Not enjoying life at all

[medstudentoo]

Before anyone even mentions it, there's a 0% chance I'd ever consider dropping out. I knew what I signed up for but I feel like this topic deserves some attention.
I'm a realist and I think it's normal to say that it's unhealthy to study and work and stress to this extent. But I think the bigger problem is the amount of time invested - in particular prime time with relatively low return. I'm 22 years old and most of my classmates seem to feel like this to some degree (varying degrees depending on the person). But nearly all of them are basically programmed to do what they're told so they'd never actually come out and say "this sucks."

I think the honest point I'm trying to make is that most of us in this aren't really enjoying our finite lifespan. When you spend the vast majority of your waking minutes preparing or stressing about the next exam, what fun is that? Or doing 30 hour shifts on rotations. Or working 80 hour weeks during residency for 3-5+ years. You work yourself into the ground and spend your little free time doing nothing just to relax. But where's the fun in all of this?

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[starstarie]

I actually love it!

 

[Anicetus]

Before anyone even mentions it, there's a 0% chance I'd ever consider dropping out. I knew what I signed up for but I feel like this topic deserves some attention.
I'm a realist and I think it's normal to say that it's unhealthy to study and work and stress to this extent. But I think the bigger problem is the amount of time invested - in particular prime time with relatively low return. I'm 22 years old and most of my classmates seem to feel like this to some degree (varying degrees depending on the person). But nearly all of them are basically programmed to do what they're told so they'd never actually come out and say "this sucks."

I think the honest point I'm trying to make is that most of us in this aren't really enjoying our finite lifespan. When you spend the vast majority of your waking minutes preparing or stressing about the next exam, what fun is that? Or doing 30 hour shifts on rotations. Or working 80 hour weeks during residency for 3-5+ years. You work yourself into the ground and spend your little free time doing nothing just to relax. But where's the fun in all of this?

What are you talking about? "Fun?" Fun as in a great game of COD with buddies and beers? Fun as in sex fun? Fun as in partying every weekend? If those are your definition of fun then you will probably not be having much fun. A lot of people consider learning medicine academically fun and that it is fun to know so much about our own human bodies.

In response though, you do get used to it. I study about 8-10 solid hours a day and it sucked at first where I felt I'd rather die than face failing an exam, but you really do get used to the monotonous lifestyle.

Wanted to get that in before the hoard of "super cool med students" come in and talk about 1)how they only study several hours a day, 2) have so much fun on weekends and quite possibly (and sadly) have more fun now than in undergrad, 3) tell people like me I'm doing it wrong for studying so much, 4) their dick length.

 

[eteshoe]

"Enjoyment" and "fun" are subjective. If you can find the positive sides in the struggle, you'll enjoy the journey more. Also, unless you're independently wealthy, most people are just not going to make enough money in their 20s to be having "fun" all the time. Either one is making a ****-ton of money by working like a dog and never getting to enjoy it or they lower their expectations for what is deemed "enjoyable" and find happiness in that manner.

I'm more with the latter mindset, I like science and medicine and I'm willing to enjoy the "little moments" - like getting an experiment to work after x amount of wks (personally happened to me last week and I'm still riding the high).

 

[medstudentoo]

"Enjoyment" and "fun" are subjective. If you can find the positive sides in the struggle, you'll enjoy the journey more. Also, unless you're independently wealthy, most people are just not going to make enough money in their 20s to be having "fun" all the time. Either one is making a ****-ton of money by working like a dog and never getting to enjoy it or they lower their expectations for what is deemed "enjoyable" and find happiness in that manner.

I'm more with the latter mindset, I like science and medicine and I'm willing to enjoy the "little moments" - like getting an experiment to work after x amount of wks (personally happened to me last week and I'm still riding the high).

That's not true. A typical couple's joint income in their 20s is more than enough to go out and to fund 1-2 decent vacations a year without any abnormal stress. They also lack any major ambition and are very content with that state. You don't need to be an absolute baller to do what what most do. Just an example...
And the problem with medicine is that aging gets the best of you before you're able to free up enough time and have the money saved up.

 

[eteshoe]

That's not true. A typical couple's joint income in their 20s is more than enough to go out and to fund 1-2 decent vacations a year without any abnormal stress. They also lack any major ambition and are very content with that state. You don't need to be an absolute baller to do what what most do. Just an example...
And the problem with medicine is that aging gets the best of you before you're able to free up enough time and have the money saved up.

I can agree with that view. However, if someone is committed to medicine they unfortunately have to sacrifice a major portion of their young adult lives to be able to contribute in a meaningful way. I'm not saying it's fair but "typical" people are not going to pursue medicine. So the best one can do if they are on this ridiculously long training path is suck it up and find ways to enjoy the journey. The unfortunate thing is that a 21/22 yr old is not going to be able to understand the magnitude of the decision to pursue medicine. It would be better to get out into the real world for a bit and experience the typical young adult lifestyle before committing to medicine but hey to each his/her own.

 

[LostinLift]

That's not true. A typical couple's joint income in their 20s is more than enough to go out and to fund 1-2 decent vacations a year without any abnormal stress. They also lack any major ambition and are very content with that state. You don't need to be an absolute baller to do what what most do. Just an example...
And the problem with medicine is that aging gets the best of you before you're able to free up enough time and have the money saved up.

Should have taken some gap years and enjoyed life. But now that it's too late choosing a shorter residency or taking a year off for "research" somewhere might be a good idea.

Your circumstances should not dictate your happiness level. Being in situations where you have a lot of work makes this more difficult, but it's not impossible. Also you shouldn't be "stressing" yourself. This too is easier said than done, but it is worth learning how to change your mindset.

 

[medstudentoo]

I can agree with that view. However, if someone is committed to medicine they unfortunately have to sacrifice a major portion of their young adult lives to be able to contribute in a meaningful way. I'm not saying it's fair but "typical" people are not going to pursue medicine. So the best one can do if they are on this ridiculously long training path is suck it up and find ways to enjoy the journey. The unfortunate thing is that a 21/22 yr old is not going to be able to understand the magnitude of the decision to pursue medicine. It would be better to get out into the real world for a bit and experience the typical young adult lifestyle before committing to medicine but hey to each his/her own.

Yep... I definitely did have the young adult life but for several reasons couldn't wait another year.

 

[Milotic]

That's not true. A typical couple's joint income in their 20s is more than enough to go out and to fund 1-2 decent vacations a year without any abnormal stress. They also lack any major ambition and are very content with that state. You don't need to be an absolute baller to do what what most do. Just an example...
And the problem with medicine is that aging gets the best of you before you're able to free up enough time and have the money saved up.

Wait, I'm confused. Were you not aware of this before entering med school? Or were you aware of it and just embracing the bitterness of it. Don't worry, I even suffered health problems from med school. It happens.

 

[Doudline]

It's a recurring theme on SDN.

Keep in mind, life is what you make of it. You can read suggestions, above my post, to take a gap year in order to enjoy life; another, to go out into the "real world" before committing to medicine. The thing is, you see, the only life there is is your own. There is nothing "real" about hook-ups, bar-hopping, working in retail, travelling to the Caribbeans, etc. Nothing that inherently inspires a happy life, either.

There will always be a next step - residency, fellowship, establishing your career and your family, taking care of your dying parents, etc. Pushing back remedying your interior life because that's how it allegedly is for everybody, or because it will naturally get better when XYZ, is not a recipe for happiness.

 

[eteshoe]

It's a recurring theme on SDN.

Keep in mind, life if what you make of it. You can read suggestions, above my post, to take a gap year in order to enjoy life; another, to go out into the "real world" before committing to medicine. The thing is, you see, the only life there is is your own. There is nothing "real" about hook-ups, bar-hopping, working in retail, travelling to the Caribbeans, etc. Nothing that inherently inspires a happy life, either.

There will always be a next step - residency, fellowship, establishing your career and your family, taking care of your dying parents, etc. Pushing back remedying your interior life because that's how it allegedly is for everybody, or because it will naturally get better when XYZ, is not a recipe for happiness.

^ True. Delayed gratification is an unending pursuit.

 

[futuremdforme]

Given that presumably you want to be a doctor, how can you step back and find a way to live your life in a way that you enjoy it now? No, you won't have as much free time as the guy working a 9-5 at a big company. But you do have some free time and you need to think of how to maximize it and how not to put everything else on hold because that's how you end up with burnout and other mental health problems.

 

[Ace Khalifa]

@medstudentoo, I'm sorry you feel like you're not having fun. Med school does have its sucky moments for sure. But it is still possible to have fun AND do well in school, at least during first year at my school. A lot of us go out every weekend after studying hard during the week (or not lol). And we still manage to do well on exams (averages are always high 80s). IMO, you just need to find a good balance between studying hard, doing research/service/EC's, and making time to hang out with your friends/family/significant other. I know every med school is different, but I am hesitant to think that most med students are miserable.

 

[deleted245139]

I'll tell you-
I partied hard in college and had a blast. Took the long way around to,medicine with a master's and then 3 years off to work as an EMT, THEN med school.

It's a long road, but I can honestly say I've enjoyed this step most. Yes, it's alot of work many hours away from family and friends studying and in the hospital, but it's really pretty simple why it's enjoyable-

This is a slog, but one with massive value. If you got in for the right reasons, then every day is purpose-driven. In college, partying was fun, I enjoyed my art history class, but intrinsically, it lacked value (at least for me).

When you advance in the ranks, and you start to really walk the path you aimed for, it becomes 'fun' in a weird, painful, wonderful way.

I don't always love the long days/nights, I hate missing my friends and family, but I LOVE not only the goal, but the journey.
Keep at it. It gets better in its own way.

 

[clubwestpua]

Before anyone even mentions it, there's a 0% chance I'd ever consider dropping out. I knew what I signed up for but I feel like this topic deserves some attention.
I'm a realist and I think it's normal to say that it's unhealthy to study and work and stress to this extent. But I think the bigger problem is the amount of time invested - in particular prime time with relatively low return. I'm 22 years old and most of my classmates seem to feel like this to some degree (varying degrees depending on the person). But nearly all of them are basically programmed to do what they're told so they'd never actually come out and say "this sucks."

I think the honest point I'm trying to make is that most of us in this aren't really enjoying our finite lifespan. When you spend the vast majority of your waking minutes preparing or stressing about the next exam, what fun is that? Or doing 30 hour shifts on rotations. Or working 80 hour weeks during residency for 3-5+ years. You work yourself into the ground and spend your little free time doing nothing just to relax. But where's the fun in all of this?

Dude, do you have girl friend? Go and get some hot girls in undergrad, nursing, pharmacy and some other sorority majors and bang them after exams.

 

[DokterMom]

You don't have to 'stop' to smell the roses in order to be happy. You just need to find what's great about your current life and learn to appreciate that. Re-frame your perceptions. Transform the 'suck' into the 'pull'. The massive quantities of learning? It's only a fraction of the incredible beauty that is the human body and what we've discovered about it. The endless toil? Runner's high. No time for anything else? Total immersion into something meaningful and important.

 

[bunchesonothing]

You're young and jumped in. It sounds like you've gone done nothing but, most of your life.

But understand, depending on the specialty you choose, it can get better after med school. If you're feeling this way, choose well for the kind of life you want to set up after school. Makes this all worth it.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Simple solution is be more effective with your studying. I don't know where you go to school, but if you got into medical school you should be more than capable of passing your classes without studying literally 24/7. Evaluate your study habits, see where you are wasting time and figure out how to save some of that time. Then once you have figured that out, go do something FUN with the time you saved!

Something that really helps me is to take an hour break immediately after class is over, and do something that I thoroughly enjoy. Ie there is a golf course across the street from school, so I will stop there and hit balls for awhile after class as a way to have fun and destress. Sometimes instead of golfing, I will fish for an hour in the pond behind my apartment. When I get home, I'm relaxed and ready to study. Then when I actually study, I am more focused and more efficient, and I can get through the material faster. Thus by taking an hour break, I actually SAVE time overall because I was able to study more efficiently that night. So it's a double whammy. Might be something to think about if you are feeling like you're not having fun. A lot of my classmates do fun stuff after class too, like play basketball, work out together, stop at a brewery for a beer, etc. so you should definitely check what your friends are up to after class.

Study/enjoyment balance is hugely important and definitely possible to achieve. Just have to evaluate what you are doing.

 

[Law2Doc]

Before anyone even mentions it, there's a 0% chance I'd ever consider dropping out. I knew what I signed up for but I feel like this topic deserves some attention.
I'm a realist and I think it's normal to say that it's unhealthy to study and work and stress to this extent. But I think the bigger problem is the amount of time invested - in particular prime time with relatively low return. I'm 22 years old and most of my classmates seem to feel like this to some degree (varying degrees depending on the person). But nearly all of them are basically programmed to do what they're told so they'd never actually come out and say "this sucks."

I think the honest point I'm trying to make is that most of us in this aren't really enjoying our finite lifespan. When you spend the vast majority of your waking minutes preparing or stressing about the next exam, what fun is that? Or doing 30 hour shifts on rotations. Or working 80 hour weeks during residency for 3-5+ years. You work yourself into the ground and spend your little free time doing nothing just to relax. But where's the fun in all of this?

The whole "most people feel like I do" notion is where you are presumably trying to justify doing nothing to better your lot. You have issues with the path you are on. Most people on this journey, in fact, really don't have these same issues. So try to fix things for yourself, or not, but don't pretend that everyone feels the same as you do.

 

[W19]

That's not true. A typical couple's joint income in their 20s is more than enough to go out and to fund 1-2 decent vacations a year without any abnormal stress. They also lack any major ambition and are very content with that state. You don't need to be an absolute baller to do what what most do. Just an example...
And the problem with medicine is that aging gets the best of you before you're able to free up enough time and have the money saved up.

I know of many people in my class that take more than one vacations a year... They go to Europe, the Caribbean etc... I myself take one vacation a year. Vacations do not have to cost a lot of money...

 

[ohioguy]

Yeah, i've found most (maybe all...I'm being optimistic here) of medicine sucks.

Here is a list of things that suck in no particular order:

• The hierarchy
• Kissing ass
• Writing notes
• Getting paid minimum wage as a resident
• Having some MBA decide how much you deserve to get paid
• Completely subjective evals
• The day to day in most specialties
• Terrible residents/attendings

My motivation level probably peaked as a premed. The only thing that keeps me sane are my classmates and a couple of promising specialties.
Otherwise, I would be content to drop medicine and do something else.

 

[doc05]

you should quit medicine now.

 

[Psai]

Yeah, i've found most (maybe all...I'm being optimistic here) of medicine sucks.

Here is a list of things that suck in no particular order:

• The hierarchy
• Kissing ass
• Writing notes
• Getting paid minimum wage as a resident
• Having some MBA decide how much you deserve to get paid
• Completely subjective evals
• The day to day in most specialties
• Terrible residents/attendings

My motivation level probably peaked as a premed. The only thing that keeps me sane are my classmates and a couple of promising specialties.
Otherwise, I would be content to drop medicine and do something else.

Unrealistic patient expectations and unreasonable families

 

[tymont12]

@medstudentoo , I think it's important to keep in perspective that life is always greener on the other side. I worked a stressful office job and also in a clinic for a few years before med school and although I usually had my weekends free, I was not living the life I wanted (not enough income, type of work being done, my potential job growth, etc.). Earning a paycheck is great, but 50% of ALL americans are unhappy with their job. Keep that in mind. Medical training is a slog but so is everything else. At least in medicine, you have a guarantee of making a decent income and job security along with a million different avenues to pursue specialty-wise.

Similarly, you have to stop thinking about it as, "I'll start having fun when I get to THIS point in my life." That's feasible for short-term issues, but you need to figure out how your life is fun right now and how to make it fun because otherwise, you will always be miserable.

Your sentiment is common amongst people at my school who went straight thru college and on to med school without experiencing the 'working life.'

 

[starstarie]

OP, I'm curious as to what you would define as "fun." Partying? Traveling? Hanging out?

It is true that working hard all the time doesn't always feel "fun." I can tell you that I spent a good amount of my early 20s having "fun" doing the above things and more. I used to think that I was going to be so miserable working so many hours, but now that I'm in it and enjoying it, I really could work more!

Honestly, right now my life is so much richer. There are times when I feel miserable, feel like I can't study anymore or write another stupid note that no one will read or grit my teeth when I give a presentation just to have it susequently ignored and the plan restated by the intern. But in general, the challenges that studying to my breaking point, putting myself in vulnerable positions and expanding the limits of my comfort zone have been SO much more satisfying than repeating the same 5 activities every Saturday and Sunday while counting down the hours at my miserable minimum wage job til the next time I can repeat them. "Fun" stays that way for a while, but in the end, it leaves you empty.

This may not be the case for everyone, and I have some friends that continue to live that life, but for me (and probably most people) there's more to it. Maybe you have to experience that world to not see it as the other side with the greener grass or maybe you just need to get it out of your system.

If you are just venting, that's understandable. We all need to get it out sometimes. But if you are really feeling this miserable now, you may not be in the right place. Unless you choose to actively change something-your career, your attitude, your expectations, geting on some antidepressants, who knows- you will continue to feel the same way throughout your life.

 

[kbeitz]

Grow the hell up, and realize life can get a whole lot worse.

 

[medstudentoo]

Dude, do you have girl friend? Go and get some hot girls in undergrad, nursing, pharmacy and some other sorority majors and bang them after exams.

I did that a lot in undergrad. Don't really have the mental energy to do the usual chasing nowadays and being in this field hasn't done anything to elevate my status to make it easier. Now that you mention it I can't even get a fraction of the dates I did as a premed.

Yeah, i've found most (maybe all...I'm being optimistic here) of medicine sucks.

Here is a list of things that suck in no particular order:

• The hierarchy
• Kissing ass
• Writing notes
• Getting paid minimum wage as a resident
• Having some MBA decide how much you deserve to get paid
• Completely subjective evals
• The day to day in most specialties
• Terrible residents/attendings

My motivation level probably peaked as a premed. The only thing that keeps me sane are my classmates and a couple of promising specialties.
Otherwise, I would be content to drop medicine and do something else.

That's a pretty good summary and all my resident friends tell me the same thing, same with a couple younger attending friends. I think the notion of finding a way to make a solid income working 9-5 is what people find theoretically appealing about this job.

Grow the hell up, and realize life can get a whole lot worse.

Some people are naturally primed to have a good time even if they're stuck in the middle of nowhere doing nothing all day. Some people can have millions and a perfect 10 face and still be miserable. It's best not to consider extreme scenarios of how bad things can be. Ultimately life is a completely meaningless finite time span and that's a fact.

 

[TheShaker]

I'm so sick of hearing this, especially from people who are past first year, when they should have grown out of it already. How did you ever think a rigorous training process was going to be "fun"? How does working what is essentially a 40-50 hour week sound like some form of torture to you? You know what it sounds like? A ****ing job. Goddamn. A residency director at my school told us that first year of residency in our program is essentially training interns to simply know how to hold an honest to goodness full time job because about half of medical students have never had a real job before. I was surprised, but hearing this same sentiment repeated over and over, I can't help but find it more believable that a lot of medical students can't imagine life with a job where you report in for at least 8 hours every day.

You're in a high performing career for high performing people where you get compensated well for your work. I'm sorry if you didn't make this realization before you started, but doctors work hard. Go figure.

 

[kbeitz]

Ultimately life is a completely meaningless finite time span and that's a fact.

And yet your evolution forces you to find value and continue living. Welcome to terror management theory. Find a better therapist, then grow up, and realize life can get a whole lot worse.

 

[W19]

...

 

[Oblique]

it doesn't get any better btw lol
Same routine during rotations and residency during both of which you will work and study.

Work hard now, so it will be easier later on. Good luck 🙂

 

[medstudentoo]

it doesn't get any better btw lol
Same routine during rotations and residency during both of which you will work and study.

Work hard now, so it will be easier later on. Good luck 🙂

Everyone in my class seems to think it's going to be so much better during rotations and residency. Basically everyone thinks that.

 

[eteshoe]

Everyone in my class seems to think it's going to be so much better during rotations and residency. Basically everyone thinks that.

It's just a different sort of experience but how one perceives medicine getting better depends on how they're willing to positively spin their circumstances. I'm not a resident but I would wager that a lot of residents would say that med school was easy compared to residency.

 

[qwerty89]

I'm so sick of hearing this, especially from people who are past first year, when they should have grown out of it already. How did you ever think a rigorous training process was going to be "fun"? How does working what is essentially a 40-50 hour week sound like some form of torture to you? You know what it sounds like? A ****ing job. Goddamn. A residency director at my school told us that first year of residency in our program is essentially training interns to simply know how to hold an honest to goodness full time job because about half of medical students have never had a real job before. I was surprised, but hearing this same sentiment repeated over and over, I can't help but find it more believable that a lot of medical students can't imagine life with a job where you report in for at least 8 hours every day.

You're in a high performing career for high performing people where you get compensated well for your work. I'm sorry if you didn't make this realization before you started, but doctors work hard. Go figure.

Do a cush TY internship. I'm pretty sure I got paid roughly 60 an hour during Radiology month to do jack squat.

 

[Rekt]

People pretending it's the most amazing thing ever (like half this thread) are much worse than the people express that medical school sucks.

Just sayin'

 

[TheShaker]

People pretending it's the most amazing thing ever (like half this thread) are much worse than the people express that medical school sucks.

Just sayin'

I'm sorry, but there's at least some logic in actually enjoying something that you voluntarily signed up for. Signing up for something, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for it, and then bitching endlessly looks much more ridiculous to me.

 

[deleted746658]

med school certainly isn't roses.

your immaturity is likely showing as you are straight out of undergrad. the grass isn't always greener. most of my non-med friends are working jobs they hate. yes, their lifestyle is and will be better than my own, but i would much rather be doing what i am doing rather than wake up hating every day until i clock out

 

[deleted746658]

med school certainly isn't roses.

your immaturity is likely showing as you are straight out of undergrad. the grass isn't always greener. most of my non-med friends are working jobs they hate. yes, their lifestyle is and will be better than my own, but i would much rather be doing what i am doing rather than wake up hating every day until i clock out

disclaimer: sentiment subject to change when i hit residency

 

[Dr Blue]

We get to learn to coolest **** that ever exists and get to stay in the bubble that is the education system for 4 years. We come out as the most highly respected profession and amongst the best paid people in the entire world. We get to make friends (have you thought of how hard it is to make actual friends once you are an adult??), hang out, bond by complaining about school with one another. Sure beats sitting in some dimly lit, drab cubicle earning a **** salary in a **** town, only working towards helping make rich people richer

we are incredibly lucky to be in this position. it gets tough at times. but think about the positives. exams will come and go, but the good stuff far outweighs the bad

 

[Psai]

We get to learn to coolest **** that ever exists and get to stay in the bubble that is the education system for 4 years. We come out as the most highly respected profession and amongst the best paid people in the entire world. We get to make friends (have you thought of how hard it is to make actual friends once you are an adult??), hang out, bond by complaining about school with one another. Sure beats sitting in some dimly lit, drab cubicle earning a **** salary in a **** town, only working towards helping make rich people richer

we are incredibly lucky to be in this position. it gets tough at times. but think about the positives. exams will come and go, but the good stuff far outweighs the bad

I like your enthusiasm

 

[njtrimed]

@medstudentoo , I think it's important to keep in perspective that life is always greener on the other side. I worked a stressful office job and also in a clinic for a few years before med school and although I usually had my weekends free, I was not living the life I wanted (not enough income, type of work being done, my potential job growth, etc.). Earning a paycheck is great, but 50% of ALL americans are unhappy with their job. Keep that in mind. Medical training is a slog but so is everything else. At least in medicine, you have a guarantee of making a decent income and job security along with a million different avenues to pursue specialty-wise.

Similarly, you have to stop thinking about it as, "I'll start having fun when I get to THIS point in my life." That's feasible for short-term issues, but you need to figure out how your life is fun right now and how to make it fun because otherwise, you will always be miserable.

Your sentiment is common amongst people at my school who went straight thru college and on to med school without experiencing the 'working life.'

Well said, and I agree with every part of this, particularly the point about always thinking life will be better when you get to THIS point. I've spent years working and never made enough to be "comfortable," but I'm happy. Finding satisfaction is independent of what you're doing; you have to find happiness in little things every day. The only thing I can add is that you should avoid comparing yourself to others at all costs, whether it's your classmates or people your age pursuing different avenues.

I don't think what you're feeling is unique to students who went straight through from college to med school. I think most people at 22-23 have serious doubts about what they're doing with their lives, whether they've decided on a career or are just trying to survive. The difference for traditional med students is that you've committed to something HUGE at a time when a lot of your contemporaries are still figuring out what's next, and that has to be a bit daunting. Just know that this is all going to be worth it in the end!

 

[g2daizh]

Before anyone even mentions it, there's a 0% chance I'd ever consider dropping out. I knew what I signed up for but I feel like this topic deserves some attention.
I'm a realist and I think it's normal to say that it's unhealthy to study and work and stress to this extent. But I think the bigger problem is the amount of time invested - in particular prime time with relatively low return. I'm 22 years old and most of my classmates seem to feel like this to some degree (varying degrees depending on the person). But nearly all of them are basically programmed to do what they're told so they'd never actually come out and say "this sucks."

I think the honest point I'm trying to make is that most of us in this aren't really enjoying our finite lifespan. When you spend the vast majority of your waking minutes preparing or stressing about the next exam, what fun is that? Or doing 30 hour shifts on rotations. Or working 80 hour weeks during residency for 3-5+ years. You work yourself into the ground and spend your little free time doing nothing just to relax. But where's the fun in all of this?

I don't know why people are jumping all over you for not enjoying medical school. Most of it DOES actually suck. I don't know about your school, but it typically gets better and better each year. I've enjoyed fourth year much more thoroughly than any other year combined. Just keep your head up, and if you decide you're not as passionate about medicine as your classmates pretend to be, there are specialties and residency programs out there with a better life/work balance.

Being a physician is a job. It's a GREAT job that will (for the most part) keep you employed, and will allow you to live extremely comfortably compared to most other professions. But there's no shame in admitting that medicine (gasp) isn't your whole reason for living.

 

[Taddy Mason]

Before anyone even mentions it, there's a 0% chance I'd ever consider dropping out. I knew what I signed up for but I feel like this topic deserves some attention.
I'm a realist and I think it's normal to say that it's unhealthy to study and work and stress to this extent. But I think the bigger problem is the amount of time invested - in particular prime time with relatively low return. I'm 22 years old and most of my classmates seem to feel like this to some degree (varying degrees depending on the person). But nearly all of them are basically programmed to do what they're told so they'd never actually come out and say "this sucks."

I think the honest point I'm trying to make is that most of us in this aren't really enjoying our finite lifespan. When you spend the vast majority of your waking minutes preparing or stressing about the next exam, what fun is that? Or doing 30 hour shifts on rotations. Or working 80 hour weeks during residency for 3-5+ years. You work yourself into the ground and spend your little free time doing nothing just to relax. But where's the fun in all of this?

Spoken like a true milleneal.

 

[Temeraire]

• The hierarchy
• Kissing ass
• Writing notes
• Getting paid minimum wage as a resident
• Having some MBA decide how much you deserve to get paid
• Completely subjective evals
• The day to day in most specialties
• Terrible residents/attendings

The bolded portions are found in 90% of all jobs you can get straight out of college. Instead of notes, you write dumb "reports" all day and present them at mindnumblingly boring meetings explaining why your team couldn't meet some deadline imposed by an MBA who will later give you a subjective "Performance Evaluation" and withhold a raise from you this quarter. Then you'll have to spend the rest of the month kissing ass up the heirarchy to mitigate your inadequacy.

Y'all need to get some perspective.

 

[medstudentoo]

Spoken like a true milleneal.

And how old are you? People attacking this generation forget the fact that a high school diploma could get you a upper-middle class lifestyle years ago. And a degree could elevate you there easily or much higher.

People pretending it's the most amazing thing ever (like half this thread) are much worse than the people express that medical school sucks.

Just sayin'

Exactly...

I didn't have to take the new mcat but it starts there. Absolutely ridiculous. Making a difficult test even longer to force people to study longer on top of a super long application process. If the emphasis was purely on making better doctors we'd taper out the unnecessary stress and workload which makes everyone in this field miserable. The people running the system (old doctors) aren't preaching balance and happiness. They're preaching super hard work from 7am till midnight.

 

[tymont12]

I don't know why people are jumping all over you for not enjoying medical school. Most of it DOES actually suck. I don't know about your school, but it typically gets better and better each year. I've enjoyed fourth year much more thoroughly than any other year combined. Just keep your head up, and if you decide you're not as passionate about medicine as your classmates pretend to be, there are specialties and residency programs out there with a better life/work balance.

Being a physician is a job. It's a GREAT job that will (for the most part) keep you employed, and will allow you to live extremely comfortably compared to most other professions. But there's no shame in admitting that medicine (gasp) isn't your whole reason for living.

The point of this discussion is that the OP should be able to see the silver lining...it is not all doom and gloom. If you think med school sucks, then everything else you would probably be doing that required work would also most likely suck. Yes, there are easier paths with less stress but these opportunities usually come with the caveats of less autonomy, less satisfying work and less--substantially less--income. If anything, I would like the OP to explain to us what would be better than med school, because he has characterized it as being, "a wast of your prime with a low return."

 

[Hangry]

Yeah, i've found most (maybe all...I'm being optimistic here) of medicine sucks.

Here is a list of things that suck in no particular order:

• The hierarchy
• Kissing ass
• Writing notes
• Getting paid minimum wage as a resident
• Having some MBA decide how much you deserve to get paid
• Completely subjective evals
• The day to day in most specialties
• Terrible residents/attendings

My motivation level probably peaked as a premed. The only thing that keeps me sane are my classmates and a couple of promising specialties.
Otherwise, I would be content to drop medicine and do something else.

Found the third year.



I kid, I'm in that same boat. Third year blows, it will get better for us soon.

 

[AlphaBeta<3]

^ True. Delayed gratification is an unending pursuit.

In high school I did so much to get into a top 20 school. I thought I'd enjoy myself in college. In college, I'm doing so much to be a competitive MD applicant. This sucks

 

[Hangry]

The bolded portions are found in 90% of all jobs you can get straight out of college. Instead of notes, you write dumb "reports" all day and present them at mindnumblingly boring meetings explaining why your team couldn't meet some deadline imposed by an MBA who will later give you a subjective "Performance Evaluation" and withhold a raise from you this quarter. Then you'll have to spend the rest of the month kissing ass up the heirarchy to mitigate your inadequacy.

Y'all need to get some perspective.

And you could bold the rest of your list, really. Terrible residents and attendings = terrible bosses (who you don't get to switch away from at the end of your rotation). The day to day life of most jobs blows, and blows more than a lot of jobs in medicine. And you will likely not make great pay in any entry level job. It won't be as low per hour as a resident's job, sure, but it also doesn't guarantee you $200,000 3 years later.

OP, maybe some people have jumped down your throat about not liking medicine (honestly it didn't seem too bad to me in this thread, but clearly you took it that way). I think people are responding with some passion because they want to help you. We've all been in your shoes and thought parts of medical school really freaking sucked, but many (most?) of us have found ways to get through it and enjoy the journey despite the issues. It all starts with some attitude and perspective, which is what many posters have been trying to give you, with varying levels of intensity and occasionally, snark. However, the truth is you are in a pretty great position compared to most of the people your age in this country, for all the reasons outlined in this thread. You can either take some of the advice you've gotten so far in this thread and try to make the best of medicine, and hopefully have an easier path from here on out. Or, and I say this with the utmost sincerity, it is time to get out of medicine now while you still can with minimal strings attached.

You started this thread talking about how there is no chance you will drop out, but if you have some truly irreconcilable issue with medicine, you should leave and never look back. Otherwise, for your own good take the good advice in this thread and grow up and appreciate what you have. Don't straddle the fence and suffer through medical school, it is a long and brutal road to go through if you don't enjoy parts of it. And the more miserable you are, the harder it is to perform well, then you are more likely to have to go into a specialty you don't like, then you get more miserable, and it's a vicious cycle. Finally you realize you really do want to quit, but now you're $200,000 dollars in debt and it's too late, you become a jaded angry resident, etc etc.

 

[medstudentoo]

In high school I did so much to get into a top 20 school. I thought I'd enjoy myself in college. In college, I'm doing so much to be a competitive MD applicant. This sucks

I had a great time in undergrad. You really need to reevaluate what you're doing now cause <25 years old is the golden prime time of your life with 40+ being the extreme downhill phase.