Hi guys, I come from a big city, so I'm always used to taking public transit and never learning how to drive (my parents don't even own a car). Now the medical school I'm going to says that I'll need to use a car to get around in my first year of medical school. Should I rush to get my driver's license ASAP and buy a car? How have your experiences with this turned out?
Driving in med school
- Thread starter frstyrmed
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 2,302
- Reaction score
- 3,317
My guess is they make this suggestion for your clinical rotations in 3rd and 4th year, but I would ask the school for clarification. My suggestion would to be wait to purchase a car and find a good friend in medical school to teach you some pointers in a safe location with their car before jumping in headfirst. Depending on the state, they may require some written and in car tests before they hand you a license.
My mom didn't learn to drive until she was pregnant with me (26 years old). My dad taught her in a cemetery, the same one I learned when I turned 15.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2011
- Messages
- 571
- Reaction score
- 303
I would try to learn how to drive and get a car as soon as possible. Unless you're living on campus or there's good public transportation, you're going to have to find a way to get to class!
Thanks! Unfortunately they said I'll need it in the first year for off-site hospital patient interviews.
- Joined
- May 29, 2013
- Messages
- 950
- Reaction score
- 759
Might as well learn now. It will be hard to go your whole life without being able to drive yourself.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2011
- Messages
- 571
- Reaction score
- 303
That probably won't be super often (at most once a week? But I doubt it, our interviews were about once a month if that) and people might carpool anyway. But I would still make it a priority, like maybe try to learn during the first semester and find the car before starting your second semester. At the least, the less you have to rely on your classmates to get anywhere, the better - since everyone is going to get stressed at some point 🙂 (And I'm sure you know this but if you get a ride from someone, especially regularly, it's nice to offer to pay for gas, and give them advance notice of when you'll need a ride.)
