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There have been a few threads posted by members (and given SDN's popularity, I'm sure there's plenty of lurkers too) that have been having a tough time during MS1.
Currently, at my school we're starting the last of our main preclinical blocks this Monday -- only about 4 months out from completing MS2 classes.
I mention the above to clarify that I have no experience with third year/beyond, so cannot comment on that... however, from what I hear, the hardest of my school's MS2 curriculum is now behind me... so I'll keep my aim on MS1/MS2.
So, here are some thoughts:
Med school is tough. We all hear it coming in that it is going to give us a run for our money (in all interpretations of the phrase); however, as many of you quickly found out -- myself included -- it is largely unlike any other academic experience/environment(!) encountered to date.
Like most of you, I was a pretty good undergrad student...didn't have any trouble with classes, tutored for the sci departments, etc.
"Yeah, yeah...how tough can med school be? I balanced a whole bunch of classes and EC's as a premed."
Well, as you saw after matriculating -- it can be real tough.
The volume is unlike anything experienced prior (e.g. 800 page syllabi in 4 weeks), the perpetual expectations of "professionalism" are unlike anything before (dress sharp, look sharp, be sharp), the surroundings are unlike anything before (100+ of the most motivated/intelligent people you'll meet as classmates).
It doesn’t matter if you did undergrad at State U or Harvard, you were never in a "class of 20XX" that was as homogenous in strengths and heterogeneous in experiences as your med school "class of 20XX". Everyone comes in motivated, and everyone comes in fresh, and everyone comes in ready to hit the ground running.
And classes commence.
Since you are in med school, more likely than not, you are used to riding the right tail of that bell curve since birth... but given your new environment, 50% of you are going to -- not only fall off the tail you grew so comfortable riding-- but you won't even be on the right side. period.
"Not on the right? That can't be right! I'll bust my butt and make it, alright?"
For 50% of you, that'll happen.
Nevertheless, the sooner you come to terms with the fact that your "best" might not end up surpassing your peers' "best", the sooner your time in med school will become a lot more enjoyable.
I'll use myself to paint the picture:
During the beginning of MS1, I was the typical "I'll do my best, which should get me to the top of the class... I mean look at my baller AMCAS." Well, my absolute best at that time was only enough to get me to top 10-20 percentile. This was anatomy. It proved a strong subject for me. "Okay, so I'm not the top student anymore -- but top ~15% is still pretty good."
Then biochem happened.
1 and a half weeks of hell for me. Not a strong class. Scored around the class median. "Well, that's no good. Who wants to be average? Genetics is our next course; I'll go harder and get back near the right tail."
Genetics? Nope. Down to the lowly ~75th percentile. (For frame of reference, keep in mind this percentile corresponded to a score around the low mid-80's. Not all that bad -- outside the tunnel vision of MS1.)
"Damn. Gotta do more hours I guess."
OK Cell Path time -- push things hard. Back up to top ~25 percentile. "Okay, that's about as good as I can get I guess. But hey, I'll be AOA eligible at that rank. Fine by me."
On to 1 week pharm course. Sick. It's Tuesday; I don't know this stuff. Exam is Friday. Pulling 15 hour days of desk time. Office feels like a cell. Top 25%. "Cool, I guess. Med school isn't fun. In fact it kind of sucks."
Sicker.
Immunology. Ironic. Feel like crap. Crappy weather. Starting to think "not only is med school crap, but life is crap too. All day reading uninteresting garbage. I don't care about any of this stuff. Was med school a big mistake?" 15 hour desk time days. Exam comes and goes. Top 10%.
"Okay, so hours = scores. Yeah, so I hate life right now -- but med school is only several years. Just keep going."
Microbiology.
Uninterested. Burnt out. But put in the hours.
Bottom 10% of class. Still passed. But bottom 10%...
"What. the. hell?"
Miserable and bottom of class. That is not something I'll live with; something in the equation needs to change.
Neuroscience. For the first time in 8 months, I study with my blinds and office window open. Suddenly my hours at the desk don't feel like groundhog day in a prison-like cubicle -- when I can look right outside to the blue sky, green trees, and kids playing ball in the quiet suburban street.
Continue in neuro, material is kind of tough, but I don't study as much (even though desk time is still prob 10 hours per day, good chunk is spent enjoying the passing scenes out my office window). Exams come, end up at the median. "I'm okay with that. I did the best I could WHILE staying healthy."
Psych and behavioral med arrives. Awesome courses. Reminds me why I enrolled in med school to begin with. Pleasure to go through the material. Score around top 30%. "Fine. Who cares? I don't. More importantly, those classes were sweet! Sucks they were so brief."
Summer. Well needed vacation.
MS2...
Cardiology is known as the hardest course of the year at my school. The syllabi font is small, the volume is huge. Study a reasonable amount each day. Stay comfortable. Score at the average. "Cool."
Renal...study reasonable amount each day. "MS2 ain't so bad". Score slightly below average. "I'm cool with that."
Pulm...study reasonable amount each day. Pretty happy. Score -- should be around the average.
Thoughts:::
1) If you got into med school, there's a good chance that you will be able to brute force your way to the right side of the bell curve. Results will vary. That said, it wouldn't have mattered if I spend 20 hours studying every single day for an exam: someone in my class would have been better. There are some very talented minds in med school, you might be that person -- statistically, not likely. Try to get over it.
2) You need to take an honest measure of what your goals are and what you need to do in order to achieve them. I am very fortunate that I wasn't ever gung-ho on one of the super competitive specialties beyond "oh, I'll have to look into that." It was stressful enough pushing the envelope for internal validation ("I did it, scored top 25%. Boy, can't wait to tell mom." NEXT.) versus pushing the envelope because it is almost required given the barriers to entry to your desired field (going with the stereotypical example: "I want to do derm at a top 5 program, I gotta get AOA no matter what.")
3) It is true that you should learn as much as you can during these 2 years -- both for yourself and your future patients. However, if you push yourself so far that you break, quit, or "worse" -- sure, you learned a bunch along the way, but it won't end up helping anyone if you aren't there down the line to offer treatment.
4) Preclinical medical education can be extremely isolating. If you don't have a support network already set up (family, SO, old friends, faith leader, whatever), be sure to try to establish one among classmates of which you grow fond. If you can't do that, establish a support network via the internet (SDN/reddit/Misc/whatever). Some medium where you can vent your frustrations/thoughts/opinions and have an actual person respond.
5) There was a thread a few weeks about avoiding tutoring. The idea was that the tutors only tutor so that they can internally laugh at you and make you feel bad about getting assistance. That couldn't be farther from the truth. At least at my med school, the admins notify students that performed exceptionally well in a course (or courses) with the opportunity to give back to the community. I'll be tutoring for a class after the New Year. They pay okay, but I assure you the money isn't worth the time -- and there are plenty of funnier things to get a "laugh" about than in regards to a stressed medical student seeking assistance from a peer. Residency PD's won't be impressed by it. Tutors tutor for the chance to help out and lend a hand. Take advantage of tutoring if you think it will help you. No hesitation.
6) MS1 volume might seem insane. I was told MS2 volume was worse. "That's gotta be bull! No way there can be more volume." Turns out, there can be more volume after all. Case in point, we just got our GI syllabus (Part 1): 447 pages. Size 10 font. That's 2 weeks of material (+Labs, + workshops, +non-science courses added on top). You will adapt. One way or another. Either you will become more efficient or you will be "okay" will scoring a little bit lower than you did in MS1 when the volume was less.
7) Some good news is that the MS2 material is much more relevant and interesting, assuming you aren't hardcore basic science guy/girl.
8) Review books and outside texts can often explain things a whole lot better than your professors.
9) Our time is finite. Be efficient. Consider podcasting if you haven't. Over the course of MS1/MS2, I have saved exactly 424 hours and 56 minutes so far by podcasting at high speeds (a program I have records it). That is almost 18 days of pure saved time. 18 days of 24 hours. Saved. From podcasting. I imagine that by the time I finish MS2, I will have "lived" an additional month in my life through cut lecture time and actual "living life" time.
10) Appreciate the assets that SDN can offer in regards to filling in gaps of experience. Be wary of accidentally believing that SDN's active member population is representative of real life. More motivated people are likely to seek out such a community. More focused people are likely to stay in it. The bar is higher and that is because of a mix of vocal true rockstars, a silent average, and boisterous trolls.
11) Take time to try to reflect on ways in which you have it good. Not necessarily overdone like, Person A: "Ow, that truck just ran over my foot." Person B: "Ahh, suck it up, at least you have a foot to get ran over." But more like, "Man, I hate studying all the time, but you know what? My apartment/home/chair is one hellova comfy place to do it!"
12) Accept that different people have different strengths. Why did my scores go from above average on one test to below average on the next test? Different subject, different exam writer, different personal strengths, different peer strengths. Don't worry about what other people do. Worry about reaching you own personal end goal while enjoying your life as much as you can along the way.
Currently, at my school we're starting the last of our main preclinical blocks this Monday -- only about 4 months out from completing MS2 classes.
I mention the above to clarify that I have no experience with third year/beyond, so cannot comment on that... however, from what I hear, the hardest of my school's MS2 curriculum is now behind me... so I'll keep my aim on MS1/MS2.
So, here are some thoughts:
Med school is tough. We all hear it coming in that it is going to give us a run for our money (in all interpretations of the phrase); however, as many of you quickly found out -- myself included -- it is largely unlike any other academic experience/environment(!) encountered to date.
Like most of you, I was a pretty good undergrad student...didn't have any trouble with classes, tutored for the sci departments, etc.
"Yeah, yeah...how tough can med school be? I balanced a whole bunch of classes and EC's as a premed."
Well, as you saw after matriculating -- it can be real tough.
The volume is unlike anything experienced prior (e.g. 800 page syllabi in 4 weeks), the perpetual expectations of "professionalism" are unlike anything before (dress sharp, look sharp, be sharp), the surroundings are unlike anything before (100+ of the most motivated/intelligent people you'll meet as classmates).
It doesn’t matter if you did undergrad at State U or Harvard, you were never in a "class of 20XX" that was as homogenous in strengths and heterogeneous in experiences as your med school "class of 20XX". Everyone comes in motivated, and everyone comes in fresh, and everyone comes in ready to hit the ground running.
And classes commence.
Since you are in med school, more likely than not, you are used to riding the right tail of that bell curve since birth... but given your new environment, 50% of you are going to -- not only fall off the tail you grew so comfortable riding-- but you won't even be on the right side. period.
"Not on the right? That can't be right! I'll bust my butt and make it, alright?"
For 50% of you, that'll happen.
Nevertheless, the sooner you come to terms with the fact that your "best" might not end up surpassing your peers' "best", the sooner your time in med school will become a lot more enjoyable.
I'll use myself to paint the picture:
During the beginning of MS1, I was the typical "I'll do my best, which should get me to the top of the class... I mean look at my baller AMCAS." Well, my absolute best at that time was only enough to get me to top 10-20 percentile. This was anatomy. It proved a strong subject for me. "Okay, so I'm not the top student anymore -- but top ~15% is still pretty good."
Then biochem happened.
1 and a half weeks of hell for me. Not a strong class. Scored around the class median. "Well, that's no good. Who wants to be average? Genetics is our next course; I'll go harder and get back near the right tail."
Genetics? Nope. Down to the lowly ~75th percentile. (For frame of reference, keep in mind this percentile corresponded to a score around the low mid-80's. Not all that bad -- outside the tunnel vision of MS1.)
"Damn. Gotta do more hours I guess."
OK Cell Path time -- push things hard. Back up to top ~25 percentile. "Okay, that's about as good as I can get I guess. But hey, I'll be AOA eligible at that rank. Fine by me."
On to 1 week pharm course. Sick. It's Tuesday; I don't know this stuff. Exam is Friday. Pulling 15 hour days of desk time. Office feels like a cell. Top 25%. "Cool, I guess. Med school isn't fun. In fact it kind of sucks."
Sicker.
Immunology. Ironic. Feel like crap. Crappy weather. Starting to think "not only is med school crap, but life is crap too. All day reading uninteresting garbage. I don't care about any of this stuff. Was med school a big mistake?" 15 hour desk time days. Exam comes and goes. Top 10%.
"Okay, so hours = scores. Yeah, so I hate life right now -- but med school is only several years. Just keep going."
Microbiology.
Uninterested. Burnt out. But put in the hours.
Bottom 10% of class. Still passed. But bottom 10%...
"What. the. hell?"
Miserable and bottom of class. That is not something I'll live with; something in the equation needs to change.
Neuroscience. For the first time in 8 months, I study with my blinds and office window open. Suddenly my hours at the desk don't feel like groundhog day in a prison-like cubicle -- when I can look right outside to the blue sky, green trees, and kids playing ball in the quiet suburban street.
Continue in neuro, material is kind of tough, but I don't study as much (even though desk time is still prob 10 hours per day, good chunk is spent enjoying the passing scenes out my office window). Exams come, end up at the median. "I'm okay with that. I did the best I could WHILE staying healthy."
Psych and behavioral med arrives. Awesome courses. Reminds me why I enrolled in med school to begin with. Pleasure to go through the material. Score around top 30%. "Fine. Who cares? I don't. More importantly, those classes were sweet! Sucks they were so brief."
Summer. Well needed vacation.
MS2...
Cardiology is known as the hardest course of the year at my school. The syllabi font is small, the volume is huge. Study a reasonable amount each day. Stay comfortable. Score at the average. "Cool."
Renal...study reasonable amount each day. "MS2 ain't so bad". Score slightly below average. "I'm cool with that."
Pulm...study reasonable amount each day. Pretty happy. Score -- should be around the average.
Thoughts:::
1) If you got into med school, there's a good chance that you will be able to brute force your way to the right side of the bell curve. Results will vary. That said, it wouldn't have mattered if I spend 20 hours studying every single day for an exam: someone in my class would have been better. There are some very talented minds in med school, you might be that person -- statistically, not likely. Try to get over it.
2) You need to take an honest measure of what your goals are and what you need to do in order to achieve them. I am very fortunate that I wasn't ever gung-ho on one of the super competitive specialties beyond "oh, I'll have to look into that." It was stressful enough pushing the envelope for internal validation ("I did it, scored top 25%. Boy, can't wait to tell mom." NEXT.) versus pushing the envelope because it is almost required given the barriers to entry to your desired field (going with the stereotypical example: "I want to do derm at a top 5 program, I gotta get AOA no matter what.")
3) It is true that you should learn as much as you can during these 2 years -- both for yourself and your future patients. However, if you push yourself so far that you break, quit, or "worse" -- sure, you learned a bunch along the way, but it won't end up helping anyone if you aren't there down the line to offer treatment.
4) Preclinical medical education can be extremely isolating. If you don't have a support network already set up (family, SO, old friends, faith leader, whatever), be sure to try to establish one among classmates of which you grow fond. If you can't do that, establish a support network via the internet (SDN/reddit/Misc/whatever). Some medium where you can vent your frustrations/thoughts/opinions and have an actual person respond.
5) There was a thread a few weeks about avoiding tutoring. The idea was that the tutors only tutor so that they can internally laugh at you and make you feel bad about getting assistance. That couldn't be farther from the truth. At least at my med school, the admins notify students that performed exceptionally well in a course (or courses) with the opportunity to give back to the community. I'll be tutoring for a class after the New Year. They pay okay, but I assure you the money isn't worth the time -- and there are plenty of funnier things to get a "laugh" about than in regards to a stressed medical student seeking assistance from a peer. Residency PD's won't be impressed by it. Tutors tutor for the chance to help out and lend a hand. Take advantage of tutoring if you think it will help you. No hesitation.
6) MS1 volume might seem insane. I was told MS2 volume was worse. "That's gotta be bull! No way there can be more volume." Turns out, there can be more volume after all. Case in point, we just got our GI syllabus (Part 1): 447 pages. Size 10 font. That's 2 weeks of material (+Labs, + workshops, +non-science courses added on top). You will adapt. One way or another. Either you will become more efficient or you will be "okay" will scoring a little bit lower than you did in MS1 when the volume was less.
7) Some good news is that the MS2 material is much more relevant and interesting, assuming you aren't hardcore basic science guy/girl.
8) Review books and outside texts can often explain things a whole lot better than your professors.
9) Our time is finite. Be efficient. Consider podcasting if you haven't. Over the course of MS1/MS2, I have saved exactly 424 hours and 56 minutes so far by podcasting at high speeds (a program I have records it). That is almost 18 days of pure saved time. 18 days of 24 hours. Saved. From podcasting. I imagine that by the time I finish MS2, I will have "lived" an additional month in my life through cut lecture time and actual "living life" time.
10) Appreciate the assets that SDN can offer in regards to filling in gaps of experience. Be wary of accidentally believing that SDN's active member population is representative of real life. More motivated people are likely to seek out such a community. More focused people are likely to stay in it. The bar is higher and that is because of a mix of vocal true rockstars, a silent average, and boisterous trolls.
11) Take time to try to reflect on ways in which you have it good. Not necessarily overdone like, Person A: "Ow, that truck just ran over my foot." Person B: "Ahh, suck it up, at least you have a foot to get ran over." But more like, "Man, I hate studying all the time, but you know what? My apartment/home/chair is one hellova comfy place to do it!"
12) Accept that different people have different strengths. Why did my scores go from above average on one test to below average on the next test? Different subject, different exam writer, different personal strengths, different peer strengths. Don't worry about what other people do. Worry about reaching you own personal end goal while enjoying your life as much as you can along the way.
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