Ive been pretty unhappy with my circumstances lately. First the school I picked isn’t the right one, second the class schedule sucks (mandatory attendance and we’re in class all day even second semester). I haven’t done well my first semester either, I didn’t fail any course but my anxiety is telling me that I may in my second semester (I guess ptsd from almost failing one of my courses in my first semester). I have been thinking about quitting but a part of me doesn’t want to. I don’t hate the profession at all, I just hate my circumstances, I hate that I don’t have time to study all this material because I’m in class all day. I honestly feel like if I stayed home and just went to school on lab days, I would have done much better. I also miss my family a lot but I feel like it’s just my way of escaping school because I’ve never been this homesick before. Like I’m on vacation right now, and I have been crying because my time with my family is ending. I also don’t like how we don’t even get a summer vacay because at least I could have spent more time with my family. Has anyone been in this boat and third year got better? Whenever I shadowed, I loved my time and I can really see myself being a physician. I really don’t know what to do. I’m really lost.
Dilemma if I should quit...
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If you really want to become a podiatrist then I’d stick it out. It’s only 2 years of the academic work and yes 3rd year is better. But if your mental health can’t handle the scheduling and everything then I’d seek counseling first. I know people that have got a lot of help from that. If you still feel like you can’t deal with it then maybe medicine isn’t for you.... Also, get used to no summer vacations, your not a kid anymore. The real world doesn’t work like that lol
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Agree with above post. Seek counseling. I would also say to stick to it because it will get better, but it really depends about how ready you are to go back. It does get worse for some and they end up quitting and seeking counseling anyways.
I was more homesick in undergrad, especially my first 2 years and didn't do so well, I had to quit in undergrad, but then I got married, started school again and things got much better for me. I mentioned that before, I really give myself plenty of time off during school and find something interesting to do to keep myself refreshed. Even if there are no long summer vacations at your school, you can have time-off here and there during school years.
Do you guys have winter break right now? How long is it? Our second year we have only 2 weeks and sure I want to stay here with my family longer, but I am trying to have as good time as I can to have positive emotions. I honestly do not think about school at all. I have turned my brain completely off for that.
If you quit, do you have other solid options of what you will be doing or right now your only options are to go back or quit?
I was more homesick in undergrad, especially my first 2 years and didn't do so well, I had to quit in undergrad, but then I got married, started school again and things got much better for me. I mentioned that before, I really give myself plenty of time off during school and find something interesting to do to keep myself refreshed. Even if there are no long summer vacations at your school, you can have time-off here and there during school years.
Do you guys have winter break right now? How long is it? Our second year we have only 2 weeks and sure I want to stay here with my family longer, but I am trying to have as good time as I can to have positive emotions. I honestly do not think about school at all. I have turned my brain completely off for that.
If you quit, do you have other solid options of what you will be doing or right now your only options are to go back or quit?
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I thought you attend NYCPM...so isn't there a summer-break during June?
Let me just state that whatever issues you had during the first term (besides the attendance mess), is pretty common for the majority at other programs. It's very common to not do well during the beginning since it takes time finding the correct study-method and time management skills. That said, most usually pick up, learn, adapt and do better as they move on.
I think you should move on to 2nd semester and try not making similar mistakes made during this term; as stated above get counseling help and work on any anxiety-related issues. If you continue to feel this way next term or do poorly again, then yeah maybe medicine is not for you.
You also have the option of transferring to another program, granted you may have to restart from term 1.
Third-year is a lot better than the first two years..but 4th is even better (cannot wait for this
)we are on winter break right now (~three weeks so pretty decent). Idk what my options are if I quit, maybe a master’s in social work? I know I’m not a kid anymore and there’s no summer vacation, but I just find it a bit unfair that other schools get summer vacation between M1 and M2 and we don’t. If it were like, no school gets it, then I wouldn’t have mind at all. It just confirms that I made the wrong choice with school you know what I mean? Like makes me think, oh no I should have picked this school or that school.
I thought you attend NYCPM...so isn't there a summer-break during June?
Let me just state that whatever issues you had during the first term (besides the attendance mess), is pretty common for the majority at other programs. It's very common to not do well during the beginning since it takes time finding the correct study-method and time management skills. That said, most usually pick up, learn, adapt and do better as they move on.
I think you should move on to 2nd semester and try not making similar mistakes made during this term; as stated above get counseling help and work on any anxiety-related issues. If you continue to feel this way next term or do poorly again, then yeah maybe medicine is not for you.
You also have the option of transferring to another program, granted you may have to restart from term 1.
Third-year is a lot better than the first two years..but 4th is even better (cannot wait for this
nycpm has no summer break (an almost three week break if you count that and not two months like other schools). I’m thinking of continuing my second semester but I just really don’t wanna fail out. My first semester experience screwed me over real bad. I went from being in the top 10% in my undergrad to bottom 25%.
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I get how you feel about your school, but at the end it's not about school, but about the degree you will have. At the end you will be physician. Plus you only sit for ~2 years at the school and then clinic. I would stick through this if school and curriculum is the only issue. I wonder if you actively researching other fields means you don't really want to do Podiatric medicine and that is where the issue is.
im not really researching other fields, I did at the beginning of the semester but that was about it. I really don’t hate the profession. When I shadowed,I absolutely loved my time. I like talking to patients, knowing their stories. That’s why the decision is hard because it isn’t the field, rather the curriculum. Believe me, if it was the field, I would have said bye bye by now.
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Like I said above...you can try for another program. Did you interview anywhere else? If you have a school in mind then send them an email and talk about a possible transfer to be part of the class of 2024. You will have to re-do the AACPMAS app and most likely will have to begin from Sem 1 but location/curriculum might be better for you in the long run.
Or, figure out how to ease stress at the current program (maybe move closer to campus, study groups..etc)...and see how semester 2 goes..get help whenever you can!
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Not too sure, but I don’t believe we have a long summer break at Scholl as well. We have to take biomechanics over the summer so I believe we get 3 weeks before biomechanics starts, and than 3 weeks after biomechanics before 2nd year starts. I guess it is longer than NYCPM but it is broken up in chunks. Assuming NYCPM since you said you are required to go to classes (biggest reason I did not choose to go there and I’m from NYC!!).
Only other good thing we have is we get quarter breaks which are 1 week long every 2 or so months.
I agree with the above and think you should ride it out at least the next semester and see if your grades improve. I don’t think anyone really enjoys their time in the first 2 years, it is the didactic years so really requires a lot of dedication to learn all the material.
Only other good thing we have is we get quarter breaks which are 1 week long every 2 or so months.
I agree with the above and think you should ride it out at least the next semester and see if your grades improve. I don’t think anyone really enjoys their time in the first 2 years, it is the didactic years so really requires a lot of dedication to learn all the material.
you guys don’t get two months off? I thought you did because that’s what we were told by the upperclassmen on our interview day.
that’s the problem, I interviewed too many places that the grass seems greener on the other side lol
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I believe it is 3 weeks before biomechanics starts, 3 weeks after biomechanics ends before P2 year starts. I guess that adds up to around 1.5 months of break between p1 and p2 year.
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Here is our curriculum chart. Based off those, that is how it seems. 3 weeks before biomechanics, 3 weeks after. Maybe I am reading it wrong, not sure.
Wow you guys have some pretty interesting classes in your first year (that clinical one), and I like how your micro and immuno are comprised into one. I wish we had a clinical class in our first year to keep us motivated. Our micro and immuno are divided.
But it kinda seems weird that your summer break is divided. They should have started your biomechanics at least a week after spring classes end, that way, those six weeks are assimilated.
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Yeah our micro and immune is a 6 or 7 credit class I believe that with immune being the first 2 exams and micro being the last 2.
Honestly, the first year clinical class isn’t really that all interesting. It is basically just learning to do a Head to Toe exam, most of which will never apply to us DPMs in the future (except maybe residency). We also learn to take full H&Ps as well, also which probably won’t apply to us in the future. It is a class that Rosalind Franklin University decided to merge the DPMs and MDs with making it an “Interprofessional” class cause RFU loves that stuff, in fact, they have a 1 CR class just for interprofessionalism all first years at Rosalind (any program - MD, DPM, PharmD, PT, PA, etc) has to take.
I believe they separate out biomechanics from the spring semester because it really would overwhelm us in our first year to add it onto our already overloaded spring semester. It makes sense, and I’d rather do it in the summer as well and pass it with a good grade and not get a C. Also because biomechanics is one of those classes you want to do good in, i would rather have the extra study time.
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If you want some harsh truth, if you're really upset and complaining about getting so little break time now at the end first semester at NYCPM, then you might as well drop out and try reapplying to another school or changing career paths. That or buckle down and tough it out. It doesn't get any easier from here on out. You'll see starting with fourth semester's "break", which is the last 3 week break you get, you'll be doing so much bs hospital credentialing busy work; running around 3 hospitals getting separate ID cards as well as doing their individual in service exams, doing CPR/opioid prescribing/OSHA/HIPPA/Sexual harassment training exams, getting a million emails from Dean Quintana, it ends up feeling like a fake half-ass break. Then going into third year you can kiss any real vacation time goodbye. Only breaks we get is 2 days in March for "Spring Break" and then 2 weeks in June right before exterships and 4th year. We got only Thanksgiving day off, New Years Day off, and Christmas Eve I had to work clinic in the morning before rushing back home only to then have to leave Christmas day afternoon to head back to school and have clinic again the next day. That's it. Other than what I just listed, from July-June you have class and clinic basically every week day.
As someone who during those 3 week breaks the first 3 semesters felt ready to head back to school after just one week, I can say even I'm getting seriously burned out at this point. It's just a nonstop grind. Third year, your day starts class at 7 or 7:30am that runs to 9, then you're off to whatever clinic/hospital you're assigned to and most go until 4 but can run until 6, and that's not even counting night clinic on Wednesdays that can run until 8pm, also not counting the surgery rotation where again OR cases can run until 7 or 8pm and even in one case some of my classmates were in the OR until 1am! (100% true story). When you're on ortho rotation you have to do so many random assignments and have so many afternoon workshops it really wears you down over the course of the 3 months. So if you're asking if third year gets easier, I'd say no. It's just different. Less classes but clinic is just as if not more time consuming and definitely more mentally and physically exhausting. While you could get away with zoning out and being a passenger in lectures, in clinic you have to always be mentally on point while interacting with patients and attending (except I guess you could zone out in the OR watching the attending and residents do a case). You get out of clinic at 5pm pooped but you still have to study for exams all the same and the exams are still just as difficult (as in 4th semester hard not 1st year easy).
And 4th year again you get no vacation and even have to spend the Christmas and New Years holiday time studying for boards part II which is on Jan 2nd. Depending on your externship picks, you might have to start at 5am or finish at 10pm and might have to stand through 6 consecutive surgical cases back to back in an 10 hour time span. And residency is only going to be even more longer hours and even less vacation. Looking back you don't realize how easy you had it first year until all your free time is really gone 4th semester and onward.
So if you're really getting burned out and depressed after just 1st semester, which was supposed to be the fun explore NYC semester, then idk how you're going to survive 4th semester and 3rd/4th year where you actually have no vacation. Just my honest assessment. Only thing to do is to begrudgingly adapt and get used to having less vacation and free time the further on you get until you're your own boss and can set your own vacation times.
TLDR: It doesn't gets easier
As someone who during those 3 week breaks the first 3 semesters felt ready to head back to school after just one week, I can say even I'm getting seriously burned out at this point. It's just a nonstop grind. Third year, your day starts class at 7 or 7:30am that runs to 9, then you're off to whatever clinic/hospital you're assigned to and most go until 4 but can run until 6, and that's not even counting night clinic on Wednesdays that can run until 8pm, also not counting the surgery rotation where again OR cases can run until 7 or 8pm and even in one case some of my classmates were in the OR until 1am! (100% true story). When you're on ortho rotation you have to do so many random assignments and have so many afternoon workshops it really wears you down over the course of the 3 months. So if you're asking if third year gets easier, I'd say no. It's just different. Less classes but clinic is just as if not more time consuming and definitely more mentally and physically exhausting. While you could get away with zoning out and being a passenger in lectures, in clinic you have to always be mentally on point while interacting with patients and attending (except I guess you could zone out in the OR watching the attending and residents do a case). You get out of clinic at 5pm pooped but you still have to study for exams all the same and the exams are still just as difficult (as in 4th semester hard not 1st year easy).
And 4th year again you get no vacation and even have to spend the Christmas and New Years holiday time studying for boards part II which is on Jan 2nd. Depending on your externship picks, you might have to start at 5am or finish at 10pm and might have to stand through 6 consecutive surgical cases back to back in an 10 hour time span. And residency is only going to be even more longer hours and even less vacation. Looking back you don't realize how easy you had it first year until all your free time is really gone 4th semester and onward.
So if you're really getting burned out and depressed after just 1st semester, which was supposed to be the fun explore NYC semester, then idk how you're going to survive 4th semester and 3rd/4th year where you actually have no vacation. Just my honest assessment. Only thing to do is to begrudgingly adapt and get used to having less vacation and free time the further on you get until you're your own boss and can set your own vacation times.
TLDR: It doesn't gets easier
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Great post. We sometimes forget the physical toll 3rd year/clinic days can take on us while we still have to study and take exams. Hopefully, OP will make a sound decision based on the info here!
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You will have to know those H&Ps and note-taking skills not only for clinic courses but also for rotations like IM and EM (where are grilled on everything head-toe by attendings). Then there is also the clinical skills portion of Part 2 (boards) that you have to pass to graduate...way before you use them again in residency.
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I thought the residency curriculum in terms of vacation/sick days is 'similar' throughout?
Unless you meant going to a 4-year program vs 3.
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Sarcasm. Suck it up buttercup.
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If I'm a damn psychiatrist and I need to know how to do a physical exam because it's important, you damn well had better be able to as a podiatrist. I rotate with podiatry residents in my residency and I trust them as much as any of my other colleagues because they are *competent physicians* that happen to have a focus on feet and ankles
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