End of 2nd year burnout, anyone?

[getunconcsious]

So would anyone else prefer crawling under a rock and dying to studying for 3 weeks of finals, with only Step 1 and MS3 to look forward to afterwards? I can't seem to get motivated at all anymore, which is a bad thing since our 3 weeks of tests start next week! I'm just very tired of trying so hard and feel I have nothing good to look forward to until MS4, which at this point is practically the unforeseeable future. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone know what to do about it?

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[soeagerun2or]

So would anyone else prefer crawling under a rock and dying to studying for 3 weeks of finals, with only Step 1 and MS3 to look forward to afterwards? I can't seem to get motivated at all anymore, which is a bad thing since our 3 weeks of tests start next week! I'm just very tired of trying so hard and feel I have nothing good to look forward to until MS4, which at this point is practically the unforeseeable future. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone know what to do about it?

I feel sorry for you.. We had modules so we took courses all throughout the year and had finals ever 4-12 weeks (+/-3 weeks). While we never really had a "free" weekend it wasn't an all-out hell week guess.

 

[Ashers]

I've become incredibly apathetic. As the year's progressed, our teaching in path has deteriorated -- which is the most frustrating thing, and probably the catalyst for me getting tired of school and not caring as much as I do. Before the last exam, I think if I hadn't read Robbins, I would've been dumber for listening to lectures than before the lectures. Most of the people in my class I've talked to have said they didn't study nearly as much as they should've for the path test which was a week after spring break. (Due to an emergency I had before break, I studied for basically my entire break for pharm and path; I took a day or 2 off). When I got my score and it was 10 points lower than my previous low, it didn't phase me. I want to be done. At least, for once, we have more than 2 weeks without exams.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

I've become incredibly apathetic. As the year's progressed, our teaching in path has deteriorated -- which is the most frustrating thing, and probably the catalyst for me getting tired of school and not caring as much as I do. Before the last exam, I think if I hadn't read Robbins, I would've been dumber for listening to lectures than before the lectures. Most of the people in my class I've talked to have said they didn't study nearly as much as they should've for the path test which was a week after spring break. (Due to an emergency I had before break, I studied for basically my entire break for pharm and path; I took a day or 2 off). When I got my score and it was 10 points lower than my previous low, it didn't phase me. I want to be done. At least, for once, we have more than 2 weeks without exams.

I hate when that happens - I feel like I've been ripped off or something. If the expectations are so high for us as students (and we pay this ridiculous amount of tuition), I feel like our professors should, at a minimum, 'do no harm' in teaching the material. I have completely stopped going to class when certain lecturers are scheduled for this very reason.

Sorry to add nothing constructive to this thread, but sometimes it sure feels good to b*tch. Thanks, everyone!

 

[genX]

Feeling same way and then just had behavioral lecture where they said that of course probably already know that med students have highest depression rate out of any group. Numbers around 25% of all med students with that number peeking at the end of 2nd year. So kind of normal and scary at the same time.

 

[TX_Longhorn]

hang in there guys.

i am marking off days until we are done with the friggin step one and class.
and i agree about the lecturers. our school is known to have the biggest ******s talk about stuff completely irrelevant for step one.

 

[akpete]

I tried to make a study schedule last night. It made me so depressed and so anxious that I don't have enough time to do everything.

And I am thisclose to picking up smoking again. I quit 5.5 years ago.

 

[indo]

You all have far too much debt to give up now!

 

[Biscuit799]

You all have far too much debt to give up now!

...and that is my single motivating factor for not dropping out and getting a ****ty job on the beach.

 

[akpete]

...and that is my single motivating factor for not dropping out and getting a ****ty job on the beach.

Exactly.

 

[chocolate-e]

I don't think my perky beginning-of-2nd-year self would recognize the apathetic creature I've become. It's only 2 days into the block and I'm already behind, and thanks to the stacks of books and papers piled mindlessly around my room, if I ever do decide to study I probably won't be able to find my notes. I've watched as much TV in the last couple days as I normally watch in as many weeks. I just can't seem to care very much.

It's time for this year to be over already.

 

[getunconcsious]

I don't think my perky beginning-of-2nd-year self would recognize the apathetic creature I've become. It's only 2 days into the block and I'm already behind, and thanks to the stacks of books and papers piled mindlessly around my room, if I ever do decide to study I probably won't be able to find my notes. I've watched as much TV in the last couple days as I normally watch in as many weeks. I just can't seem to care very much.

It's time for this year to be over already.

It's so true, I can relate 100%. God, I had such high hopes for MS2....but then my wings melted when I flew too close to the sun *sniff*

Oh well, back to the grind. I vacillate between simply not caring at all to having pretty much full-blown panic attacks about the pressure I'm under. I wish my brain could at least make up its mind and stop being so damned dissociative!

 

[Biscuit799]

I've watched as much TV in the last couple days as I normally watch in as many weeks. I just can't seem to care very much.

It's time for this year to be over already.

Ditto. I've been hooked on Entourage.

I vacillate between simply not caring at all to having pretty much full-blown panic attacks about the pressure I'm under. I wish my brain could at least make up its mind and stop being so damned dissociative!

Yeah, I'm finding that I just don't care anymore. I study a lot, my grades suck, so I study less. I figure at least now my level of efforts more reflects my grades. Then I think of Step 1 and I freak out and buy Kaplan Qbank, do a couple questions, and then go back to being lazy again.

I hate med school.

 

[stoic]

yes. i'm suffering 2nd year apathy. one month of classes and then 1 month to study for step 1. and frankly, i just want it to end. the best part of my day is falling asleep and the worst part is waking up.

god i hope 3rd year reinvigorates my attitude towards medicine.... cause i don't have any desire to keep this basic science routine up.

i can't wait for this semester to end. the only thing keeping me going right now is lexapro and the knowledge that i'm far too deep in debt to do anything else at this point. Oh, and the occasional grudge fu*ck from another burnt out med student.

 

[Doc 2b]

This makes me see that I'm not alone. I have a final for MS tomorrow and I haven't cracked a book on it, damn "Deadliest Catch." It seems that I get soo... busy when it comes time to study, it's pathetic. I send a hundred emails, my house is spotless, gaaahh I can't wait for this to be over.

 

[lil pook]

my attention span is like zero. seriously, i read like 2 paragraphs of something and then start to get that real foggy feeling in my brain.

my brain has officially shut itself off...and Step1 is in 6 weeks......i'm terrified

 

[soeagerun2or]

my attention span is like zero. seriously, i read like 2 paragraphs of something and then start to get that real foggy feeling in my brain.

my brain has officially shut itself off...and Step1 is in 6 weeks......i'm terrified

Everyone gets there.. Once the spoon-feeding stops and you set you're own schedule it'll come back.

 

[Mistress S]

Thank god I'm not the only one! I have been sooo apathetic lately. Part of it is just enjoying having the freedom to sleep in and not go to lecture while I can, but the amount of studying I put in has fallen drastically. It's hard to get excited about step 1 studying, and MS3 just sounds like the most painful part of med school--sure we'll learn a lot, get out there in the hospital, etc., but it also means a ton of stress and 6 am rounds and being on call and 12 hour work days. I've been living the student lifestyle since I was 18, even going to school full-time and working part-time in ugrad and during the past 2 years of med school I've had a lot of freedom to structure my own time--that's all going away soon, and I'm sad about it. I started this year with a positive attitude, but mediocre grades and the upcoming challenges have beaten me back into a minimally motivated shell. I feel like I can't bring myself to do much more than the bare minimum most of the time. I really hope that after I'm done with boards and start clerkships I find some new energy and motivation.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

god i hope 3rd year reinvigorates my attitude towards medicine....

Sorry, but I just have to.... .... 2nd year (when you are pretty much on your own schedule) rocks compared to 3rd year (when you'll repetitively ask yourself about the educational value of whatever you are or will be doing).

Hang in there guys, the only good part of med school is the last half of 4th year.

 

[getunconcsious]

Sorry, but I just have to.... .... 2nd year (when you are pretty much on your own schedule) rocks compared to 3rd year (when you'll repetitively ask yourself about the educational value of whatever you are or will be doing).

Hang in there guys, the only good part of med school is the last half of 4th year.

This is what I suspected. I now openly accuse stupid perky upperclassmen who claim that MS3 is "like, the greatest thing ever!" of lying and/or being deluded.

 

[soeagerun2or]

This is what I suspected. I now openly accuse stupid perky upperclassmen who claim that MS3 is "like, the greatest thing ever!" of lying and/or being deluded.

After the plane crashing into the train on the viaduct over I-5 that 2nd year can feel like 3rd year can be quite the relief!

 

[pristine21]

Yeah soooo.... I have been trying to time myself to see how long I take to do stuff and have found that I can sit at a desk all day and get somewhere aroudn 3 1/2- 5 hours of studying done ( and I am talking ass in the chair except to eat and pee from 8am-10pm or so) TOTALLY FREAKED OUT

I have no clue how I spend so much time BSing... I need to get at least 8-10 solid hours in each day to study for step 1 in 4 weeks... HOLY 2nd YEAR.... CRAP!!!

I also just got off spring "break" which consisted of me sleeping for the majority of the time and spending the rest of the time making mock schedules to study for the boards... I think I am going crazy

At least I am not alone

 

[Biscuit799]

So would anyone else prefer crawling under a rock and dying to studying for 3 weeks of finals, with only Step 1 and MS3 to look forward to afterwards? I can't seem to get motivated at all anymore, which is a bad thing since our 3 weeks of tests start next week! I'm just very tired of trying so hard and feel I have nothing good to look forward to until MS4, which at this point is practically the unforeseeable future. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone know what to do about it?

Really? you're burnt out? well welcome to the club! We're called "everyone" and we meet at the bar.

 

[Biscuit799]

not personal, i just really wanted to use that line!

 

[relema]

I think its the whole idea of a never ending stream of tests that is just killing me i had high hopes of honoring most classes and as i go through this test cycle i am more content with just passing and moving on . I just feel as if they are trying to beat us down... and 3rd year scares me quite honestly.. The thing that is keeping me going is a week long vacation i have planned after step I

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I think its the whole idea of a never ending stream of tests that is just killing me i had high hopes of honoring most classes and as i go through this test cycle i am more content with just passing and moving on . I just feel as if they are trying to beat us down... and 3rd year scares me quite honestly.. The thing that is keeping me going is a week long vacation i have planned after step I

I'm not here to be a downer, but this happens with astonishing (or not) frequency during third year (at least where I did the majority of my clinical rotations). You'll find that while the majority of residents and attendings will make your rotations a worthwhile experience, there will be a handful (usually residents) that will make your life a living hell for whatever reason. Third year for me was more emotionally and physically draining than either of the basic science years, and that is what made it much more difficult. Needless to say, I ended up taking a year off after third year to re-group and reevaluate my career goals as I really couldn't see myself doing anything that I had been exposed to for the rest of my life. All I can say is that it was an "interesting" experience-- some days I think "well, it wasn't that bad,"-- and then I remember my 6 week OB/GYN rotation.

 

[njbmd]

So would anyone else prefer crawling under a rock and dying to studying for 3 weeks of finals, with only Step 1 and MS3 to look forward to afterwards? I can't seem to get motivated at all anymore, which is a bad thing since our 3 weeks of tests start next week! I'm just very tired of trying so hard and feel I have nothing good to look forward to until MS4, which at this point is practically the unforeseeable future. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone know what to do about it?

Is there any way that you can do something like "hop in the hoopdie" and get far from medicine or anthing medical for 24 hours? Can you take a day, do nothing that even relates to your classes and just totally relax? Spend a day playing video games or spend the day at the baseball park (minor league is great) in short, do anything but study.

The second thing that usually helps the apathy is to "drop the books" go over to the hospital/clinic and just see some patients with one of the attendings or residents. Tell the attending or resident that you are just burning out on the books and need a change of scenery.

Don't think about the board or wards or upcoming finals but remind yourself of why you came to medical school in the first place. You are not going into medicine to sit in a classroom and study hours on end, you go into medicine was to treat patients. Sometimes doing a couple of hours of shadowing can renew your interest or at least let you see something besides pages of notes or books.

I have to admit, I did most of my USMLE Step I study at the end of the runway of National Airport (next to the Potomac River) in DC. It was good for my head to get away from school; away from anxious classmates and near loads of running water and fresh air. The jets landing and taking off overhead were a nice change of scenery.

In general, when I find that I am getting tired, apathetic and depressed, I NEED a change; even if that change is just for a couple of hours.

 

[Learfan]

So would anyone else prefer crawling under a rock and dying to studying for 3 weeks of finals, with only Step 1 and MS3 to look forward to afterwards? I can't seem to get motivated at all anymore, which is a bad thing since our 3 weeks of tests start next week! I'm just very tired of trying so hard and feel I have nothing good to look forward to until MS4, which at this point is practically the unforeseeable future. Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone know what to do about it?

Sorry to hear about this. I feel very much the same way. I want to wear a button to class that says "JUST MAKE IT STOP". The lectures in the final block have been of very poor quality. I am having a great deal of trouble forcing myself to study the notes. Prior to this block, I always read through the assigned text but decided not to do so this block due to burn out. So far, I am running almost straight honors grades (7 out of 8 possible) but this block I just want to pass with a 70.0 and forget this ever happened. I am totally fried. The only thing holding me together is the knowledge that the I am in too much debt to quit and there are only 12 days left to the end of the academic year. No, I do not know what to do about it or I would gladly share the wealth.

April 28: It is finally over. For you history buffs, the last week was the intellectual equivalent of the Bataan death march. The final exam was one of the worst written tests I have ever taken as an undergrad, grad student or med student. I guessed on 30% of the questions and just pray I got enough right to pass. Even the course directors later admitted in writing to the entire class that this was a badly written exam. Thanks guys. Then why did you administer it instead of getting the faculty to write better questions?

To everyone trying to finish second year, hang in there. It will end. Then you can dissolve the whole experience in sweet sweet alcohol and make it go away.

 

[Ugen]

Sorry to hear about this. I feel very much the same way. I want to wear a button to class that says "JUST MAKE IT STOP". The lectures in the final block have been of very poor quality. I am having a great deal of trouble forcing myself to study the notes. Prior to this block, I always read through the assigned text but decided not to do so this block due to burn out. So far, I am running almost straight honors grades (7 out of 8 possible) but this block I just want to pass with a 70.0 and forget this ever happened. I am totally fried. The only thing holding me together is the knowledge that the I am in too much debt to quit and there are only 12 days left to the end of the academic year. No, I do not know what to do about it or I would gladly share the wealth.

April 28: It is finally over. For you history buffs, the last week was the intellectual equivalent of the Bataan death march. The final exam was one of the worst written tests I have ever taken as an undergrad, grad student or med student. I guessed on 30% of the questions and just pray I got enough right to pass. Even the course directors later admitted in writing to the entire class that this was a badly written exam. Thanks guys. Then why did you administer it instead of getting the faculty to write better questions?

To everyone trying to finish second year, hang in there. It will end. Then you can dissolve the whole experience in sweet sweet alcohol and make it go away.

As someone who also went for straight honors thus far, I'm just considering going down two grade levels and using that extra time for my mental sanity. Unfortunately I want to match in a very competitive field and there is that whole Step1 thing... FML

 

[FIREitUP]

As someone who also went for straight honors thus far, I'm just considering going down two grade levels and using that extra time for my mental sanity. Unfortunately I want to match in a very competitive field and there is that whole Step1 thing... FML

nice necrobump. btw, there are multiple ways of skinning a cat. preclinical honors is nice, but not at all necessary for matching into a competitive field.

 

[alisepeep]

Omg YES! I can barely get myself up to go to class anymore ( mandatory attendance) i just want to study STEP 1 but they wont even let us do that in peace without making us show up to waste of time class. Can't wait for 2nd year and STEP 1 to be over with!

 

[Geekchick921]

Omg YES! I can barely get myself up to go to class anymore ( mandatory attendance) i just want to study STEP 1 but they wont even let us do that in peace without making us show up to waste of time class. Can't wait for 2nd year and STEP 1 to be over with!

I know that this thread has been necrobumped but this is how I feel, too. Lectures aren't mandatory but there's usually something else the same day that is so I come in and stay. It's sucking the life out of me. I feel like I get nothing out of them lately and should just stick to Pathoma and FA. I'm getting stir crazy and sick of being in the classroom and want to actually start doing stuff.

We have 4 more weeks of lecture then we start our Step 1 study period. I am so ready for that point. Ugh.

 

[badasshairday]

I've been burned out since the day I took Step 1 (almost 3 years ago). Never fully recovered. Good luck guys.