expectations of med school....

[nkg123]

I'd like to ask all the med students and/or residents out there a question about their expectations of med school and what actually came to be.

1) Did you expect you would have an active social life while in med school? if you did, what actually was the case?

2) Did you expect med school to be difficult?
If not, what actually was the case? if you did, was it as difficult as you had thought?

3) did you or do you ever feel med school is/was too stressful? and did you ever think about quitting it? if so, what made you stay?

4) are you glad you picked medicine? if not, what has made you stay?

If any of you can answer any of these questions or all of them I'd love to hear it.
I'm asking because I am doubting at this point in time whether I should go to med school. I have a really great job right now that I like, however I have an opportunity to go to a great med school sitting right in front of me. the problem is that I feel like I am not ready to go into medicine, but at the same time I love the concept of helping people.

thanks for any input.

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[Billie]

Hi,

I am a third year med student. To answer question one about social life, no I really didn't expect to have a social life. But I started med school at 33 and already had a solid relationship. So I wasn't interested in dating. And as far as just going out with friends and having fun, of course I continued that. You must make some fun time for yourself or you will go nuts. But I know my classmates that were 10 years or so younger, they still had a social life.

#2 - I thought med school would be difficult. But I had heard before that no class in med school is any more difficult that any class you had to take to get in to med school. I found this to be true. I loved organic, but Physics was very difficult for me. Once I got to med school, I found that biochem or anatomy not to be any more difficult, but the problem is that you have SO MUCH MORE work to do. Most college students take 18-21 hours as a max each semester. Well a semester of med school is like 32-36 hours. Just A LOT more work, not harder work.

#3 - As far as quitting? I never wanted to quit for good. But I had a different situation than most, as both my parents died my first year of med school. Dad died first, then 4 months later mom died. In between those 4 months, I was very depressed and wanted to quit and take a year off, returning the next fall. But it was important to my mom to stay in. And I knew the depression was temporary and that this would lift. This (medicine) is what I wanted to do and I never thought about quitting for good.

#4 - yes I am glad I picked medicine. I LOVE rotations. It is much more fun to learn this way, than to sit in class 8 hours a day for 2 years. Now don't get me wrong, there are frustrating times as well. My last rotation was great. The one I am on now sucks!

But there are good days and bad days with anything.

Hope my two cents help! Good luck to you!

Billie

 

[Joejitsu]

Wow, that must have been a pretty devastating first year for you. I couldn't imagine something like that happening while I am away at school. Hope you have recovered from it well. All the best.

Joe