getting burnt out

[celkon]

3 weeks into my 2nd year, already burt out as hell... any tips?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[VoiceofReason]

tuck your nuts under your ass and sit on 'em

 

[celkon]

tuck your nuts under your ass and sit on 'em

great idea! definitely more fun then studying fungi

 

[projectlogic]

take a break (going on SDN doesn't count)!

 

[2012mdc]

take a break (going on SDN doesn't count)!

+1

it's the middle of the summer. go do something fun outside and just pretend you're not a med student for a day or two.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Beginning of 2nd year is early to be getting burnt out. Start taking more time for yourself. Get outside and have fun.

 

[DrDrToBe]

OP, I totally know the feeling. Second week into third year and already thinking it's going to be a long year.

 

[tco]

Second year sucks, but try to plow through...if you take breaks every time you feel like youre a little bit tired, youll spend more time breaking than you will studying.

 

[2012mdc]

Second year sucks, but try to plow through...if you take breaks every time you feel like youre a little bit tired, youll spend more time breaking than you will studying.

there's a little bit of difference between feeling a little bit tired and feeling burnt out. I'm guessing OP knows how important 2nd year is and has really hit the ground running these 1st 3 weeks. Might be going a little too hard, it's a marathon, not a sprint

 

[tco]

there's a little bit of difference between feeling a little bit tired and feeling burnt out. I'm guessing OP knows how important 2nd year is and has really hit the ground running these 1st 3 weeks. Might be going a little too hard, it's a marathon, not a sprint

If he's burnt out and tired within the first 400 m, he either isn't warmed up or needs to pack it up and call it quits.

 

[medstud87]

If he's burnt out and tired within the first 400 m, he either isn't warmed up or needs to pack it up and call it quits.

a little harsh, no?

 

[projectlogic]

If he's burnt out and tired within the first 400 m, he either isn't warmed up or needs to pack it up and call it quits.

wow. OP, was just looking for support/advice and you're already telling him to quit?

 

[2012mdc]

If he's burnt out and tired within the first 400 m, he either isn't warmed up or needs to pack it up and call it quits.

Or he's going too hard for too many days in a row.

I was guilty of the above the beginning of 1st year so I didn't let myself into that trap 2nd year.

I don't care how "warmed up" someone is, if they treat the 400m like the 40 yard dash they can feel burned out.

OP don't worry about the naysayers. there have been times where I felt overwhelmed in med school and needed breaks.

a little harsh, no?

my word choice would have been idiotic

 

[tco]

Or he's going too hard for too many days in a row.

I was guilty of the above the beginning of 1st year so I didn't let myself into that trap 2nd year.

I don't care how "warmed up" someone is, if they treat the 400m like the 40 yard dash they can feel burned out.

OP don't worry about the naysayers. there have been times where I felt overwhelmed in med school and needed breaks.



my word choice would have been idiotic

Experienced. I felt the same thing second year. I also had to take a day off four days before my Step 1 exam. I know what I'm talking about.

You'll never get any better by taking breaks every time you feel a little tired.

Burn out is something that comes after a long haul. Fatigue is what the OP is feeling.

Insert random name calling here.

 

[tco]

wow. OP, was just looking for support/advice and you're already telling him to quit?

No, I'm telling them to suck it up. The alternative is not a viable choice, therefore, there is no choice.

 

[2012mdc]

Experienced. I felt the same thing second year. I also had to take a day off four days before my Step 1 exam. I know what I'm talking about.

You'll never get any better by taking breaks every time you feel a little tired.

Burn out is something that comes after a long haul. Fatigue is what the OP is feeling.

Insert random name calling here.

Of course not and I'm not suggesting he do that.

But if he has gone 21 days straight studying then he probably needs a break. I never went that many days in a row studying even during my dedicated Step 1 period and I've still managed to do extremely well.

You can label it whatever you want but it just sounds like OP needs a quick break.

 

[tco]

Of course not and I'm not suggesting he do that.

But if he has gone 21 days straight studying then he probably needs a break. I never went that many days in a row studying even during my dedicated Step 1 period and I've still managed to do extremely well.

You can label it whatever you want but it just sounds like OP needs a quick break.

It also depends on how they're studying. If they're trying to memorize everything in one pass, they're going to get tired quicker and feel like they're making less progress - which simulates burnout.

Also, OP, when are your exams?

Ours were scheduled every three weeks, all at the same time, so I never had to deal with 4 or 5 weeks of continuous studying. I'd take the weekend off after the exam and start fresh on Monday. I suppose if they have 5+ week cycles, they could get burnt out in the first exam, but I would expect it closer to the exam especially in the beginning.

 

[naus]

Did you study all through the summer?

 

[celkon]

Exams every week, about 20-25 lectures per exam, 7 weeks back-back-back.

 

[Daedra22]

We have a quiz every day and no lectures, but just robbins. It's literally destroying my soul.

 

[Bartelby]

Burn out is something that comes after a long haul. Fatigue is what the OP is feeling.

My guess would be burnout. OP just finished first year and it sucked. Now he/she is a few weeks into second year and sees only an endless horizon of the same. It gets depressing.

Take it one day at a time, OP, and as others have suggested find things to look forward to in life (friends, significant other, clubs, an athletic activity, basically anything other than drugs/alcohol).

 

[celkon]

Yeah i have heard crazy stories about people getting addicted to drugs their second year of med school.

I made it through first year cause I got in the routine of doing other stuff, sports, working out, hanging out with friends and it kept me sane. That all has kinda faded away at the start of 2nd year. Trying to get my old routine back so I can enjoy life again while attending medical school haha

Yeah sorry for the rant, this is pretty much a pitty party, just had to share w/ someone and felt like SDN could relate, or give some supportive advice

I think its really just micro tearing my soul apart. I feel like before I was learning material that was relevant to medicine and it was all stuff I was interested in learning. Now its just memorizing facts, treatments, names, diseases, non-stop..., i just feel like im memorizing a bunch of crap so I can do well on a test. I dont like the feeling of just memorizing rather then learning.

 

[Funky]

2nd year is tough. When you get over the hill it's a lot nicer

 

[eptp]

It also depends on how they're studying. If they're trying to memorize everything in one pass, they're going to get tired quicker and feel like they're making less progress - which simulates burnout.

Also, OP, when are your exams?

Ours were scheduled every three weeks, all at the same time, so I never had to deal with 4 or 5 weeks of continuous studying. I'd take the weekend off after the exam and start fresh on Monday. I suppose if they have 5+ week cycles, they could get burnt out in the first exam, but I would expect it closer to the exam especially in the beginning.

...and this couldn't be your first response to the OP?

 

[bjb305]

3rd year gets better.... so just hang in there

 

[DrCoffeeBean]

Make sure you sleep, eat and exercise properly as a staple. Then sprinkle some social life in there and the feeling of burn out should get better.