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carrot395

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You just sound kind of burnt out. 2nd semester of 2nd year is the worst for isolation/stress in my opinion. If you're +1 std on board exams already that is amazing. Popularity and board scores seemed mildly inversely related from what I've seen. Definitely not a requirement. Whatever kind of study works for you is great. I'd recommend not to be completely isolated though.
 
I think you'd benefit most from going to the counseling services offered by your school than SDN.

There is no set formula to how med school should function. I have a great group of friends, but we hardly ever studied together. If you're friends with someone, time or distance doesn't affect that fact.
 
I would second what @MrChance2 said, it sounds like what you really need are: 1. Some mental tools to deal with your social anxiety and 2. A better coping mechanism for the stress you are currently experiencing.

You aren't gonna get much else here, not much else that is useful anyway. Good luck OP, and if you wanna talk one on one, feel free to message me.
 
There is nothing wrong with being an introvert, or preferring to work with fewer people.

I find solo study to be most efficacious. Even now that I have started studying with a single buddy, it is someone who mostly does her thing in the same place that I am doing my thing, and we take off our headphones only to ask for clarification on points that are confusing to us. It is heavenly. There are big study groups in my class, but from their fringes, it seems to me that they lose many hours of study time to irrelevant chatter. Or there are groups that study to memorize facts, but not for understanding. So, they can knee jerk spit out answers to buzz words, but when faced with questions that require more critical thinking, they seem to struggle more.

If you know what works for you, you win. Do that.

As for retaining friendships / staying close to people... this is a difficult time to find time for social interaction. If you've made friends with someone, they will still like you and care about you, even if they don't see a lot of you for a few months. If they were never friends, but just mutually beneficial acquaintances... that is okay, too. You will meet new people and have room in your life for them because you aren't wasting your time on fragile fake friendships.

Suggestions to speak to a counselor or someone else about feelings of isolation are legit. You should do that. But don't beat yourself up if you are better at studying with fewer distractions, or whatever it is about small group study that works for you. Having a different style isn't a personal flaw. It is a variation. Those are good. It would be awfully boring if there were only one way to be.
 
I see a disconnect in the bolded.

Your social groups and contacts don't have to come from mere studying. Does your school have a gym? Yoga/tai chi/karate etc sessions? If so, hit that up more.

I also suggest visiting your school's counseling center for help with your anxiety, burnout (which is right on time for an MSII, BTW) and social issues. Also, practice mindfulness techniques. They're not time intensive, and they work.

Lastly, suggest studying with other students. Seek out people who impress you and ask if you can study with them, or at least get their tips for success.

For the red/bold, no. But it is good to have a support network.

Good luck! You CAN get through this!!!!



carrot395 said:
Hey there, I am first year medical school student here. I recently switched from a 6 people study group into studying with a partner, supplemented by going to office hours to clarify things with professor. My old group had some tension and some people tend to take over. At this point, I realized that solo studying is most beneficial for me and reviewing material in detail with 1 other person is most helpful. However, I miss my old study group and I worry if I will grow apart from the people in there. I am trying to hang out with them for social events but they mostly want to keep to themselves/boyfriends. Second, I worry if I am missing anything if I study with fewer number of people. Third, I wonder if there is something wrong with me if I prefer smaller group settings. I am generally a shy and anxious person, both of which I am working on to become an open and confident person. So far, all my feedback from my professors and attending physicians have been very positive and I scored 1+ standard deviation on NBME practice exams. But deep down I would like to be more social, since I heard that once I enter 3rd/4th year it is all about how much my attending likes me.

At this point, medical school is starting to become an isolating experience with study cliques but I am super unproductive when I study with other people EXCEPT when I review things with 1 other person. I also struggle with some mild feeling of apathy and depression... but I really think this is due to sleep deprivation. Any comments from other people who are in medical school or graduated medical school? Is large study group + popularity a requirement for success in medical school?
Click to expand...
 
I don't know anyone in my school who is at the top of the class and prefers to study in a group. They push it on you initially with personality surveys but by the time step 1 roles around, it's just you and the qbank


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Every time I hear people say they study in groups it sends a shiver down my spine. I would much rather sit at home with the dog on my lap, coffee (or beer) in hand, and macbook on the arm of my couch.

That's just me.

I also have a strong feeling that the people who study in groups are the same people who incessantly raise their hands during lecture...
 
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carrot395 said:
Hey there, I am first year medical school student here. I recently switched from a 6 people study group into studying with a partner, supplemented by going to office hours to clarify things with professor. My old group had some tension and some people tend to take over. At this point, I realized that solo studying is most beneficial for me and reviewing material in detail with 1 other person is most helpful. However, I miss my old study group and I worry if I will grow apart from the people in there. I am trying to hang out with them for social events but they mostly want to keep to themselves/boyfriends. Second, I worry if I am missing anything if I study with fewer number of people. Third, I wonder if there is something wrong with me if I prefer smaller group settings. I am generally a shy and anxious person, both of which I am working on to become an open and confident person. So far, all my feedback from my professors and attending physicians have been very positive and I scored 1+ standard deviation on NBME practice exams. But deep down I would like to be more social, since I heard that once I enter 3rd/4th year it is all about how much my attending likes me.

At this point, medical school is starting to become an isolating experience with study cliques but I am super unproductive when I study with other people EXCEPT when I review things with 1 other person. I also struggle with some mild feeling of apathy and depression... but I really think this is due to sleep deprivation. Any comments from other people who are in medical school or graduated medical school? Is large study group + popularity a requirement for success in medical school?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're doing just fine for MS-1/2 and have figured out how you study best. That's all that matters for MS-1/2. There's nothing wrong with having only a couple of close friends if that's what you're comfortable with. You could be studying with everyone in your class, at the same time, and you will still feel like you're missing something. There's just too much material to know everything. Even my interventional cardiology attending who is also board certified for internal medicine can't answer all the cardiology questions in UWorld for Step 2 correctly (yes, he did a lot of UWorld questions with me). Lastly, your attending will like you if you show interest in his/her work and come prepared. Everything else is just icing on the cake. You can have every extracurricular hobby in common with your attending, but if you come unprepared and disinterested, you will get a poor evaluation. So you're doing just fine. Keep up the good work!
 
Promethean said:
I find solo study to be most efficacious. Even now that I have started studying with a single buddy, it is someone who mostly does her thing in the same place that I am doing my thing, and we take off our headphones only to ask for clarification on points that are confusing to us. It is heavenly.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this if I even decide to be around people. I'm moderately social otherwise but I MUCH prefer to study on my own and if there's time, reviewing in small groups. Definitely nothing wrong with that. One thing you don't want to do is trade your grades for friendship. You're there to become a doctor, not a socialite plus there will be life after medschool. You won't be spending the rest of it with your classmates and will barely even see half of them after second year and thereafter.
 
I have a slightly noob question, if you don't mind me asking: how are you able to get 1+ standard deviation on NBME exams while only being halfway or so through first year? Don't these exams require knowledge from full 2 years of preclinical sciences? Did you study the material before M-1?
Or are these some other version of NBME exams?
 
basophilic said:
I have a slightly noob question, if you don't mind me asking: how are you able to get 1+ standard deviation on NBME exams while only being halfway or so through first year? Don't these exams require knowledge from full 2 years of preclinical sciences? Did you study the material before M-1?
Or are these some other version of NBME exams?
Click to expand...

Good question! My school teach us based on different organ systems and topics... so for NBME practice questions, they select certain sections that's relevant to what we are learning... I am a first year med school student, not second year! Haha also I use First Aid book religiously so that also helps.
 
carrot395 said:
Hey there, I am first year medical school student here. I recently switched from a 6 people study group into studying with a partner, supplemented by going to office hours to clarify things with professor. My old group had some tension and some people tend to take over. At this point, I realized that solo studying is most beneficial for me and reviewing material in detail with 1 other person is most helpful. However, I miss my old study group and I worry if I will grow apart from the people in there. I am trying to hang out with them for social events but they mostly want to keep to themselves/boyfriends. Second, I worry if I am missing anything if I study with fewer number of people. Third, I wonder if there is something wrong with me if I prefer smaller group settings. I am generally a shy and anxious person, both of which I am working on to become an open and confident person. So far, all my feedback from my professors and attending physicians have been very positive and I scored 1+ standard deviation on NBME practice exams. But deep down I would like to be more social, since I heard that once I enter 3rd/4th year it is all about how much my attending likes me.

At this point, medical school is starting to become an isolating experience with study cliques but I am super unproductive when I study with other people EXCEPT when I review things with 1 other person. I also struggle with some mild feeling of apathy and depression... but I really think this is due to sleep deprivation. Any comments from other people who are in medical school or graduated medical school? Is large study group + popularity a requirement for success in medical school?
Click to expand...
I am the same. Huge introvert. I also like cats.

I studied alone 98% of my time in MS1 and MS2 but I found one friend who was similar that liked to meet up and review/quiz each other the day before the exam for like an hour while we also just chatted and complained.

You don't need to be an extrovert to succeed in MS3. I have honored all but one of my rotations as an introvert. I think there is an unfortunate and incorrect assumption that introversion is social awkwardness. It is not. You can be a pleasant and socially competent person who just happens to prefer not being the life of the party. It does take some energy for me to chat up attendings and residents, but it isn't that exhausting and is worth it. I think of it like studying. I'd rather not do it, but that is how you get good grades.
 
carrot395 said:
Hey here are some additional detail that I didn't share before:
One of the girls who is in this study group 1) cheated on her ex-boyfriend, broke up with him, and now is dating the new guy in medical school. I strongly disagree with her decision and I would prefer to be acquaintance with her only 2) the said girl purposely tried to exclude some people (including me) from hanging out with her, because they weren't cool enough. In the past she said very nasty things about me, gave me the silent treatment, and made me cry... all of which made some of her friends stop talking to her. She has targeted other people in the past 3) I was shocked that majority of people in medical school didn't care about her cheating behavior, and they continued the friendship with her. In fact, most of the people told me that they are very supportive of her decision?! And they think that the couple is cute together? I guess people want to stay neutral if the issue does not affect them directly... but the callousness makes me very sad.

I don't mind working with her professionally but I would prefer not to if I can help it. That is perhaps the biggest reason why I don't want to keep going to the study group. My study partner and I go over classwork in a lot of depth than the large group did, and I go to office hours to get extra help as needed. I have started to participate + organize social events with people that I actually get along with, and invite my friends... instead of doing study group as a way to socialize. Also went to church recently to help me to reconnect with my faith and focus on what is truly important in life, and not let the petty drama get to me. I try to spend more time assisting doctors with seeing patients + surgery. Lastly, I have an appointment tomorrow with the free psychiatrist (he is also a therapist) provided by my school. I am feeling so much better after realizing that I need to be more proactive to find happiness. Thanks everyone for encouraging me to turn my life more positively!
Click to expand...
I admittedly didn't read your whole post but you need to be the mature adult here. One of the best things about being an adult is that you're old enough to realize you don't need to be friends with toxic people.

What she does with her relationships has absolutely nothing to do with your study group. Omg. If that's what's being discussed at your study group then you aren't a productive group. If you benefit from the group and can maintain a strictly professional relationship with its members for the sake of studying, then go. If you can't and get too wrapped up in personal drama (which it seems like you do), then quit going for your own sanity's sake. It's that simple. Cut out the toxic people and cling to the supportive ones.
 
carrot395 said:
Hey here are some additional detail that I didn't share before:
One of the girls who is in this study group 1) cheated on her ex-boyfriend, broke up with him, and now is dating the new guy in medical school. I strongly disagree with her decision and I would prefer to be acquaintance with her only 2) the said girl purposely tried to exclude some people (including me) from hanging out with her, because they weren't cool enough. In the past she said very nasty things about me, gave me the silent treatment, and made me cry... all of which made some of her friends stop talking to her. She has targeted other people in the past 3) I was shocked that majority of people in medical school didn't care about her cheating behavior, and they continued the friendship with her. In fact, most of the people told me that they are very supportive of her decision?! And they think that the couple is cute together? I guess people want to stay neutral if the issue does not affect them directly... but the callousness makes me very sad.

I don't mind working with her professionally but I would prefer not to if I can help it. My new study partner and I go over classwork in a lot of depth than the large group did, and I go to office hours to get extra help as needed. I have started to participate + organize social events with people that I actually get along with, and invite my friends... instead of doing study group as a way to socialize. Also went to church recently to help me to reconnect with my faith and focus on what is truly important in life, and not let the petty drama get to me. I try to spend more time assisting doctors with seeing patients + surgery. Lastly, I have an appointment tomorrow with a counselor provided by my school. I am feeling so much better after realizing that I need to be more proactive to find happiness. Thanks everyone for encouraging me to be more proactive!
Click to expand...

LOL dafuq? is this high school all over again?
 
Didn't read the whole thread, but highly recommend the study-separately-together system @Promethean alluded to. We'd often meet up at Panera or wherever in groups of 2-4 and then mostly do our own thing. But there's something comforting about the people around you going through the same thing. Not to mention someone to talk to on study breaks (schedule them so you don't get off track) and to trade off watching stuff during coffee refills and bathroom breaks.
 
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Affiche said:
What she does with her relationships has absolutely nothing to do with your study group. Omg. If that's what's being discussed at your study group then you aren't a productive group. If you benefit from the group and can maintain a strictly professional relationship with its members for the sake of studying, then go. If you can't and get too wrapped up in personal drama (which it seems like you do), then quit going for your own sanity's sake. It's that simple. Cut out the toxic people and cling to the supportive ones.
Click to expand...
Seriously, what does someone's personal business have to do with studying?
 
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