Does it get better? Just finished week one of med school.

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SD Hopeamine

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Hey guys.

So I just finished up my first week of medical school and the way our curriculum is set up, we are blowing through biochem in 3 weeks. We took our midterm this morning and I did decently well, but this last week has been relentless non-stop studying of a bunch of metabolic pathways which isn't particularly my favorite subject.

I just want it to get better. Right now, the days seem long and it's hard to study for significant periods of time. It doesn't help that the material isn't particularly interesting and the sheer volume was enough to make me lose several nights of sleep.

Does it get better? Does it become easier to study for days on end? Does the material become more interesting? Any advice or words of encouragement would be amazing.

Thanks all.
 
Jesus H Christ said:
Hey guys.

So I just finished up my first week of medical school and the way our curriculum is set up, we are blowing through biochem in 3 weeks. We took our midterm this morning and I did decently well, but this last week has been relentless non-stop studying of a bunch of metabolic pathways which isn't particularly my favorite subject.

I just want it to get better. Right now, the days seem long and it's hard to study for significant periods of time. It doesn't help that the material isn't particularly interesting and the sheer volume was enough to make me lose several nights of sleep.

Does it get better? Does it become easier to study for days on end? Does the material become more interesting? Any advice or words of encouragement would be amazing.

Thanks all.
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I don’t really have any encouragement, but I’m right there with you. Trying to figure out how to balance things right now seems to be near impossible.
 
NecFasc92 said:
First week of med school and the 3 weeks leading up to my boards were the two worst times of med school. First week if you aren't studying all day long you have problems. By the end of first year you'll cut time studying for a certain grade in 1/2. By spring of second year you do as little school studying as possible for school exams lol.

Interest level: 3rd year >>>2nd year >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1st year

Volume: 3=2?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>1
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Thank you so much. It is very reassuring to hear that. I look forward to this week 🙂
 
From what I remember of the first week, I felt so busy that I didn't even think I had enough time to stop and put gas in my car, so I understand your level of stress. Things definitely get better. You just have to get through that first block.
 
1st year is chill. Enjoy it while you can. 2nd semester if 2nd year is worst.

Third year is chill for me, despite working 12-14 hrs a day and about 3-4 hrs of studying on top of that.
 
You'll get better at the "med school game" with time.

You'll understand little things professors love to test on. You'll understand what exactly you need to do in order to obtain a satisfactory grade. More importantly you will get really efficient at your style of retaining random tid bits of information.

You just gotta keep grinding and you'll find your flow.
 
If it was really unbearable, you wouldn't have as many doctors as there are. I would always find myself saying, "if match rates at my school are this high, obviously the students can make it through so I will too". It can feel like its raining s*** on your head sometimes but just take a step back, breathe, have a beer and keep on chugging
 
Chibucks15 said:
If it was really unbearable, you wouldn't have as many doctors as there are. I would always find myself saying, "if match rates at my school are this high, obviously the students can make it through so I will too". It can feel like its raining s*** on your head sometimes but just take a step back, breathe, have a beer and keep on chugging
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Living the dream! Haha

Sent from my Pixel XL using SDN mobile
 
It only gets worse. Every. Single. Block. I’ve been waiting for that magic time when everything gets easy and you figure med school out. It’s been over a year now and hasn’t happened yet.

People say it gets easier and subjectively it does. The dirty secret is that it isn’t because you get so amazing or the school backs off, though. It’s only bc your apathy increases. Despite the fact that there’s more pain now than last year for me, it doesn’t matter. I’m numb to it at this point.
 
I’d say for most it gets better. The first month or two are the worst because you have no idea how to study and everyone is so excited to brag about the things they’re learning, so you feel behind, when in reality you aren’t. Once you find a flow that works for you, it’ll seem easier even though objectively you might be working harder than ever. Plus, biochemistry sucks. Classes will get more interesting.

I like to think of it as those first few weeks you’re hitting the gym; at first it’s miserable, you’re sore, and sometimes you don’t want to get up and do it, but eventually you get stronger and pile on more and more weight.
 
Jesus H Christ said:
Hey guys.

So I just finished up my first week of medical school and the way our curriculum is set up, we are blowing through biochem in 3 weeks. We took our midterm this morning and I did decently well, but this last week has been relentless non-stop studying of a bunch of metabolic pathways which isn't particularly my favorite subject.

I just want it to get better. Right now, the days seem long and it's hard to study for significant periods of time. It doesn't help that the material isn't particularly interesting and the sheer volume was enough to make me lose several nights of sleep.

Does it get better? Does it become easier to study for days on end? Does the material become more interesting? Any advice or words of encouragement would be amazing.

Thanks all.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, you could be one of my kids.

Does it get better? Honestly, no. Not until you're an attending. But OMSIII and IV are a different kind of busy. At least you won't be sitting in class from 8-5 x5 five days.

You need to establish good time mgt skills and more importantly, take time to take care of yourself. Agree 100% with scrubly...hit the gym.

Don't despair...you'll get through this. You're just at the phase where you (like everyone else in your classes) is learning what worked in UG doesn't work in med school.
 
scrublyfe21 said:
I’d say for most it gets better. The first month or two are the worst because you have no idea how to study and everyone is so excited to brag about the things they’re learning, so you feel behind, when in reality you aren’t. Once you find a flow that works for you, it’ll seem easier even though objectively you might be working harder than ever. Plus, biochemistry sucks. Classes will get more interesting.

I like to think of it as those first few weeks you’re hitting the gym; at first it’s miserable, you’re sore, and sometimes you don’t want to get up and do it, but eventually you get stronger and pile on more and more weight.
Click to expand...

I see PMR or surgery for you brah
 
I found the first 2 years of medical school to be tedious and didn't like it much. But once I started spending time in the hospital, I picked up so much during those hours that I had to study much less. Yes you may be spending equal or even more time overall, but I much preferred being in the hospital to sitting at a desk. And then everything came much easier.
 
Everyone feels this way. By the third day of medical school after my 20+ lecture of the week and not sleeping more than 4 hours per week I was about ready to quit. I went and talked to an anatomy professor and told them I made a big mistake coming to school. She reassured me everyone feels this way and people get through it.

An analogy she said that stuck with me. She said medical school lectures are the driest pancakes you will ever eat. Each lecture was another flap jack. Just look at the one in front of you and get through it. If you look at the entire stack waiting then you will throw up.

Sitting on this side of the basic sciences I can confidently say I have no clue how I got through it. It is a rough 2 years but you adapt and survive.
 
Every single one of your concerns gets better OP.

You get more efficient at studying.
You get smarter
The things you learn start to compliment each-other. (Though this may have been a function of the curriculum at my school since we did an integrated basic and clinical science model for 1st and 2nd year, and concepts kept repeating in each system we studied).
Stuff gets more interesting.


I studied non stop for the first few weeks, by Christmas break I was putting in 6hours or so per day. By the end of first year it was 3 or so. And that continued through 2nd year.

Boards was a few weeks of hell, but it went quick.

3rd and 4th year were a breeze in comparison.

I didn’t study much at all in residency. It was almost 100% point of care data access while I took actual care of patients.

And now, as a newly minted attending, I’ve got more free time than I know what to do with anymore, and I’ve got some good money coming in now too. Life’s good.

Hang in there, the first few weeks are the hardest; but you adjust quickly.
 
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austintr said:
Can confirm. Chugged tons of beer. Johns Hopkins offered to make an exclusive integrated neurosurg/plastics/ophtho track just for me.
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90% sure we go to the same school so glad I'm not the only one. Too many good breweries around to not
 
bahaha.

No it doesn't.

It's a bull**** lie that every school will tell you.

You think they want you to drop?

This isn't the caribbean.

That's a $300-$400,000 seat your ass is in.

Your school will tell you things do get better but they are just lying like they always do.

Let me put like it like this...

It's like a pimp and their working girls.

The girls do all the work, sleep with all the guys for money... and they pay the pimp... for what?

For protection, for access to clothes, security, food, shelter... etc.

Our schools are nothing but the pimps.

We are the ones getting hoe'd out.

We pay the schools for access to study spaces, STEP/ COMLEX permits and access to clinical rotation sites that are contracted from the school and eventually (and hopefully) a license to practice medicine.

But only until they have beaten every sense of compassion, sense of health and wellbeing you have left out of you.

Then it's the same in residency.

You just get used to it.
 
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I agree with NecFasc except that I would probably say my interest level for this year is way more than 2nd year which was way, way, way more than 1st year. It's nice to finally start applying at least some of the knowledge gained in the past couple of years.

Third year is a bit of a conundrum with regard to whether or not it's "harder." I think just the sheer fact that I'm more interested in it and having fun talking to real patients is making it seem easier, but the workload is about the same if not more and it's a little difficult navigating how to study because there's no more real syllabus, no more lectures, etc. I'm making up my learning plan as I go along. I'm sure I'll have a bit more focus when it comes time for shelves.

Personally, I think each year gets better and better and most of the upper classmen feel/felt the same way, but I have heard from a handful who absolutely despised 3rd year. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you've never had a proper job before, 3rd year can be kind of a shock.

I can't say that it definitely will get better for you because maybe it won't be. Everyone has a different experience. What I can say with confidence though is that if you don't try to make the best experience out of med school, you most definitely will have a miserable time.
 
I had the omg I should drop out mental breakdown about 2 weeks into first year. I recovered from that after about 48 hours. Since then I’ve had a continuous omg I’m going to fail out/fail boards/not match running breakdown. I don’t know what everyone else here besides @QueenJames is talking about. I’m a second year still waiting for the magic moment it gets better. I’m 7 school days into this semester and I’m already 10 behind. I literally don’t know what everyone else is talking about. Especially the guy who said they studied 3 hours a day. I study 8-16 hours a day and I struggle. I’m just hoping that I keep passing on and that it gets better in rotations.
 
sunshinefl said:
I had the omg I should drop out mental breakdown about 2 weeks into first year. I recovered from that after about 48 hours. Since then I’ve had a continuous omg I’m going to fail out/fail boards/not match running breakdown. I don’t know what everyone else here besides @QueenJames is talking about. I’m a second year still waiting for the magic moment it gets better. I’m 7 school days into this semester and I’m already 10 behind. I literally don’t know what everyone else is talking about. Especially the guy who said they studied 3 hours a day. I study 8-16 hours a day and I struggle. I’m just hoping that I keep passing on and that it gets better in rotations.
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Keep going strong homie.

ANY year is better than 2nd year lolol
 
I was an emotional mess a good chunk of first year. Also was academically awful.

Second year was stressful because Boards, but at least I knew what I was doing and how to manage myself, so it wasn’t awful for the most part.

I may be the minority, but I enjoyed third year most rotations. There’s B$ that’s unavoidable and yes evaluations are subjective, but you can’t objectively evaluate somebody’s ability to be a good overall doctor, so just roll with it and take the good with the bad.

Fourth year was stressful with ERAS and auditions but overall enjoyable.

Intern year is exhausting, literally and figuratively, but I love what I’m doing and seeing that I actually learned enough useful things in the last four years to contribute and, yes going for the clique here, to “help people.”

The first week is not reflective of what your whole medical career will be like. There will be tough days and rough weeks but let those determine how you look at your whole life. (And bad days/weeks are normal, but if it turns into months- say something, get help).

Hang in there.
 
It's week 3 for me. I decided the other day that since I already pay a stupid amount in tuition I might as well put it to use. Made an appointment with our counselor who's a learning and memory specialist to make sure I do things right. In my mind it's better to be proactive and seek help and not need it than not seek help and be drowning. I don't know if this is an option for you, but you might consider it?

Sent from my Pixel XL using SDN mobile
 
Right. First semester of first year is literally the most miserable period of medical school. I can genuinely say that I felt every day like I was going to be broken, fail out, or just all around end up being a disappointment. And truth be told if I didn't work my ass off I probably would have.

First year is hard. But it's all an issue of perspective. Once you start second year you'll think first year was a joke. Third year things are somewhat better.
 
First week as an OMS1 as well... def an adjustment, but I came fresh off a post-bacc so it's more normalized for me in a sense.

If it's all you see yourself doing - you'll get through it.

Keep grinding and stay as social as possible.
 
SLC said:
I studied non stop for the first few weeks, by Christmas break I was putting in 6hours or so per day. By the end of first year it was 3 or so. And that continued through 2nd year.
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Profanity needs to be allowed on this site just for posts like this. 3 hours/day!? I took a “day to myself” this past weekend and put in 3 hours! I just want to burn down the entire universe after reading this. Omg! “Screams into a pillow *
 
Ho0v-man said:
Profanity needs to be allowed on this site just for posts like this. 3 hours/day!? I took a “day to myself” this past weekend and put in 3 hours! I just want to burn down the entire universe after reading this. Omg! “Screams into a pillow *
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Hahahahahaha I agree with every word.
 
It gets better guy. Residency is no picnic, but everyday I get to have my goals fulfilled as I perform surgery and see patients. The long hours don't change but the satisfaction will slowly increase.

FWIW it took me 6 weeks to adjust to 1st semester of med school. After the 2nd set of exams I knew what I needed to do and how to effectively do it. The stress, emotional difficulty and pain is real and you need to take care of yourself.
 
Ho0v-man said:
Profanity needs to be allowed on this site just for posts like this. 3 hours/day!? I took a “day to myself” this past weekend and put in 3 hours! I just want to burn down the entire universe after reading this. Omg! “Screams into a pillow *
Click to expand...

First off, 3 hours was study time. Not lecture attendance. All in all 10 hours per day was spent on school (on average).

Second off, I’m not particularly smart, but medicine makes logical sense to me (generally); so despite limping through undergrad, I had a pretty easy time in med-school. Probably because I actually liked what I was learning and doing, I liked it a lot; and that helped massively.

3rd, my school had a legit awesome curriculum; I 100% swear by SOMA’s clinical presentation curriculum. By the time we got into our 3rd block, we were learning a lot of stuff for the 3rd time, in a different context. I think that helped significantly.

Finally, nobody should feel guilty about, or unable to do some basic self-care in med-school. If you’re not getting regular exercise, maintaining meaningful relationships, and finding reasonable time to relax on a fairly regular basis, I’ll suggest re-evaluating the way you are doing things. The medical journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and steady folks!
 
Ho0v-man said:
Profanity needs to be allowed on this site just for posts like this. 3 hours/day!? I took a “day to myself” this past weekend and put in 3 hours! I just want to burn down the entire universe after reading this. Omg! “Screams into a pillow *
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Lol I’m on week 4 and study 9 hours per day fml
 
I'm actually really loving my school. Just finished my first week and started my second week today. I have a lot of flexibility with the flipped classroom style and I only have to be on campus Tues-Thurs for clicker sessions/reviews/labs/supplemental sessions. I can take frequent breaks as I need and study at my leisure.
 
SLC said:
First off, 3 hours was study time. Not lecture attendance. All in all 10 hours per day was spent on school (on average).

Second off, I’m not particularly smart, but medicine makes logical sense to me (generally); so despite limping through undergrad, I had a pretty easy time in med-school. Probably because I actually liked what I was learning and doing, I liked it a lot; and that helped massively.

3rd, my school had a legit awesome curriculum; I 100% swear by SOMA’s clinical presentation curriculum. By the time we got into our 3rd block, we were learning a lot of stuff for the 3rd time, in a different context. I think that helped significantly.

Finally, nobody should feel guilty about, or unable to do some basic self-care in med-school. If you’re not getting regular exercise, maintaining meaningful relationships, and finding reasonable time to relax on a fairly regular basis, I’ll suggest re-evaluating the way you are doing things. The medical journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and steady folks!
Click to expand...
Haha. Ok that’s a little more reasonable. It is frustrating for some knowing how little others struggle in comparison to others. Don’t get me wrong, I probably never truly hated until med school. But I was mostly just trolling.
 
It's the same difficulty as you progress, but you just seem to care less about getting the best grades. Pass and move on.
 
2nd week here. For me, I felt like what I did in undergrad worked. I have a very good memory and learn by reading/lecture. I'm glad that first midterm is over though😉
 
NecFasc92 said:
You're pulling 18 hour days? LOL, sure bud
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Don’t be so skeptical. Depends on the rotation and site (especially surgery) but long days aren’t uncommon. Studying for the shelf exams outside of your day in the hospital makes it drag more.
 
Ho0v-man said:
It only gets worse. Every. Single. Block. I’ve been waiting for that magic time when everything gets easy and you figure med school out. It’s been over a year now and hasn’t happened yet.

People say it gets easier and subjectively it does. The dirty secret is that it isn’t because you get so amazing or the school backs off, though. It’s only bc your apathy increases. Despite the fact that there’s more pain now than last year for me, it doesn’t matter. I’m numb to it at this point.
Click to expand...

When I was a 1st year my upperclassmen friends said, "Stick with it, it'll get better in 2nd year."
So I chugged along.
2nd year came. It wasn't better.
Then they said, "Stick with it, 3rd year rotations will get better."
So I chugged along.
3rd year came. It wasn't better.
Then they said, "Stick with it, 4th year rotations will get better."
So I chugged along.
4th year came. It was better.
When I was a 1st year resident my upperclassmen friends said...

Anyway, listen to the lies about it being better. It's the only way to cope.
 
Candidate2017 said:
When I was a 1st year my upperclassmen friends said, "Stick with it, it'll get better in 2nd year."
So I chugged along.
2nd year came. It wasn't better.
Then they said, "Stick with it, 3rd year rotations will get better."
So I chugged along.
3rd year came. It wasn't better.
Then they said, "Stick with it, 4th year rotations will get better."
So I chugged along.
4th year came. It was better.
When I was a 1st year resident my upperclassmen friends said...

Anyway, listen to the lies about it being better. It's the only way to cope.
Click to expand...
In my humble opinion the 3rd and 4th year bits are actually true. I can't even describe how much more I prefer clinical to the first couple years. Even in some of my darkest moments of 3rd year there were bright spots by commiserating with other students or residents, or being able to just chill out after work if I wanted to. There was no such solace in the first 2 years.
 
Black Coffee 24/7 said:
Just pulled a 14 hr shift just now, and have another 3 hrs of studying left to do. I would take this over the bs of the first 2 years in any day of the week.
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I hated the first two years. HATED.
 
1st year sucks, it really does.
2nd year suck EVEN MORE because you get more volume and you gotta study for boards
3rd year was a BLAST - finally you are doing something, and you'll be moderately busy
4th year - well I just started it with audition rotations so I'm burning my soul....I pull 10-12h days on freaking rheumatology service just to make sure everything is perfect....BUT after you send in your ERAS it's gonna be heaven.

Suckness level: year 2>year 1>>>year 3>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>year 4
 
Jinxapotato said:
1st year sucks, it really does.
2nd year suck EVEN MORE because you get more volume and you gotta study for boards
3rd year was a BLAST - finally you are doing something, and you'll be moderately busy
4th year - well I just started it with audition rotations so I'm burning my soul....I pull 10-12h days on freaking rheumatology service just to make sure everything is perfect....BUT after you send in your ERAS it's gonna be heaven.

Suckness level: year 2>year 1>>>year 3>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>year 4
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Yeah, I room with a 2nd year, he's not thrilled.
 
Jinxapotato said:
Suckness level: year 2>year 1>>>year 3>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>year 4
Click to expand...

Can confirm.

From a life-tolerance level, residency is worse, especially PGY-1. I enjoy what I do, but basically having my life signed away for years sucks. I thought med school was rough on my home life... I was wrong.
 
The materials you learn don't get any better, but your time management skills ideally should. So in that sense it gets better.
 
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