Guilty about not studying?

[AK_MD2BE]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey there! Does anyone else out there feel guilty about not studying or actively engaging their intellect during the long summer break between graduating and MS I? Part of me wants to really enjoy the time hanging out with family, friends (most notably my girlfriend), and just enjoying life because Lord knows that my free time diminishes drastically once medical school starts on the 14th. On the other hand, the other part of me thinks that medical school is so difficult and voluminous that it may be beneficial to learn SOMETHING over the summer so that my coursework will be that much easier during the year. I am torn and have this feeling that because someday I will be entrusted with somebody's life (and at the least well-being), I should always be studying, or learning something that may help me to better serve my patients. Please help!

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

For the love of god, this is some of the last free time you will ever have! Enjoy it while it lasts. Plus, there is not really anything you could do to get a leg up on next year's material anyway.

 

[DrFeelgoodMD]

I agree with Zoom....I am still an undergrad, but I sure as hell won't even look at a book during the summer before I start med school! Its the last bit of fun you will have for a looooong time (unless you find countless hours of work and stress fun... 😀 )

J

 

[Ambs]

Don't touch a book ... unless it's reading for pleasure. Have fun, relax, spend time with your loved ones.

 

[peppy]

As someone who has just finished my MS1 year, I am also going to tell you to just relax and not even try to study.
As long as you pay attention and keep up with the work once school starts, you'll do perfectly fine and will have all the info you need. I assure you that by the time you've made it through four years of med school, board exams, and residency, you'll have enough of a knowledge base to be a competent doc and it won't matter that you decided to chill out for an extra two weeks before MS1. 🙂

 

[Law2Doc]

Hey there! Does anyone else out there feel guilty about not studying or actively engaging their intellect during the long summer break between graduating and MS I? Part of me wants to really enjoy the time hanging out with family, friends (most notably my girlfriend), and just enjoying life because Lord knows that my free time diminishes drastically once medical school starts on the 14th. On the other hand, the other part of me thinks that medical school is so difficult and voluminous that it may be beneficial to learn SOMETHING over the summer so that my coursework will be that much easier during the year. I am torn and have this feeling that because someday I will be entrusted with somebody's life (and at the least well-being), I should always be studying, or learning something that may help me to better serve my patients. Please help!

First, there is nothing you could look at that would be of any value -- you have no idea what your med school prof is going to focus on, and most of the good resources tend to be better companions to your class noteset or lectures than places to learn material de novo.
Second, it's already august -- how much of a dent do you really think you can make in two weeks. If you were going to read ahead, you should have posed the question in may...
Nobody is going to entrust a life into your hands in first year, so chill.

 

[Dr.TobiasFünke]

Hey there! Does anyone else out there feel guilty about not studying or actively engaging their intellect during the long summer break between graduating and MS I? Part of me wants to really enjoy the time hanging out with family, friends (most notably my girlfriend), and just enjoying life because Lord knows that my free time diminishes drastically once medical school starts on the 14th. On the other hand, the other part of me thinks that medical school is so difficult and voluminous that it may be beneficial to learn SOMETHING over the summer so that my coursework will be that much easier during the year. I am torn and have this feeling that because someday I will be entrusted with somebody's life (and at the least well-being), I should always be studying, or learning something that may help me to better serve my patients. Please help!

I not engaged in ANY mentally stimulating activity other than the occasional Discovery channel program. I’m resting my brain this summer. I am also cleansing it with a concentrated ethanol perfusion each night to purge any toxins that might have accrued during the past four years of heavy brain usage.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Hey there! Does anyone else out there feel guilty about not studying or actively engaging their intellect during the long summer break between graduating and MS I?

Hell no. School is going to be a grip of work, I'm resting my brain while I can.

 

[freaker]

First, there is nothing you could look at that would be of any value -- you have no idea what your med school prof is going to focus on, and most of the good resources tend to be better companions to your class noteset or lectures than places to learn material de novo.

Well, there are things that he could do and do so productively. Memorizing the Anatomy grid book would be one. But let's be honest; no one is going to do the amount of work necessary to make that productive over the summer months, so why even bother?

I wouldn't even mess with it. You're just going to have to re-memorize all that stuff once you inevitably forget it. Just enjoy your time, read for pleasure, and live it up or take it easy--your pick. Neither will be an option soon enough.

 

[mountainman123]

DO NOT HAVE GUILT! Enjoy some of the last free time before you really feel guilty for not studying. I tried to do as little as possible before starting and I do not regret it at all. There is nothing you should be studying anyway, just look forward to enjoying the ride of medical school.