[xbowers003]

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I never thought this day would come. I've hit a wall. I am so tired. A little background:

I was an original psych major who decided pre-med late. I just finished all my pre-reqs (been in school 6 years now).

I have a 3.91, as I aced every single pre med course. Im a medical scribe and have good extra curricular activities.I am currently studying for the MCAT to take this August.

But in all honesty, im depressed. I hate what I do right now. Im tired of getting up every day and just studying. I can't remember the last time I was this unhappy. I really can't enjoy myself in anything I do for fear of my future and how I should be studying at that moment. But its almost too late to turn back I feel like. I love scribing and I do want to be a doctor, but I just feel 100% overwhelmed about it. I really have been contemplating to change to something, but I have no idea what now.

Any advice, help, etc? I really just need to hear something.

 

[Slave to the Game]

Take up a hobby like exercise or blogging, it'll keep you sane in times like this.

Good luck getting through it. I've been in a similar situation >3.9 GPA but every semester I feel like giving up at some point. Get some endorphins going and hopefully you'll feel different

 

[yellowfish]

Have you thought about taking time off when you graduate? Do something for yourself for a couple years, medical school isn't going anywhere.

 

[askamsky51]

Seriously, take a year off to recover. Once you start school it is pretty much balls to the walls.

Most-to-all of us burn out in the preclinical years. Give yourself time to prepare for it. You'll be a much happier person because you took a break.

Also hobbies. Physical exercise is saving my sanity.

 

[DokterMom]

An August MCAT is really late for applying this season anyway -- so decide not to. Decide to take a gap year, push back your MCAT a few months, and give yourself a well-earned vacation. As @TheKDizzle said, Med School isn't going anywhere; your grades won't expire; and the MCAT is best taken only once after you're fully prepared. You need a break now -- Take One!

And don't let yourself view it as a sign of weakness when it's more accurately a sign of wisdom. A productive, preemptive, deliberate step to make yourself the best candidate you can be.

 

[nellbot2000]

I was burnt out when I graduated too. I took a few years off to relax, it helped me realize that I still really wanted to be a doctor. Take some time to relax and come back to it in a year.

Also, as others have said, an August MCAT for this cycle would be late.

 

[vanillabear55]

I never thought this day would come. I've hit a wall. I am so tired. A little background:

I was an original psych major who decided pre-med late. I just finished all my pre-reqs (been in school 6 years now).

I have a 3.91, as I aced every single pre med course. Im a medical scribe and have good extra curricular activities.I am currently studying for the MCAT to take this August.

But in all honesty, im depressed. I hate what I do right now. Im tired of getting up every day and just studying. I can't remember the last time I was this unhappy. I really can't enjoy myself in anything I do for fear of my future and how I should be studying at that moment. But its almost too late to turn back I feel like. I love scribing and I do want to be a doctor, but I just feel 100% overwhelmed about it. I really have been contemplating to change to something, but I have no idea what now.

Any advice, help, etc? I really just need to hear something.

Take solace in this- everyone hates the MCAT. I have never heard (and hope to never hear) someone say they enjoyed it. It's mental abuse and it gets to everyone. I have had a really hard time dealing with it, but I have also been pushing along even when I think I can't, even if it just means reading flashcards or listening to audio tapes when I can't muster enough energy for passages. Things like volunteering remind me to keep the end goal in mind. You can do it- plenty have struggled before us and will struggle in the future

It sounds like you are really burned out- take a few days to just relax, work, binge on netflix, eat out at a few nice restaurants, catch up with friends. You can't study and work constantly, your mind needs a break!!

Afterwards, just keep reminding yourself that you want this and you just need to push through for a little bit more.

And if you think you are depressed, I would suggest seeking out a therapist- they can help you get through this and learn to cope, so periods of time like this aren't as bad later on when you need to prepare for other exams along this never ending road.

I hope everything works out for you, and good luck! Pulling for you! 🙂

EDIT: applying next cycle wouldn't be the end of the world either if you need the time

 

[xbowers003]

I love you all. Great advice. Thank you for taking time to resoind. I needed to hear some of those things. I think I am going to take week and decide exactly what it is I want to do and how to do it.

 

[petyr_baelish]

The MCAT is miserable for a lot of us. I've even heard medical students say it was one of their all time low-points in their career so far. Take your time. You need to start from a place of happiness and motivation in order to tackle this test. If you don't have that, just take a break. It doesn't really matter how long it takes us to go to medical school, especially for those of us who are already content with our lives and not depending on medical school financial aid to put a roof over our heads.

 

[kaprincess247]

I was in your same shoes 2 years ago. I was burned on being a student, so I've been working for the past 2 years and was accepted this cycle. Now I literally cannot wait to get back into the classroom as a student. It feels like a much better/healthier mindset to start med school with and my experiences working have helped me mature a lot. Win-win situation!

 

[mct2762]

I never thought this day would come. I've hit a wall. I am so tired. A little background:

I was an original psych major who decided pre-med late. I just finished all my pre-reqs (been in school 6 years now).

I have a 3.91, as I aced every single pre med course. Im a medical scribe and have good extra curricular activities.I am currently studying for the MCAT to take this August.

But in all honesty, im depressed. I hate what I do right now. Im tired of getting up every day and just studying. I can't remember the last time I was this unhappy. I really can't enjoy myself in anything I do for fear of my future and how I should be studying at that moment. But its almost too late to turn back I feel like. I love scribing and I do want to be a doctor, but I just feel 100% overwhelmed about it. I really have been contemplating to change to something, but I have no idea what now.

Any advice, help, etc? I really just need to hear something.

Take a year off and scribe. It's what I did, and was the absolute best thing I could have done. I actually applied right out of college, and was accepted, but deferred a year, and am now pumped and ready to go!

 

[mct2762]

I would still suggest taking the MCAT in August. If you push it back, you will be studying on your year off and will be just as stressed. Take it in august, get it over with, and then have a stress free year off!