I don't feel ready to begin medical school

Started by PamSpammer
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PamSpammer

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I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
 
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I promise that's how all your classmates feel, majority will just be good at hiding it. Focus more on how you plan to stay afloat, and less on drowning! Use your resources (those med students, especially) and just try your best. Oh and most importantly, baby steps.
 
PamSpammer said:
I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
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Please, do. not. worry. It's not even worth doing before beginning you start school. I was terrified before I began med school, almost considered switching to PA. Your imagination will play up the worst-case scenarios of medical school. Yes there is a lot of work to do. But equally yes, you can do it. Trust me. Our medical school started off gradually and then increased the work as time went on. Now, I'm learning so many things I surprise myself! Remember, you are not the only one doing medial school for the first time, LOL. If others can do it, you can too. We're not special lol. YOU WILL adapt!!

Again and again, dont worry. Be excited! Don't waste your honeymoon phase (the feeling of getting accepted) be drowned out by worries!

Congratulations on your acceptance!:happy::happy:
 
Congrats on your acceptance. I was accepted for this fall, too, and currently in a gap year. As August draws closer, I'm always worried I won't succeed, about moving away from my family and friends, whether or not I'm actually capable of being a physician... I think everyone feels this way sometimes. You're not alone!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
PamSpammer said:
I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
Click to expand...

If you've got decent grades and/or a decent MCAT, you'll definitely be okay. If you're on the lower scale for both, then you're going to have to work much harder.

Enjoy your summer while it lasts before starting!

I took 6 gap years before starting medical school, and I'm doing fine. You'll be fine!
 
PamSpammer said:
I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
Click to expand...

I skipped class, listened to recorded lectures at home at 2x speed, took notes while listening to the lecture, read my notes 3 to 5 times before each test, repeat. The lowest score I got was an 85% and that was on the first test we had. I think this is one of the most efficient strategies for doing well. It doesn't mean you'll actually learn anything useful, but at least you'll get good grades. *sigh medical education is messed up.

My classmates that struggled either didn't keep up with the course work or were using too many outside resources which slowed them down and/or distracted them from what was relevant on the exam.
 
cliquesh said:
I skipped class, listened to recorded lectures at home at 2x speed, took notes while listening to the lecture, read my notes 3 to 5 times before each test, repeat. The lowest score I got was an 85% and that was on the first test we had. I think this is one of the most efficient strategies for doing well. It doesn't mean you'll actually learn anything useful, but at least you'll get good grades. *sigh medical education is messed up.

My classmates that struggled either didn't keep up with the course work or were using too many outside resources which slowed them down and/or distracted them from what was relevant on the exam.
Click to expand...

Did you find this studying technique worked well for retaining that info long term? Ive recently been noticing ive forgotten some of the basic stuff i should know throughout undergrad and i think its because i was a big crammer when it came to studying. I know cramming wont work in med school so im just hoping to find a good technique to get that long term memory working lol




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Scrubs101 said:
Did you find this studying technique worked well for retaining that info long term? Ive recently been noticing ive forgotten some of the basic stuff i should know throughout undergrad and i think its because i was a big crammer when it came to studying. I know cramming wont work in med school so im just hoping to find a good technique to get that long term memory working lol




Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

That works for me. As long as you get the general picture you'll still remember most things when they do come up. If you just memorizing without trying to understand then you'll forget everything. Try to tie it into a story where it makes sense to you and you'll be golden.
 
Scrubs101 said:
Did you find this studying technique worked well for retaining that info long term? Ive recently been noticing ive forgotten some of the basic stuff i should know throughout undergrad and i think its because i was a big crammer when it came to studying. I know cramming wont work in med school so im just hoping to find a good technique to get that long term memory working lol




Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

Not really. There is so much to learn that I pretty much dumped my memory after each test. At least for me, it didn't all come together until the end of oms2 when I was studying for level1/step1. I think repetition and practice questions, which reinforce key concepts, are needed for long term memory development.

Practice questions are the key to success on board exams. They are a much better use of your time than reading a book.

Spoiler alert: much of what you learn in medical school and what is on board exams is a severely diluted version of the truth or simply not true. What is on board exams isn't even real medicine. It's just random facts. Additionally, much of what you'll learn in school will be outdated by the time you complete your residency. It is kind of silly to memorize a bunch of false outdated information. I guess we all need to start somewhere.
 
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All new endeavors are fraught with anxiety. You'll be fine.


PamSpammer said:
I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
Click to expand...
 
Ships in port are safe, but that's not what ships are for.

PamSpammer said:
I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
Click to expand...


Have you considered Adderal? It's easy to get a script, and tremendously powerful. The germans made it to Moscow with this stuff. From my personal experience, it greatly enhances academic performance in times of dire need. Wouldn't have graduated without it.

I would recommend researching nootropics but I haven't used it myself.

(Some ninny is inevitably going to **** on me for recommending Adderal. I don't care. Half of your class will be on it.)

The first guy had the best point though. If you don't feel ready, that means you have enough self-awareness to be ready.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
cliquesh said:
Not really. There is so much to learn that I pretty much dumped my memory after each test. At least for me, it didn't all come together until the end of oms2 when I was studying for level1/step1. I think repetition and practice questions, which reinforce key concepts, are needed for long term memory development.

Practice questions are the key to success on board exams. They are a much better use of your time than reading a book.

Spoiler alert: much of what you learn in medical school and what is on board exams is a severely diluted version of the truth or simply not true. What is on board exams isn't even real medicine. It's just random facts. Additionally, much of what you'll learn in school will be outdated by the time you complete your residency. It is kind of silly to memorize a bunch of false outdated information. I guess we all need to start somewhere.
Click to expand...

I think every medical student and pre-medical student should really take a good look at the bolded. There was a book by a physician who stated that around 50% of information taught in medical school will either outdated or incorrect by the time they graduate (or even known to be incorrect but taught anyway) . The one thing that would radically improve medical education is the integration of reading journal articles into the curriculum. This would do a lot more to make sure students understand how to evaluate information and keep up to date with the new advances in medical knowledge.
 
Carbon090 said:
Spot on.
Click to expand...

Don't listen to non-dimension C-137 Rick.


In all seriousness though, just be ready to adapt to different blocks/instructors/etc. By now you should have established a base for your study habits. At this point just focus on working hard, adapting to the course work, and staying mentally healthy/fresh through some kind of hobby. You'll be fine!
 
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cliquesh said:
I skipped class, listened to recorded lectures at home at 2x speed, took notes while listening to the lecture, read my notes 3 to 5 times before each test, repeat. The lowest score I got was an 85% and that was on the first test we had. I think this is one of the most efficient strategies for doing well. It doesn't mean you'll actually learn anything useful, but at least you'll get good grades. *sigh medical education is messed up.

My classmates that struggled either didn't keep up with the course work or were using too many outside resources which slowed them down and/or distracted them from what was relevant on the exam.
Click to expand...

OP, I do the same thing as this guy. I'm pretty stress free for most days except when they line 2-3 exams on the same day.
 
gallons said:
2x speed? How slow are your profs talking? 1.5x seems max for me when im listen to khan academy.
Click to expand...

This is something i always thought about when everyone says x2 speed, in my experience 1.5 has definitely been my max and some of my profs i can barely handle 1.25x. Maybe all med school profs talk really slow or something lol


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MADD!!! said:
I'm in the same boat!!!! I was worried about getting in and now I'm worried about making it to the boards!!! I think past step 1/level 1 I'll be fine, but not sure of myself if I'll make it to that point . :/
Click to expand...

Gotta have self confidence man. Never look at the whole journey at once, overwhelming. Just look at it day at a time. Be smart with your studies and you'll do great.
 
Scrubs101 said:
This is something i always thought about when everyone says x2 speed, in my experience 1.5 has definitely been my max and some of my profs i can barely handle 1.25x. Maybe all med school profs talk really slow or something lol


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

Haha 2x just becomes the new norm when you're inundated with lecture material. Still depends on the listener and lecturer though. Either way, you're going to wonder why the f everyone around you talks so slow after a while lol.
 
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MADD!!! said:
I'm in the same boat!!!! I was worried about getting in and now I'm worried about making it to the boards!!! I think past step 1/level 1 I'll be fine, but not sure of myself if I'll make it to that point . :/
Click to expand...

Scrubs101 said:
This is something i always thought about when everyone says x2 speed, in my experience 1.5 has definitely been my max and some of my profs i can barely handle 1.25x. Maybe all med school profs talk really slow or something lol


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

There is one professor who speaks so slow that I wish 3x speed was even an option for our school (we only have 2x).
 
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This is great advice thanks everyone! Unfortunately I will be going to school with mandatory attendance so I won't be able to skip lecture and watch it on 2x speed. Anyone have any advice on how to study most efficiently while attending lecture everyday?
 
Scrubs101 said:
This is something i always thought about when everyone says x2 speed, in my experience 1.5 has definitely been my max and some of my profs i can barely handle 1.25x. Maybe all med school profs talk really slow or something lol
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

When I was undergrad and reading SDN, I thought it was bs. However, 2x becomes the new medical school pace and you get used to it. It's like you driving on the highway at 70-80 mph and not even realizing that you're going that fast.

I also watched youtube vids w/ 2x speed.
 
IslandStyle808 said:
There is one professor who speaks so slow that I wish 3x speed was even an option for our school (we only have 2x).
Click to expand...

Download the video and go 2.5x-3.0x on VLC. I make 2.5-3.0x an option for professors that try to lure you to sleep with their pace.
 
68PGunner said:
Download the video and go 2.5x-3.0x on VLC. I make 2.5-3.0x an option for professors that try to lure you to sleep with their pace.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know. I don't want to waste the space on my computer, not really worth it with all those lectures. Thanks for the advice though.
 
PamSpammer said:
I have taken a gap year between undergrad and med school and I will start in July. That being said, I don't feel ready to start. I was always an average student as a chemistry major and after talking to current medical students, I am feeling intimated by the amount of work and dedication it will take to pass my classes and make it through rotations and residency. I am not afraid of the hard work but I am fearful that I will never find a decent way to study and not perform well. Does anyone have any tips or advice on this matter?
Click to expand...

If you had the fortitude to get through undergrad with good grades, do well on the MCAT, do all the required extra-curriculars, and go through the beast that is applying to medical school, you'll be fine.
 
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cliquesh said:
I skipped class, listened to recorded lectures at home at 2x speed, took notes while listening to the lecture, read my notes 3 to 5 times before each test, repeat. The lowest score I got was an 85% and that was on the first test we had. I think this is one of the most efficient strategies for doing well. It doesn't mean you'll actually learn anything useful, but at least you'll get good grades. *sigh medical education is messed up.

My classmates that struggled either didn't keep up with the course work or were using too many outside resources which slowed them down and/or distracted them from what was relevant on the exam.
Click to expand...

I have used tons of outside resources and let myself be "distracted from what was relevant on the exams" in my curriculum. But we just took our first board prep / diagnostic exam, and I killed it. 2 standard deviations above the mean. I've been a steady B student in class, because I haven't cared too much about how many points I lost along the way, as long as I was studying to learn the concepts... even when that happened at the expense of my course grades.

Obviously, you have to find a way to strike a balance. It doesn't matter how ready you are for boards if you can't get there because you failed your courses. But I realized early on that the cram-purge-cram again cycles that I saw other folks going through would come back to bite them.
 
Promethean said:
I have used tons of outside resources and let myself be "distracted from what was relevant on the exams" in my curriculum. But we just took our first board prep / diagnostic exam, and I killed it. 2 standard deviations above the mean. I've been a steady B student in class, because I haven't cared too much about how many points I lost along the way, as long as I was studying to learn the concepts... even when that happened at the expense of my course grades.

Obviously, you have to find a way to strike a balance. It doesn't matter how ready you are for boards if you can't get there because you failed your courses. But I realized early on that the cram-purge-cram again cycles that I saw other folks going through would come back to bite them.
Click to expand...

Good to know considering that I give zero crap about the curriculum and have based my entire study on board prep material like pathoma, USMLERX, and SketchyMicro.

Hopefully, your performance holds true for the real thing.
 
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