I’m taking a break from being premed for now (or forever and ever)!!!!!!!!!!

[SaveThisLabRat]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I know this might seem a little contradictory..but I really wanted to go into Psychiatry.

with my test taking woe's ...maybe I don't know the material in the first place...but I think I do. I don't know what I'm talking about.

I think for med school one must be intellectually and emotionally ready. and I need to jump start the emotional part bc it is soooo lacking

No, no. Doesn't seem contradictory at all. I can see why someone who has struggled with (and found ways to deal with) bipolar would find interest in psychiatry and psychology. If you can get a handle on things, it will be a totally good fit, and make for a good "Why medicine" interview.

I think the best way to know if you are ready for a test is to test yourself, naturally. Take a few problems from the book, or from another book, and see if you can solve them in a timely fashion. Some people with BP also have learning disabilities, so it wouldn't be uncommon. It would help you a lot to find out. If you know the information, but just "blank out", it might just be nerves.

 

[lightthecandle]

No, no. Doesn't seem contradictory at all. I can see why someone who has struggled with (and found ways to deal with) bipolar would find interest in psychiatry and psychology. If you can get a handle on things, it will be a totally good fit, and make for a good "Why medicine" interview.

I think the best way to know if you are ready for a test is to test yourself, naturally. Take a few problems from the book, or from another book, and see if you can solve them in a timely fashion. Some people with BP also have learning disabilities, so it wouldn't be uncommon. It would help you a lot to find out. If you know the information, but just "blank out", it might just be nerves.

but...like alot of people here (and advisors) have already told me..I have 0-none chance, so why kill myself when I know I won't get in even with A's from here on out?
Yeah, I'm ok in most subjects but the one class that is literally driving me insane and that I don't understand at all is Physics...I study so friggen much and still fail the exams

 

[searun]

Yeah, I'm ok in most subjects but the one class that is literally driving me insane and that I don't understand at all is Physics...I study so friggen much and still fail the exams

Have you ever had a boyfriend? How did that go?

 

[lightthecandle]

Have you ever had a boyfriend? How did that go?

I'm not sure why this matters but..
yes I did...well, for a day...then I broke up with him. I know its pathetic/delusional to say this but...he was way too perfect for me...very intelligent (a pharmacist), hilarious, confident,super nice/sweet, AMAZING personality. I never felt good enough for him, so I broke it off...but it still kills me bc I want to be with him so so bad and I get so jealous every time he talks to a girl . I've never had a boyfriend since..probably bc I never talk to any or aren't good enough

laugh all you want...I know I have major self esteem issues

 

[franklinave]

You can make your life about fearing constant and impending failure or about constantly adjusting to new hurdles in order to get what you want out of life...

To the OP,

This is an excellent piece of advice and I think you would do well to follow it. I can really identify with you in that I tend to doubt myself and obsess about the future. The problem with this (other than the fact that it's unpleasant) is that it can easily lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. You seem like a very intelligent person. If you simply view obstacles as challenges that can be overcome with work, you will be successful. People with much less than you in the way of intelligence and resources routinely succeed simply because they have the right mentality. Look up Lenny Dykstra for some inspiration.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

but...like alot of people here (and advisors) have already told me..I have 0-none chance, so why kill myself when I know I won't get in even with A's from here on out?
Yeah, I'm ok in most subjects but the one class that is literally driving me insane and that I don't understand at all is Physics...I study so friggen much and still fail the exams

First off, you need to get some tutoring in that physics. I had trouble in physics, too. I paid a tutor $250 dollars and I STILL only got a 50 on an exam It's a hard a** subject for sure. Get help and keep studying.

Secondly, you've only just begun your pre-reqs for med school. You haven't factored in chemistry at all, nor any other upper division science classes you may take for electives. And then there's your MCAT, your ECs, and your own personal story. If a C or two held you totally out, then I'd be in for a rude awakening myself!

Listen to what the poster before me said. You can either live your own worse fear, or live your dream. It's all up to you.

 

[lex]

I don't know what other career I'd be happy with. I hate business, law, teaching, computers, accounting, finance, and alot of other careers

I'm stressed out about paying back my undergrad/gradschool loans, and I also want a well paying job, at least 75, 000 + annually. but I don't know what that would entail.

that's one of the things I'm afraid of ....i handle stress TERRIBLY, and that's what makes me think I'm not fit for med school. am I wrong on this?

A career that can pay you 75K/year (depends on where you live, of course) and even more without a graduate degree: computer science. You can be a programmer, network engineer, etc. But you can also be a business analyst with some computer knowledge (probably starts at 60K). As a BA, you would have to be familiar with computer technical terms. As a programmer/computer engineer, you have to be good at solving problems and can handle long hours of work and in front of computers. If not, you would be unemployable.

Now, since you are not healthy, please get better and make a decision when you are healthy. If you still want to be a doctor, be a doctor. And yes, for med school, you would have to be able to handle stress well. Take care of your health first, then you will be in a better capacity to make such important decisions.

 

[Maxprime]

Now, since you are not healthy, please get better and make a decision when you are healthy. If you still want to be a doctor, be a doctor. And yes, for med school, you would have to be able to handle stress well. Take care of your health first, then you will be in a better capacity to make such important decisions.

The OP doesn't have the flu.

I know someone with bipolar disorder that is working their way through med school right now. I say working because they really do have to work at it - we take for granted how easy it is just to get out of bed in the morning. It's possible, you only have one life to live - better make it count. Do what you want to do as best as you can do it, stick with meds & therapy, and you'll appreciate the opportunity to practice more than most others.

 

[F430]

I'm not sure why this matters but..
yes I did...well, for a day...then I broke up with him. I know its pathetic/delusional to say this but...he was way too perfect for me...very intelligent (a pharmacist), hilarious, confident,super nice/sweet, AMAZING personality. I never felt good enough for him, so I broke it off...but it still kills me bc I want to be with him so so bad and I get so jealous every time he talks to a girl . I've never had a boyfriend since..probably bc I never talk to any or aren't good enough

laugh all you want...I know I have major self esteem issues

I'm not laughing, but I am trying to figure out how you say the above, after previously stating that you blame a lot of your problems on the fact that your boyfriend dumped you a year ago. Something's amiss. At any rate, you sound like you need to hear the truth. Your dean is right, med school is not for you. If you are seriously trying as hard as you can, and can't make the grades in college, you're never going to make it in professional school. The workload is much, much greater. You'll have 24+ hours a semester, and the classes will be much harder. Sorry, that's just the way it is. It doesn't sound like you are currently cut out for it. But, there's no shame in that. Honestly. Very, very few people who have "becoming a doctor" as a goal actually........ become a doctor. I'm sure you have plenty of talents in other areas. Spending the time to learn (and apply) vast amounts of material isn't for everyone. My advice would be to give up on med school. If you honestly can't make the grades now, you won't be able to make them when the environment is much more stressful. So first and foremost, relieve yourself of the burden, and get yourself sorted out. You'll feel much better about yourself, and instead of concentrating on this one goal, you can actually take the time to find another career. You've ruled out a lot of things, but probably only because you've convinced yourself you only want to be a doctor. Trust me, I went to undergrad with lots of people like you. The ones who decided to choose a different career path ended up just fine. They're happy, and they have every right to be.

 

[Handy388]

people with no self-esteem or psychological problems can't fully comprehend how does it feel when the world appears black to you and when the sky seem to come down on you. I've seen many of them, and they truly suffer. It's not something to speak lightly about.

 

[Ella Shepherd]

The stress of applying to med school is preventing you from applying to med school? 😕

That's the first thing that popped into my head when I read the first post.

But I hope he's doing better now. 🙂

 

[Spin]

I had a long talk with my dean today who told me being a doctor should not be the only thing I live for (which I often feel) and I realized I NEED a break from these science classes because:

1. I’m not doing that great in them : bio I and II I received B,C and Physics I: C. and I haven’t taken chem. Or o-chem yet
2. I received an F in one of my classes(History) last semester because I thought I could get a W on it, but the date for that passed and I ended up having an F because of it, but I’ll be taking it next fall and hopefully get an A.I had to leave a semester of classes last year (so all W’s) I also have a total of 3 C's
3. my gpa is at 3.2 right now
4. I need to get my bipolar disorder managed and treated


as you can see the main reason why I need a break is because I feel like my grades are sooo not good enough and the stress is making me go insane (literally) and very depressed. I CONSTANTLY worry about getting into med school every waking minute, and my grades have been taking a big hit for the past 2 years.


I’ve always wanted to major in Psychology, so that is what I’ll be doing…and then I’ll probably go to grad school for Psychology and if I still REALLYREALLY want to become a doctor I’ll probably go to grad school and take the premed requirements.


I guess what I'm trying to say is don't kill yourself trying to get into med school...ask yourself the really hard questions like if this is what you REALLY want and know what you're getting yourself into...vigorous training, long hours...etc

What do you guys think about all this?

I think it's awesome! I kind of made a similar decision today, but I haven't decided 100% yet.

 

[premedrod]

im going to take a break after obtaining my biochem degree. im currently sending out my americorps application and hope to find a good program to join. if this doesnt work out, i'll have a lot of free time to study for the MCAT and get over 35....also i can sub on the side at some schools.
if i like the community work ill join an MPH program during the year that I apply...hope all this works out

 

[DocSoMa]

What do I think? I think you ought to step back and put some perspective on your situation and get a real idea of where you stand rather than just flailing about.

First, undergrad is about general education. Grad school is not. Graduate school is where you go because you have a career in mind and you need that education to get there. It's not where you go to jerk around for a few years and figure out wtf you are doing. It just makes a lot more sense to get paid while you figure out a career path than to pay.

Second, I'll never understand why people get so stressed out over school. Most students are shelling out more in tuition annually than the vast majority of people in the world make in a year. While you're pooping bricks over getting into medical school, others are worrying about whether they'll have some food to eat. While we're all worrying about that awful chemistry test dropping our GPA by 0.01, some kid our age is over in Iraq praying to God he doesn't fail his next "test" and get his buddies brains spilled in some forsaken dessert. I'm not saying I never get stressed out over school related stuff, but you really need to step back once in awhile and remember where it all fits in the grand scheme of things.

So seriously, chill the f*** out. Once you do that, then worry about picking a career path. My GPAs is in the same range as yours, I don't see any need to start freaking out. Maybe I'll get into medical school, maybe I wont. I'll give it a shot or three and if it's just not meant to be, I'll find a job and find other ways to accomplish what I wanted to get out of medicine. You can make your life about fearing constant and impending failure or about constantly adjusting to new hurdles in order to get what you want out of life...

This is the kind of attitude I think a vast majority of pre-meds need to attain. Well said!