Everything Sucks

[vikaskoth]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I would usually come to this site an look at only the pre-allopathic threads, because thats the stage i'm in right now. The other day i started to click on the other forums, Allopathic, clerkships, residency mainly. After reading a fair amount of the posts this is what i learned from them.

-Applying to med school sucks
- 1st year of med school really sucks
- 2nd year of mes school sucks worse than 1st year or is about the same
- 3yr year clerkships suck, apparently everyone is supposed to treat you like garbage
- 4yr clerkships, are ok and a few people actually said it was pretty easy

-Residency sucks, even with only an 80hr week, everyone is still overworked, underpaid, and personal life sucks

I'm starting to think these threads arent so useful anymore, I know med school will be the tough as will residency but it sounds like all these people go through the stressful application process only to think once their in its all punch and pie. Also i've noticed that all the people in pre-med or 1-2nd year have very idealized views of medicine, caring for people etc.. and thats great but if you look at the posts of residents, its right to the point, what do i want to do that will afford me a decent lifestyle, nice compensation and fullfilling work. There is a stigma early on that you can't consider these and that you have to be the most compassionate person in the world, and most med students care but in the end you gotta worry about yourself.
Thats proally some disorganized ass thoughts but what do you guys think

 

[vikaskoth]

also no one ever wants to say at what schools they have these crappy experiences it is always some bs like i go to a state school, top tier, second tier.. It also seems like the top tiers aren't so student friendly they just wanna churn out their stats and get their grants

 

[jlee9531]

but you see...once you are in...it is very hard to fall out.
thats why getting in is huge.

 

[b-real]

I would usually come to this site an look at only the pre-allopathic threads, because thats the stage i'm in right now. The other day i started to click on the other forums, Allopathic, clerkships, residency mainly. After reading a fair amount of the posts this is what i learned from them.

-Applying to med school sucks
- 1st year of med school really sucks
- 2nd year of mes school sucks worse than 1st year or is about the same
- 3yr year clerkships suck, apparently everyone is supposed to treat you like garbage
- 4yr clerkships, are ok and a few people actually said it was pretty easy

-Residency sucks, even with only an 80hr week, everyone is still overworked, underpaid, and personal life sucks

I'm starting to think these threads arent so useful anymore, I know med school will be the tough as will residency but it sounds like all these people go through the stressful application process only to think once their in its all punch and pie. Also i've noticed that all the people in pre-med or 1-2nd year have very idealized views of medicine, caring for people etc.. and thats great but if you look at the posts of residents, its right to the point, what do i want to do that will afford me a decent lifestyle, nice compensation and fullfilling work. There is a stigma early on that you can't consider these and that you have to be the most compassionate person in the world, and most med students care but in the end you gotta worry about yourself.
Thats proally some disorganized ass thoughts but what do you guys think

Welcome to the show that never ends...we're so glad you could attend; come inside, come inside.

 

[jlee9531]

Welcome to the show that never ends...we're so glad you could attend; come inside, come inside.

its like that song we all used to sing when we were just wee lads...

this is the song that never ends, it goes on and on my friend...

 

[leechy]

Yeah, medicine does suck as a career path in some ways. But, as someone who's investigated and tried other options, let me tell you: the other options can suck even worse. Medicine gives the appearance of being a long path, but that's because each stage along the way is so explicitly defined. Law, for example, seems to be much shorter, but if you consider the road to partnership (the place when you can finally take a deep breath and relax), it's as long as medicine, or longer.

I would absolutely LOVE to have a career in which I can be both financially solvent, intellectually challenged and not work many hours. But, America's cultural values are so screwed up that there are few careers out there that can both challenge your intellect AND allow you to work only 40 hrs a week. Bottom line: the medical path sucks, but so do other paths.

 

[LauraMac]

Yeah, medicine does suck as a career path in some ways. But, as someone who's investigated and tried other options, let me tell you: the other options can suck even worse. Medicine gives the appearance of being a long path, but that's because each stage along the way is so explicitly defined. Law, for example, seems to be much shorter, but if you consider the road to partnership (the place when you can finally take a deep breath and relax), it's as long as medicine, or longer.

I would absolutely LOVE to have a career in which I can be both financially solvent, intellectually challenged and not work many hours. But, America's cultural values are so screwed up that there are few careers out there that can both challenge your intellect AND allow you to work only 40 hrs a week. Bottom line: the medical path sucks, but so do other paths.

nicely said! and in fact, i like how each step is so explicitly defined. i need deadlines and specific goals or i just sit on my a** and do nothing.

 

[MeMyselfI]

It also seems like the top tiers aren't so student friendly they just wanna churn out their stats and get their grants

👍 👍 👍


I went to a top tier school for undergrad, and you're right. They don't give a d@#% about the students. It's all about the research and the numbers.

 

[DianaLynne]

Wow. We must all be the suckiest sucks that have ever sucked to want to be in such a sucky field.

Suck on...

Diana (sux)

 

[DrThom]

Welcome to the show that never ends...we're so glad you could attend; come inside, come inside.

Karn Evil 9...nice

 

[Graat]

Thanks for cheering me up. Seriously, I haven't laughed out loud in weeks. Reading this post has reminded me that life sucks big hairy ass, and there is nothing you can do about it except for try to enjoy yourself and be nice to those around you (because their lives suck too).

Hell yeah, suck on!

 

[velo]

advise an attending in the ED got as a resident and passed on to me...

"Greg, don't let them fool you, its not a light at the end of a tunnel, its a crack in the wall!"

 

[leechy]

Thanks for cheering me up. Seriously, I haven't laughed out loud in weeks. Reading this post has reminded me that life sucks big hairy ass, and there is nothing you can do about it except for try to enjoy yourself and be nice to those around you (because their lives suck too).

Hell yeah, suck on!

This just about summarizes my philosophy of life 👍 👍

And supersize that hairy ass 😀

 

[SaltySqueegee]

And supersize that hairy ass 😀

If you aren't too opposed, I'm going to make this my sig!
😉

 

[secretasianman]

Originally Posted by b-real
Welcome to the show that never ends...we're so glad you could attend; come inside, come inside.

Karn Evil 9...nice

no way, that's from a song by styx 😛.

 

[adamj61]

Welcome to the show that never ends...we're so glad you could attend; come inside, come inside.

rock on karn evil 9

 

[leechy]

If you aren't too opposed, I'm going to make this my sig!
😉

Feel free... I'm flattered 🙂

 

[Skialta]

All I can say is try not too look too far into the future of suckness, try to live for those fantastic weekends where block exams were friday. Go sit at a laundrymat on the other side of the tracks for a couple of hours, that will cheer you up and get you focused. In all seriousness if you find a job that you can punch the clock and make six figures call me....

Realistically for all the crap you have to put up with for a medical education I still think it is well worth it. I have plenty of physician friends in a broad number of fields who seem pretty satisfied with what they chose to do. I would rather work hard at something stimulating with colleagues that are on my intellectual level than to be doing some mindless repetative meaningless job (not that there is not repetition in medicine). There definitely are some sacrifices to be made to be in the club.

I think part of the problem is that the general public and public perception of what it is to be a doctor just really is not that well known. People think you work like anyone else and make huge bank. We know that is really just an illusion don't we?????

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Anecdotally, attendings and residents I know have stated that life rocks once you're through your internship year.

 

[vikaskoth]

I'm not saying medicine sucks, I was just stating what so many people at this site were saying in these other forums. My parents are both docs so if I know anything about medicine its all the cons of it more so than the pros, pros being leftovers from dinners paid for by the pharm reps and now instead of pens and pads, they give out free computer equipment and stuff like that. Everyone also seems to like any merchandise that has Viagra on it.

 

[vikaskoth]

Also, I wasn't trying to bring anyone down with that post, I just wanted to know what you guys thought about all these miserable people's opinions

 

[DianaLynne]

I'm ready for life to suck in a different way than it does now. As the wise sage Homer Simpson said... "OK, now it's time to play the waiting game. <Pause> The waiting game sucks, let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos."

Diana

 

[Mumpu]

People are a bunch of whiners. Some child prodigy from high school and Fancypants University suddenly finds him/herself struggling with difficult material and being chided by housestaff because they lack common sense and the basic ability to interact with people. They are no longer praised and lauded every other minute and so they begin to whine.

First and second years are great. You learn cool things about the human body and you have TONS of free time. Sleep in every day, study whenever you want to, chill at home with a cold beer and hot nekkid pictures in Netter's. Third year is great. You work hard but you are finally a doctor with no responsibilities. It'll never be that good again. Fourth year is fun rotations you actually want to do and a lot of vacation time.

So uh... Ignore the whiners.

 

[phleebie]

Thanks for cheering me up. Seriously, I haven't laughed out loud in weeks. Reading this post has reminded me that life sucks big hairy ass, and there is nothing you can do about it except for try to enjoy yourself and be nice to those around you (because their lives suck too).

Hell yeah, suck on!

thats hilarious, 👍 man

 

[pinkey]

advise an attending in the ED got as a resident and passed on to me...

"Greg, don't let them fool you, its not a light at the end of a tunnel, its a crack in the wall!"

You sure that's not the light of an oncoming train?

 

[Code Brown]

People are a bunch of whiners. Some child prodigy from high school and Fancypants University suddenly finds him/herself struggling with difficult material and being chided by housestaff because they lack common sense and the basic ability to interact with people. They are no longer praised and lauded every other minute and so they begin to whine.

First and second years are great. You learn cool things about the human body and you have TONS of free time. Sleep in every day, study whenever you want to, chill at home with a cold beer and hot nekkid pictures in Netter's. Third year is great. You work hard but you are finally a doctor with no responsibilities. It'll never be that good again. Fourth year is fun rotations you actually want to do and a lot of vacation time.

So uh... Ignore the whiners.

I second this. I just talked to my buddy who started at a top ten school this year and the only ones who whine are the ones who have no experience outside of what they went through during their brief college years (those 23 and under). All the older students love it and are much happier in medicine than in what they were doing prior to going back to school. You need to remember, going from a 25-30 hour undergrad week (class and studying) to a 50-60 hour week is a big change for the younger students. The older students often come from a 70-80 hour week (work and school full time) and so med school will be a nice change and a chance to relax without having to deal with the boss and all the crap you get in the corporate world.

 

[dandelion]

Also keep in mind that the people who are miserable about what they are doing are more likely to seek out internet forums to complain & vent. Happy people do not tend to start threads on how happy they are. So all the postings about how much it sucks as a premed/med student/resident aren't really representative.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

well yea i'm sure i'll feel the stress and pressure too, so i do empathize

but in the grand scheme of things be thankful to even have the opportunity to go to med school and that you aren't dealing with some sort of real life tragedy

 

[ltdanp21]

I second this. I just talked to my buddy who started at a top ten school this year and the only ones who whine are the ones who have no experience outside of what they went through during their brief college years (those 23 and under). All the older students love it and are much happier in medicine than in what they were doing prior to going back to school. You need to remember, going from a 25-30 hour undergrad week (class and studying) to a 50-60 hour week is a big change for the younger students. The older students often come from a 70-80 hour week (work and school full time) and so med school will be a nice change and a chance to relax without having to deal with the boss and all the crap you get in the corporate world.

Med students don't start out jaded. Your friend's a 1st year. As the OP wrote, it sucks more and more.

Who works 25-30 hours? Class alone averages 20 hours a week. Only the best and brightest get by doing that little work.

Dan

 

[Code Brown]

Med students don't start out jaded. Your friend's a 1st year. As the OP wrote, it sucks more and more.

Who works 25-30 hours? Class alone averages 20 hours a week. Only the best and brightest get by doing that little work.

Dan

Class averages 20 hours a week? I would say more like 15. That leaves 10-15 hours for homework per week which is about right. An hour of homework for each hour of class. Yes, certain classes light O-chem suck up more time, but the slack classes balance that out.

 

[freaker]

Heh. Get a real job and then tell me everything sucks.

The working world changes everything. Literally just about EVERYTHING. Remove thyself from the tower and step aside from the shelter of the wing, wee lad. Med school won't seem so bad.

 

[IndyZX]

Yeah, medicine does suck as a career path in some ways. But, as someone who's investigated and tried other options, let me tell you: the other options can suck even worse. Medicine gives the appearance of being a long path, but that's because each stage along the way is so explicitly defined. Law, for example, seems to be much shorter, but if you consider the road to partnership (the place when you can finally take a deep breath and relax), it's as long as medicine, or longer.

very nice. i honestly havent hear it put forth as well as that before.

 

[Tiki]

Alot of us in allo may complain, but the truth is that if you asked us if we wanted out at this point, most of us would say no way.

Some of my first year classes suck, I'm not going to lie. But even when I hate school, and am depressed over my lack of social life , I just think back and say to myself, "Damn, I'm going to be a doctor," and somehow that makes the studying a bit easier.