Life after med school / residency

[Splenda88]

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Well I mean as you move past early 20s, people are in relationships/married. Just a numbers thing.

Well, I am looking for the ones that are in their early 20s (<25)... No luck here. Maybe I don't have games.

 

[Laradd]

I liked school better. no responsibilty, set my own schedule for the most part. Life was good

 

[Kardio]

People betting that the .gov will forgive the huge debts of professionals earning 4-10+ times the average family income are delusional. When these handouts become a significant cost, and they will, the first thing they will do is put in income based limits. If you’re making 400k why do you need the government to pay your bills? These are programs for teachers, etc. It’s a questionable long term bet.

+1

Even if politics moves in this direction, it would be an extremely gradual process. Wiping away or reducing undergraduate debt from public colleges would be the starting point - and even that hypothetical is 2 or 3 election cycles away (at the earliest).

 

[Neuro244]

1000000%.
Do not wait until you're an attending to have fun.

Physical fitness? Can slowly decline post age 30, even if you're a legit athlete.
Partying? Mostly declines after mid to late 20s, if even that far.
Social circles? Shrinks the further you move from school.
Dating? Total quality options dramatically lessen as you approach 30, usually even earlier.

The only thing that improves with age is finances/stability. Having careless fun gets harder and harder. Enjoy the time you have and don't defer.

True words of wisdom and words to live by my friend. However, when you're constantly studying and not good at being efficient and don't like having to manage your time, you find that all the things you'd like to do you're either A. Too drained to do them, or B. Don't have the time to do them. I think life only gets harder/less fun as you get older, as you mentioned in this well-written post. Finances do get better, thank God, but even that takes too God damn long to get. This is a tough route for those who must be masters of delayed gratification.

 

[jurassicpark]

For those of you who've finished med school or residency, how has your quality of life changed?
Do you miss being a student? What's it like to have a salary?

Checking my bank account before going to chipotle and studying all day long is getting old

I do miss being a student. Looking back you realize that being a student was the easiest thing, ever. You had no responsibilities except to study hard. Between (or even during) studying would be games, parties, EtOH, etc all day long. Going out to party, to a friend's place for Xbox Halo sudden-death matches was awesome.

As an Attending, I work 12-some hours a day, do paperwork, keep up with credentialing. I have to attend committees, have to attend functions and parties to schmooze with clients and consultants. Have to attend meetings with lawyers, CMOs, administration, insurance companies. Make visits to X or Y office, etc. Review charts, finish dictations. Prepare lectures, etc. Then go home and try to spend quality time with family. The only consolation is that I can afford crazy vacations and amazing booze. Or even better, get someone else to pay for even more amazing booze.

Make sure you take time to enjoy the freedom you have now. I know it's hard to see, but these are the golden years!

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

Yeah the partying definitely falls away. I was never a partier but when I finally had time to be, I didn’t have the desire for it, I had other things to do. However, I’m a much better athlete now than I ever was in my 20s. Dating options also improved dramatically because of the confidence and maturity— but I’m a woman, so perhaps men’s experience is different. But for what it’s worth, I’d take an older more mature and established guy than a younger idiot any day.

Athletic ability has a ceiling that lowers decade by decade. Generally doesn't fall too hard until after 40. Many people peak hard in their 30s but people that started at like age 12 and were at a high level tend to fall off after late 20s.

I think dating options for men worsens as you move past early 20s unless you have nothing going for you then suddenly improve dramatically into your 20s. But guys looks worsens as they progress through 20s --> 30s and onward and personalities don't change

True words of wisdom and words to live by my friend. However, when you're constantly studying and not good at being efficient and don't like having to manage your time, you find that all the things you'd like to do you're either A. Too drained to do them, or B. Don't have the time to do them. I think life only gets harder/less fun as you get older, as you mentioned in this well-written post. Finances do get better, thank God, but even that takes too God damn long to get. This is a tough route for those who must be masters of delayed gratification.

I do miss being a student. Looking back you realize that being a student was the easiest thing, ever. You had no responsibilities except to study hard. Between (or even during) studying would be games, parties, EtOH, etc all day long. Going out to party, to a friend's place for Xbox Halo sudden-death matches was awesome.

As an Attending, I work 12-some hours a day, do paperwork, keep up with credentialing. I have to attend committees, have to attend functions and parties to schmooze with clients and consultants. Have to attend meetings with lawyers, CMOs, administration, insurance companies. Make visits to X or Y office, etc. Review charts, finish dictations. Prepare lectures, etc. Then go home and try to spend quality time with family. The only consolation is that I can afford crazy vacations and amazing booze. Or even better, get someone else to pay for even more amazing booze.

Make sure you take time to enjoy the freedom you have now. I know it's hard to see, but these are the golden years!

Good to see I'm not crazy lol. I find people are often in denial over this concept and it has nothing to do with medicine either.
much... so..

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I think dating options for men worsens as you move past early 20s unless you have nothing going for you then suddenly improve dramatically into your 20s. But guys looks worsens as they progress through 20s --> 30s and onward and personalities don't change.

Looks do generally change for the worse, but sexual prowess changes for the better (until you reach your 60s), because older people have more experience and are more attuned to the needs of the woman...At least that’s what I have found, hence my preferences. I have found younger men to be much more selfish, and less eager to please. They think they know everything, and that having energy makes up for poor technique. I think a lot of women focus on looks and underestimate the other obvious advantages... A 20-year-old has absolutely nothing on a 40-year-old in terms of knowing what women like. Not to mention they are more financially stable and therefore can take you out to nice places. 😉

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

Looks do generally change for the worse, but sexual prowess changes for the better (until you reach your 60s), because older people have more experience and are more attuned to the needs of the woman...At least that’s what I have found, hence my preferences. I have found younger men to be much more selfish, and less eager to please. They think they know everything, and that having energy makes up for poor technique. I think a lot of women focus on looks and underestimate the other obvious advantages... A 20-year-old has absolutely nothing on a 40-year-old in terms of knowing what women like. Not to mention they are more financially stable and therefore can take you out to nice places. 😉

True, though for guys it depends. If a guy is 35 and wants someone who is like 23-24, that's not going to be attainable usually. Vast majority of women date their own age + 5 years or less. Also, that age group will value looks above all by a large margin.

 

[Splenda88]

True, though for guys it depends. If a guy is 35 and wants someone who is like 23-24, that's not going to be attainable usually. Vast majority of women date their own age + 5 years or less. Also, that age group will value looks above all by a large margin.

I am f... then.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

I am f... then.

Thats why we're telling the young folks to live it up while they can!

 

[FindersFee5]

even 40k/yr (very low for residency) is ~800/wk. to make $4/hr you would have to work 200 hours a wk and there are only 168.

I'm all for whining about residency being too many hours but.....come on

While $4/hr is probably an exaggeration, when taking into account how overtime is supposed to be time and a half, many residents do make less than minimum wage.

Let's say 80 hours/week plus another 10/week of charting that doesn't get counted under duty hours restrictions. Working 49 weeks/year, that's 4410 hours. 2450 of those are overtime hours. Federal minimum wage is 7.25/hour. Miminum overtime pay would be 10.88/hour. So residents should be making 41k.

Obviously some residencies will be better than this, and many will pay more than 40k/year, but from what I've seen this is often standard for surgery.

 

[deleted480308]

While $4/hr is probably an exaggeration, when taking into account how overtime is supposed to be time and a half, many residents do make less than minimum wage.

Let's say 80 hours/week plus another 10/week of charting that doesn't get counted under duty hours restrictions. Working 49 weeks/year, that's 4410 hours. 2450 of those are overtime hours. Federal minimum wage is 7.25/hour. Miminum overtime pay would be 10.88/hour. So residents should be making 41k.

Obviously some residencies will be better than this, and many will pay more than 40k/year, but from what I've seen this is often standard for surgery.

If you’re averaging 90hrs for 49 wks you are either too slow or need to report your program

 

[osckey]

but on a serious note, that running change does not give me hope for how much time I'll have to exercise in med school.

I've exercised more in med school than ever. Believe me, you'll find time if you use exercise as your getaway from work instead of netflix.

 

[docbsb2015]

Med school>>>>>>>intern year


In med school you essentially have zero responsibility. Intern year (1 month in) has been.... much different.

 

[NickNaylor]

Med school>>>>>>>intern year


In med school you essentially have zero responsibility. Intern year (1 month in) has been.... much different.

To me, this was a huge plus: you actually have meaningful tasks to do. Having no responsibility is nice in the sense that you have no responsibility, but the other side of that coin is that you have very little to offer.

 

[docbsb2015]

To me, this was a huge plus: you actually have meaningful tasks to do. Having no responsibility is nice in the sense that you have no responsibility, but the other side of that coin is that you have very little to offer.

Yeah I get it. I don't disagree with that. Maybe I am just tired from this month.

*sigh* Back to discharge summaries.