Help..I feel like I am drowning in Georgetown

[NotAMD]

Someone help me out with a little advice or empathy please...

I am a first year at Georgetown. I have always wanted to be a Doctor and worked really hard to get where I am now...but now that I am here I have become very overwhelmed by he amount of works. I came from a good school, and got really good grades, but things are so different here.
There seems to be a pattern forming. I stay afloat all semester long, doing fine and being reasonably happy. THEN test time comes and I literally feel like jumping ship. I study constantly, am filled with major anxiety, just to take the test, do OK and start the whole process over again - usually with another test within the following week.
Am I the only one who feels like this? I just don't know whether I am coming or going anymore. I am literally given 1000 slides of blobs and expected to memorize what each blob is. I am feeling a huge lack of support by the faculty and am really starting to think this just is not worth it anymore.
I know no one can tell me whether or not this is for me....I just want to know if there is anyone who knows how I feel? I am so bombarded with studying that I lose touch with reality..although I get alot of support from friends and family, I think a little advice or words of wisdom from people who are in my situation might help...So if someone can sympathize with me...please let me know....

Carrie B.

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[phoenixsupra]

Not much wisdom. Much sympathy. I suspect most people here know what yer talking about. Nice description, that's medschool allright. Hang in there. It's worth it. You'll be out of the classroom in no time, and by then this will all be just a blur. You have to admit it's pretty fascinating stuff you're learning about. I advise you to take some time out to really think about what you're learning from time to time. You'd be surprized how much more efficient your mind is when you engage it. That, and excersize, the time spent is paid back many times in efficiency. Good luck. 🙂

 

[a_student]

Someone help me out with a little advice or empathy please...

I am a first year at Georgetown. I have always wanted to be a Doctor and worked really hard to get where I am now...but now that I am here I have become very overwhelmed by he amount of works. I came from a good school, and got really good grades, but things are so different here.
There seems to be a pattern forming. I stay afloat all semester long, doing fine and being reasonably happy. THEN test time comes and I literally feel like jumping ship. I study constantly, am filled with major anxiety, just to take the test, do OK and start the whole process over again - usually with another test within the following week.
Am I the only one who feels like this? I just don't know whether I am coming or going anymore. I am literally given 1000 slides of blobs and expected to memorize what each blob is. I am feeling a huge lack of support by the faculty and am really starting to think this just is not worth it anymore.
I know no one can tell me whether or not this is for me....I just want to know if there is anyone who knows how I feel? I am so bombarded with studying that I lose touch with reality..although I get alot of support from friends and family, I think a little advice or words of wisdom from people who are in my situation might help...So if someone can sympathize with me...please let me know....

Carrie B.

just realize that your not alone in the process and that even though they don't admit it everyone in your class probably feels the same way as you do

another thing is that medschools never kick their students out if they're trying, if you potentially fail this coming exam (which i highly doubt), the administration will let u retake it, and retake it, and take it once again until you pass

don't stress too much about it,

 

[Paws]

Well, I wasn't sure if I had just written that or if I was really reading it ... yup. Sounds like what I am going through, too. Kind of an unreality about it for me, and I feel like I am in some weird mental cognition experiment and I am begining to feel like I am becoming another person, which I guess in a way I am.

Hang in there and keep talking about it to us or other peeps who might understand. I sure appreciate hearing other people talk about it. Sometimes I get ticked OFF when people say: yea I just goofed around all weekend and haven't even cracked the book, but they can rattle off all the muscles, innervation and spinal cord levels for everything in the day's disection. Meanwhile I actually HAVE spent all weekend in a book and I can hardly remember the arterial system in the area, or whatever.

Nope, you're not alone and alot of other people feel the same way; just keep on chugging and you'll be fine! 👍

 

[chameleonknight]

Man, reading this makes me so thankful that I go to school where I do. Even though I'm doing poorly, I'm constantly encouraged and helped by my classmates. So, my advice is this:

IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY! 🙂 You'll bust out of this madness and become a doctor. You made it this far, right? Just try to absorb as much material as possible. And head south when it comes time for residency.

 

[ddmo]

Like a_student said above, I think your feelings are experienced by just about every med student. Don't be fooled by the facades people put up around school, they are freaking out too.

 

[docquaker]

paws,

if they know all of that, it's highly unlikely that they goofed off all weekend.

 

[dancinjenn]

I completely understand...Don't get too down. P=MD!!! I go thru the same anxiety before each test. I feel like I am on brain overload! We have already finished the 1000 blobs tests. No we are on to the millions of things with carbon backbones...grrr. It seems like so much but I keep telling myself that thousands of people do this each year and thousands of people made it to the "Doctor" stage...I will too...good luck!

 

[Paws]

paws,

if they know all of that, it's highly unlikely that they goofed off all weekend.

I know, but why do people have to try and bs you like that? that's my question ...

I like to hear people tell it like it is, like the OP -

 

[Long Dong]

I know, but why do people have to try and bs you like that? that's my question ...

I like to hear people tell it like it is, like the OP -

Those dam undercover gunners. At least with the overt ones you can gage what kind of effort is needed to do as well as they do, but it's those undercover ones that make me feel so dumb cause they say they never study and chill all the time. But during labs and pbl they know everything.

 

[highclass]

Hey! Don't worry. I am a first yeat at gtown too and you are not alone in your studying misery. I think that most people in our class are also having a tough time, but people don't really want to admit it. We all had to work hard to get here and I think that most M1s (no matter which school you go to) don't really want to admit any weakness. It will be tough for the first two years, but when we get into the clinic we will finally get to start doing what we signed up for, actual clinical medicine. Anyway, get through these next two weeks and have an awesome winter break. Don't give up! We are almost finished with an entire semester! You should be proud of that!

 

[Sharn Penndroen]

You know the one comfort that I have with the bombardment is that when I look back to be begining of August when all this started and compare it to what I know now, I realize that I've learn a heck a lot a stuff. I mean, yeah you get pushed hard, but you are smart and are just being pushed to your limits. It'll help you grow and learn more in a shorter amount of time than you would under other circumstances. I certainly feel that way about anatomy. In August I new that my leg bone was connected to my knee bone and that was about it. Now I know that the otic ganglion attaches to the auriculotemporal nerve... You know what I mean. Anyway, just buckle in for the ride, before we know it we'll be done and wonder how the heck we learned all that stuff.

 

[skypilot]

Those dam undercover gunners. At least with the overt ones you can gage what kind of effort is needed to do as well as they do, but it's those undercover ones that make me feel so dumb cause they say they never study and chill all the time. But during labs and pbl they know everything.

Lots of these people are night owls and study after midnight when nobody is looking.

 

[gatsbyjo]

Well I am an M1 and it really sucks.

Someone very clever once pointed out to me that I wanted to be a doctor before I got to med school, so why THE HELL would I let what med school is like change my mind? Being a doctor is not much like med school.

That being said, I have heard it expressed that the reason we are tormented so much is to help us get accustomed to working tired, under pressure, and coping with stress---all before someone's life could hang in the balance.

hang in there, and try not to be so much of a catastrophic thinker!

 

[MeowMix]

I'm right there with you. It starts to get better, then it really sucks again. I was ready to quit yesterday.

This is what motivates me: I worked so hard and waited so long to get to med school, that I am not giving up now just because a bunch of people who don't teach very well are making my life miserable (and also, they don't seem to give a crap whether I pass or fail). It is very stressful to be in a position like this with no support from the people who are creating the stress/pressure.

I think becoming a doctor is like becoming an elected politician; many of the people who have the money and drive to succeed at this game are people who you really don't want in elected office (or being your doctor). The profession needs thoughtful, sensitive people, but those same qualities make it hard to grind through med school. You are at med school for good reasons; keep going.

 

[meowmixer]

I am an M01 at G'town as well, and can totally relate! All I can say is, no matter how overwhelmed and screwed you feel, chances are there is someone else out there that is just as bad if not worse off! At least, that's what I've found. I was seriously having a panic attack before the micro practical (aka "random amorphous blob identification"), but then I found a whole crew of people in the library cramming just minutes beforehand, and nobody could tell a gallbladder from an oviduct from a ureter. So then looking at the absurdity of the whole situation always makes me feel a little bit better. I mean, just because you can't tell a foot from a pancreas under a microscope doesn't mean you can't be the best doctor ever, insofar as relating to your patients and really making a difference. So hang in there and don't give up, because you are not alone!

Good luck studying biochem! At this point, I just want to pass so that I never have to deal with this garbage again. Let me know if you need to vent or anything--I'm always up for a procrastinatory chat. Feel better! 🙂

ETA: I forgot to mention something: a wise fourth-year once told me that the best way to deal is to just "embrace the fact that they tell you too much stuff and you are never going to know everything." I figure if I can learn and retain even a mere three new things a day, those are three things I didn't know before.

 

[drjeni2b]

maybe all you georgetown med students who are posting stuff should get together and help each other out! just a thought from a friendly GW med student....

 

[coolness]

I feel exactly the same as you do! So much information, so little time, too many damn Power Point slides... So far, after finishing Finals in Gross Anatomy, Histology, Embryology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Physiology, Microbiology, and OMM (with 2 more Finals to go in Pharmacology and Pathology), I still am amazed of how much information I have gained (and also not retained!). Anyways, before I continue blabbing on, you are not the only one that's feeling this way. I am too! And my closest classmates are too! Everybody is!

 

[freddydpt]

maybe all you georgetown med students who are posting stuff should get together and help each other out! just a thought from a friendly GW med student....

On the same token, if you need any help, GW is just down the road and everyone here is super nice and ready, willing and able to help if you ever needed it! Honestly, don't be afraid to hop on down to Foggy Bottom. I know a lot of us GW kids have been dyin' to meet some Gtown kids for some fun... it could lead to a good social support later on down the road, too!

Hang in there Carrie! I know things will get better... just make sure to re-read what you wrote... you said exams always turn out fine anyway... sure there's lots to learn, but 1) you need to learn it, and 2) YOU'RE GOING TO BE A DOCTOR NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS!!! Doesn't that excite the crap out of you? Every second of every day you're working towards the best career on the planet, being given the ability to change lives for the better! So, next time you're studying for that stupid biochem exam or whatever gets you down, remember that in less than 4 years from now, you'll be saving lives... (repeaT for emphasis) SAVING LIVES!!!

I hope that was motivational enough for you, cause I know it just got me all fired up! 👍 Gtown is a great school and if med school were easy, everyone would do it. This is what separates you from the crowd and why, one day, you'll be proud when you walk into a room and your patient says, "It's good to see you Dr. Carrie. Thanks so much for your help, today" 🙂

 

[surfdevl02]

For all you Gtown kids...It is tough your first year, much more so for some than others but like you said, Carrie, it's understandable because most of the students have been used to being on the far right of the bell curve and this realignment is suffocating for some. Sometimes it'll seem like you're running just to stand still.

I'm also a Georgetown student, 2nd year, and have noticed the truth to what they keep telling us about just throwing tons of mud on the wall and eventually some of it sticks somehow, someway. The first semester of first year is generally the hardest for most people just because the material is new, the volume is overwhelming, and it seems like everyone is just a genius around you.

You have to learn to work at your own pace and not worry about that person in the next carrel or else you'll drive yourself crazy trying to match the study habits/grades of all of your classmates. Remember, that person that lives in the library every day doesn't necessarily honor every class.

Also take solice in the fact that it does, in fact, get easier as you go because you can better adapt to the volume of material. Second semester first year is especially nice because you're generally out of class by noon everyday, biochem gets MUCH better, and neuro is actually one of the most interesting classes. Second year (as much as i've had) is MUCH more work but the classes are MUCH more interesting. You really get to apply what you've learned and see how it relates to disease processes and clinical symptoms. Plus, learning about drugs and diseases is much more interesting than the krebs cycle.

It might not seem like it now but there is method to the madness that they try to teach us at Georgetown. I think we'll all see it with time, just be patient and ride out the miserable times if you can. If anyone has any suggestions from a second year...feel free to ask....i haven't checked this board in a while but with little to do over winter break i'll see what's going on...

 

[UnskinnyBop]

I did my undergrad at Gtown, and I just have to tell you poor med students that I feel your pain. For some reason, Georgetown professors are the most horrible, awful, lame professors in the universe. My entire undergrad can be categorized as studying all the time, feeling confident about the material, and getting totally rocked on the exams. A lot of other people in the sciences there felt the same way. Also, could Lauinger library be more depressing? I recommend studying in Blommer library, if you aren't already. At least it feels sort of homey, like your high school library. Hang in there, and if the going gets tough, just go to 80's night at the Tombs and relive your childhood. 😉

 

[medguy47]

I am a first year student at gtown as well and can relate. pm me if u want to chat.

Someone help me out with a little advice or empathy please...

I am a first year at Georgetown. I have always wanted to be a Doctor and worked really hard to get where I am now...but now that I am here I have become very overwhelmed by he amount of works. I came from a good school, and got really good grades, but things are so different here.
There seems to be a pattern forming. I stay afloat all semester long, doing fine and being reasonably happy. THEN test time comes and I literally feel like jumping ship. I study constantly, am filled with major anxiety, just to take the test, do OK and start the whole process over again - usually with another test within the following week.
Am I the only one who feels like this? I just don't know whether I am coming or going anymore. I am literally given 1000 slides of blobs and expected to memorize what each blob is. I am feeling a huge lack of support by the faculty and am really starting to think this just is not worth it anymore.
I know no one can tell me whether or not this is for me....I just want to know if there is anyone who knows how I feel? I am so bombarded with studying that I lose touch with reality..although I get alot of support from friends and family, I think a little advice or words of wisdom from people who are in my situation might help...So if someone can sympathize with me...please let me know....

Carrie B.

 

[hidingOUT]

Someone help me out with a little advice or empathy please...

I am a first year at Georgetown. I have always wanted to be a Doctor and worked really hard to get where I am now...but now that I am here I have become very overwhelmed by he amount of works. I came from a good school, and got really good grades, but things are so different here.
There seems to be a pattern forming. I stay afloat all semester long, doing fine and being reasonably happy. THEN test time comes and I literally feel like jumping ship. I study constantly, am filled with major anxiety, just to take the test, do OK and start the whole process over again - usually with another test within the following week.
Am I the only one who feels like this? I just don't know whether I am coming or going anymore. I am literally given 1000 slides of blobs and expected to memorize what each blob is. I am feeling a huge lack of support by the faculty and am really starting to think this just is not worth it anymore.
I know no one can tell me whether or not this is for me....I just want to know if there is anyone who knows how I feel? I am so bombarded with studying that I lose touch with reality..although I get alot of support from friends and family, I think a little advice or words of wisdom from people who are in my situation might help...So if someone can sympathize with me...please let me know....

Carrie B.

Everyone has pretty much stated the truth. There is a learning curve in medical school, and it is a vertical line! But it really does get better. By the end of your second year, you will realize you have created brand new neural circuits in your head- some "ways of learning (memorizing)" will just be easier, you will gaze at the picture some prof has in front of the room and realize you no longer even have to think about "patient right" being your left- you just know it. You will have obtained a generalized scientific-knowledge base anyone would be proud of. Then you will pass step one. Believe that you are not alone- most of us have felt like you.

 

[quideam]

I'm not from gtown, but I feel the same way.... and the most frustrating thing really is all of those classmates who seem to never be studying but always do well. I also hate it when people go around talking about how easy the material is, or how nice it is that they have so much free time... but i've realized that the most important thing for succeeding in school (other than studying of course) is to ignore everyone else. I try not to study with others (or anyone other than a few close friends who are not gunners), and just don't talk to other med studnets about class. It makes you less stressed, believe me. As for the insane amount of information, crazy exams, and bad lecturers... I think that's universal.

As for time off, I hear ya - I'm planning on taking a year off between 2nd and 3rd - do some traveling, some research.... med school definetely does suck the life out of you, but hang in there.

Quid