Official Lessons Learned Thread

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fancymylotus said:
Things I wish my Younger Self Knew, by FML:

If you find someone who loves and respects you, and your family, literally everything else becomes superfluous and secondary. Hang on to that person

Pick your goddam battles. Personal, professional, friends family etc just evaluate whether something is really worth fighting over and about before you jump headfirst into a war

Loved ones are so precious. Sometimes it doesn't take an extravagant gesture or showy display of affection to remind them that they are important and you are thinking of them, especially when professional school eats away your time/life/soul

Never stop learning, or wanting to learn, and trying to better yourself. Don't become stagnant and stuck. Explore things. Try something you thought you might not be able to do.

Take some classes in subjects not related at all to your major in undergrad.

Party your face off, if you need to, and get it out of your system. Fast.

Cheap alcohol is not your friend

Speaking of friends, hold on tight to the ones who are there for you on your absolute worst days. They're the ones who will celebrate your best days with you, too.

Even if you hate it, like I do, learn to cook at least a few basic things. It's always healthier that way, plus you get to control what's going into your food. Meal prepping for the week is a wonderful thing. And a gigantic time saver.

Starbucks is not worth the money.

I'm now on the other side of things and I will tell you with absolute certainty that all the bags and shoes and fancy cars in the world cannot fix a depressed miserable person. Remember that. Think about the choices you make today that impact the things that happen tomorrow. Sure, the $$$$ is great, but it doesn't make up for lost time with people, broken relationships, being a horrid person, or hating your life because you chose the wrong career path for the wrong reasons.

Oh, and never stop being thankful. There is so much to be thankful for even when SHTF.
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<3
 
Always learn with feverish passion, but make sure to cool down from time to time and really think levelheadedly regarding how the professor wants you to think and how the exams are set up.

As someone commented earlier, to excel in college grade wise, part of it is about learning smartly. This lesson is learned after many failed attempts to know-it-all and question-it-all in several classes that I am particularly interested beyond achieving good grades. I may have had a greater exposure to the material (read the entire text book twice when prof only referred to it occasionally) but lacked the focused learning (study the PowerPoint excessively) that was necessary to ace the exams.

Thankfully those mishaps never affected my GPA much, which leads to the second lesson: don't panic if you have a couple bad grades. One hole won't bring down the Great Wall.
 
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I learned that if I pick a future goal and work towards it a little bit each day, it can really happen for me, too.

I learned that I can't do it alone--the being human part.

I learned how lucky I was to have grown up surrounded by positive role models. How much of a difference does it make to have a parent that reads with you every night from ages 3-10? Where would I be if I didn't have family members to save the day when I couldn't?
 
Lannister said:
My gen chem teacher suggested I take honors ochem because I did very well in gen chem and he said honors related to medicine more than regular ochem. So I decided to take it. What a mistake. The class was awful. We spent most of the first semester learning the synthesis of crystal meth. Second semester was better, until at the very last second (like literally the last second, after we had taken the final), the professor increased all the grade cut-offs by like 10-15% so that everyone got one letter grade lower than they were expecting. I didn't even learn how to name molecules.

What I learned: never trust a professor. They're always wrong.

Haha but really, what I learned: taking honors classes doesn't make you look better. It's not worth it unless you have a genuine interest in the subject.
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"We spent most of the first semester learning the synthesis of crystal meth:

Sounds pretty amazing to me.
 
Biggest lesson I learned: protect your GPA at all costs because having to rely on an exceptional MCAT score to make up for earlier mistakes is the worst position to be in. I had to find out the hard way that the community college I attended EIGHT years ago does not erase bad grades until they are 10 years old...thats longer than bad credit follows you around.
 
Thisisthelife said:
Biggest lesson I learned: protect your GPA at all costs because having to rely on an exceptional MCAT score to make up for earlier mistakes is the worst position to be in. I had to find out the hard way that the community college I attended EIGHT years ago does not erase bad grades until they are 10 years old...thats longer than bad credit follows you around.
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Ain't that the truth. My parents don't understand.. When I decide to take a more conservative approach to a semester my Dad likes to remind me that I don't have to get all A's. I'm like Dad, medical school is really competitive..
He was a chiropractor and he thinks he knows it all..
 
Dr Van Helsing said:
Ain't that the truth. My parents don't understand.. When I decide to take a more conservative approach to a semester my Dad likes to remind me that I don't have to get all A's. I'm like Dad, medical school is really competitive..
He was a chiropractor and he thinks he knows it all..
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Lol, I had a passable semester of a 3.68 that I had mixed feelings of and my mother told me that A's and B's are still good.

If you aim high for a 4.0 and mostly maintain it, the worst you'll get is a 3.7-3.8 in the long run.
 
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altblue said:
Lol, I had a passable semester of a 3.68 that I had mixed feelings of and my mother told me that A's and B's are still good.

If you aim high for a 4.0 and mostly maintaing it, the worst you'll get is a 3.7-3.8 in the long run.
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That's my logic.
 
1) you're stronger than you think - whether it's studying for the mcat, running a marathon, or just dealing with a tough situation - take a second and take a step back to separate out what is really troubling you and what other minor stuff you are lumping in with it. It helps make everything less overwhelming when you can compartmentalize in a healthy manner so your stress/anxiety isn't a nebulous, overwhelming force

2) my mom gave me this advice about determining what people should be in your life and who it's ok to let go: "you should be with people who would swim through sharks to bring you lemonade". Silly quote but the sentiment is wonderful

3) even if you're a nontrad, dont do major content review for the mcat. Do a trillion practice problems and re read the sections where you're consistently missing questions

4) be a real person during interviews. Have an idea of what traits/anecdotes/accomplishments you would like to get across for your interviewer and work them in, but imagine you're talking to a friend of a friend. Be on your best behavior but be relatable
 
1. dont date a guy who serenades you with a ukelele in his closet
2. if you're a science major who ****s on non-science majors for majoring in english, history or the like, you're a peasant
3. work hard
4. study more than you think you should when you're a freshman
5. support your friends who are going through this insaneeeeeeeeee process
 
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Pedsmdplease said:
1)
3) even if you're a nontrad, dont do major content review for the mcat. Do a trillion practice problems and re read the sections where you're consistently missing questions
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True this. This would have saved my rear had I tried this sooner.

Exmachina said:
1. dont date a guy who serenades you with a ukelele in his closet
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I would love the hear the rest of this story! +pity+
 
1. I wish I would have learned to relax. I used to be such a worrier before my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, but after that life was put in perspective for me. And I am glad it was. Fear of failure was such a debilitating thing for me, especially since I did not even know what "failing" meant. So eventually, and I mean literally my last semester, I learned not to freak out about exams and over study. Make a schedule, do your work, but also let yourself breathe.

2. Don't get caught up in the status race during undergrad, or ever really. Placing inherent value on things like future salary, material gain, and "status" can be so damaging to your self-esteem. Of course, this doesn't mean you can't shoot high. Just remember to be a human being. Allow time for yourself and for others. Be understanding and stop being judgmental.

3. Exercise. Your life is soooo much better if you do some every day.

4. Starbucks is NOT worth the money at all.

5. Keep your good friends close.

6. The internet is your friend when you don't understand material in class. Be resourceful.

7. Learn to cook. Your palate will thank you. So will your body.

8. Keep a schedule in writing. Make deadlines and meet them. This is especially important while studying and applying to medical school.
 
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES*, TAKE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY OVER THE SUMMER.
It ruined my GPA, and I'm a pretty good student.

*Unless the circumstance is that you are very good at studying and are prepared to learn 40+ reactions and their mechanisms in two weeks.
 
secpremed1516 said:
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES*, TAKE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY OVER THE SUMMER.
It ruined my GPA, and I'm a pretty good student.

*Unless the circumstance is that you are very good at studying and are prepared to learn 40+ reactions and their mechanisms in two weeks.
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Thanks for the advice; summer courses are very tempting.
 
I would love the hear the rest of this story! +pity+[/QUOTE]

He was just an dingus hipster who was super pretentious about his music tastes and thought that serenading with a uke instead of a guitar would be cute. I thought it was cute at the time until I found out he wasnt genuine about it. lol.
 
theriomorphos said:
Here is an insight I would like to share with you guys. I had a privilege of speaking to two MIT professors ( I am not at MIT ) and here is what they had to say : Passion for learning new things should never stop. One should be excited to learn new things on a regular basis,Go to a class just as a kid who would go to a humongous toy store with unparalleled excitement. Become a sponge. You should be absolutely fascinated and in awe of what your currently being taught. Think of those topics, concepts and subjects with your own unique perspective. When the going gets tough, remind yourself of why you choose to do this in the first place, take a step back to remember the early days when you were absolutely smitten by it Your passion for it should be contagious. If you approach studies in this manner not only will you have a deeper understanding but your grades will follow too. On the other hand if you are too concerned about the grades it will narrow down your learning process, resulting in shallow learning because all you think of is grades. If you do not have that fire, passion, excitement and the burning desire to learn, then you are just wasting time, money and energy which could have been utilized elsewhere.
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Hate to say this but thats a lie. I approached learning this way and I didnt make straight A's because tests are not built around how interested you are in a subject they are built around how well you take tests.
 
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My serious answer and one I've given a lot of thought to: Learn anatomy now. Screw everyone who says "Oh don't waste your time with that, you'll learn it in school." **** that! The fact of the matter is that you'll be slowly drowning in the sea of information that is med school and you won't actually learn anything. Learn that **** now and your first semester will be a piece of freaking cake...seriously. I'm not ****ting you. I waited, I listened to other med students and everyone on SDN and you know what? That advice sounds really legit. "Oh, don't bother studying that now, you'll learn it later." Set yourself up to start med school as the easiest semester of your life. If you know it, then you only have to review and figure out the way your teachers will test.
In the grand scheme of things, anatomy is only a small portion of med school. But, think about how wonderful you'll feel, when you're teaching that ish to other students who are struggling under the weight of all that bs the teachers want you to know. Set yourself up for success and not a struggle.
 
MirrorTodd said:
My serious answer and one I've given a lot of thought to: Learn anatomy now. Screw everyone who says "Oh don't waste your time with that, you'll learn it in school." **** that! The fact of the matter is that you'll be slowly drowning in the sea of information that is med school and you won't actually learn anything. Learn that **** now and your first semester will be a piece of freaking cake...seriously. I'm not ****ting you. I waited, I listened to other med students and everyone on SDN and you know what? That advice sounds really legit. "Oh, don't bother studying that now, you'll learn it later." Set yourself up to start med school as the easiest semester of your life. If you know it, then you only have to review and figure out the way your teachers will test.
In the grand scheme of things, anatomy is only a small portion of med school. But, think about how wonderful you'll feel, when you're teaching that ish to other students who are struggling under the weight of all that bs the teachers want you to know. Set yourself up for success and not a struggle.
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No.
 
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MirrorTodd said:
My serious answer and one I've given a lot of thought to: Learn anatomy now. Screw everyone who says "Oh don't waste your time with that, you'll learn it in school." **** that! The fact of the matter is that you'll be slowly drowning in the sea of information that is med school and you won't actually learn anything. Learn that **** now and your first semester will be a piece of freaking cake...seriously. I'm not ****ting you. I waited, I listened to other med students and everyone on SDN and you know what? That advice sounds really legit. "Oh, don't bother studying that now, you'll learn it later." Set yourself up to start med school as the easiest semester of your life. If you know it, then you only have to review and figure out the way your teachers will test.
In the grand scheme of things, anatomy is only a small portion of med school. But, think about how wonderful you'll feel, when you're teaching that ish to other students who are struggling under the weight of all that bs the teachers want you to know. Set yourself up for success and not a struggle.
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Not all schools start with anatomy off the bat, or teach it in one fail swoop of a block. So, yeah...bad advice is bad.
 
WillburCobb said:
Not all schools start with anatomy off the bat, or teach it in one fail swoop of a block. So, yeah...bad advice is bad.
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Telling people to learn something is bad advice? Look, it's not even that difficult of a subject to learn and it wouldn't be that difficult to review it on a bi-yearly basis. I mean, unless some fockers are taking a ****eload of credits every semester and they have absolutely no life, it wouldn't be that hard to study it in your free time, even if you aren't taking anatomy in undergrad. So, even if the school you got into didn't teach in all in one semester, how is it bad to learn it beforehand? Like I said, set yourself up for success...at least in 1 subject.
 
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MirrorTodd said:
Telling people to learn something is bad advice? Look, it's not even that difficult of a subject to learn and it wouldn't be that difficult to review it on a bi-yearly basis. I mean, unless some fockers are taking a ****eload of credits every semester and they have absolutely no life, it wouldn't be that hard to study it in your free time, even if you aren't taking anatomy in undergrad. So, even if the school you got into didn't teach in all in one semester, how is it bad to learn it beforehand. Like I said, set yourself up for success...at least in 1 subject.
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On the other hand you could just enjoy your freetime and learn it at is comes. It's not that hard or time consuming.
 
WillburCobb said:
On the other hand you could just enjoy your freetime and learn it at is comes. It's not that hard or time consuming.
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Unless my experience was vastly different that everyone else's college experience...I had more free time than I knew what to do with. If someone had motivated me to study beforehand and start med school well prepared, I would be kissing their feet right, because I wouldn't be fighting to break out of the middle of the pack...I'd be at the top (not literally obviously cause I'm not a freaking genius, but still). So I leave it to any college student that is reading this. You can learn anatomy now or save it for later. I would learn it now.
 
MirrorTodd said:
Unless my experience was vastly different that everyone else's college experience...I had more free time than I knew what to do with. If someone had motivated me to study beforehand and start med school well prepared, I would be kissing their feet right, because I wouldn't be fighting to break out of the middle of the pack...I'd be at the top (not literally obviously cause I'm not a freaking genius, but still). So I leave it to any college student that is reading this. You can learn anatomy now or save it for later. I would learn it now.
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People at my undergrad don't have time to learn anatomy on their own. This is with 15-18 credits per semester + relevant EC's and leadership roles. And I'm not wasting my time before med school studying when this is my last 6 months to NOT study.
 
Ace Khalifa said:
And I'm not wasting my time before med school studying when this is my last 6 months to NOT study.
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This. Anatomy isn't hard. It's shear memorization. Just make adequate time to go over stuff in the gross lab and muscle tables (origin, insertion, blood supply, inervation, what ever else you're expected to know, etc.). It's seriously not that hard or time consuming. Enjoy your freetime while it lasts.
 
Ace Khalifa said:
People at my undergrad don't have time to learn anatomy on their own. This is with 15-18 credits per semester + relevant EC's and leadership roles. And I'm not wasting my time before med school studying when this is my last 6 months to NOT study.
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That's the exact attitude I had...except that it's wrong. Studying is NOT a waste of time and one could still have TONS of free time to do whatever they wanted. I'm not trying to force anyone to take my advice, but hopefully, someone will take it to heart and be better prepared for med school once they start.
 
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Why all the hate towards learning anatomy early? I plan to start an online anatomy course soon that I plan to complete prior towards matriculation partially to keep my mind sharp while giving me early exposure towards relevant information that I'm unfamiliar with. I'm just treating it as one of my remaining gap months goals/activities.
 
aprimenumber said:
Why all the hate towards learning anatomy early? I plan to start an online anatomy course soon that I plan to complete prior towards matriculation partially to keep my mind sharp while giving me early exposure towards relevant information that I'm unfamiliar with. I'm just treating it as one of my remaining gap months goals/activities.
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Because it's not hard, and there are MUCH better things you can do in your free time before school starts.
 
WillburCobb said:
Because it's not hard, and there are MUCH better things you can do in your free time before school starts.
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Fair enough. I'm only taking the course because it's free and it'll only take up a very small chunk of the free time that I have.
 
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aprimenumber said:
Why all the hate towards learning anatomy early? I plan to start an online anatomy course soon that I plan to complete prior towards matriculation partially to keep my mind sharp while giving me early exposure towards relevant information that I'm unfamiliar with. I'm just treating it as one of my remaining gap months goals/activities.
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Why do always end up disagreeing on something lol? Lots of med students on here have previously stated, "No, don't do any pre-studying before med school. Don't pick up a biochem textbook. Don't try to learn any anatomy or whatever because you'll just forget everything by the time you start med school." Now, if you're absolutely sure you're gonna study for this online anatomy course 120% like you would any other course, then sure, go ahead. But I know that I would never want to sacrifice any of my free time for something that has a known track record for producing no benefits, especially during these last remaining months.
 
aprimenumber said:
Fair enough. I'm only taking the course because it's free and it'll only take up a very small chunk of the free time that I have.
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Different strokes for different folks, if you wanna do it go for it. Different profs. have different expectations as to what they want you to know for anatomy (core stuff overlaps, the variations tend to lie in more nuanced things). Just don't do it expecting to get a leg up.
 
aprimenumber said:
Why all the hate towards learning anatomy early? I plan to start an online anatomy course soon that I plan to complete prior towards matriculation partially to keep my mind sharp while giving me early exposure towards relevant information that I'm unfamiliar with. I'm just treating it as one of my remaining gap months goals/activities.
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I believe that you're making a wise decision. Others don't agree and I believe part of that is because it is constantly reinforced by a lot of people out there, some with experience and some without (not directed towards Wilbur or ACE). A lot of people say it's a waste of time, or that there is no sense in learning it now since you will be forced to learn it for med school. But I disagree with that wholeheartedly.

EDIT: I should probably specify that I'm not talking about studying it the summer before med school. If that floats your boat then go for it. But, I'm talking about studying it junior/senior year and getting the whole knowledge base down so that you aren't struggling so hard when med school starts. It worked for me in biochem. I had a great teacher and I studied it hard (it was a requirement for my major as well as a prereq for a lot of schools I applied to) and found that I had a much easier time because I knew it before med school even started.
 
If there's anything I learned during this cycle it's this:
There are PLENTY more smart, talented, driven, and accomplished people in the world...than you think there are. Really puts things into perspective when you consistently rub shoulders with the best and the brightest in the land.
 
Ace Khalifa said:
Why do always end up disagreeing on something lol? Lots of med students on here have previously stated, "No, don't do any pre-studying before med school. Don't pick up a biochem textbook. Don't try to learn any anatomy or whatever because you'll just forget everything by the time you start med school." Now, if you're absolutely sure you're gonna study for this online anatomy course 120% like you would any other course, then sure, go ahead. But I know that I would never want to sacrifice any of my free time for something that has a known track record for producing no benefits, especially during these last remaining months.
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Because it always takes you a little while before you change your mind and agree with me 😉. It's actually very fitting that you raised that question in this thread, since this was the thread where I first raised my belief that no one "deserves" to become a physician.

EDIT: And vice versa.
 
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Australopithekus said:
*Glances uncomfortably at recently-purchased anatomy atlas sitting a few feet away.*
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See that's definitely not what I would tell people to do. If you're starting school soon, in a couple months whatever, don't bother studying it. But if you've got a few years of undergrad left, then do yourself a favor and LEARN it. If you have enough time, you can most definitely learn it, and not just study the atlas or read an anatomy book a couple times a month while pausing to watch some porn every five minutes.
 
Unless "studying" anatomy keeps you from illegal or harmful activities, let us teach it.
There are only about 6 questions on step 1 and each school has their own particular way of teaching and evaluating it.
 
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