I have to repeat M1 year

[PirellitTyres]

So I failed the first semester of M1 year. Luckily, my school will allow me to repeat (I have to repeat the whole semester since I failed every course). However, I have 2 options.


Go on to 2nd semester (I have 2 weeks into the semester to withdraw for a full refund). If I pass this semester, I won't have to repeat it again next year, so I will have a semester off next year (but I will still graduate one year behind)

Take a LOA and restart in August

Since I'm OOS, taking the LOA will be better since I would pay one less semester of OOS tuition (worth about 20k).

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[Yhwach]

I feel like an LOA is overall better from my POV. I am just a first-year and haven't failed yet but seems like an LOA saves you money and has the same timeline as taking 2nd semester and passing.

Unless you are worried about taking a year off on your performance then I would do an LOA if I were in your shoes but do whatever you feel is right tbh. You gotta figure out what works for you.

 

[M&L]

while i do think LOA might make more sense, than a few things for you to consider:

if you take LOA now, it would be hard for you to get any opportunities lined up, especially with pandemic going on. Taking semester off next year instead will give you time to find cool research opportunities or others ways to strengthen your application for residency. just something to think about.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I am not sure what your curriculum is like, but if you failed every class this first semester, I’d be very concerned that it will be difficult for you to pass the next semester.

If you failed every course, something is wrong. I would take the LOA to figure out what that is and not risk adding more failures to your transcript.

 

[M&L]

So I failed the first semester of M1 year. Luckily, my school will allow me to repeat (I have to repeat the whole semester since I failed every course). However, I have 2 options.


Go on to 2nd semester (I have 2 weeks into the semester to withdraw for a full refund). If I pass this semester, I won't have to repeat it again next year, so I will have a semester off next year (but I will still graduate one year behind)

Take a LOA and restart in August

Since I'm OOS, taking the LOA will be better since I would pay one less semester of OOS tuition (worth about 20k).

did you talk to academic development about what could have gotten wrong? what did they say?

 

[M&L]

I am not sure what your curriculum is like, but if you failed every class this first semester, I’d be very concerned that it will be difficult for you to pass the next semester.

If you failed every course, something is wrong. I would take the LOA to figure out what that is and not risk adding more failures to your transcript.

yeah good point. second semester is different, but in a lot of ways it felt more intense to me, at least....

 

[IMGASMD]

The the LOA. Reset, and try again next year. The opportunities that you gain, will not be enough to offset, if you already knew you’re repeating the year.

Being in the middle of the pandemic maybe a blessing in disguise... you probably don’t really know your classmates. You get an “almost” fresh start next year.

Good luck.

 

[Real McCoy]

I am not sure what your curriculum is like, but if you failed every class this first semester, I’d be very concerned that it will be difficult for you to pass the next semester.

If you failed every course, something is wrong. I would take the LOA to figure out what that is and not risk adding more failures to your transcript.

If you happened to fail one or more courses in 2nd semester, would you still be able to repeat or would you be dismissed entirely? If you were my student, I would advise you to take the LOA as something is clearly not clicking if you failed every single course in 1st semester. You have to identify the source of your issues if you stand any chance of being successful from this point forward.

 

[PirellitTyres]

My school averages the grades from all courses. So as long as my average is passing, I'm fine

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

If you happened to fail one or more courses in 2nd semester, would you still be able to repeat or would you be dismissed entirely? If you were my student, I would advise you to take the LOA as something is clearly not clicking if you failed every single course in 1st semester. You have to identify the source of your issues if you stand any chance of being successful from this point forward.

I’m guessing you are responding to op and just agreeing with me.

 

[Real McCoy]

@Matthew9Thirtyfive correct.

 

[shouldvestudied]

You failed every single course. Continuing on to the next semester would be a very bad idea.

Take the LOA and figure out what happened.

Whatever caused you to fail this first semester has not yet been addressed so the most likely outcome, if you continue this year, is that you fail the second semester as well and then (best-case scenario) your school allows you to repeat the entire first year.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

There's much more information on this prior thread you created, not sure why you didn't just post there.

People commenting here should read that first.

 

[Psycho T]

There's much more information on this prior thread you created, not sure why you didn't just post there.

People commenting here should read that first.

yea im not sure why people do that

 

[operaman]

After reading this in addition to your previous threads, I think you may want to give some serious thought to withdrawing or at least taking a more extended LOA. You describe multiple issues that seem completely unaddressed and you have yet to show any insight into how big a problem you have. Failing the first semester so badly and thinking you could pass the second more rigorous semester right away suggests you don’t understand your situation.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that you have failed what is arguably the easiest semester of medical school. It’s challenging from an adjustment standpoint, but the content and workload is well below the difficulty of what you will face in the next semester, not to mention MS2 and beyond. Absent a major turnaround- and I see no indication from your posts this is happening - you are at high risk of failure at countless other points along the way. We’re talking a minimum of 7 years of rigorous training during which any additional slip could leave you deeper in debt with no ability to practice medicine at all.

Definitely take the semester. Maybe more. If you can’t identify and clearly address the issues that plagued you this fall, give serious thought to other career options.

 

[deleted1079620]

I highly recommend taking a LOA and either working with a learning specialist or taking a study skills course before coming back.

 

[PirellitTyres]

Do you think it might help if I review all the material from last semester (I downloaded all the lectures and can rewatch them to prepare me for my retake)

 

[IMGASMD]

Do you think it might help if I review all the material from last semester (I downloaded all the lectures and can rewatch them to prepare me for my retake)

Find what works for you first.

It’s very hard. But everyone learn this stuff very differently. However, all are expected to know it. What works for me, not necessarily works for you.

Spending time to find out what went wrong maybe more beneficial than just rewatching lectures over and over.

 

[AnonymousDoctorGuyPerson]

As others have stressed - take the LOA.

I'm honestly surprised your school would let you take the second-semester courses given your first semester circumstances. I'm not sure how your curriculum is set up, but the second semester conceptually would build off the first. Your performance, more than likely, would mimic your first semester.

Take the LOA, use that time to figure out what went wrong, meet with your professors, fix the problems you faced, learn how to study, etc. After doing that I'd honestly get a jump on the first semester material again so you can knock through it when Fall comes around again.

Good luck OP! And remember, there are people willing to help so never hesitate to reach out to faculty, friends, SDN, etc.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Are you sure you want to do all of this? I always try to ask in this situation. This will be a red flag regardless for residency. The Uber competitive fields are essentially ruled out already. Just make sure you’re okay with low competitive specialties. If not, don’t waste your money.

 

[Goro]

So I failed the first semester of M1 year. Luckily, my school will allow me to repeat (I have to repeat the whole semester since I failed every course). However, I have 2 options.


Go on to 2nd semester (I have 2 weeks into the semester to withdraw for a full refund). If I pass this semester, I won't have to repeat it again next year, so I will have a semester off next year (but I will still graduate one year behind)

Take a LOA and restart in August

Since I'm OOS, taking the LOA will be better since I would pay one less semester of OOS tuition (worth about 20k).

Take the LOA, as something is broken and you need to fix it. Taking the Spring semester while you're still not on top of your game runs the risk of doing poorly.

 

[Osteosaur]

As mentioned in your last thread, if you want to continue, definitely take the LOA. I'm sorry this happened to you as it must be devastating.

As mentioned before there are kind of two issues at work:

1) Even if you master M1 material by taking an extra 6 months to study you're not going to have that luxury so you need to put some real work into study skills, and see what your school's learning center can do for you. You really need to work out if you are capable of adapting the habits to move forward.

2) You did not seem to understand how dire your situation was at first. You seemed to think you could pull up your boostraps and squeak by to M2. That was just not going to happen. That you thought this means there might be some disconnect. That or you were stressed and looking for a way out. I can appreciate that, but you need to really consider if you'll be able to spot these fires going forward.

 

[deleted889094]

Do you think it might help if I review all the material from last semester (I downloaded all the lectures and can rewatch them to prepare me for my retake)

Keep in mind that if that is what allows you to pass first semester, you're ignoring the problem. You won't be able to see the material the equivalent of 3 semesters again in the future. I think you should focus more on improving study skills like others have said.

 

[PirellitTyres]

In the long time I have off, would it be prudent to get started on research? I'm not sure if a lab is willing to invest in someone who may not even have a good chance of graduating

 

[xffan624]

In the long time I have off, would it be prudent to get started on research? I'm not sure if a lab is willing to invest in someone who may not even have a good chance of graduating

Job 1, 2, and 3 is figuring out how/why you failed in the past and how you can learn the material efficiently/effectively and pass the Steps going forward. Anything else is superfluous.

 

[hmockingbird]

Going to echo the others and my post in the other thread. At this point it will be crucial to work on study skills and addressing any health concerns to succeed in the future. It’s time to reach out to someone at your school— preferably academic success but if you feel more comfortable going to someone else (admin/prof) you know and trust go to them first.
I had an issue in residency with confidence, but the way it was handled was very poor. Therefore, I didn’t necessarily believe them and felt attacked. I recently had a long convo with a former mentor and she brought up that I seemed to have really gained confidence recently. I really wish while this was happening that I had gone to someone I trusted in my residency to ask for a reality check. Clearly, my perception of how I was coming off was “off”. I still think I was treated poorly in the process and did not have a good experience (even soft skills can be constructively coached). But I now really appreciate my mentor pointing this out as it helps me understand the whole situation better. The point of this is to say that you may feel embarrassed or that it doesn’t reflect you, but it’s worth asking for help anyway to figure out how to get past it more easily!

 

[SCallergydoc]

I haven't seen anyone ask but any drug or alcohol abuse?

 

[Osteosaur]

In the long time I have off, would it be prudent to get started on research? I'm not sure if a lab is willing to invest in someone who may not even have a good chance of graduating

I don't mean to be harsh but you're not getting it.

ECs are a luxury when you are not failing, and want a competitive specialty. Literally all you need to do is find out how to pass classes. Your brain does not need to be here.

And don't get me wrong. You just need to find out how to use your LOA productively. See how other people used theirs, or what the school recommends for success.

 

[HealthFocus]

I would take the LOA - take a look at the book 'what smart students know' or similar - figure out a strategy to approach the material - actually start getting yourself together to rock first year on the second go round - stay in touch with your friends in your current class - reach out to mentors - there are many ways to make up for all of this - once you get through this experience, figure out what held you back, and overcome those challenges, you will be able to put it in context - right now you do not have full awareness or context so a lot of what you'll be thinking will be driven by fear - find coaches & mentors. take good care of your mental/physical/emotional/relational health - good luck. this can be a minor set back a few years from now if you focus on what's essential now.

 

[HealthFocus]

I would personally take the LOA.
Some ideas: take a look at the book 'what smart students know' or similar - figure out a strategy to approach the material - actually start getting yourself together to rock first year on the second go round - stay in touch with your friends in your current class - reach out to mentors - there are many ways to make up for all of this - once you get through this experience, figure out what held you back, and overcome those challenges, you will be able to put it in context - right now you do not have full awareness or context so a lot of what you'll be thinking will be driven by fear - find supportive friends, mentors and possibly a coach. take good care of your mental/physical/emotional/relational health.
Good luck! You got this -- this can be a minor set back a few years from now if you focus on what's essential now.

 

[PirellitTyres]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the tips and suggestions. This is a very difficult moment for me but thank you for your continued support. I have made a a plan and plan on executing 100% of it.

*Meet with a wellness coach once a week (these will be mandatory and I let my coach know about it so I have greater accountability/someone to check in on me)
*Meet with my learning coordinator at a fixed time once a week to ensure I will seek help, regardless of whether I need it or not
*Wake up no later than 9 AM every day (8 AM on weekdays). I actually have to screenshot a picture every morning to my wellness coach and send it to her.
*Get treated for depression/ADHD and take my meds more consistently

On the academic side:

*Read books/watch ted talks on learning/memory
*Go through last semesters lectures and review (I will pretend each day of this semester is one day of last semester and correspond my learning to what I should've completed on that day of last semester). Write down what the professor says during lecture (a friend who also failed M1 year recommended this.
AND/OR Watch/learn this semesters lectures (not sure if I will have access to them). But if I do, I think this may help develop important skills and allow me to find current study groups
*Attend all lectures live (if I have access to them this semester) to develop the study habit
*Use the pomodoro timer when studying
*Avoid the temptation of "studying at home"
*Reviewing material with an M2 or someone who is studying first semester material for step


Some of the biggest problems I had last semester

*Waking up late (as late as 5 pm, yes PM). So my whole day was wasted and I didn't have any motivation for the rest of the day. This would also foster a cycle of depression
*Not studying for ethics/non science questions, which should've been gimmes on quizzes/exams
*Not seeking help from faculty
*Fooling around on the internet too much when I was supposed to be studying (studying in a public area or with others greatly decreases this). This also was more common during dark hours when it was hard to study in public areas (10 PM-6 AM, etc.)


Personal

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners
*Go to the gym 5 times a week
* Do Duolingo every day (to practice maintaining consistency/routineness in one thing)
*I also have a 6 week backpacking trip I have planned for this May across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so I'm really looking forward to that and this injects more dopamine into my brain every day.

 

[deleted889094]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the tips and suggestions. This is a very difficult moment for me but thank you for your continued support. I have made a a plan and plan on executing 100% of it.

*Meet with a wellness coach once a week (these will be mandatory and I let my coach know about it so I have greater accountability/someone to check in on me)
*Meet with my learning coordinator at a fixed time once a week to ensure I will seek help, regardless of whether I need it or not
*Wake up no later than 9 AM every day (8 AM on weekdays). I actually have to screenshot a picture every morning to my wellness coach and send it to her.
*Get treated for depression/ADHD and take my meds more consistently

On the academic side:

*Read books/watch ted talks on learning/memory
*Go through last semesters lectures and review (I will pretend each day of this semester is one day of last semester and correspond my learning to what I should've completed on that day of last semester). Write down what the professor says during lecture (a friend who also failed M1 year recommended this.
AND/OR Watch/learn this semesters lectures (not sure if I will have access to them). But if I do, I think this may help develop important skills and allow me to find current study groups
*Attend all lectures live (if I have access to them this semester) to develop the study habit
*Use the pomodoro timer when studying
*Avoid the temptation of "studying at home"


Some of the biggest problems I had last semester

*Waking up late (as late as 5 pm, yes PM). So my whole day was wasted and I didn't have any motivation for the rest of the day. This would also foster a cycle of depression
*Not studying for ethics/non science questions, which should've been gimmes on quizzes/exams
*Not seeking help from faculty
*Fooling around on the internet too much when I was supposed to be studying (studying in a public area or with others greatly decreases this). This also was more common during dark hours when it was hard to study in public areas (10 PM-6 AM, etc.)


Personal

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners
*Go to the gym 5 times a week
* Do Duolingo every day (to practice maintaining consistency/routineness in one thing)
*I also have a 6 week backpacking trip I have planned for this May across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so I'm really looking forward to that and this injects more dopamine into my brain every day.

Holy cow, that's a lot. I think it's a great plan, I just worry you might be taking on too much too quickly on the study/personal side of things. 5 days a week for the gym and doing school from last semester and this semester is a lot of time.

 

[PirellitTyres]

Holy cow, that's a lot. I think it's a great plan, I just worry you might be taking on too much too quickly on the study/personal side of things. 5 days a week for the gym and doing school from last semester and this semester is a lot of time.

It's going to be this semester OR last semester's material, not both. While learning last semester's material will help me for when I get back, following along this semester's material will allow me to develop skills for when I repeat and in the longer term, and give me others who I can study with and keep on on page with everyone else.

 

[shouldvestudied]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the tips and suggestions. This is a very difficult moment for me but thank you for your continued support. I have made a a plan and plan on executing 100% of it.

*Meet with a wellness coach once a week (these will be mandatory and I let my coach know about it so I have greater accountability/someone to check in on me)
*Meet with my learning coordinator at a fixed time once a week to ensure I will seek help, regardless of whether I need it or not
*Wake up no later than 9 AM every day (8 AM on weekdays). I actually have to screenshot a picture every morning to my wellness coach and send it to her.
*Get treated for depression/ADHD and take my meds more consistently

On the academic side:

*Read books/watch ted talks on learning/memory
*Go through last semesters lectures and review (I will pretend each day of this semester is one day of last semester and correspond my learning to what I should've completed on that day of last semester). Write down what the professor says during lecture (a friend who also failed M1 year recommended this.
AND/OR Watch/learn this semesters lectures (not sure if I will have access to them). But if I do, I think this may help develop important skills and allow me to find current study groups
*Attend all lectures live (if I have access to them this semester) to develop the study habit
*Use the pomodoro timer when studying
*Avoid the temptation of "studying at home"
*Reviewing material with an M2 or someone who is studying first semester material for step


Some of the biggest problems I had last semester

*Waking up late (as late as 5 pm, yes PM). So my whole day was wasted and I didn't have any motivation for the rest of the day. This would also foster a cycle of depression
*Not studying for ethics/non science questions, which should've been gimmes on quizzes/exams
*Not seeking help from faculty
*Fooling around on the internet too much when I was supposed to be studying (studying in a public area or with others greatly decreases this). This also was more common during dark hours when it was hard to study in public areas (10 PM-6 AM, etc.)


Personal

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners
*Go to the gym 5 times a week
* Do Duolingo every day (to practice maintaining consistency/routineness in one thing)
*I also have a 6 week backpacking trip I have planned for this May across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so I'm really looking forward to that and this injects more dopamine into my brain every day.

Other people have said this but it bears repeating: You seem oblivious to how deranged your current mental health is. You're talking about sleeping in until 5PM and working between the hours of 10PM and 6AM. That is really unhealthy, dude/dudette.

This is way too much stuff to take on coming off of a semester where you failed all of your classes. You are practically assuring that you will fail at turning things around by expecting all of this from yourself.

Your checklist of stuff to do is actually quite short right now:

1) See a psychiatrist and make sure that you are getting treatment for whatever it is that you're currently going through.
2) See a therapist weekly.
3) Go to sleep and wake up at reasonable times.
4) Exercise a few times a week.

Once you've done those things consistently for a month, you can start adding in studying.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners

What kind of commitment are you looking at here? I was on management staff of a student clinic, which was a HUGE time commitment, and may not be the best for you if your primary goals are getting healthy and learning to study. However, if there's a lower commitment role you could fill (we also had rotating volunteers for example, which was just a few hours of commitment at a time) I think that could be a good way to get involved and stay connected to your classmates. And maybe seeing clinical patients will help motivate you towards studying/give you concrete examples of things you're learning about

 

[greenstrike999]

just wanted say that i wish you all the best, OP. my heart goes out to you, 2020 wasn't the best year and making it this far is huge; take a moment to reflect and really spend some time taking care of yourself--you made it this far not to only come this far, keep trying your best and hang in there friend because better days are coming

 

[medbuddha]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the tips and suggestions. This is a very difficult moment for me but thank you for your continued support. I have made a a plan and plan on executing 100% of it.

*Meet with a wellness coach once a week (these will be mandatory and I let my coach know about it so I have greater accountability/someone to check in on me)
*Meet with my learning coordinator at a fixed time once a week to ensure I will seek help, regardless of whether I need it or not
*Wake up no later than 9 AM every day (8 AM on weekdays). I actually have to screenshot a picture every morning to my wellness coach and send it to her.
*Get treated for depression/ADHD and take my meds more consistently

On the academic side:

*Read books/watch ted talks on learning/memory
*Go through last semesters lectures and review (I will pretend each day of this semester is one day of last semester and correspond my learning to what I should've completed on that day of last semester). Write down what the professor says during lecture (a friend who also failed M1 year recommended this.
AND/OR Watch/learn this semesters lectures (not sure if I will have access to them). But if I do, I think this may help develop important skills and allow me to find current study groups
*Attend all lectures live (if I have access to them this semester) to develop the study habit
*Use the pomodoro timer when studying
*Avoid the temptation of "studying at home"
*Reviewing material with an M2 or someone who is studying first semester material for step


Some of the biggest problems I had last semester

*Waking up late (as late as 5 pm, yes PM). So my whole day was wasted and I didn't have any motivation for the rest of the day. This would also foster a cycle of depression
*Not studying for ethics/non science questions, which should've been gimmes on quizzes/exams
*Not seeking help from faculty
*Fooling around on the internet too much when I was supposed to be studying (studying in a public area or with others greatly decreases this). This also was more common during dark hours when it was hard to study in public areas (10 PM-6 AM, etc.)


Personal

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners
*Go to the gym 5 times a week
* Do Duolingo every day (to practice maintaining consistency/routineness in one thing)
*I also have a 6 week backpacking trip I have planned for this May across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so I'm really looking forward to that and this injects more dopamine into my brain every day.

From what you’re saying, it seems like more of a motivation problem first and foremost, not necessarily something limited to study strategy although I’m not saying there are no problems there either. I read your previous post and I’m curious about the timeline of your depression & ADHD. Your undergrad stats posted previously seem good so I cannot imagine you had the same problems before med school. Depression can occur in a situational manner (i.e. adjusting to your new life, etc.) but ADHD doesn’t just pop up like that as far as I know. Also, depression can definitely have symptoms such as lack of concentration which looks like ADHD but it’s not the same.

When were you diagnosed? Did you deal with this in undergrad but somehow managed it better? Did you have a friend/family support system that’s now not available? Did you get to med school and decide you don’t love it? Are you just burnt out? Are there aspects in your personal life with friends/family/relationships that are causing emotional strain? I ask these questions because if you truly had a shift causing this downturn in med school, getting to the root of that problem is your first real solution. The plan you posted for your LOA is good but I’m not sure if it addresses the actual elephant in the room. Without that resolution, everything else is a band aid type of fix... that won’t resolve anything in my opinion. I wish you the best, honestly. But you need to look at the real reasons here and I don’t see that from what you posted.

 

[TragicalDrFaust]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the tips and suggestions. This is a very difficult moment for me but thank you for your continued support. I have made a a plan and plan on executing 100% of it.

*Meet with a wellness coach once a week (these will be mandatory and I let my coach know about it so I have greater accountability/someone to check in on me)
*Meet with my learning coordinator at a fixed time once a week to ensure I will seek help, regardless of whether I need it or not
*Wake up no later than 9 AM every day (8 AM on weekdays). I actually have to screenshot a picture every morning to my wellness coach and send it to her.
*Get treated for depression/ADHD and take my meds more consistently

On the academic side:

*Read books/watch ted talks on learning/memory
*Go through last semesters lectures and review (I will pretend each day of this semester is one day of last semester and correspond my learning to what I should've completed on that day of last semester). Write down what the professor says during lecture (a friend who also failed M1 year recommended this.
AND/OR Watch/learn this semesters lectures (not sure if I will have access to them). But if I do, I think this may help develop important skills and allow me to find current study groups
*Attend all lectures live (if I have access to them this semester) to develop the study habit
*Use the pomodoro timer when studying
*Avoid the temptation of "studying at home"
*Reviewing material with an M2 or someone who is studying first semester material for step


Some of the biggest problems I had last semester

*Waking up late (as late as 5 pm, yes PM). So my whole day was wasted and I didn't have any motivation for the rest of the day. This would also foster a cycle of depression
*Not studying for ethics/non science questions, which should've been gimmes on quizzes/exams
*Not seeking help from faculty
*Fooling around on the internet too much when I was supposed to be studying (studying in a public area or with others greatly decreases this). This also was more common during dark hours when it was hard to study in public areas (10 PM-6 AM, etc.)


Personal

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners
*Go to the gym 5 times a week
* Do Duolingo every day (to practice maintaining consistency/routineness in one thing)
*I also have a 6 week backpacking trip I have planned for this May across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so I'm really looking forward to that and this injects more dopamine into my brain every day.

Hi, I have a mood disorder and have been down this road enough to feel like a parody of myself. When you feel bad about yourself, it’s tempting to plan to make up for your “bad” behavior by doing everything perfectly for the rest of your life.

I can tell you from experience that you’re going to slip up and probably sooner than you’d like. Then you’re going to feel worse and lose motivation, probably end up back where you started and maybe worse.

Most people have more success with small, sustainable changes than drastic changes planned in a state of emotional distress. What you’re doing is like deciding to go from a sedentary fast food lover to a vegan cross fitter overnight.

You also have yet to advance any true study strategies- you’re focusing on time management and motivation techniques, all of which will require massive behavior changes (not a good indication of likely success). You’ve explained how you’ll prepare to learn things but how will you actually learn things? Flash cards? Mind maps? Tutoring? Pass trackers? Q banks? Feynman method? Have you figured out why you’ve struggled with anki? Are you not writing/using good cards or is a concentration issue?

I also recommend you get your mental health sorted and take the medication consistently. I’ve known this to turn situations around for a lot of people, myself included.

 

[FunkyFrog994]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all the tips and suggestions. This is a very difficult moment for me but thank you for your continued support. I have made a a plan and plan on executing 100% of it.

*Meet with a wellness coach once a week (these will be mandatory and I let my coach know about it so I have greater accountability/someone to check in on me)
*Meet with my learning coordinator at a fixed time once a week to ensure I will seek help, regardless of whether I need it or not
*Wake up no later than 9 AM every day (8 AM on weekdays). I actually have to screenshot a picture every morning to my wellness coach and send it to her.
*Get treated for depression/ADHD and take my meds more consistently

On the academic side:

*Read books/watch ted talks on learning/memory
*Go through last semesters lectures and review (I will pretend each day of this semester is one day of last semester and correspond my learning to what I should've completed on that day of last semester). Write down what the professor says during lecture (a friend who also failed M1 year recommended this.
AND/OR Watch/learn this semesters lectures (not sure if I will have access to them). But if I do, I think this may help develop important skills and allow me to find current study groups
*Attend all lectures live (if I have access to them this semester) to develop the study habit
*Use the pomodoro timer when studying
*Avoid the temptation of "studying at home"
*Reviewing material with an M2 or someone who is studying first semester material for step


Some of the biggest problems I had last semester

*Waking up late (as late as 5 pm, yes PM). So my whole day was wasted and I didn't have any motivation for the rest of the day. This would also foster a cycle of depression
*Not studying for ethics/non science questions, which should've been gimmes on quizzes/exams
*Not seeking help from faculty
*Fooling around on the internet too much when I was supposed to be studying (studying in a public area or with others greatly decreases this). This also was more common during dark hours when it was hard to study in public areas (10 PM-6 AM, etc.)


Personal

*Join my school's underserved clinic (I was wary of joining last semester because I thought I needed to use that time to focus on studies). This will hopefully also let me find friends/study partners
*Go to the gym 5 times a week
* Do Duolingo every day (to practice maintaining consistency/routineness in one thing)
*I also have a 6 week backpacking trip I have planned for this May across Eastern Europe and the Middle East, so I'm really looking forward to that and this injects more dopamine into my brain every day.

Lifting weights/ hitting the gym is the key!! It helps with stress and wears you out so you actually go to bed at a reasonable time. Good luck man.