Drinking Habits of Med Students

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I drink

  • Never/Rarely

    Votes: 32 17.4%

  • Drink one or two 4-5 times a year

    Votes: 18 9.8%

  • Drink moderately on weekends/after exams (less than 5 drinks)

    Votes: 67 36.4%

  • Get drunk at least 2-3 times a month

    Votes: 67 36.4%
  • Total voters
    184
D

DoctorBobSmith

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Just wondering how much partying there is in med school.
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And how do you guys see your class? Do most of them party it up pretty hard after an exam ? Is it split in the middle?
 
Here's a script for some disulfiram. Your liver will thank me later.

ODY07060.jpg
 
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I'm somewhere between choices 3 and 4, so I didn't vote. However this will probably change extensively once 3rd year starts in July.

But the question above my avatar says something about my drinking I suppose. :rolleyes:

Plus I live in Milwaukee and am originally from WI. We're required to drink. It's the law.
 
I'm small. <5 drinks ain't necessarily moderate, if it's 4 I'm on the floor. ;)
 
The highest it goes is 2-3 times per month? That is child's play.

ETA: I guess it does say 'at least', but I am still insulted.
 
I've never been a drinker, which is something that med school hasn't affected. I think that you'll find all kinds in med school. If you don't want to drink (regarding another thread that you started) then its easy enough to stay away from alcohol. If you are really into the social scene, it may be a little more difficult.
 
well, I drink after exams, but it's easily 5+ drinks. My tolerance is higher than pagemmapants though.
 
hell, I'm drinking right now while I'm studying Neuro
 
smashed at least once a wknd. sometimes twice and increasingly even the wknd before the test
 
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mshheaddoc said:
No offense, but as a recovering alcoholic is this the best use of your time? There is going to be partying but I would suggest that you avoid that scene to try to stay out of trouble if you really classify yourself as an alcoholic.
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Maybe he's just trying to find out how hard its going to be to avoid based on the habits of his classmates.
 
That's true but most people can figure med school doesn't leave you with alot of time. Since I know a few alcoholics who are in med school they weren't really concerned with how much drinking went on. They will drink anyway. I suppose I would concentrate on trying to help the problem as each school (and person) is individualized and a poll like this isn't going to find the answers that this person is looking for although the best of luck to them.
 
DoctorBobSmith said:
Just wondering how much partying there is in med school.
Click to expand...

There is less partying in med school than in college (for most people). People drink after exams and on weekends when exams are remote. Having a beer or wine while at a dinner with friends is not unheard of either. Very few med schools are in "dry" states, so if you are really seeking a drink on a given night you can probably find one, and probably a friend or two to join you. But I wouldn't expect to "tie one on" 3-4 times a week the way some of us did in undergrad. Other than perhaps immediately after exams, few people in med school drink to the point that it impacts the next day's studying efforts.

There are, of course, a fairly high rate of substance abusers in all professions. If alcohol is a problem for you, as a prior poster suggested, then just avoid it. It won't make med school easier if you are fighting your demons at the same time.
 
mshheaddoc said:
No offense, but as a recovering alcoholic is this the best use of your time? There is going to be partying but I would suggest that you avoid that scene to try to stay out of trouble if you really classify yourself as an alcoholic.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to gauge if there is a social life outside of the typical "go out and get f*cked up" after the exam type of stuff. It'll suck but if I'm sitting at home by myself after an exam, that's what is going to need to happen. :oops:
 
DoctorBobSmith said:
I'm trying to gauge if there is a social life outside of the typical "go out and get f*cked up" after the exam type of stuff. It'll suck but if I'm sitting at home by myself after an exam, that's what is going to need to happen. :oops:
Click to expand...

The social life is different in every med school class I suspect (it is dependant on the people), and is largely what you make it. People are more studious and the work more voluminous than in college, so there won't be packs of people hitting the bars/clubs each night. I'm sure there are nondrinkers to be found at most schools. But yes, plenty of people do seem to cut loose and kill a few brain cells after each exam.
 
DoctorFunk said:
Here's a script for some disulfiram. Your liver will thank me later.

ODY07060.jpg
Click to expand...

A real man washes his Antabuse down with Pabst Blue Ribbon. The more I think about it, this should be a fraternity hazing ritual. Keep all the forced consumption of alcohol, and add 12 weeks of disulfiram to the mix.

There's plenty of drunks in med school, there's plenty of people totally on the wagon, and there's also a lot of moderate social drinkers too. It's no different than the rest of the world. If you seek them out, you'll find the people that match the way you want to live.
 
I drink rarely, but my class tends to party very hard after exams and the majority of the students get quite drunk.
 
akpete said:
I'm somewhere between choices 3 and 4, so I didn't vote. However this will probably change extensively once 3rd year starts in July.

But the question above my avatar says something about my drinking I suppose. :rolleyes:

Plus I live in Milwaukee and am originally from WI. We're required to drink. It's the law.
Click to expand...


Fo' real. I got pulled over for "Sober Driving After 4PM". I pled guilty because I pretty much failed the drunk test. Luckily I only got community service; I have to bartend for free for a weekend.
 
I heard that we can expect 10 or so members of our class to turn out to be alcoholics. I was like only 10? We probably already have 20.
 
I have never drank alcohol due to a family history of alcoholism. Most of my friends throughout high school and college drank. I am an older, non-trad student and although many of my med school friends went out after exams I never had a problem or felt uncomfortable whether I joined them or not.

Your other posts regarding your substance abuse history and your thoughts of likely relapse concerned me. Are you currently in treatment or a 12 step program? I understand the question is personal so don't answer if you don't want to divulge the information. Bottom line, relapse is not an option in medical school, residency or your career without creating a dangerous situation for you, your patients, and your career. Putting aside the risk to your patients and your personal health, the complications regarding being expelled from school or residency and losing your license are very real. I hope you find strength and sobriety; the consequences of a relapse could destroy your life.
 
I'd always heard the medical definition of alcoholism was anyone who drinks more than their doctor.
 
hahaha try classmates
 
This is really the wrong way to approach this topic if you are really trying to figure out what goes on besides drinking. People don't usually drink for lack of anything else to do. Well, they may say they do, but for most people there are plenty of alternatives. I drink very rarely -- a few times a year, 1-2 drinks, and only if the drink is something special (my friend's homemade wine, a yummy cocktail, etc). However, there are plenty of people in my class that go out to the bars fairly regularly -- usually after exams. As others have said, med school is more rigorous schedule-wise than undergrad, so daily partying isn't really an option. But if you want to drink, the option is definitely there.

However, if you don't want to drink all the time (or at all), you will probably find people in your class who do other things besides go out. I personally hate going to bars, and in my circle of friends we tend to hang out at someone's apartment, watch a movie, play board games, etc. Alcohol is usually served at these gatherings, but no one is getting hammered. And no one cares if you don't drink.
 
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