Do you guys have time for hobbies during medschool?

[iliveinmyguitar]

I'm just curious, and I figured id ask in this section of the forum since you guys are already in medschool and are living the life that I'm wondering about... Do any of you still pursue other passions outside of medicine during med school? or have time for it? For example, things that you were semi-serious about during highschool and/or college like music, poker, rock climbing and what not. I've been into music all of my life and it would suck if I have to drop it for Med school. It would be a sacrifice I am willing to make; however, it would be unfortunate.

Thanks!

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[wjs010]

I watch tv only when eating. I try to workout 3-5x a week. You can still do stuff.. But it's hard.

 

[TheFuture_22]

I would probably drop most hobbies until after the first test to make sure that you are staying on top of the material and adjusting (because everyone is different in how much time they have to put in for their goals). However, after that, I think that you can find plenty of time for hobbies once you get into a schedule and know about what it takes in terms of time commitment to meet your academic goals.

 

[TheFuture_22]

Additionally, I would add that you don't have to drop playing music completely. I am just advising that you tone it down a bit in the beginning. I do realize that everyone obviously needs a little bit of time to unwind every now and then.

 

[clone19]

It depends on your own studying/time management habits and also what school you go to. I went to a school that taught primarily through lectures. We had a note taking service which transcribed the lectures and I rarely ever had to go to a lecture. I had plenty of time to go fishing and enjoy myself, and I still did pretty well in all my classes. Obviously you'd need to tune everything out and focus hard for boards, but otherwise first and second year were pretty chill.

During clinical years it's harder to make time, but as the exam schedules aren't as grueling it's still definitely possible to pursue hobbies.

However I do know people in my class who went to every lecture and spent all their free time studying and still barely passed. So don't assume anything, and like the above poster mentioned feel it out in the beginning.

 

[eimaise]

Totally doable. 4th year now, but during the first 2 years, I went to all lectures (mandatory attendance) and studied in the afternoons and evenings most days of the week, but still had time for keeping up with my hobbies like playing sports regularly, playing guitar, and hiking. First things first, cut out the stuff that eats up your time quickly (like surfing facebook or watching TV) and you'll find you have more time than you realize. Third year was tougher in many ways because I had far less time to do stuff outside of rotations and studying. But 4th year is truly wonderful.

 

[AMEHigh]

Yes, definitely time for hobbies.

Even during times before exams or the intense 12 hour study days of board studying, it's typically beneficial to get your mind on to something else daily for some amount of time.

Even during 3rd and 4th year rotations I've found time to work out and play music. They way I look at it, my schedule isn't going to get any easier over the next several years, so I might as well get used to finding time outside of the hospital to enjoy myself. If not, I'd get very very burned out quickly.

 

[GUH]

There is time for hobbies. However, I have had to prioritize which ones I was going to continue to pursue. You will have less time and energy for these things during school, but you will have some time if you make an effort to block it out.

 

[iliveinmyguitar]

Thanks guys! This is great news, looking forward to medical school even more now

 

[421822]

no.

 

[Mad Jack]

I've had to pick and choose my time sinks. I drive home every weekend or so to stay in touch with my friends. I've only been lifting twice a week since I started, hoping to get up to five days a week soon. Had to drop basically everything else, but hopefully it gets better once I get the hang of things.

 

[jd1031]

Yes, you still have time for a life in med school, unless you plan on partying multiple days during the week every week. In fact, I encourage you to keep doing hobbies that are important to you while in school. Just become efficient and focused at getting school work done.

I continued to work out 5x a week throughout med school, continued to play my guitar often, and read a lot of non-medical books. Besides doing those things for plain enjoyment, my hobbies helped me maintain focus (especially the working out part). Whenever I felt like I've spent too much time sitting in the library, I would immediately hit the gym or play some sport. Instant focus booster. The only time I struggled to balance hobbies and school work was during 2nd year a couple of months before step 1.

 

[Petypet]

Time management really helped me. If I set time to study, say 45 hours/week, and I actually ONLY studied during that time I found that I had plenty of time for exercise/golf/wife/tv/whatever. The problem I saw with many of my classmates is that they would go study in groups or in areas w/ distractions and while they would be studying for 45+ hours a week, half that time is being distracted.

 

[BrooklynBulls]

Those that do not have time for relaxation or hobbies, either end up doing incredibly poorly, or incredibly wonderfully. Those that do incredibly poorly do so because if med school takes up all of your time, completely, then they have poor study habits or methods. Those that do incredibly well is because they actually make med school their hobby-- they do it because they enjoy it. I am neither, and have had plenty of time for hobbies. In fact I'd say I've been more outgoing and have done MORE things in medical school than in college because med school developed my focus, taught me the value of free time, and gave me self confidence. It is what you make it to be.

 

[Dharma]

@iliveinmyguitar if you don't have time, you're doing something wrong. The best advice I could give is to create a schedule. Schedule everything, even your "free" time. Make no excuses. Treat the free time blocks with the same respect as you would your study blocks, because over the long-haul they will have a positive effect on efficiency during study time.

This med school thing is a marathon. No sprint, even though you have to run harder time to time. If you want to do it right without becoming a neurotic mess (and there's WAY to many of them already), you need to strike balance in life-work. These are good habits to instill now- habits that you can carry over into your career when you will have even more responsibilities to juggle (i.e. family).

Be self-aware. Self-critical. Know what you're good at. Know where you struggle. Find ways to become as efficient as possible. Go create that schedule.

 

[SurgeDO]

let medicine become your new hobby. embrace it. basketball, collecting baseball cards, ping pong, and playing guitar were never that tight anyway. pathophys behind cushing ulcers is tight.

 

[Bill Brasky]

let medicine become your new hobby. embrace it. basketball, collecting baseball cards, ping pong, and playing guitar were never that tight anyway. pathophys behind cushing ulcers is tight.

Agreed. It's always stressful around exam time - if you had to play ping pong 12 hours a day for a week then compete in a tournament, you'd be just as stressed - but when the pressure is off I enjoy this stuff.