Med School Stress?

[HucFinn]

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Hi Everyone. I was a pre-vet major in undergrad so I have all of the pre-OD courses finished, but that was a couple years ago. I've recently been considering going back to school for my OD, but I'm concerned that the course of study may be too intensive for me these days. Can anyone share their experiences with stress or self-doubt as they went or are currently dealing with school? Older and returning students would be particularly helpful. Thanks.

 

[kgrabar]

Hi Everyone. I was a pre-vet major in undergrad so I have all of the pre-OD courses finished, but that was a couple years ago. I've recently been considering going back to school for my OD, but I'm concerned that the course of study may be too intensive for me these days. Can anyone share their experiences with stress or self-doubt as they went or are currently dealing with school? Older and returning students would be particularly helpful. Thanks.

At most schools, the average age for for entering opt students is around 24, so most students are out of college for about 2 years before going back. From your post, it sounds like you are in the same boat. You will have to take extra time to refresh yourself on the freshman year Chem and Bio for the OAT, but we all had to do this.

Opt school definitly does require "intensive" study, but youre also more mature than in undergrad and can treat like a full-time+ job. You won't have as much free time as an undergrad or financial freedom like when you work full-time. All the current opt student Ive talked to do still hold a social life and can go out every week (except maybe during finals). With good time-management skills you can live a balanced life style, but no one is going to lie and say its not stressful. Any doctorate level program will be hard work for 4 yrs, but if you want it enough you WILL get through it. Good luck deciding!

 

[meb302]

At most schools, the average age for for entering opt students is around 24, so most students are out of college for about 2 years before going back. From your post, it sounds like you are in the same boat. You will have to take extra time to refresh yourself on the freshman year Chem and Bio for the OAT, but we all had to do this.

Opt school definitly does require "intensive" study, but youre also more mature than in undergrad and can treat like a full-time+ job. You won't have as much free time as an undergrad or financial freedom like when you work full-time. All the current opt student Ive talked to do still hold a social life and can go out every week (except maybe during finals). With good time-management skills you can live a balanced life style, but no one is going to lie and say its not stressful. Any doctorate level program will be hard work for 4 yrs, but if you want it enough you WILL get through it. Good luck deciding!

Good post!

 

[r_salis]

All the current opt student Ive talked to do still hold a social life and can go out every week (except maybe during finals).

I completely agree with this, especially the part about "except maybe during finals". I have 9 finals this quarter! 😱 I don't even know what day it is right now.

(That said, it is do-able, just kinda stressful sometimes. 🙂 )

 

[JG777]

i honestly feel that although there is a lot of stuff to be learned, the load isn't bad at all. you get more consumed when finals roll around or when you start doing clinical proficiencies. otherwise, the amount of effort you put into studying reflects how well you do.

 

[rpames]

OD schools has its moments where you say, "Holy Crap, I can't do this!" Then the test is over and you say, "That could have been worse." There are a few people in the 2008 class that I find very inspiring. One is ~42 and she came back to school after her kids got old enough to take care of themselves, meaning they can drive and get places w/o her. Another was a CPA and has a toddler and a very young baby. They both just finished their first year and seem to be handling just fine. If they can do it, I think you have a pretty good chance too.

My wife made me a sign in undergrad when I was freaking out over some tests coming up (I think Cell Biology and O-Chem where on the same day and the next day was Physics). It says:
First it is Impossible...
Then it is Difficult...
Finally...it is DONE!

I still have the sign above my desk. I look at is very often...and now I'm a 3rd year. It could not have gone faster. Sure, it has had its rough spots, but I don't remember those. All I remember is the patient I say yesterday, who in I found a pituitary adenoma and just came in for a general exam. She had no clue she was missing her temporal fields in both eyes. That made the past 2 years worth it.

 

[HucFinn]

Throughout my studies, I've come to understand why self-doubt is the biggest of all killers to success. Most of my doubt does come from the fact that I'm a bit older (33). My concern is that I'm just too old and too far out of the habit of studying at the level that will be required of me in OD school. I have two undergrad degrees, both of them are cum laude, but I don't know how long it will take me to brush up on the stuff required for the OAT. Hearing some of you say that there is still a social life to be had does give me some hope. That tells me that it's probably not as harrowing as I'm imagining it. Certainly, this isn't the kind of venture that I can start and then leave if it bugs me -- once I begin, I will have to finish the degree and get work or I will never get out of that kind of debt. Decisions out of which one can't back scare me. I just need to figure out how much the fear affects my decision.

 

[JennyJet]

At most schools, the average age for for entering opt students is around 24, so most students are out of college for about 2 years before going back. From your post, it sounds like you are in the same boat. You will have to take extra time to refresh yourself on the freshman year Chem and Bio for the OAT, but we all had to do this.

Opt school definitly does require "intensive" study, but youre also more mature than in undergrad and can treat like a full-time+ job. You won't have as much free time as an undergrad or financial freedom like when you work full-time. All the current opt student Ive talked to do still hold a social life and can go out every week (except maybe during finals). With good time-management skills you can live a balanced life style, but no one is going to lie and say its not stressful. Any doctorate level program will be hard work for 4 yrs, but if you want it enough you WILL get through it. Good luck deciding!

I couldn't agree more. I took the OAT last year, but it has been over 10 years when I took general chemistry and physics. I just borrowed some textbooks from the library and started relearning. I did have to take biology, ochem, and other biology related pre-reqs recently so that helped too. I tutored chemistry to force myself to re-learn and actually understand it. Plus I borrowed some OAT Kaplan books and practiced, practiced, and practiced.

Since I've been back in school for my pre-reqs, I've noticed I'm a much better student than I was in undergrad. I don't study harder. I study smarter. That means not waiting until the weekend before a test to cram everything into your head and actually paying attention and trying to understand during class rather than robotically taking notes. Studying for even 1 hour a day goes way farther than a 48 hour study session over the weekend. I also find the subject matter more interesting and applicable to real life so that probably factors in as well.

I view the next 4 years as a great challenge rather than a tough battle. It will be hard, but well worth the race.

Hope this helps!

 

[kgrabar]

Throughout my studies, I've come to understand why self-doubt is the biggest of all killers to success. Most of my doubt does come from the fact that I'm a bit older (33). My concern is that I'm just too old and too far out of the habit of studying at the level that will be required of me in OD school. I have two undergrad degrees, both of them are cum laude, but I don't know how long it will take me to brush up on the stuff required for the OAT...

I just noticed there is a Non-Traditional Student Forum on this website. It is under "General Discussions," maybe this could help you!

 

[parazoa]

After reading this post I will give you my advice as a non trad & 4th year student. The first two years are hard and then it starts to get a lot easier. I had also not taken some of the pre reqs for the oat for 10 years and I did fine without studing at all (not the smartest thing to do but it worked). Now I am in my fourth year I am in the top 10-15% of my class. Basically if you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything. I was told this saying by my brother and have always used it, "the only person who fails is the person who does not try." Believe in yourself and make it happy if it is your dream. Reach for the stars don't quit because you are afraid of failure.

 

[r_salis]

Parazoa -- how does 3rd/4th year compare to 1st/2nd from your perspective? What has made 3rd and 4th years seem easier?

I just finished 2nd year. 😀 I agree with other posters that it is a lot of work, but quite do-able. What I've found is that the workload is uneven -- you get a couple weeks of having a lot of free time, followed by weeks that it seems impossible to get everything done. I think that's what drives me nuts the most, because as good as I've become with time management as an older student, there's no amount of planning and scheduling that give you an edge during the crunch times.

 

[parazoa]

Parazoa -- how does 3rd/4th year compare to 1st/2nd from your perspective? What has made 3rd and 4th years seem easier?

I just finished 2nd year. 😀 I agree with other posters that it is a lot of work, but quite do-able. What I've found is that the workload is uneven -- you get a couple weeks of having a lot of free time, followed by weeks that it seems impossible to get everything done. I think that's what drives me nuts the most, because as good as I've become with time management as an older student, there's no amount of planning and scheduling that give you an edge during the crunch times.

Don't get me wrong 3rd and 4th year are still challenging but instead of having to take a bio chem, etc test you will taking classes that are more applicable to life outside of OD school. Also during your fourth year you should not have too many classes since you will be working in a clinic everyday. Trust me if you are like me and probably think that you will never remember all of the stuff they have thought you as soon as you start seeing patients it get a lot easier.

As far as time management you are correct about crunch time however if you properly prepare yourself during the year then finals are not that bad. Basically what I did was tried to get the highest grades on the first and second test. Most of my OD career (with a few exceptions) I went into to finals with a 90+ average. If you can do this then there is really no stress during finals. And believe me if you are studying during the year to get an average like that you will remember stuff for the final.

I can also recall how stressful it can get if you have a bunch of comprehensive exams but you have to remember that you are not the first to go through this and there have been a lot of people do the same thing who probably are not as smart as you.

If anyone who is in OD school needs advice, etc about anything relating to school please feel free to PM me and I will give you my school email address.

 

[r_salis]

Throughout my studies, I've come to understand why self-doubt is the biggest of all killers to success. Most of my doubt does come from the fact that I'm a bit older (33). My concern is that I'm just too old and too far out of the habit of studying at the level that will be required of me in OD school.

HucFinn -- I was concerned about this before I started, too. I was in a slightly different situation because I had to take more than 1/2 the prereqs as a non-trad because I wasn't a science major in undergrad, so I had that period to adjust to being a student again.

But even in optometry school, the amount of coursework starts out low (especially if you take the summer flex courses that a lot of schools offer for 1st year entering students which lighten your 1st quarter course load), and slowly ratchets up throughout the 1st/2nd year didactic part of the program. It's not like you're just thrown into it completely, so you get a chance to adjust. You'll find that your study habits will return to you -- and you may even find that you have established better ones. 🙂