Excited about First Year, but FREAKING OUT!!

[ILovetheOC]

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After having just graduated from college, I am so excited to start medical school. I mean, it is something that I have always wanted to do, and I am really living out my dream. As I was purusing my med school's website on courses, tips for first years and such, I have begun to feel that I may not make the cut and won't be able to handle medical school. I know that I have worked so hard to get into medical school, but still I have virtually little self-confidence in my ability to succeed. I dunno, I guess just looking at course materials and such, I feel very overwhelmed and I don't know how I am gonna handle a med school curriculum while also trying to have a life, ya know? Anyone else feel this way?? 😕

 

[JulianCrane]

I understand how you feel. I am totally excited about starting, but I really don't know how I'm gonna manage handling everything. It just takes time to adjust to everything new, and once you find your rhythm, you should be ok. We all have worked hard to get here, we can all do it . . .hopefully.

 

[Tanzo]

Relax - it really isn't very hard once you get used to it... Actually, once you get past the first month or two, it's quite easy until you hit boards studying in 2nd year... And that isn't really that bad, except that it just seems to take forever.
I have had FAR more free time than I did in undergrad during my first two years, and I've done relatively well and feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the material...

 

[idq1i]

Don't worry, the novelty will wear off after the first lecture 🙂

 

[moo]

I think 80 percent of people starting med school feel this way. I remember how anxious I was two years ago, moving to a new city, a new apartment knowing absolutely no one. Everyone gets over it and before you know it, you're studying for the boards like I am and getting ready to start third year.

 

[gschl1234]

After having just graduated from college, I am so excited to start medical school. I mean, it is something that I have always wanted to do, and I am really living out my dream. As I was purusing my med school's website on courses, tips for first years and such, I have begun to feel that I may not make the cut and won't be able to handle medical school. I know that I have worked so hard to get into medical school, but still I have virtually little self-confidence in my ability to succeed. I dunno, I guess just looking at course materials and such, I feel very overwhelmed and I don't know how I am gonna handle a med school curriculum while also trying to have a life, ya know? Anyone else feel this way?? 😕

I feel exactly the same way! This is what a local doctor told me and it made me feel better. She said that:
1. MD=Pass
2. If you don't procrastinate, you'll pass.
She says that somehow, you can cram all the information in even if it feels overwhelming. She also suggested that I quickly figure out what type of learning/studying works best for me. For her, reading ahead really helped solidify things during lecture. She also said that _____made ridiculously simple is a good series of books that explains lecture topics concisely and simply.

 

[Mike59]

I feel exactly the same way! This is what a local doctor told me and it made me feel better. She said that:
1. MD=Pass
2. If you don't procrastinate, you'll pass.
She says that somehow, you can cram all the information in even if it feels overwhelming. She also suggested that I quickly figure out what type of learning/studying works best for me. For her, reading ahead really helped solidify things during lecture. She also said that _____made ridiculously simple is a good series of books that explains lecture topics concisely and simply.

BAM! Wonderful tips, I couldn't have said it any better....

Drop any undergrad hangups you have about being a perfectionist and settle into a nice groove in the middle of the class curve. Trust me, if you can make into med school, you'll make it out of med school no problem....just be strong, don't get swayed/intimidated by others who are going nuts.

And yes, invest in the made ridic. simple series...I swear by them! 😎

 

[Chemguync]

what is this ridic. easy series? Where can one find info on them?

 

[Mike59]

what is this ridic. easy series? Where can one find info on them?

These books are thin study guides with cartoony pictures and large print, and are a useful adjunct to your usual texts/lectures. The authors like to employ funny pnemonics, comical pictures, and other quirky memory aids to make you remember the clinically important information. Not the best for detail oriented exams but in terms of what you "need to know" in the real world, they work well (at least I think).

In this series there are books for anatomy, pharmacology, microbiol, physiology, biochem, acid/base, radiology, neuroanatomy, etc.

Try amazon.com, but you med school bookstore should have them, they run about $25 each depending on the book 👍

 

[fluffyj]

As other med students said, you will feel overwhelmed at first, but eventually you will just be amazed at how much you can learn. I found that at when I stopped complaining, and started staying positive and focused, my grades went up a lot. So just go into it knowing that they expect a lot, but you can do a lot.

 

[adrenal_medulla]

I spent my entire first year feeling like I somehow snuck in the back door. It's taken me the whole year to finally realize that they don't let you sneek in. They put a lot of thought into selecting you and your selection really does show their confidence that you'll do just fine. Study really hard and after a while you'll find your groove. This is coming from someone who graduated from a non-science undergrad program. Enjoy your summer while you can - don't waste it worrying about med school.

In other words, you already made the cut getting in.

 

[Stinger86]

Don't worry, the novelty will wear off after the first lecture 🙂

This is so true it's not even funny. 😉


Whatever you do, don't let other people tell you how your medical education is going to turn out. The stereotypical med student is the overworked, overwhelmed, nevertakeshisnoseoutofthebooks, nervousbreakdownwaitingtohappen, studybug. It doesn't have to be like this at all. Enjoy the opportunity and work as hard or as... not hard as you like. Just because it's med school doesn't mean you have to study away two years of your life. I skipped my entire first year of classes (after enduring a few weeks) and simply studied from the textbooks and syllabi a few nights before the exams. Sure, my grades weren't perfect, but I don't really care. Still don't. I enjoyed my second year classes more, and made up for my crappy first year GPA. Plus, my goal is to annihilate the Step 1 so no one will care about my GPA anyway.

It's all a matter of setting goals for yourself, and enjoying the journey. Find out exactly how you want to go about your education and then find the best means to accomplish it in the way that will keep you the happiest.

 

[Pluto6]

After having just graduated from college, I am so excited to start medical school. I mean, it is something that I have always wanted to do, and I am really living out my dream. As I was purusing my med school's website on courses, tips for first years and such, I have begun to feel that I may not make the cut and won't be able to handle medical school. I know that I have worked so hard to get into medical school, but still I have virtually little self-confidence in my ability to succeed. I dunno, I guess just looking at course materials and such, I feel very overwhelmed and I don't know how I am gonna handle a med school curriculum while also trying to have a life, ya know? Anyone else feel this way?? 😕

I totally feel the same way. looking at course materials, etc. is definitely getting me freaked out.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

1. MD=Pass

Congrats on being accepted! Dont stress about school, it really isnt as bad as it seems. Its a lot of work, but somehow doable (I actually cant believe some of the hours I put in when we had 3 exams in the span of 7 days).

I might take this (see above quote) with a grain of salt. While you dont necessarily have to Honor every class, you should have a solid grasp of the material, which still requires a significant amount of effort, even if it doesnt lead to an "H", which most of the time it wont. Personally, if I were aiming to just pass a course, I would not learn anything (or at least very little). Also, if you want to do a ridiculously competitive medical specialty (which you wont really know until your 3rd year rolls around), you might feel compelled to do a little better during the first couple of years. Not really sure how basic sciences grades really factor into getting awarded AOA (the national medical honor society), but I gather that this might help you when it comes time to apply for residency (particularly if you might have an interest in plastics or orthopaedic surgery).

Like others have mentioned, you will have plenty of time to have as much or as little of a life as you want. I spent a lot of weekends drunk during first year and everything worked out (although I am kicking myself for not learning some anatomy a little better). Second year I straightened up a bit and spent some more time in the library. Make sure that you have fun, its the only thing that will keep you sane.

PS- Everything that I have said is my opinion, so take everything I have said with some more grains of salt (but only if you arent hypertensive). Good luck to you and enjoy your summer!

 

[Neuronix]

I want to put it this way. Get used to dealing with stress. Find good ways of coping with stress now. Medical school is a big stress ball, and it only gets worse with time. If you let it, the anxiety could consume you. Now, stop worrying about your worrying and relax. Meditate, drink a beer, something!

PS: The best made ridiculously simple book is Clinical Microbiology MRS. I recommend that one to everyone!

 

[Amy B]

what is this ridic. easy series? Where can one find info on them?

I bought all the ones I am going to need for my first year classes. I have skimmed through them and they are actuallly very good. I was told about them by a friend who is just finishing up her 2nd year. They were a HUGE help to her.

You can buy some of them through amazon.com, but not all of them. Here is the publisher's web page and you can order all of them here. Here is the link. They arrive in the mail within a week after you buy them online.

http://www.medmaster.net/booksordering.html

 

[NJEMT1]

I bought all the ones I am going to need for my first year classes.

How did you determine the ones you will need? Did you just buy one for every class you will have, or are there some classes you don't think you will need one for?

 

[Amy B]

How did you determine the ones you will need? Did you just buy one for every class you will have, or are there some classes you don't think you will need one for?

I looked at my school's web page to find out what classes I will have first year and actually bought one for almost every class. I had some extra money to spend so I thought I would get them now. I bought: Micro, biochem, anatomy, USML step 1, and Physiology. I figure unless I become a genious overnight, I will more than likely need them for every class. 😀 😉 😛

 

[Tanzo]

I looked at my school's web page to find out what classes I will have first year and actually bought one for almost every class. I had some extra money to spend so I thought I would get them now. I bought: Micro, biochem, anatomy, USML step 1, and Physiology. I figure unless I become a genious overnight, I will more than likely need them for every class. 😀 😉 😛

Unless you don't mind spending extra money, I wouldn't advise this method... For the most part, you will be able to buy any book you could possibly want used from a second, third, or fourth year. Also, at Pitt, and I am assuming at virtually any other school, we have a book room where we can borrow essentially any book you could need. I didn't buy any books and just used the book room or borrowed from others... When you have a 4% interest rate tacked onto anything you buy, you start looking for little ways to save money 🙂
I also found that I rarely had time to read the extra books - the syllabi were, for the most part complete, so the books were just added weight to carry around...

 

[Amy B]

Unless you don't mind spending extra money, I wouldn't advise this method... For the most part, you will be able to buy any book you could possibly want used from a second, third, or fourth year. Also, at Pitt, and I am assuming at virtually any other school, we have a book room where we can borrow essentially any book you could need. I didn't buy any books and just used the book room or borrowed from others... When you have a 4% interest rate tacked onto anything you buy, you start looking for little ways to save money 🙂
I also found that I rarely had time to read the extra books - the syllabi were, for the most part complete, so the books were just added weight to carry around...

I didn't mind the extra money (Wow, did I say that). I got a small money gift from a family member who wanted to buy some books for me. 🙂

You are right about the money, and looking for ways to save is also what med students end up doing. I like to have a number of different books on the same subject to make sure I have covered all my basis, so on my MSIII best friend's advice I got these. The biochem one actually cleared up a few things that I didn't follow during biochem when I took it, so I have already learned from them 😀 😀

 

[whatfun]

it's so interesting to see everyone's take on what motivates them and how to study and manage time.

here's my two cents. i also came in with the same feeling as many other incoming students, feeling i was already behind everyone else.

when i started my M1 year, and took my first couple tests, i was acutely aware of how i did compared to everyone else. after that, i thought about it and decided to simply study how i saw fit. my goal was to learn the material as well as I could so that i could eventually use it to serve my future patients and help them. even when i was doing things like reviewing histology slides, i tried to keep in mind that there would be some relevant use to the information someday, so i would do my best to learn what i could.

when i did that, things went really well. i stopped worrying about passing and I simply learned the material to my best ability, but still allowing time to do things with friends and loved ones. I passed all my classes without problems.

i firmly believe this balance is something one learns on their own. you can't teach this, as it comes from practice.

keep this in mind and you will be fine. also, don't procrastinate.

and ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!! DON'T WORRY ABOUT SCHOOL!! 🙂