Medical School Life

[jgeng03]

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Someone told me once that UCSD is very demanding while UCLA is really easy. They said that at UCLA they only go to class for 2 hours a day. Can anyone tell me if certain medical schools are easier than other? And what these schools are. I just don't want to be studying 80 hours a week for the next 4 years. Thanks

 

[ssquared]

Just an FYI, all medical schools (give or take a few hours of class) teach the same stuff. They have to. It doesn't matter where you go, you'll be learning the same material.

The differences come down to whether or not attendance is required, how long classes are, when they're scheduled for, note-taking services available, etc.

The reality is that most of it is self-study, so it doesn't much matter how long you spent in class, because it's up to you to learn the material. So if it takes you 80 hrs/week to learn the material, it doesn't matter if you go to UCSD or UCLA, because you still have to put in the time.

 

[HoboCommander]

Someone told me once that UCSD is very demanding while UCLA is really easy. They said that at UCLA they only go to class for 2 hours a day. Can anyone tell me if certain medical schools are easier than other? And what these schools are. I just don't want to be studying 80 hours a week for the next 4 years. Thanks

is this true?

 

[Anka]

Some schools make life difficult in order to make life difficult. Others take great pride in giving their students more of a social life. While all physicians share a certain core body of knowledge, some medical schools will require you to know more about certain things. For example, I interviewed at a med school that required students to memorize the amino acid sequence of insulin; at my school we didn't have to do that, nor did it appear on the boards. So, yes, some schools are more difficult than others.

That said, you should be wary of going into medicine if you think 80 hours is a long week. Even in the era of the "80 hour work week" you are going to spend a significant amount of time outside the hospital reading and learning so you can take care of your patients. Your patients deserve a physician who is not watching the clock.

Best,
Anka

 

[Depakote]

Just an FYI, all medical schools (give or take a few hours of class) teach the same stuff. They have to. It doesn't matter where you go, you'll be learning the same material.

The differences come down to whether or not attendance is required, how long classes are, when they're scheduled for, note-taking services available, etc.

The reality is that most of it is self-study, so it doesn't much matter how long you spent in class, because it's up to you to learn the material. So if it takes you 80 hrs/week to learn the material, it doesn't matter if you go to UCSD or UCLA, because you still have to put in the time.

👍

I could skip all but 6 hours of class next week if I wanted to, the rest just isn't required... doesn't mean I'll skip (but many of my classmates will). After class, I'll be learning the material.

ssquared nailed it, years 1 and 2 really are self-taught. Lecture is just one more tool to help you teach yourself the material... I use it to identify the important stuff so I can go and nail it down later, plus get a good first glance at it. Beyond that, it is all up to you so it really doesn't matter where you go.