The first two years of graduate school are often filled with doubt. I think most people consider dropping out. Most I talked to considered it seriously. Your experiments never work, your project is not solidified and seems to change from day to day based on your PI's whims, and you end up spending a lot of time reading or screwing around on the Internet because you don't have enough to do. On top of that, your classmates have all moved on with their clinicals, and your social life implodes. On top of that, you had some deaths in the family in addition to family pressure to drop out.
Advice #1: Don't listen to advice from anyone who has a vested interest in your career. That includes your family, your PI, your program director, faculty who support the MSTP, etc. Seriously, stop listening to them. They give absolutely terrible advice. Many people think very highly of their opinions and don't really care what's best for you. I once had a guy who I met for 10 mins to consider a rotation tell me that I would never be successful in science based on his gut feeling. Needless to say, I did not join his lab.
Get advice from people who truly want what's best for you. That may be a dean, it may be an experienced clinician or scientist, it may even be someone trained in helping such as a therapist or clergy. If no one comes to mind, ask the senior MSTPs who they trust. Talk to those people even if you never met them before. Truly caring people will love to help and can often help you sort out the clouded mess that is your mind. Find those people, and regardless of the outcome, keep in touch. They will be invaluable resources.
Advice #2: Decide if you love science. The MD/PhD is not for everybody. I personally think that most MD/PhDs should not even be doing it. The PhD life is a life full of failure, criticism, job insecurity, low pay, dirty politics, sociopaths, and egotistical maniacs. But it is also a promise for exciting scientific discovery. Some scientists are completely driven by that possibility despite all the downsides. If I told you tomorrow that you could never do science again, would you be truly sad, as if you lost something important in your life? Or would you feel relieved?
Advice #3: I agree with mtb103 completely. Don't be afraid to take some time off. Go on vacation. Take a leave of absence if necessary.
It will be difficult to sort of when your mind is all muddled with experimental failures, family pressure, self-doubt, fear, etc. But do some self-reflection when you feel clear minded. Think long-term how you want your career structured. Do you want to be a PI doing 80/20 science/clinical? 100% clinical? Clinical research? Industry? Consulting? Something else?
