First day of Medical School and I'm Lost!

[Kahreek]

i just came here to say:
Calm down little first graders.

And remember studying actually works.

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[VisionaryTics]

i just came here to say:
Calm down little first graders.

And remember studying actually works.

This is my favorite part of the year. All the M1s think they're hot poop, and then in September there will be a wave of "OH MY GOD I FAILED WHAT THE **** IS GOING ON HELP HELP HELP" threads.

Just remember, kids, repetition is the mother of learning.

 

[circulus vitios]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahah

I spent the past year working 50-60 hours a week on swing shift in a literal sweat shop. I really don't care about liking my job.

 

[Roxas]

I spent the past year working 50-60 hours a week on swing shift in a literal sweat shop. I really don't care about liking my job.

 

[dadaddadaBATMAN]

I spent the past year working 50-60 hours a week on swing shift in a literal sweat shop. I really don't care about liking my job.

You probably already know this, but a year != 30 years. Trite, but it's probably good to keep in mind.

Some people like to believe that they'll just work for a few years (say 10-15), pay off loans, and call it quits. One problem with this strategy is that anything happens (wife + kids, major accident, stock market crashes, bank run, pay changes, familial issues, etc) and you can get pretty screwed.

Other issue, and the one that's more important to me. I am skeptical of a person's ability to treat patients all day, stay up to date on current therapy, and whole-ass their job while hating it. I am especially skeptical of that person's ability to appear caring/all the other crap you have to manage as a physician.

If you are one of the rare individuals who can do a great job while hating it, good for you. If you are like the other 99.9% of people, who phone it in and half-ass their way through jobs when they hate them, then I will hate you. And so will many, many others. Because you will be creating work for me, screwing up my profession's reputation, and generally f*cking things up.

I am not one of the people who believes medicine is the holiest of all holies. However, I do think it's important to like your job, or at least find it tolerable.

At least fake it: you can start now, with all your classmates.

I'm pretty new to this game, but there's a fair amount of medicine in my family. There are few things that people hate more than incompetent physicians, or people who half-ass work.

 

[DermViser]

I spent the past year working 50-60 hours a week on swing shift in a literal sweat shop. I really don't care about liking my job.

 

[DermViser]

If you are like the other 99.9% of people, who phone it in and half-ass their way through jobs when they hate them, then I will hate you. And so will many, many others. Because you will be creating work for me, screwing up my profession's reputation, and generally f*cking things up.

THIS. There's a reason residents yell at interns.

 

[circulus vitios]

Physically exhausting (manual) labor on swing shift feels a lot longer than 50-60 hours a week...

 

[VisionaryTics]

Physically exhausting (manual) labor on swing shift feels a lot longer than 50-60 hours a week...

Physically and psychologically exhausting labor as a resident feels a lot longer than 79.75 hours per week...

CV, you have very little idea what you're getting into. You're not a special snowflake. You have some manual labor work experience (which you like to bring up in every post); that doesn't mean you have any idea what the job of being a physician is like or the stress of a medical student.

My advice would be to roll the attitude back, keep your head down, and your mind is open. You haven't decided everything by Aug 15 of M1 year, fer Chrissakes.

 

[MedWonk]

Sooo I am about to finish my second week of medical school. wtf we are in class like everyday until 3:00-5:00 (is this normal??) and then we have so much **** to memorize at night. I hope it gets easier. I'm pretty sure that starting next week I will skip class and try the onlien video thing

That sounds awful. We have two long days (10 to 5) and three half days (830 to 1230 or 1230 to 5). That'll probably change when we do histology labs and anatomy labs, but otherwise that appears to be how things will go. My other choice school was to spend all day in lecture/lab because they compressed the schedule to 1.5 years and have no podcasting/recording of any sort.

 

[EMDO2018]

One of my classmates decided to start a discussion with me about cadaver penises and how the look and feel weird . I forgot that kids name already but i'll never forget that awkward convo.

 

[TheShaker]

One of my classmates decided to start a discussion with me about cadaver penises and how the look and feel weird . I forgot that kids name already but i'll never forget that awkward convo.

How does one even start a conversation like that? In what curriculum does one even touch that area this early? I just have so many questions...

 

[Kahreek]

One of my classmates decided to start a discussion with me about cadaver penises and how the look and feel weird . I forgot that kids name already but i'll never forget that awkward convo.

male or female?

 

[NontradCA]

The more context you have to put it in, the more you realize that "bullcrap" ends up being important. It's impossible to sieve through and say what's truly important at this stage in the game.

If I had to guess, I'd say you're probably panicking a bit at this point. That's totally normal. However, as the other posters have said, you're going to need to adjust your attitude toward the material.

A year from now, you still won't be able to say what's important (at least I sure as hell can't) but you'll be able to guess what they'll test you on. You'll survive this. Once you have some context from the first exam, life will become much more tolerable.

From my experience: if you say you "just want to pass" you're on pace to fail your first exam. Shoot for the top of the class, expect to fail, and adjust. Rest, eat enough, try to exercise, and establish a good routine.

Whatever you do, don't start trying to escape from stuff in netflix/tv/games/whatever. Procrastination is a guaranteed fail.

Good luck

Personally, I've been pacing myself and am well above average. I think that's more important than anything else. Everyone is going to learn at a different place, and being efficient can lead to plenty of time to watch netflix, "waste time" etc. It's all about knowing how you learn and doing what you need to.

 

[PL198]

How does one even start a conversation like that? In what curriculum does one even touch that area this early? I just have so many questions...

Lolz pelvic anatomy this soon, I'd rather die

 

[DermViser]

Physically exhausting (manual) labor on swing shift feels a lot longer than 50-60 hours a week...

There's a HUGE difference between being physically exhausted and mentally exhausted.

 

[RJGOP]

There's a HUGE difference between being physically exhausted and mentally exhausted.

If you're in orthopedics, you experience both. And to think I want to....

 

[DermViser]

If you're in orthopedics, you experience both. And to think I want to....

There's a reason Ortho recruits former athletes.

 

[RJGOP]

There's a reason Ortho recruits former athletes.
View attachment 184612

Yeah, that's certainly one reason I'm attracted to it.

 

[ChrisGriffen]

I spent the past year working 50-60 hours a week on swing shift in a literal sweat shop. I really don't care about liking my job.

50-60 hrs/wk for one year is adorable.

If you "dont care about liking your job" why the **** didnt you go get your MBA? You are a special kind of ******* if you are going to medical school for the lifestyle or the money.

 

[circulus vitios]

50-60 hrs/wk for one year is adorable.

You ever have to work outside at 3 am in December, while soaking wet? It's not as easy as it sounds.

 

[WaterMolecules]

Good job!

 

[ChrisGriffen]

You ever have to work outside at 3 am in December, while soaking wet? It's not as easy as it sounds.

Outside, 3am in december? Sounds like quite the literal sweat shop huh?

I really want to pick your brain here. Why did you work that job?

Edit: no i dont. Nevermind. Enjoy your career

 

[PL198]

Yeah, that's certainly one reason I'm attracted to it.

If I was an ortho attending at an academic center in charge of the program, determining who would become chief resident would absolutely be the person with the highest wilks.

 

[PL198]

I don't get how physical work for 50-60 hours a week is comparable to medical school and being a physician. Some people would thrive at one, and fail at the others. Others will do great at both, others will do ok at both. It's just different. 50-60 hours/week isn't that much really, and you don't get a special star on your transcript for doing it.

 

[DermViser]

Guess what...they all found unique challenges in medical school and residency. Their previous personal tragedies and triumphs didn't make them immune to the difficulty of medical school/residency.

THIS.

 

[GoPelicans]

First test on Monday (histo), I have been studying non-stop for days,yet I feel so underprepared. Just don't want to fail my first test of medical school -_- And I really hope that studying at 9:00PM on a Saturday night doesn't become a regular thing.

 

[Ismet]

And I really hope that studying at 9:00PM on a Saturday night doesn't become a regular thing.

It won't. Or shouldn't. Unless you have an exam the following Mon/Tues obv.

 

[sinombre]

It won't. Or shouldn't. Unless you have an exam the following Mon/Tues obv.

Well not first year at least. Second year on the other hand...

 

[Ismet]

Well not first year at least. Second year on the other hand...

Nahh. I feel like I never studied on weekend nights in 2nd year.

 

[sinombre]

Nahh. I feel like I never studied on weekend nights in 2nd year.

I'm probably just prematurely freaking out about what I have coming up in 10 months.

 

[Ismet]

I'm probably just prematurely freaking out about what I have coming up in 10 months.

As do/did we all. You'll get through it.

 

[xffan624]

Nahh. I feel like I never studied on weekend nights in 2nd year.

Some of my classmates probably did first year and will this year, but they also get up a 11 am too. Me, on test weekends I'm up at 7 am and studying by 8 am. Done around 6 pm or earlier.

 

[PL198]

I'm probably just prematurely freaking out about what I have coming up in 10 months.

Just time management. If you wake up at a reasonable time(ie not 10 AM) and focus throughout the day, you can get insane amounts of **** done before like 5 or 6 PM. The people who "study" from 10AM - 2AM are the people that don't get anything actually done because they're f*cking around the whole time.

 

[sinombre]

Just time management. If you wake up at a reasonable time(ie not 10 AM) and focus throughout the day, you can get insane amounts of **** done before like 5 or 6 PM. The people who "study" from 10AM - 2AM are the people that don't get anything actually done because they're f*cking around the whole time.

Yeah I totally agree. There are just other things I really want to keep doing, namely lifting and research. I have one dedicated research day per week (at least until the end of the calendar year), which means even with good time management I still have to study until pretty late most nights. I'm also engaged and in my late 20s (i.e. I have become boring), so I don't have much of a desire to go out anymore.

 

[PL198]

Yeah I totally agree. There are just other things I really want to keep doing, namely lifting and research. I have one dedicated research day per week (at least until the end of the calendar year), which means even with good time management I still have to study until pretty late most nights. I'm also engaged and in my late 20s (i.e. I have become boring), so I don't have much of a desire to go out anymore.

lol my entire life is school, lifting and golf. fricken love it. my rack is 2 feet from my desk so I'm essentially lifting by osmosis at all times of the day when I'm not sleeping.

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

Cool. You've worked hard in miserable conditions. Congratulations. Your e-peen is huge.

I have a friend who was deployed in Afghanistan before med school. I have another whose fiance was deployed and killed in action while we were in med school.

I have another friend who was a D1 football player.

I have one who supported himself through college working full-time jobs.

I have another one who got divorced during fall of M2 year.

I can think of a lot of other unique examples of both work struggle and personal struggle.

Guess what...they all found unique challenges in medical school and residency. Their previous personal tragedies and triumphs didn't make them immune to the difficulty of medical school/residency.

But I'm glad you have it all figured out.

I think that demeaning somebody's prior life experience is unhelpful, but if what you are getting at is that medical training will make you experience new and uncomfortable things that even a tough life before won't prepare you for, then I agree with you.

I had a fairly demanding job prior to medical school. I often worked 80 hour weeks, and was frequently mentally and physically exhausted. Maybe other people would not have been, but I was. In all honesty, the first two years of medical school did feel like a vacation, comparatively.

However, clinical medicine has certain qualities that make it particularly emotionally difficult, along with sometimes being physically and mentally taxing. It is very difficult to describe to people who haven't been through it, most of the instances for me were very specific to circumstance. I think that medicine is just really, really different than a lot of other demanding jobs. Similar in many aspects, the hours, the stress, the intellectual effort needed, but it definitely comes with its own unique challenges.

I think if you really work hard in medical school, you will find things that will challenge you no matter where or what you came from. I can't say that I always did that, but I think I got the most out of the times that I did.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I think that demeaning somebody's prior life experience is unhelpful, but if what you are getting at is that medical training will make you experience new and uncomfortable things that even a tough life before won't prepare you for, then I agree with you.

That's my only point...is that medical training is different for everyone, and I have seen people with exceptionally difficult backgrounds struggle with it. I've also seen people with totally boring and cush lives fly through medical school without much apparent difficulty.

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

^Totally agree with you on this. Now that you mention it, I have seen people just breeze through it, seemingly. One point though, many people with said cush boring lives have been pretty well trained by their cush and maybe a bit privileged backgrounds on how to excel academically, along with a sense of interacting well among a certain social class of people that are dominant in medicine. On the other hand, people coming from outside this may feel ill at ease, and come off as awkward and inept. A not insignificant amount of success in medicine comes from social skills, particularly the right social skills.

 

[GoPelicans]

along with a sense of interacting well among a certain social class of people that are dominant in medicine. On the other hand, people coming from outside this may feel ill at ease, and come off as awkward and inept. A not insignificant amount of success in medicine comes from social skills, particularly the right social skills.

Social skills with classmates, or with mentors/evaluators? Because I have sorta been avoiding the social events with my classmates. Will this come back to bite me in the ass?

 

[DermViser]

Social skills with classmates, or with mentors/evaluators? Because I have sorta been avoiding the social events with my classmates. Will this come back to bite me in the ass?

Yes.

 

[GoPelicans]

Yes.

But how does going out with classmates benefit my success ? I don't want to sound like I'm antisocial, because I can be social and charasmatic for a few hours if I need to. I'm just trying to figure out what Brick Majors means when he says "A not insignificant amount of success in medicine comes from social skills, particularly the right social skills."

 

[DermViser]

But how does going out with classmates benefit my success ? I don't want to sound like I'm antisocial, because I can be social and charasmatic for a few hours if I need to. I'm just trying to figure out what Brick Majors means when he says "A not insignificant amount of success in medicine comes from social skills, particularly the right social skills."

Study groups during MS-1/MS-2, Friends having your back during MS-3 clerkships.

 

[username456789]

But how does going out with classmates benefit my success ? I don't want to sound like I'm antisocial, because I can be social and charasmatic for a few hours if I need to. I'm just trying to figure out what Brick Majors means when he says "A not insignificant amount of success in medicine comes from social skills, particularly the right social skills."

He was most likely talking about social skills with regards to interactions with teammates/residents/attendings (as well as interactions with administrative people, nurses/techs during clinical years, etc).

However, being liked by your classmates (and classes above you) can potentially help when it comes time for AOA selection, if there is any component of student/member voting.

 

[Great White Buffalo]

Sooo I am about to finish my second week of medical school. wtf we are in class like everyday until 3:00-5:00 (is this normal??) and then we have so much **** to memorize at night. I hope it gets easier. I'm pretty sure that starting next week I will skip class and try the onlien video thing

Same here. Still biking and kayaking, but thinking about lectures when I should be paying attention to that rock over there.
Had to get a tutorial on genetics, as I never had that subject before, and had a quiz the first week on genetics. Remember to reach out and get help on areas you have no background, and don't beat yourself up. It is an insane amount of work, no lie.

 

[MedWonk]

Same here. Still biking and kayaking, but thinking about lectures when I should be paying attention to that rock over there.
Had to get a tutorial on genetics, as I never had that subject before, and had a quiz the first week on genetics. Remember to reach out and get help on areas you have no background, and don't beat yourself up. It is an insane amount of work, no lie.

This. I did crappy on my first two genetics quizzes and got tutoring through my school. It makes a world of difference. Don't hesitate to seek help. The worst thing is to wait until it snowballs into a bigger problem and one starts failing exams. That would be no bueno.

 

[circulus vitios]

One day to memorize Krebs cycle, glycolysis, carbohydrate degradation/absorption, protein degradation absorption, etc. I mean a lot of this is review from undergrad, but come the **** on.

 

[bunionberry]

One day to memorize Krebs cycle, glycolysis, carbohydrate degradation/absorption, protein degradation absorption, etc. I mean a lot of this is review from undergrad, but come the **** on.

That sounds awful.

 

[circulus vitios]

That sounds awful.

Yeah I've been writing and rewriting the pathways for the past 2 hours trying to memorize it all. Maybe I'll get to bed by 2 am.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

One day to memorize Krebs cycle, glycolysis, carbohydrate degradation/absorption, protein degradation absorption, etc. I mean a lot of this is review from undergrad, but come the **** on.

I am covering these sh... this week... Not again!