Not sure if I want to do this anymore

[Jayblue79]

Hello all,

I'm not sure I want to go through all of this anymore. I'm a M1, and am really down about school...and the prospect of continuing on like this for the rest of my life. I passed all my first semester classes, and have started seeing someone (therapist) about this, but beginning this semester makes me just feel bleak. I go to a private school as well...so it is really expensive. IDK...does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

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[Law2Doc]

does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

Both. It gets better, but not easier. Second year is similar to first, but the information starts getting a bit more practical. Third year you actually hit the wards and see patients, which is pretty cool, but the hours are often atrocious. You might want to consider doing a research year after second year, to give yourself time to get your head back in the game.

 

[Taurus]

Dude, if you have doubts, get out now. It gets worse from this point on. The clinical years are worse than the preclinicals one and residency is hell. Being an attending doesn't guarantee you happiness and satisfaction either. This message board is littered with threads from people in all stages of training regretting going into medicine.

 

[CigarTragic]

Hello all,

I'm not sure I want to go through all of this anymore. I'm a M1, and am really down about school...and the prospect of continuing on like this for the rest of my life. I passed all my first semester classes, and have started seeing someone (therapist) about this, but beginning this semester makes me just feel bleak. I go to a private school as well...so it is really expensive. IDK...does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

I am an M1 too.
Yes it is rough. But we'll get through it. Hang in there

 

[Pinkertinkle]

MS1 classes got you down? Looks like you can't handle what you signed up for, just wait until MS3 or internship. Might as well get out now and let someone who can handle it have your spot

 

[45408]

Such an encouraging bunch.

 

[Jayblue79]

Nobody else has felt like this?

 

[Re3iRtH]

Nobody else has felt like this?

Dude, if you are looking for words of encouragement, of course
many have felt the way you do. Some grinned and beared it, and some
got out early while they were ahead. If you need some serious
counseling I would suggest talking to one of your fellow students,
would be more effective than reading posts on sdn.

 

[CoryChevalier]

I think the first two years are crap....lots of lecture, lots of studying, lots of tests, and lack of patients. Once you hit third year, sure you're working like hell and in the hospital all the time, but at least its more what you signed up for when you thought "hey, i wanna be a doctor"....I personally don't like the 1st and 2nd year stuff at all but I've never liked lecture learning crap, I just grin and work through it

 

[LadyWolverine]

Jay,
I also had some doubts last year, very similar to yours. Going to see a counselor worked wonders for whatever problems I was having in my life at the time. Once I made it through to April, I felt 1,000 times better. My advice would be to stick it out at least until then, and see how you feel. Continue going to your counselor/therapy sessions/whatever works for you. Also, if you are not exercising and/or sleeping regularly, start.

I really believe that a lot of medical students have these problems. Many students battle chronic stress and depression, and a lot of people have to seek counseling/therapy - ESPECIALLY around this time of year. There's nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, it was around early February of last year that I finally started seeing someone about my problems, and I became much stronger and more focused as a result of my experience.

MS2 year is certainly no easier, but, from where I'm standing, you learn what you are capable of, and you recognize when you are burning out. I now can recognize certain signs and feelings in myself and my habits that tell me when I need to chill out, when I need to work harder, when I'm at my prime, and when I need to seek help. If you still feel this way after attempting therapy, talk to you administration or counselor in student affairs. They have seen many other students who are experiencing the same thing that you are - perhaps they can offer you some advice or help.

Good luck, and remember - LOTS of people go through this around this time of year. Stick it out - it'll be summer before you know it (it's amazing how morale increases as the days get longer). MS1 took FOREVER, but MS2 is flying by.

 

[DwyaneWade]

I have a theory that most people in my class have thought seriously about quitting at least once, and those that haven't have truly found their calling and simply love what they do OR just enjoy the pain.

The real question is why do you feel like quitting? Is it M1 classes? Is it being disillusioned with medicine in general? Unhappy with patient care? Feel like you can't keep up? Depending on which is your reason I think you will get very different answers.

Think back, why did you enter in the first place? What excited you about this field?

 

[johankriek]

MS1 classes got you down? Looks like you can't handle what you signed up for, just wait until MS3 or internship. Might as well get out now and let someone who can handle it have your spot

this is what you have to look forward to. dealing with people like the person who posted this. Medicine is Littered with people like this, which is one of the reasons medicine sucks..Its not a question of having the ability to handle it.. its a question of wanting to handle the bull****.

 

[-Goose-]

hang in there. we all feel this way from time to time.

 

[Reimat]

Nobody else has felt like this?

Most people have. Particularly post-exam time when you feel like you gave 110% yet still didn't do as well as you would've liked. It'll get better. Most med students need therapy (although not enough get it) and everyone feels down for periods.

If you passed all your classes, you are doing just fine! My first semester in med school was my worst grade-wise, and IMHO the information gets more interesting and easier to handle the further you get into the first 2 years. You're already 1/2 way done with the least interesting of the 4 years

 

[AK_MD2BE]

For the OP, I echo many of the same sentiments voiced by Lady Wolverine. For me, the key was to find my personal threshold (i.e. how much hours per day of studying/class that I could take without going crazy). Fortunately for me, I found that in November of MS1 year. It sounds cliche, but make sure you make time to do things that you enjoy every single day, whether its working out, watching movies/TV, praying/going to church, hanging out with friends/significant other, etc. As far as your current situation, I would STRONGLY recommend sticking it out until May when the semester ends. That way you are not making a rushed decision and you will have all summer to think/pray/contemplate your future. Good luck.

 

[lankysudanese]

If you passed all your classes, you are doing just fine! My first semester in med school was my worst grade-wise, and IMHO the information gets more interesting and easier to handle the further you get into the first 2 years. You're already 1/2 way done with the least interesting of the 4 years

I hated MS1, and seriously contemplated if i signed up for the right career/field. But that was because our curriculum was dry and more research-oriented (I'm more of a clinically-oriented person). But MS2 was absolutely amazing, and I really liked what we were learning about. It felt great to finally be able to think like a physician; creating differential diagnoses and get a grasp of therapeutics.

I don't know what it was about MS1 that you couldn't tolerate, but if it was the material, then things will definitely get better during MS2 and MS3. If it was the intensity and the time commitment, then I second everyone else in the thread by saying that it gets worse as you move from med student to resident to attending.

 

[OncoCaP]

Find something you enjoy and that you can earn a living doing, whether inside medicine or outside of it. For me shadowing physicians is a motivator because I really do enjoy many aspects of medicine, and it helps me appreciate why I need to know certain things quite well. However, I'm unusual in this respect. Most students simply endure the basic sciences. Sitting in a classroom isn't something we'll be paid to do in the future, so you might like your education more when you go into clinics (could be worse as well). Find something that works for you. Hope it works out well for you either way.

If you have serious doubts about medicine, you should probably finish out the year and then maybe take a leave of absence to do something like research at your school or volunteering in a foreign country to give yourself some time to get your bearings.

Medicine certainly isn't for everyone, particularly those who don't like to work hard for a few years during residency and basic sciences to some extent (depends on the school, your study habits, etc.). However, keep in mind that there are quite possibly things you wouldn't like about your next choice of career. Everything has it's pros and cons and the idea is not to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

From my perspective, just because other people in medicine feel lousy about their career choice from time to time and miserable to the point of needing therapy to endure it doesn't mean that it's ok or even "normal". I guess I've just seen so many careers that are actually pretty fun if you have a good match with the person and job. Outside of medicine, I really can't think of another line of studying or work where there is so much stress and disatisfaction for such a significant percentage of the participants.

It seems to me that a lot of people go into medicine because they like the perceived income, prestige, respect, etc. In med school you obviously don't get those things in great abundance so it's either delayed satisfaction or perhaps a poor choice altogether. On the flip sdie, many people like medicine (and not necessarily all the time of course). Keep in mind that most jobs have at least periods of intense work demands, sometimes a lot of menial work (paperwork) alongside people who are difficult (customers, bosses, etc.). Another factor in many jobs (including certain aspects of medicine) is that many jobs have components that are misdirected, futile, pointless, and even harmful. You really have to look and sometimes make some sacrifices to get into a career that is enjoyable long-term (and nothing is guarnateed). I hope you find something you really enjoy and do that, whether medicine or something else.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Pain is good for you. If you enjoy it, then it's a positive and not a negative. How would you feel if you didn't have to work hard through medical school? It's like going to boot camp. If you don't come out of it a more mature person it was kind of a waste of time. You have made a commitment to a profession. If you can't live up to your obligations/opportunities to study medicine you shouldn't have gone down that road in the first place. However, you should shadow and do things clinically related to see if this is what you want to do since it's the rest of your life you should worry about and not the 4 years of medical school.

What don't you like about school? Perhaps you should find things outside of school that you enjoy.

 

[sendwich]

great advice!

Jay,
I also had some doubts last year, very similar to yours. Going to see a counselor worked wonders for whatever problems I was having in my life at the time. Once I made it through to April, I felt 1,000 times better. My advice would be to stick it out at least until then, and see how you feel. Continue going to your counselor/therapy sessions/whatever works for you. Also, if you are not exercising and/or sleeping regularly, start.

I really believe that a lot of medical students have these problems. Many students battle chronic stress and depression, and a lot of people have to seek counseling/therapy - ESPECIALLY around this time of year. There's nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, it was around early February of last year that I finally started seeing someone about my problems, and I became much stronger and more focused as a result of my experience.

MS2 year is certainly no easier, but, from where I'm standing, you learn what you are capable of, and you recognize when you are burning out. I now can recognize certain signs and feelings in myself and my habits that tell me when I need to chill out, when I need to work harder, when I'm at my prime, and when I need to seek help. If you still feel this way after attempting therapy, talk to you administration or counselor in student affairs. They have seen many other students who are experiencing the same thing that you are - perhaps they can offer you some advice or help.

Good luck, and remember - LOTS of people go through this around this time of year. Stick it out - it'll be summer before you know it (it's amazing how morale increases as the days get longer). MS1 took FOREVER, but MS2 is flying by.

 

[Slide]

If it helps, preclinical years will absolutely not reflect the future years ahead in terms of what you will be doing. Upperclassmen in my school felt the same way about the basic science years, but as the years progressed, they loved it more. Even with long hours as an M3, the general sentiment I've heard from them is that they truly love what they do. However, this may be different at private institutions, and in this state down south, I have the feeling that most of the attendings try to be nice because most were raised with this southern aspect of professionalism/hospitality something.

 

[packgal]

Hey there,

I had the same problem first year, and now I'm a third year and get to wake up excited to go to the hospital almost every day. I suggest you spend some time in the hospital shadowing, scrubbing into OR cases that interest you, speaking with psych patients, or whatever might interest you. If you can find pleasure in that, then I suggest you stickwith it even if it's terrible and you know you aren't doing your best work. If you don't feel that the hospital has anything to offer you, then you might consider meeting with the administration to discuss taking a leave of absence.

Good luck!

 

[Blondbondgirl]

Jayblue, ignore the haters on this post and take heart from all of the great advice. You really aren't alone-I felt the same way, too! For me, it was scary to suddenly think I didn't have it all planned out and know what I wanted, I didn't know what else to do if I didn't do medicine and I flipped out- that was pre-clinical. I had some great people telling me to stick it out and it is really worth it (even if I am not in the American system, I think it's a universal med student thing). Now I know it was just a phase...

I think it would be really wise to at least wait till the summer and do some soul-searching (forget research!), shadowing, travelling, talking to people... Once you have some distance, it will be clear if you really are one of the very few people that started med school but won't finish or if it was just the winter/preclinical blues.

Good Luck!

 

[Law2Doc]

It seems to me that a lot of people go into medicine because they like the perceived income, prestige, respect, etc. In med school you obviously don't get those things in great abundance so it's either delayed satisfaction or perhaps a poor choice altogether.

I agree with this -- too many people lock in on hollow motivators -- things that won't happen for a decade if ever. The folks who are really interested in the subject matter and spent a lot of time exploring other options before launching into medicine tend to have less angst as compared to those who either went into medical school with notions of "saving the world" or those who went in for a lifestyle like those on MTV's Cribs, or for a lovelife as seen on Grey's.Too many people charge on to med school after college when they really should have taken a year or two to figure out what they wanted to do in life (had they done this, medicine may still have been the answer but they wouldn't have had so many lingering doubts).

Doesn't help the OP much (who I think probably should get to a point (either after first or second year) where s/he can take some time off with a "research year" during which s/he can figure out things and come back (or not) renewed and refreshed). But those who haven't taken the plunge yet ought to really think things through, take a year off if necessary, explore other things, and only then plunge into med school. It's a long haul, expensive, and hard to look back once you start. This thread is an example of why it always drives me nuts when someone in pre-allo wants to finish college in 2-3 years to get into med school earlier. Should be the other way round -- slow things up, make better decisions.

 

[njbmd]

Hello all,

I'm not sure I want to go through all of this anymore. I'm a M1, and am really down about school...and the prospect of continuing on like this for the rest of my life. I passed all my first semester classes, and have started seeing someone (therapist) about this, but beginning this semester makes me just feel bleak. I go to a private school as well...so it is really expensive. IDK...does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

Do be aware that many people have a fairly long period of adjustment when medical school starts. Also be aware that many people will feel as you do and it is good to get some help sorting out your feelings. Most people find that first and second year of medical school is similar to undergraduate with more volume but hit their stride during third year. Short answer, your experiences will change as you move through each year. Second year is different from first-year and third year from second year etc.

You might want to contact an attending (perhaps your faculty adviser) and spend some time seeing patients. Sometimes a break in the monotony of classwork/study work helps to make the pre-clinical years a bit more bearable.

Another strategy is to get away from school for a few hours each week to do something that is not related to medicine. This is where working out at the gym helps or taking a recreational class that doesn't involve reading or studying. In short, take a 3-hour vacation and get a change of scenery.

Good that you are talking things over with a therapist. It can help give you some perspective.

 

[Re3iRtH]

If it helps, preclinical years will absolutely not reflect the future years ahead in terms of what you will be doing. Upperclassmen in my school felt the same way about the basic science years, but as the years progressed, they loved it more. Even with long hours as an M3, the general sentiment I've heard from them is that they truly love what they do. However, this may be different at private institutions, and in this state down south, I have the feeling that most of the attendings try to be nice because most were raised with this southern aspect of professionalism/hospitality something.

These statements slightly scare me. I feel like I am enjoying my first year
way to much as compared to what most people say. Is this a bad sign?
I mean, does it mean that I will hate the clinical years? I am actually
getting excited about knowing more and more things than may help
me treat a patient. It seems like many people on here really disliked
the pre-clinical years and end up liking the clinical years better.
I guess I am just hoping that this is a positive sign that I chose the
right career path for me.

 

[Blade28]

I feel like I am enjoying my first year way to much as compared to what most people say. Is this a bad sign?
...
I guess I am just hoping that this is a positive sign that I chose the right career path for me.

No. I think it's a great sign!

Nothing wrong with loving what you're doing in med school. After all, it's what we've all dreamed of for so many years, right? Finally doing what you've imagined for years?

 

[biggiesmallsiz]

Hello all,

I'm not sure I want to go through all of this anymore. I'm a M1, and am really down about school...and the prospect of continuing on like this for the rest of my life. I passed all my first semester classes, and have started seeing someone (therapist) about this, but beginning this semester makes me just feel bleak. I go to a private school as well...so it is really expensive. IDK...does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

poor kid, i think you need some

 

[chicklett1]

Jay,
I also had some doubts last year, very similar to yours. Going to see a counselor worked wonders for whatever problems I was having in my life at the time. Once I made it through to April, I felt 1,000 times better. My advice would be to stick it out at least until then, and see how you feel. Continue going to your counselor/therapy sessions/whatever works for you. Also, if you are not exercising and/or sleeping regularly, start.

I really believe that a lot of medical students have these problems. Many students battle chronic stress and depression, and a lot of people have to seek counseling/therapy - ESPECIALLY around this time of year. There's nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, it was around early February of last year that I finally started seeing someone about my problems, and I became much stronger and more focused as a result of my experience.

MS2 year is certainly no easier, but, from where I'm standing, you learn what you are capable of, and you recognize when you are burning out. I now can recognize certain signs and feelings in myself and my habits that tell me when I need to chill out, when I need to work harder, when I'm at my prime, and when I need to seek help. If you still feel this way after attempting therapy, talk to you administration or counselor in student affairs. They have seen many other students who are experiencing the same thing that you are - perhaps they can offer you some advice or help.

Good luck, and remember - LOTS of people go through this around this time of year. Stick it out - it'll be summer before you know it (it's amazing how morale increases as the days get longer). MS1 took FOREVER, but MS2 is flying by.

What LadyWolverine said is spot on. I had a very similar experience. For me, it was a combo of being far away from family and friends, not quite being on the same page as my roommate, some interpersonal stress, and really, really, really hating Neuro. oh, and working really hard at neuro with mediocre results. I think, though, that even though I was really feeling down, I still wanted to be a doctor--I was just hating my life at that moment. Eventually, I found equilibrium. Maybe this is you too.

I'd say try as hard as you can to identify precisely what it is that is making you miserable. Maybe you just haven't found your stride yet. Med school is crazy and the demands are crazy and it can take a long time to figure out what your tolerance is for it and adjust accordingly. Do you dislike all of medical training or is it just one aspect? Are you too overworked and tired and stressed to have everything in perspective? Are you legitimately depressed? These things can change with good support.

If you're really starting to feel that medicine is just not the right choice for you, do what others have said, take some time off.

Good luck.

 

[mjl1717]

I have a theory that most people in my class have thought seriously about quitting at least once, and those that haven't have truly found their calling and simply love what they do OR just enjoy the pain.

The real question is why do you feel like quitting? Is it M1 classes? Is it being disillusioned with medicine in general? Unhappy with patient care? Feel like you can't keep up? Depending on which is your reason I think you will get very different answers.

Think back, why did you enter in the first place? What excited you about this field?

This post and Lady Wolverine's post are good.. Some of the negative people on this post are just "unconscientious idiots".. Medicine is supposedly a field with compassion, some is actually done for free. Although with these "unconscientious idiots" and controlled healthcare you would never know it. My advice would be ignore them..Also in general when there is some anxiety or stress many of your colleagues will actually INCREASE the anxiety unless they have become of enlightened.. Unfortunately only a select few will become enlightened..
Do not let these idiots fool you, they are getting gastritis, headaches, patterns of baldness, mysterious deposits of adipose tissue, unexpected family problems, freak accidents, new onset disease, depresson, hypertension, disease (dis-ease) , whatever, etc. that they dont want to talk about too!! No one, I repeat no one is totally immune to the stress!

 

[Jayblue79]

First, Thanks to everyone and their advice...I appreciate your wisdom and your time. I guess I'm just not adjusting adequately. I'm a married non-trad, with a non-science background. So I miss spending time with my wife, and we made the mistake of buying a house farther away from the campus so My commute is 30 to 40 minutes. I also don't like my schools curric that much. They schedule 7 hours of lecture a day (which I podcast) , with weekly quizzes that count for 15 to 40% of our final grade in some instances. I am already putting in 70 to 80 hours a week and the results are mediocre...far less time than my colleagues who are performing better than me (I'm in the bottom 50%) so that adds frustration. I have tried adjusting my study techniques in several ways, seen our academic advisor several times, etc. IDK.

 

[Slide]

First, Thanks to everyone and their advice...I appreciate your wisdom and your time. I guess I'm just not adjusting adequately. I'm a married non-trad, with a non-science background. So I miss spending time with my wife, and we made the mistake of buying a house farther away from the campus so My commute is 30 to 40 minutes. I also don't like my schools curric that much. They schedule 7 hours of lecture a day (which I podcast) , with weekly quizzes that count for 15 to 40% of our final grade in some instances. I am already putting in 70 to 80 hours a week and the results are mediocre...far less time than my colleagues who are performing better than me (I'm in the bottom 50%) so that adds frustration. I have tried adjusting my study techniques in several ways, seen our academic advisor several times, etc. IDK.

I had a similar schedule last year, and I know it's really hard to do at least 7 hours a day, with daily quizzes in physio. Our redeeming factor was that our packed 1st semester made spring semester a lot easier and palatable. Maybe there's a same deal at your school? Also, in the end, you just want to learn the info. Who cares if your work puts you in the bottom 50%; as long as you retain the information for Step 1, you're fine.

 

[PRIMER]

I am a firm believer in the fact that God places you in certain things for a reason, and he allows you to go through things to get stronger. Nothing worth having comes easy.

You appreciate things much more when you can look back and think of the things you went through to get to where you are. For example, my wife tells me all the time "people who grow up the way you did (in the ghetto, with a mother on drugs and 6 brothers and sisters) usually don't become doctors."

I look back and I think of what I had to do to get into medical school and I appreciate it so much more (though it is very tough at times). Right now look at it this way, feelings you are having right now, and the things you are going through right now are your ghetto, your mother on drugs and the six brothers and sisters, and insert whatever else you want to. I can promise you, if you truly signed up for this to help people, and when you finish medical school and residency, it will all be worth it. Just hang in there. I will try to remember to pray for you tonight.

 

[rgarrig]

Hello all,

I'm not sure I want to go through all of this anymore. I'm a M1, and am really down about school...and the prospect of continuing on like this for the rest of my life. I passed all my first semester classes, and have started seeing someone (therapist) about this, but beginning this semester makes me just feel bleak. I go to a private school as well...so it is really expensive. IDK...does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

I felt the same way during my first year (last year) and I am now very glad I stuck with it. For me, first year was hard because for the first time in a long time, I had no goal. Obviously, I wanted to 'do well' in medical school - whatever that means - but I had no concrete objective. During the very beginning of second year, I bought the book, "The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty", and started actively assessing the various career paths of an MD. Thankfully, there are a ton of options for an MD - private practice, academic practice, business, volunteering (or running a volunteer org), research, etc. Not only that, there are (as we all know) a ton of specialties to choose from.

Once I put in some serious effort to explore my options, I generated a list of specialty/career path combos that I believe I could spend the rest of my life doing - the true test, in my mind. Now I am once again goal-oriented and this has given me the drive to push through long, boring study sessions, and in general handle the abuses of being a medical student.

Now that you're finally in medical school, I think you should focus on establishing a long-term goal that includes graduating with your MD. That should do it.

Good luck, brother.

EDIT: I am also a married, non-trad with a semi-non science background (computer science - not a basic science, not important for medical school, but still somewhat of a science).

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

Don't get down on yourself for having doubts. Almost everybody has doubts, and the few that don't are the anomalies. Often times, the training for the career you want is very different than the career itself. I was not sure if going to med school was right for me, I'm a writer and got a one year deferral to attend a graduate writing program. This way, I could stop the insanity that was plaguing me for years : med school? writing/teaching english at a college? back and forth. I figured if i loved grad school as much as i loved writing and didn't have the urge to go to med school i'd stay in the English world. Well, lets just say I love writing more than almost anything. But, grad school was awful. Hardly any time to do the actual writing! Just a lot of silly classes that didn't have much to do with my goal, academic hoop jumping, etc. etc. Kind the way a lot of people feel about med school some of the time! Did i love writing any less? No! But I certainly didn't like what grad school was doing to my feelings about it. Sound familiar?

Seeing for myself the truth about pretty much every profession and what it takes to get where you want I realized that my fears of giving up writing for med school were silly. I was giving up writing for.... writing school!!! But during med school it's so much more time, it can feel like you're giving up everything. But if you at least keep your goal in mind, it will keep you on track and at least you have more choices post-residency for the way you want to form your life.

Everything has it's negatives. It was nice to have the time to see it for myself, even though everybody told me it's how i'd feel. But they were right. Med school is frustrating and not fun most of the time. But I know I want to be a doctor, and when those old doubts show up, i remember that i felt the same kinds of frustrations back in my other "career path". It always seemed greener on the other side.

So you enjoy what you can, find time to do the things that give you joy when you don't like the material you have to look elsewhere for something that envigorates you. Make sure that somewhere deep down is still that desire to be a doctor and then focus on what can help you keep your eye on that goal. Is there a certain specialty you'd like? Are you in a block or course that's completely unrelated right now? If you can acknowledge what is making things easier/worse at different times it may help.

Remember, if you truly have no desire to do medicine you don't HAVE to do it.
But if the desire is still there, see if you can recognize what your goals and if they're enough for you and see what bothers you and if you can look at your situation in a different way that helps. Those hard times will still come, I have them all the time, but you'll at least find it easier to see them for what they are. One of the many hoops everybody has to jump through in life, but at least once you jump through it you'll land where you want

 

[DwyaneWade]

First, Thanks to everyone and their advice...I appreciate your wisdom and your time. I guess I'm just not adjusting adequately. I'm a married non-trad, with a non-science background. So I miss spending time with my wife, and we made the mistake of buying a house farther away from the campus so My commute is 30 to 40 minutes. I also don't like my schools curric that much. They schedule 7 hours of lecture a day (which I podcast) , with weekly quizzes that count for 15 to 40% of our final grade in some instances. I am already putting in 70 to 80 hours a week and the results are mediocre...far less time than my colleagues who are performing better than me (I'm in the bottom 50%) so that adds frustration. I have tried adjusting my study techniques in several ways, seen our academic advisor several times, etc. IDK.

Don't compare yourself to your classmates. Just don't. They will be your colleagues, not your competitors one day. As long as YOU learn the material and understand it for your own sake then you will be successful.

 

[johankriek]

Don't compare yourself to your classmates. Just don't. They will be your colleagues, not your competitors one day. As long as YOU learn the material and understand it for your own sake then you will be successful.

I agree with this poster.. Dont compare yourself to your colleagues. I routinely got crappy grades.. really bad. I passed everything but it was always by the skin of my ass. I studied with people who would blow me away with their grades. My best friend was AOA I hung out with him all the time. studied together but i just couldnt pull it out. My board scores were always marginal (190 198 198) i passed them though.. I just couldnt make it work for me..

Fast forward now.. im board certified.. he is board certified.. diff fields. I make more than he.. I still hate medicine big time.. so does he..

moral: Just do the best you can. Life is short. be nice to people you meet and try to help them. Your life is not theirs. your strengths are not theirs. If you think medicine is not for you.. leave... I still feel I dont belong in this profession. very few colleagues i could let loose with.

 

[OncoCaP]

Lots of helpful people here. Medicine can be an excellent career, but it's not for everyone. A lot of people do hate the Basic Sciences and then like medicine when they get beyond that.

It's always interesting what people consider normal and worth doing. I think about professional defensive hockey players who get their teeth knocked out as a routine part of their job ...

Oleg: I don't know if I play hockey anymore. I had a couple of teeth knocked out the other day and now I can only gum fruits. Plus, I look and feel dumber. Doc says all those concussions are taking a toll.

Alex: Dude, you make $1.8 mill/yr. What do you care about teeth and brains? It's so totally worth it. I remember when I lost my first teeth getting slammed into a wooden railing in Kindergarten. You get used to it.

Oleg: Yeah, I guess you're right.

(I know nothing about hockey ... just that hockey players are good "customers" for physicians and maybe dentists occasionally)

 

[Re3iRtH]

I agree with this poster.. Dont compare yourself to your colleagues. I routinely got crappy grades.. really bad. I passed everything but it was always by the skin of my ass. I studied with people who would blow me away with their grades. My best friend was AOA I hung out with him all the time. studied together but i just couldnt pull it out. My board scores were always marginal (190 198 198) i passed them though.. I just couldnt make it work for me..

Fast forward now.. im board certified.. he is board certified.. diff fields. I make more than he.. I still hate medicine big time.. so does he..

moral: Just do the best you can. Life is short. be nice to people you meet and try to help them. Your life is not theirs. your strengths are not theirs. If you think medicine is not for you.. leave... I still feel I dont belong in this profession. very few colleagues i could let loose with.

You hate medicine big time? Then why are you wasting your
time with it, cause it makes good money? I can't picture spending
such a huge chunk of my waking hours doing something that I
hate big time. How do you deal with doing something you truly
hate for such a long time?
I would personally live on 50K$ a year and still be happy, then make
$200K$/year enuring the painful time of my job, just to eat nicer
food and drive a nicer car. I am not assuming your specific circumstances
but I am really curious about this.

 

[DrDude]

Those of you advising taking a year off to take it easy, travel, and do other totally non-med related things...

Someone told me when you apply for residency and licensing you must account for any time away from med school (other than school vacations). Some licensing apps even require documented corroboration of what you were doing. How would you explain that during your interviews or licensing application?

 

[OncoCaP]

Those of you advising taking a year off to take it easy, travel, and do other totally non-med related things...

Someone told me when you apply for residency and licensing you must account for any time away from med school (other than school vacations). Some licensing apps even require documented corroboration of what you were doing. How would you explain that during your interviews or licensing application?

Easy ... you do a year of research and publish a paper or two (no, it doesn't need to be a Nature or Science paper). Or if you hate research, you help provide primary care to a remote village in a location of your choice. Heck, they might even consider it a plus that you have something on your CV the next cat does not have. It's not like we are advising this person to take a year off and do nothing. Not only that, but if s/he comes back fired up and does really well ... well that's the idea. Some schools actually have various programs where you can get an MBA, MPH, MS, an it involves taking 1+ years off. On the other hand, some people never come back to medicine because they find something they like more and that's ok too. A less pleasant scenario would be if the OP took a year off and did something they hated even more than medicine and then had to get back into medicine (the education side) while hating it and being even more burned out ... it's not always so easy to figure out what you want to be when you grow up (and even then you might change your mind).

 

[sprinkibrio]

I feel like this sometimes... well, a lot of the time, but if I'm in a good head space it goes away. Can you really tell yourself that you would be happier working a 9-5 right now? Less lonely? Less burnt out? I personally don't think so.

I think the mid 20's are an extremely hard time for people... there no longer is that safe college feeling, everyone is choosing different paths and we get a little "grass is greener" sometimes. This does not mean you're always going to be unhappy in medicine. Medicine has SO SO SO many options after training. You really can pick and choose what will make you happy and set up your life and career how you want it to be. Just think of what's making you unhappy now and make a mental note to change that when you have the freedom to decide in the future.

Everyone who will be successful has to go through the mid 20's period where their working their butt off and no one's thanking them. I believe you will find something you'll enjoy in medicine.

 

[Law2Doc]

Easy ... you do a year of research and publish a paper or two (no, it doesn't need to be a Nature or Science paper). ...

Heck, they might even consider it a plus that you have something on your CV the next cat does not have. It's not like we are advising this person to take a year off and do nothing.

Exactly. You do a research year, work a handful of hours a day running gels or something while reading or surfing the net, and if the data pans out, you publish a paper or two. Looks good on the CV and gives you TONS of time to sort things out. No residency is going to have a problem with someone who researched for a year. Many encourage it.

 

[sprinkibrio]

Those of you advising taking a year off to take it easy, travel, and do other totally non-med related things...

Someone told me when you apply for residency and licensing you must account for any time away from med school (other than school vacations). Some licensing apps even require documented corroboration of what you were doing. How would you explain that during your interviews or licensing application?

This isn't like getting into medical school (even getting into med school doesn't require constant medical activities). They're not going to not license you because you traveled for a year or worked for the family company! JEEZE! And if your residency cares, obviously they have sticks up their ass and you wouldn't feel comfortable there anyway. Residencies don't want perfect robots who f o l l o w t h e p a t h u n t h i n k i n g w i t h o u t v e e r i n g. These people tend to not deal with other people very well and could possibly have a nervous breakdown from not taking care of themselves well enough..

You tell a residency director you wanted to take a year to explore other options and came to the conclusion that medicine was your calling he might possibly applaud you for your maturity. I guarantee this with psychiatry.

 

[johankriek]

You hate medicine big time? Then why are you wasting your
time with it, cause it makes good money? I QUOTE]

its called bills bills bills loans.. and i havent had the balls to leave.. I will maybe in cuppla years

 

[cfdavid]

Hello all,

I'm not sure I want to go through all of this anymore. I'm a M1, and am really down about school...and the prospect of continuing on like this for the rest of my life. I passed all my first semester classes, and have started seeing someone (therapist) about this, but beginning this semester makes me just feel bleak. I go to a private school as well...so it is really expensive. IDK...does it ever get better or is it just a life of enduring?

What the heck makes you think that practicing will be anything like the preclinical years??? This is just boot camp. I feel you may regret your decision if you let the rigors of your training impact your lifelong career prospects. Hang in there.

 

[pguin]

Im a first year also and definately have trouble keeping myself motivated and I really don't enjoy studying this information. I think the main thing to keep in mind is that absolutely nobody should get into medicine if their main joy in life is studying biochemistry or anatomy or histology. This is what Phd's are for. I just remember that I got into medicine because I want to APPLY all of these principle to help other people. It sucks having to learn the principles to start with but its necessary to do what I really enjoy...hang in there....after all, if you really like studying biochem there is probably something wrong with you!

 

[deleted77919]

No one says "I want to be a first and second year medical student when I grow up." If that's getting you down, then as others have said, best to tough it out. If however, you don't like the work you'll be doing as a doctor (difficult to evaluate but best done with clinical experiences, hence why medical schools want to see volunteering) then it's best to get out now, no matter how much you've borrowed.

There's always the option of moving to a non-extradition country.

 

[amkd]

you are definatly not alone! i am a 2nd year, currently wondering if i should take a year off or not. i will probably not d/t my personal situation but - but it's not an easy road, not for me at least and not for a lot of people. i just started seeing someone last week to help me get throught the rest of this year/boards so that i don't drive myself (or my husband) crazy!

the hardest thing NOT to do is comparing yourself to everyone else, you have to do YOUR best everytime and let that be that. if you know you are working hard, be satisfied with that! (i should take my own advice!) keep up the hard work!

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

Everybody hates their job.

We just get the luxury of hating it even before we get into it.

Make time for stuff you like to do, like people who have normal 9-5s that they hate. At least then you have something to look forward to. I hate med school and totally regret medicine as a career choice. But I still have stuff that I like to do, so that med school is just crap in between those times. Gets easier to bear with then. And then who knows. Maybe someday you'll like medicine.

 

[Law2Doc]

Everybody hates their job.

Not true at all. I have met many folks in many careers (including medicine and law) who truly love what they do. The trick is figuring out what makes you happy, what interests you (not just momentarily, but over the long haul), and figuring out if you can make a career of it. Folks going into medicine have an advantage in that they have the brainpower to choose amongst far more career options than the average joe. Which is why the average joe works for the weekend. He didn't have the options we did. He perhaps had to choose sales versus manufacturing versus delivery; 9 to 5 things with nothing interesting ever happening. By contrast, we are choosing an option that is never 9 to 5, often doesn't even have weekends off, and can frequently be interesting (if you pick right). Don't just go where the current takes you. Figure out what you enjoy, are interested in (whether it be in medicine, research, or something unrelated), and go full steam into making that your dream job, or incorporating some component of that into your work. As a career changer, I assure you, you are never stuck -- if you don't like the path you are on, change it. That is the advantage of having the mental abilities and education you do. Don't just kid yourself into thinking "everyone hates their job" so I'll just be one more. You have ability to fix things, an ability most folks don't.