Most miserable year of medical school?

[831929]

m1 summer

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[libertyyne]

All my subIs were in plastic surgery, which is what I'm doing for residency pending results of the match (eek). One at home, three away.

Thats awesome, looking forward to seeing your add.

 

[pre med 2014]

Note I’m not asking most difficult, most stressful, most busy...I’m asking most miserable.

The most miserable year is always next year

 

[DBV]

The most miserable year is always next year

That's so true but only in 4th year

 

[daenschl]

3rd year was awful. Constantly pretending to be interested in things I hate and will never do again. Praying for scut because at least it would give you some way to contribute to the team. Finally getting your presentation/note/retractor holding perfect one day only to have your new attending the next day tell you everything you've learned is wrong and you're an idiot for doing it that way. Exhausted cranky residents forgetting about your existence, but you're never allowed to ask to leave even though you've been pretending to read UptoDate for 3 hours and there's nothing to do. Pre-rounding on patients at 4:30 in the morning (they just LOVE you waking them up), only to ask the same questions your resident will ask verbatim in an hour. The whole performance of fake doctoring.

I worked the hardest in the beginning of 4th year doing Sub-I's. But I was in my preferred specialty FINALLY, and I could not have been happier. Interviewing was exhausting, but kind of fun. Now I'm straight chillin waiting for match day.

It's like you looked into my heart and said exactly what I've been feeling this whole year as a MS3. Glad I'm not the only one. Can't wait for this year to end!

 

[Anicetus]

Making rank lists can be super stressful if you are in love with multiple programs. It feels, weirdly, like you've already given a piece of yourself to the places and people that you connected with. I'm not actually doing much, it's just emotional energy expenditure.

Yeah must be tough choosing between a yacht and a private small jet. Be thankful you “fell in love” with multiple programs while tons of people arent that happy with the places they got interviews at.

 

[DBV]

Yeah must be tough choosing between a yacht and a private small jet. Be thankful you “fell in love” with multiple programs while tons of people arent that happy with the places they got interviews at.

Those people should have worked harder

 

[Polonium-210]

M3 hands down, by far.

 

[str8cashhomie]

Do people not love the M3 year where once you leave the hospital you can veg out for 6 straight hours and feel no pressure to do anything. Whereas in M2 the pressure of an exam every week that if you fail could put the last 1.5 years of your life in jeopardy? And then 2nd semester of M2 where you wake up and know the day is probably minimum 12 hours of heavy brain power used for class/boards and maximum of 16 hours if you want to "get ahead". M2 the worrrrst.

 

[Preston Garvey]

Do people not love the M3 year where once you leave the hospital you can veg out for 6 straight hours and feel no pressure to do anything. Whereas in M2 the pressure of an exam every week that if you fail could put the last 1.5 years of your life in jeopardy? And then 2nd semester of M2 where you wake up and know the day is probably minimum 12 hours of heavy brain power used for class/boards and maximum of 16 hours if you want to "get ahead". M2 the worrrrst.

You do not get to veg when you go home 3rd year. After your 8-12 hour day in the hospital/clinic you get to study for an additional 2-4 hours. That doesn't account for all the additional stuff you have got to grind for like letters of rec, research and setting up audition rotations. 3rd year is EASILY the most work intensive year. Also grades don't matter your first two years, but honors 3rd year are really important especially for your preferred specialty.

 

[DBV]

Do people not love the M3 year where once you leave the hospital you can veg out for 6 straight hours and feel no pressure to do anything. Whereas in M2 the pressure of an exam every week that if you fail could put the last 1.5 years of your life in jeopardy? And then 2nd semester of M2 where you wake up and know the day is probably minimum 12 hours of heavy brain power used for class/boards and maximum of 16 hours if you want to "get ahead". M2 the worrrrst.

I think you're confusing 3rd year with 4th year

 

[treebeardette]

Do people not love the M3 year where once you leave the hospital you can veg out for 6 straight hours and feel no pressure to do anything. Whereas in M2 the pressure of an exam every week that if you fail could put the last 1.5 years of your life in jeopardy? And then 2nd semester of M2 where you wake up and know the day is probably minimum 12 hours of heavy brain power used for class/boards and maximum of 16 hours if you want to "get ahead". M2 the worrrrst.

You are clearly still pre-clinical. And if that describes your M1/2 schedule, you're gonna burn out fast. You need to find some more efficient study methods.

 

[doyouhaveaflag]

Do people not love the M3 year where once you leave the hospital you can veg out for 6 straight hours and feel no pressure to do anything. Whereas in M2 the pressure of an exam every week that if you fail could put the last 1.5 years of your life in jeopardy? And then 2nd semester of M2 where you wake up and know the day is probably minimum 12 hours of heavy brain power used for class/boards and maximum of 16 hours if you want to "get ahead". M2 the worrrrst.

Sorry, I know multiple people have addressed this already but I wanted to mention (since I didn't know it until embarrassingly late in my preclinical years) that you still take exams in M3. Most schools have shelf exams for each rotation. And instead of exams being on just two weeks' worth of powerpoints (discrete quanta of information in which you know what you need to know), they are on an entire specialty.

It varies by school, but I was at the hospital 12-14 hours a day on about 8 months of rotations (a few months were lighter) and then I tried to study at least a couple hours once I got home. I exceeded 80 hours per week on several occasions. So there was very minimal vegging opportunity.

 

[Giovanotto]

You do not get to veg when you go home 3rd year. After your 8-12 hour day in the hospital/clinic you get to study for an additional 2-4 hours. That doesn't account for all the additional stuff you have got to grind for like letters of rec, research and setting up audition rotations. 3rd year is EASILY the most work intensive year. Also grades don't matter your first two years, but honors 3rd year are really important especially for your preferred specialty.

I'm gonna need a clarification on this. At face value, I don't believe it, and I know I won't do it if it's true. Might as well drop out now...

 

[Aerus]

I'm gonna need a clarification on this. At face value, I don't believe it, and I know I won't do it if it's true. Might as well drop out now...

You can't just brain dump all that you learn during your third year. They will test you on that stuff....

 

[Oso]

I'm gonna need a clarification on this. At face value, I don't believe it, and I know I won't do it if it's true. Might as well drop out now...

Still gotta study for that shelf (UWorld, etc.), OSCE, do random clerkship assignments, etc.

The amount you study each day will vary on the rotation's hours/how many days you get off a week

But yeah

****ing sucks

****!

 

[str8cashhomie]

Alright then your weekends off consist of some light studying/audition rotation application planning and then doing whatever you want? Do you have days at the clinic/hospital where you get more studying in than expected and just take the night off? I'm at the end of 3rd year and feels like if you show up on time, be respectable and enthusiastic, and get a little studying done each night you're good. Can still travel on weekends, workout, get into a show, and Friday morning after the end of rotation exams where you don't have to do anything medicine related for 2.5 days if you don't want.

 

[haihai4]

Yeah must be tough choosing between a yacht and a private small jet. Be thankful you “fell in love” with multiple programs while tons of people arent that happy with the places they got interviews at.

Who said I'm not thankful? I definitely feel very fortunate. That doesn't diminish the fact that it is difficult to choose between programs when you like many of them.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Late to this party, but 3rd year by a mile.

I've talked with some of my classmates and we'd rather repeat 1st and 2nd year rather than just 3rd year.

Preclinical is hard, but you're in control of 90% of your schedule and there are wrong answers and a right answer. Putting on dress clothes and the stupid short coat day after day, being forced to stick around when there's nothing to do, kissing all the posterior you can so you can maybe get a good eval (if the resident cares enough about your existence to know how the grading scale works) so your chances at a competitive specialty aren't completely bombed...stuff gets old REAL quick.

 

[augeremt]

I've talked with some of my classmates and we'd rather repeat 1st and 2nd year rather than just 3rd year.

I distinctly remember telling a friend who was in the midst of dedicated step studying (peak pre-clinical stress) that I would 100% trade places with them in a heartbeat if it meant I would not have to continue going through third year. It sucked so bad and I'm so happy I never have to do that again.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

I distinctly remember telling a friend who was in the midst of dedicated step studying (peak pre-clinical stress) that I would 100% trade places with them in a heartbeat if it meant I would not have to continue going through third year. It sucked so bad and I'm so happy I never have to do that again.

Yeah, ~6 weeks of hardcore studying (in which I still hit the gym for 1+ hour everyday and took my evenings off) would be a steal.

 

[Mad Jack]

Is the general consensus M4 is a good year or is it just the least crappy of medical school?

4th year is pretty great, aside from the couple months of interviews and other nonsense. Best year of medical school by far.

 

[Mad Jack]

I distinctly remember telling a friend who was in the midst of dedicated step studying (peak pre-clinical stress) that I would 100% trade places with them in a heartbeat if it meant I would not have to continue going through third year. It sucked so bad and I'm so happy I never have to do that again.

Third year really wasn't that bad, I really don't get all the hate for it

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Third year really wasn't that bad, I really don't get all the hate for it

See above.

 

[Mad Jack]

See above.

Ah, see, I didn't do any of the ass-kissing or anything. I just showed up, did my job, went home. Didn't let them stress me out, aside from one rotation early on, because I knew that ultimately I'd pass. I was also already a seasoned clinician though, so being in the hospital felt like home and I didn't need to worry about getting up to speed.

^my general attitude during third year

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Ah, see, I didn't do any of the ass-kissing or anything. I just showed up, did my job, went home. Didn't let them stress me out, aside from one rotation early on, because I knew that ultimately I'd pass. I was also already a seasoned clinician though, so being in the hospital felt like home and I didn't need to worry about getting up to speed.

^my general attitude during third year

Dat psych life doe.

 

[Mad Jack]

Dat psych life doe.

Hoping I match, not counting those chickens yet

 

[Mad Jack]

Is it normal for attendings to mess with you in third year? I seem to be a target. one of my attendings gave me a good grade but told his patients stuff like "he repeated 3rd grade 3 times" when I missed pimp questions, straight up mocked me, told a patient i was born with a silver spoon up my ass because i wasnt paying my tuition. then another attending that I had lectures with sees me in clinic one day and laughs and goes, "is this what you look like when you dress up? I didnt even recognize you. she then tells the attending im working with "this kid dressed like a shmuck for lectures." then another attending got mad at me and asked how i even got into med school when i missed a pimp question, only to be extremely nice to me the next day. im walkign on nails all year.

It's entirely possible that you give off an air of being nonchalant or something that attendings don't like. A bit of being messed with is normal and in good fun, but you seem to be getting a lot of it for some reason.

 

[DBV]

Is it normal for attendings to mess with you in third year? I seem to be a target. one of my attendings gave me a good grade but told his patients stuff like "he repeated 3rd grade 3 times" when I missed pimp questions, straight up mocked me, told a patient i was born with a silver spoon up my ass because i wasnt paying my tuition. then another attending that I had lectures with sees me in clinic one day and laughs and goes, "is this what you look like when you dress up? I didnt even recognize you. she then tells the attending im working with "this kid dressed like a shmuck for lectures." then another attending got mad at me and asked how i even got into med school when i missed a pimp question, only to be extremely nice to me the next day. im walkign on nails all year.

Dang I'm assuming you must have an extremely punchable face or something because they are laying into you.

 

[UnoMas]

Is it normal for attendings to mess with you in third year? I seem to be a target. one of my attendings gave me a good grade but told his patients stuff like "he repeated 3rd grade 3 times" when I missed pimp questions, straight up mocked me, told a patient i was born with a silver spoon up my ass because i wasnt paying my tuition. then another attending that I had lectures with sees me in clinic one day and laughs and goes, "is this what you look like when you dress up? I didnt even recognize you. she then tells the attending im working with "this kid dressed like a shmuck for lectures." then another attending got mad at me and asked how i even got into med school when i missed a pimp question, only to be extremely nice to me the next day. im walkign on nails all year.

if everyone is an dingus to you, maybe the problem is you? haha jk
One of my surgical attendings torn me a new one everyday on round for a month straight, made me dig through ****-filled resected colon and describe it to him in vivid details in the OR too many times to count. I averaged about 1 rectal exam a day during the month. He gave me a 100% on my eval at the end of the month. I thought I was going to repeat the rotation with how things went . Thicker skin brah, just laugh it off


But yeah 3rd year by far the WORST. IM is the worst, 3 months of 4-5 hours rounding everyday, diets, case management, SNF, 'gentle diurectis.' Sitting around after 1pm looking longingly at your senior resident hoping that she would catch a glimpse of your eyes and say 'you can go home if you want.' Otherwise I would have to stay either doing nothing in the call room until 6 or going down to the pit doing the 3rd admission of the day for a COPD exacerbation on a 80 years old with 40 pack-year history, who is still thinking about quitting smoking

 

[akinetopsia]

Is it normal for attendings to mess with you in third year? I seem to be a target. one of my attendings gave me a good grade but told his patients stuff like "he repeated 3rd grade 3 times" when I missed pimp questions, straight up mocked me, told a patient i was born with a silver spoon up my ass because i wasnt paying my tuition. then another attending that I had lectures with sees me in clinic one day and laughs and goes, "is this what you look like when you dress up? I didnt even recognize you. she then tells the attending im working with "this kid dressed like a shmuck for lectures." then another attending got mad at me and asked how i even got into med school when i missed a pimp question, only to be extremely nice to me the next day. im walkign on nails all year.

Not sure if this applies to you, since I don't know you and haven't met you, but if you've ever seen the show "Justified" the main character Raylan Givens is a US Marshal, and one quote of his was, "If you run into an a-hole in the morning, you just ran into an a-hole. If you run into a-holes all day long, you're the a-hole."

 

[Anicetus]

Dat psych life doe.

Wait @Mad Jack is doing psych?!? I would totally go to him/her for CBT!!

 

[Anicetus]

Thing is I dont do anything others dont do. I dont say anything to be an dingus. I miss questions like everyone, doesnt mean im dumb, i do fine on board exams. I guess i just have a punchable face. The other day an ansesthesiologist in the OR was shocked I was a medical student because I looked "too young". My ID badge clearly said medical student and yet she asks, are you really a medical student?? What else could i be? A college student shadowing in the OR?

Tell them to be quiet as you’re trying to figure out how to compose a personal statement out of shadowing your dad in the OR.

 

[Psai]

Thing is I dont do anything others dont do. I dont say anything to be an dingus. I miss questions like everyone, doesnt mean im dumb, i do fine on board exams. I guess i just have a punchable face. The other day an ansesthesiologist in the OR was shocked I was a medical student because I looked "too young". My ID badge clearly said medical student and yet she asks, are you really a medical student?? What else could i be? A college student shadowing in the OR?

There are a lot of people who have badges that say medical student or will claim to be medical students but aren't. I saw 20 year old volunteers getting long white coats the other month.

 

[Kissmyabjj]

M3

 

[W19]

There are a lot of people who have badges that say medical student or will claim to be medical students but aren't. I saw 20 year old volunteers getting long white coats the other month.

Now one can't distinguish who is who in the hospital... That must confusing to patients. It's worst in big academic center. I know it's not feasible to tell PA/NP not to wear the long white coat. But it should not be difficult to tell everyone else not to do it.

 

[sunshine02]

3rd year was awful. Constantly pretending to be interested in things I hate and will never do again. Praying for scut because at least it would give you some way to contribute to the team. Finally getting your presentation/note/retractor holding perfect one day only to have your new attending the next day tell you everything you've learned is wrong and you're an idiot for doing it that way. Exhausted cranky residents forgetting about your existence, but you're never allowed to ask to leave even though you've been pretending to read UptoDate for 3 hours and there's nothing to do. Pre-rounding on patients at 4:30 in the morning (they just LOVE you waking them up), only to ask the same questions your resident will ask verbatim in an hour. The whole performance of fake doctoring.

I worked the hardest in the beginning of 4th year doing Sub-I's. But I was in my preferred specialty FINALLY, and I could not have been happier. Interviewing was exhausting, but kind of fun. Now I'm straight chillin waiting for match day.

OMG this hits too close to home lol.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Whichever year had me studying for Step 1, so that would be the tail-end of M2.

I liked my M3 year overall because I finally had my nose in something other than the books.

 

[584376]

I'm going to toss my vote in for M3 for reasons that have mostly already been listed.

It also really sucked to go from the mindset of your time is so valuable and you need as much of it as possible to learn of M1 and M2 to your time isn't **** and it doesn't matter if it is wasted of M3.

 

[Giovanotto]

2 days into M3, get me the **** out of here.

 

[ciestar]

Maybe because I am at a good site at a good practice (and it is FM lol), I am actually liking MS3 so far. Im constantly exhausted because I’ve never slept like a normal person..
But the first two years have been hopelessly isolating for me.

 

[Dro133]

Every day as an MS3 is humiliating in it's own special way, but it's still 10x better than M1-M2. I didn't realize how truly isolating of a time preclinicals was. Even if clinicals is a **** show and a waste of time 75% of the time, at least you get to be around people and talk to people.

 

[mehc012]

I haven't found a miserable year yet. Granted, I've only been on rotations for 3-4mo, but so far MS1, 2, and 3 all seem pretty dope to me.

 

[Gurby]

then another attending got mad at me and asked how i even got into med school when i missed a pimp question

What was the question though?

 

[whatisthisstuff]

I'd probably go MS3 just because its long (literally a full 12 months for us) and you have to get up early nearly every single day. Sometimes weekends. However it certainly can be rewarding to see patients, actually be around other humans and in the hospital. Can be pretty tough to maintain a life and study if your clinical hours are demanding. The year just has so many variables depending on what service you are on and your residents/attendings that it can definitely be anywhere along the spectrum of miserable to awesome.

MS1 and 2 are definitely more isolating but you can at least live on your own schedule a bit. This would be tougher if you didn't have friends or a significant other around. Staring at a computer all the time gets really old though, also this constant Step 1 thing looming over your head...

Ultimately I wouldn't describe any year as miserable. Every year has its pros/cons and its good moments and rougher moments.

 

[Black Coffee 24/7]

1 week almost over in a surgical rotation. Am I the only one who's loving M3 so far? I have gotten great feedbacks from interns, residents, and attendings so far. I had ruled out surgery due to the shiet show known as Anatomy during my first year. However, I'm heavily considering Interventional Neuro now due my positive exp in surgery so far.

So far, all it takes are a positive attitude, willingness to learn, and some social awareness. No ass kissing needed, although I try to help out the residents as much as possible in order to have teaching moments from them for myself.

 

[raiderette]

Hated the stress of MS2. Studying for Step 1, fitting in research not completed during the summer and trying to maintain a social life. I have an abbreviated curriculum, so I finally feel competent in rotations. Now it feels like I can actually make it to residency.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Yea I’d agree that’s M3 is the best. M2 was the worst because of the emotional toll step 1 takes. I had several friends and family remark that for the 6 months leading up to Step I seemed like a different person. That test consumes your whole life, and it feels very liberating to have it behind me.

However M3 has its own special brand of terrible. 12 hour days 6 days a week wears you down, especially when you’re trying to balance studying, gym, and laundry after getting home exhausted. But that’s just IM & Surgery. Hopefully FM a will be better

 

[charleskay]

M3 is definitely the most miserable year of medical school.

 

[y123]

M3 is pretty bad. Clinical part is fun but working 80 hours a week and being clueless/confused about expectations is not.
Step 1 dedicated time is bad too.