How often do you drink?

[coreytayloris]

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MS2, last semester.
Just beginning my USMLE study (in conjunction with my school curriculum obviously, so two high balls to juggle for the next few months.)
How often do/did you go drinking while juggling so many balls?
Ive been clean 70 days today, and am thinking no I might just knock it on the head altogether until after june and this USMLE SOB gets the old boot to ass routine.
Although thus I would be giving up partying every thursday in my last ever semester on campus 😕

I should also point out two things.
My lexical grasp and standard of english (which was previously impeccable, has taken a horrific nosedive in recent months - just poor grammatical and spelling errors which I would previously have mocked others for making.) On the contrary, as regards pre-clinical med, I now feel as smart as I ever have in my knowledge. Not sure the reason for either. As regards the former, it's either so much new information that the old just had to get out to make room, or else early onset alzheimers. As regards the latter, I wonder does it tie into my sobriety and coming out of a previous alcohol induced fog. I sauced on average three times a week up until the year 2011, wherein I only imbided 16 times all year.

 

[xanthomondo]

MS2, last semester.
Just beginning my USMLE study (in conjunction with my school curriculum obviously, so two high balls to juggle for the next few months.)
How often do/did you go drinking while juggling so many balls?
Ive been clean 70 days today, and am thinking no I might just knock it on the head altogether until after june and this USMLE SOB gets the old boot to ass routine.
Although thus I would be giving up partying every thursday in my last ever semester on campus 😕

I should also point out two things.
My lexical grasp and standard of english (which was previously impeccable, has taken a horrific nosedive in recent months - just poor grammatical and spelling errors which I would previously have mocked others for making.) On the contrary, as regards pre-clinical med, I now feel as smart as I ever have in my knowledge. Not sure the reason for either. As regards the former, it's either so much new information that the old just had to get out to make room, or else early onset alzheimers. As regards the latter, I wonder does it tie into my sobriety and coming out of a previous alcohol induced fog. I sauced on average three times a week up until the year 2011, wherein I only imbided 16 times all year.

Your post makes no sense, but to answer the question in the title: none. I don't drink alcohol and never did through medical school.

 

[dr zaius]

Where are you in Ireland that you're allowed to go 70 days without drinking?

 

[tryp]

Luckily I am a non-drinker, so I do not have an issue with that.

 

[gravitywave]

no comment on the drinking, but I totally feel ya on the loss of knowledge on everything non-medical. it makes me kinda sad actually.

 

[Kadava Reviva]

MS2, last semester.
Just beginning my USMLE study (in conjunction with my school curriculum obviously, so two high balls to juggle for the next few months.)
How often do/did you go drinking while juggling so many balls?
Ive been clean 70 days today, and am thinking no I might just knock it on the head altogether until after june and this USMLE SOB gets the old boot to ass routine.
Although thus I would be giving up partying every thursday in my last ever semester on campus 😕

I should also point out two things.
My lexical grasp and standard of english (which was previously impeccable, has taken a horrific nosedive in recent months - just poor grammatical and spelling errors which I would previously have mocked others for making.) On the contrary, as regards pre-clinical med, I now feel as smart as I ever have in my knowledge. Not sure the reason for either. As regards the former, it's either so much new information that the old just had to get out to make room, or else early onset alzheimers. As regards the latter, I wonder does it tie into my sobriety and coming out of a previous alcohol induced fog. I sauced on average three times a week up until the year 2011, wherein I only imbided 16 times all year.

Your cognitive problems are probably not caused by alcohol use alone. It could be your nutrition, stress and lack of sleep, dysthymia or a more severe form of depression, sleep apnea, or many other factors. You may want to see you family practitioner if you noticed any emotional changes. It doesn't have to be feeling sad, it can be being irritable, feeling guilty for no reason, sensing impending doom or being discouraged. Many alcoholics self medicate to deal with these emotions and would be better treated with anti-depressants. Other signs would be weight changes, sleep pattern changes and waking up unrefresh, regardless of the amount of sleep you had.
Good luck and keep dry.

 

[coreytayloris]

I guess my post is a bit convoluted.

I'm not depressed.

I guess I was more asking how much fun did you allow yourselves to have while studying for USMLE, or was it literally a case of no alcohol/partying for months on end, head in the books, full speed on the treadmill sort of thing.

On a side note I then postulated whether or not a recent feeling of doing extremely well as regards my current pre clinical performance is interlinked to me being sober for so long, thus impacting positively on my study; or, is it just a case of i'm coming into the final 25 % of the race and stuff just starts to make sense at this stage of the game.

 

[adaptation1]

your english and the way you express yourself is...well, different. maybe its the sobriety?

 

[Kadava Reviva]

You pretty much have to live like a monk.

Good luck on the USMiLE.


Disclaimer: I never wrote the USMLE, but I assume they are similar to the Canadian exams. I really lived like a monk and kept praying to get good scores.

 

[HolySmokes]

Where are you in Ireland that you're allowed to go 70 days without drinking?

My first question as well

 

[Kadava Reviva]

Where are you in Ireland that you're allowed to go 70 days without drinking?

My first question as well

Oh, no!
The myth that the Irish drink a lot is due to outsiders visiting the Emerald Isle and seeing so many people in pubs. The reason so many Irish spend time in pubs is because, traditionally their houses used to be very small and they needed a warm place to socialise. I haven't been to Ireland in over 15 years, but the country was already going through many changes, including a drive to legalise divorce. I had quite a few pleasant and informative discussions with the residents and many of my pre-conceptions were blown away.

Oh! You were joking? Dammit!

 

[dr zaius]

Oh, no!
The myth that the Irish drink a lot is due to outsiders visiting the Emerald Isle and seeing so many people in pubs. The reason so many Irish spend time in pubs is because, traditionally their houses used to be very small and they needed a warm place to socialise. I haven't been to Ireland in over 15 years, but the country was already going through many changes, including a drive to legalise divorce. I had quite a few pleasant and informative discussions with the residents and many of my pre-conceptions were blown away.

Oh! You were joking? Dammit!

Half joking. I have family in Ireland and visit them. 2 family members are currently in medical school, and they drink quite frequently.

Pubs outside of Dublin are so much better than most American bars. Sigh. Should have gone to NUI-Galway.

 

[Kadava Reviva]

Half joking. I have family in Ireland and visit them. 2 family members are currently in medical school, and they drink quite frequently.

Pubs outside of Dublin are so much better than most American bars. Sigh. Should have gone to NUI-Galway.

They are nice.
I must say I live in Canada and am in the military, so I don't perceive the Irish as drinking more than most people I know.

 

[IlDestriero]

If you're drinking enough to use terms like "days sober" "coming out of a fog" etc. you should take a hard look at your drinking pattern. It sounds like you've been abusing alcohol. If you have trouble with moderation, you might want to stop completely.
FWIW, single malt scotch whisky gives me no hangover at all, even if I'm a bit aggressive at a whisky tasting.

 

[dr zaius]

They are nice.
I must say I live in Canada and am in the military, so I don't perceive the Irish as drinking more than most people I know.

From my experience there is less drinking to get hammered compared to here, but far more stopping off at the pub after work for a few beers. I personally enjoy this model of living. If I remember correctly there is a pretty big Irish influence on parts of the East coast of Canada, right? Around Nova Scotia, maybe?

 

[Kadava Reviva]

If you're drinking enough to use terms like "days sober" "coming out of a fog" etc. you should take a hard look at your drinking pattern. It sounds like you've been abusing alcohol. If you have trouble with moderation, you might want to stop completely.
FWIW, single malt scotch whisky gives me no hangover at all, even if I'm a bit aggressive at a whisky tasting.

$ingle malt $cotch is a litte co$tly.
What if one can only afford cooking wine?

 

[Kadava Reviva]

From my experience there is less drinking to get hammered compared to here, but far more stopping off at the pub after work for a few beers. I personally enjoy this model of living. If I remember correctly there is a pretty big Irish influence on parts of the East coast of Canada, right? Around Nova Scotia, maybe?

Yes. Newfoundland is the most Irish province, but there is a strong presence in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
You are also absolutely right in your observation that the Irish, unlike North Americans, don't usually drink to get hammered, but in Canada, it's pretty much the same as in the U.S.
As I mentioned, I haven't been to Ireland in a long time, but I noticed the same attitude in Spain. Booze is found everywhere, but people drink moderately, except for the North American tourists, who can be seen embarassing their nations every night of the week, while they are frowned upon by Spaniards.

[God, my writing sucks in the morning!]

 

[docnotsopc]

Where are you in Ireland that you're allowed to go 70 days without drinking?

The real question becomes is the OP American? If so I can understand why he would not want to drink around the Irish especially if he went out with other americans to a bar

 

[IlDestriero]

$ingle malt $cotch is a litte co$tly.
What if one can only afford cooking wine?

Then expect a crushing hangover.
Some decent blends are reasonably cheap. McClelland's is the cheapest single malt around at ~$20. I've never had it, so I can't recommend it. Canadian Whiskey also tends to be cheaper. It's not cooking wine or pabst blue ribbon cheap, but it's probably worth the splurge. I started in college, never looked back.

 

[dr zaius]

Yes. Newfoundland is the most Irish province, but there is a strong presence in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
You are also absolutely right in your observation that the Irish, unlike North Americans, don't usually drink to get hammered, but in Canada, it's pretty much the same as in the U.S.
As I mentioned, I haven't been to Ireland in a long time, but I noticed the same attitude in Spain. Booze is found everywhere, but people drink moderately, except for the North American tourists, who can be seen embarassing their nations every night of the week, while they are frowned upon by Spaniards.

[God, my writing sucks in the morning!]

If there is anything we Americans are good at, it's making an ass out of ourselves abroad!

 

[bashir]

I'm kind of disappointed no one actually answered the question, which I thought was a perfectly reasonable one that many med students would be curious about. How often do people drink (or just blow off studying for a while regardless of the preferred activity) while studying for Step I? Maybe a poll would have helped.

 

[gators21]

MS2, last semester.
Just beginning my USMLE study (in conjunction with my school curriculum obviously, so two high balls to juggle for the next few months.)
How often do/did you go drinking while juggling so many balls?
Ive been clean 70 days today, and am thinking no I might just knock it on the head altogether until after june and this USMLE SOB gets the old boot to ass routine.
Although thus I would be giving up partying every thursday in my last ever semester on campus 😕

I should also point out two things.
My lexical grasp and standard of english (which was previously impeccable, has taken a horrific nosedive in recent months - just poor grammatical and spelling errors which I would previously have mocked others for making.) On the contrary, as regards pre-clinical med, I now feel as smart as I ever have in my knowledge. Not sure the reason for either. As regards the former, it's either so much new information that the old just had to get out to make room, or else early onset alzheimers. As regards the latter, I wonder does it tie into my sobriety and coming out of a previous alcohol induced fog. I sauced on average three times a week up until the year 2011, wherein I only imbided 16 times all year.

All the time. In fact, cant remember a time without a beer in one hand, couple of balls in the other
🤣

 

[gravitywave]

Then expect a crushing hangover.
Some decent blends are reasonably cheap. McClelland's is the cheapest single malt around at ~$20. I've never had it, so I can't recommend it. Canadian Whiskey also tends to be cheaper. It's not cooking wine or pabst blue ribbon cheap, but it's probably worth the splurge. I started in college, never looked back.

McClelland's is terrible stuff, tastes like turpentine. $20 is daylight robbery for that swill. If someone is serious about taking single malt for a drive, I usually recommend Glenmorangie. $40 but that's a drop in the bucket compared to what you'll be spending over a lifetime love-affair 😍

 

[Kadava Reviva]

If there is anything we Americans are good at, it's making an ass out of ourselves abroad!

Canadians do it too, but they pretend to be American, eh? Them foreigners don't know the difference.

 

[2012mdc]

I'm kind of disappointed no one actually answered the question, which I thought was a perfectly reasonable one that many med students would be curious about. How often do people drink (or just blow off studying for a while regardless of the preferred activity) while studying for Step I? Maybe a poll would have helped.

For a period of about 4 months before my step 1 I only went out clubbing/bar hopping after exam weeks so about once every 4 weeks. The month before my Step 1 I didn't go out at all.

I kept my normal routine of sometimes having a beer with dinner though

 

[CatFactorial]

I usually have a beer or two a day.

 

[elektroshok]

upper end of social

 

[MilkmanAl]

Pre-interview dinners: heavy on the empty calories.

 

[SlickNickMD]

I rarely go "out drinking", but I try to drink once every 2-3 weeks depending on what rotation I'm on

I'm going to be dry for most of the more demanding ones, surgery/ob but for psych and ped I try to drink take a day off on the weekends to enjoy a glass or 3 to keep me sane

 

[Valadi]

I go out most weekends now, and Thurs-Sat M1-M2 year. I never drink if I have clinical responsibilities the next day, though.

During step 1 studying I would make it a point to hit the bars/clubs once a week to "hit the reset button." Say what you will about healthy habits, but there's something magical in gin that defrags my brain.

 

[rosetyler]

I go out most weekends now, and Thurs-Sat M1-M2 year. I never drink hard if I have clinical responsibilities the next day, though.

During step 1 studying I would make it a point to hit the bars/clubs once a week to "hit the reset button." Say what you will about healthy habits, but there's something magical in gin that defrags my brain.

Agree! DO NOT spend however long you spend studying for your step I cloistered away....there is such a thing as banging your head against a wall for too long. And for the most part, spending more than 6 weeks studying is a bad idea - a medium sized fraction of people at my school take 12 weeks to study and they rarely do better (and often worse) than those who only studied for 4 weeks. yes, this could be self-selection but....

Anyways, I studied for 4 weeks, 8am to 5pm, taking every evening and every weekend off. Sometimes I'd do USMLE Qbank while sitting around Saturday mornings, but other than that, totally off and went out if I wanted to. I think i would've gone nuts otherwise.

And I got the score I wanted.