Medical School Difficulty

[Silvari]

Has anyone ever reevaluated their potential medical career based on insecurities about the difficulty of medical school? Although I'm doing well in undergrad, (about a 3.76 GPA) I get really anxious thinking about how hard medical school is, and there aren't really clear answers in the forum. I understand, it's relative, but in general, has anyone ever reconsidered medical school for this reason?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[235788]

There is this really cool thing called cortical reorganization. After M1, you'll transform into an academic juggernaut you never thought you'd become (or just get by). You'll notice this ability to take on what you previously thought was absurd volumes of material without major problems and the ability to study for 6+ hours without loss of stamina. I see it happening all around me and hear about it from my peers who are wrapping m1 up right now. If you put in the effort, things will start rolling.




Dumber people than you have made it through, I assure you.

 

[Morsetlis]

Try reading all of Netter's or Gray's, then take an Anatomy shelf exam and pass, all in about 5 months. Then multiply that work by 3.

You can do this at home!

Note: High-frequency trains (>100/s) opens NMDA receptors, which leads to a cascade ending in the phosphorylation and upregulation of AMPA receptors in the CA3 cells of the hippocampus, leading to Long-Term Potentiation. Believe in yourself!

 

[Barcu]

Very few people fail out of med school for academic reasons.

So, don't worry about it. Keep on the path, apply, and if you get in, you're pretty much set.

Sure, it's a big adjustment from undergrad, but pretty much everyone makes it through. Just takes some effort. Well, a lot of effort.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

There is this really cool thing called cortical reorganization. After M1, you'll transform into an academic juggernaut you never thought you'd become (or just get by). You'll notice this ability to take on what you previously thought was absurd volumes of material without major problems and the ability to study for 6+ hours without loss of stamina. I see it happening all around me and hear about it from my peers who are wrapping m1 up right now. If you put in the effort, things will start rolling.




Dumber people than you have made it through, I assure you.

I hear after M3/M4, you'll become a super multi-tasking juggernaut.

 

[Renaissance Man]

Imagine 20+ hours of college course work smashed into a 6 week block, that was the way a M1 described each of his blocks to me. Whether that is true or not, probably depends on you. However, if you treat it like a full-time job you will pass. Medical schools do not like to fail their students, as it looks poorly on the institution. I think if you can get into med school, you are more than qualified to handle the difficulty.

 

[jesse120]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5RapBjos3I&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

 

[NotAsking4Much]

Has anyone ever reevaluated their potential medical career based on insecurities about the difficulty of medical school? Although I'm doing well in undergrad, (about a 3.76 GPA) I get really anxious thinking about how hard medical school is, and there aren't really clear answers in the forum. I understand, it's relative, but in general, has anyone ever reconsidered medical school for this reason?

My one advice for you is apply for a pass/fail school. I honestly think it makes med school easier than undergrad. The main difference is that you don't have to worry "omg did I get 1 SD above the mean???!" type of thing. You study things that should be way more interesting / relevant and you get the freedom to study however way you want! Like you're not bound to one textbook / resource.

Maybe I'm an anomaly but I think I stress less in med school than in undergrad.

Also you don't have to bang your head type of thing to get into med school. If you're not gunning for the top specialties / residencies, you can just do average and will find a residency that will take you.

 

[Green Grass]

My one advice for you is apply for a pass/fail school. I honestly think it makes med school easier than undergrad. The main difference is that you don't have to worry "omg did I get 1 SD above the mean???!" type of thing. You study things that should be way more interesting / relevant and you get the freedom to study however way you want! Like you're not bound to one textbook / resource.

Maybe I'm an anomaly but I think I stress less in med school than in undergrad.

Also you don't have to bang your head type of thing to get into med school. If you're not gunning for the top specialties / residencies, you can just do average and will find a residency that will take you.

It's a double edged sword. I agree that P/F makes it FAR less stressful and most likely enjoyable. However, I went to a A-F grading system school and I'm glad I did. By forcing myself to study more to get high grades, rather than coasting through for a Pass, I'm confident that my Step scores were significantly higher.

I would recommend going to a school that requires a high amount of studying with a healthy amount of competition among students. But that's just me...I'm not looking for the easy way out.