OK, so how demanding is Med School?

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Liquidice07

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Currently working as an EMT-B and getting my degree in Chemistry. Planning on PA or MD but having difficult on choosing.

So how demanding is it? Do you have time to workout and do fun things you enjoyed in undergrad? Or is it all business and no fun for 4 years?
How is the actual course layout? Semesters? Quarters? Do you get summers and winters off?

Thanks for all the replies!!
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I'm a second year.

I don't attend lectures since all notes and lectures are posted online. I treat being in med school like a job....set aside 30-40 hours a week for studying. That means you'll end up doing about 5-6 hours of work each day (give or take).

When you think about it, 5-6 hours in a day is not bad at all. For example, I get up around 7 and start studying from 8 till about noon/1 pm. And I'm seriously studying during that time while taking 10 minute break every hour/hour and a half.

By lunch time, I've already accomplished 90% of day's work. So you can see how much free time I have on non-exam weeks.

During exam weeks, I ramp up my studying to 10 hours a day roughly 4 days before the exam.

For first 2 years, you have control over your schedule. Last 2 years, not so much. For example, on surgical rotations you pretty much won't have a life. While on family medicine rotation you'd be done by 3 pm.
 
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It's a lot of work. First two years tons of studying, second two years lots of working AND studying.

That's pretty much it.
 
It's a lot of time management, and it's a lot of deciding how good is "good enough." No matter what, you're going to lose a lot of your time for "mindless time wasters" like surfing the net and watching TV beyond your absolute favorite shows. Then, you will have time for working out and having fun just about no matter what, but the higher you're shooting for in your class, the less time you'll be able to set aside for those things.
 
Another second year: It's fairly similar to undergrad for me, I guess. You can def. treat it like a 8-5 (or maybe 6pm) job assuming you have reasonably good time management skills.

And my time management skills aren't that great, but I'm still surviving.

You know, I'm starting to think that second years get a lot more free time than first years in med school. I know it's true for me and my school, but I wonder if it's true at other schools, too...Any other med students care to speculate?
 
Yeah that seems to be the case for us here at PCOM too.

Last year, we were bombarded with Anatomy for 12 weeks then a 12 week block of subjects like Biochem, Molecular, Genetics, Heme/Onc, Path, etc. which was a wreck in itself because we had an exam every 2 weeks.

This year, though, we're starting off pretty slow. Add on top of that, most of us have figured out how to study efficiently so that gives us more free time. Not to mention, some people have decided to take it easy now because they will be going all out for boards later in the year.
 
Liquidice07 said:
Currently working as an EMT-B and getting my degree in Chemistry. Planning on PA or MD but having difficult on choosing.

So how demanding is it? Do you have time to workout and do fun things you enjoyed in undergrad? Or is it all business and no fun for 4 years?
How is the actual course layout? Semesters? Quarters? Do you get summers and winters off?

Thanks for all the replies!!
Click to expand...

So this is you from April...

Liquidice07 said:
And I am not really considering PA School. I was able to shadow a PA in an ER and she did the EXACT same thing as the doctor, so I figure I might as well do med school for the increased pay and increased opportunities elsewhere.
Click to expand...

I guess you've turned a corner on being a PA?

Anyways, yeah, med school...is hard. I got off the summer between first and second year of med school.

At this point, you should just focus on doing well in your classes and decide if you're willing to give up 4 years of your life, go wildly into debt, and then get paid a pittance for 4 years.

PA isn't a bad gig, for the exact reasons you earlier claimed turned you off from it. If you want good pay, good lifestyle, and ample opportunities, do PA school.
 
I'm half way through a 10 week block of Anatomy and Histology, so...

The short answer: It sucks.

The long answer: It sucks most of the time.
 
depends on you totally. but you will have time to work out. you may not have time for time demanding hobbies like rescuing pandas
 
I spend 4-5 hours in lecture every day, a few hours at the gym, and a few hours studying. I've cut down big time on things like TV watching, video games, and cooking. Your priorities may vary.
 
To the med students that have posted in this thread, could you comment on your diet in medical school? Have time restrictions lowered the quality of what you eat?
 
Wow, doesn't seem too bad. In my junior and senior years I was spending 3-4 hours per day in lectures and 5-7 hours on problem sets and studying.
 
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BaronVonZ said:
To the med students that have posted in this thread, could you comment on your diet in medical school? Have time restrictions lowered the quality of what you eat?
Click to expand...
x2, this is exactly what came to mind when one of the previous posters mentioned he/she didn't have time for cooking. I bodybuild and cook all of my meals.
 
BaronVonZ said:
To the med students that have posted in this thread, could you comment on your diet in medical school? Have time restrictions lowered the quality of what you eat?
Click to expand...

No.

If an exam is coming up, I stock up on healthy meals that are quick to make.
 
HotGhettoMess said:
x2, this is exactly what came to mind when one of the previous posters mentioned he/she didn't have time for cooking. I bodybuild and cook all of my meals.
Click to expand...
Slow cooker five pounds of chicken at a time. Rice cooker for your grains and eat raw fats, olive oil avocados etc, mostly raw vegetables and fruit.

Lots of good calories with nearly no time spent cooking.
 
I'm sort of surprised at some of the responses so far, so I'll add my experience. I'm a third year, and while third year is better for me so far (probably because I simply cannot do what I did anymore because I need to recharge) it has been considerably more work than some people on here have had. My first two years was basically working everyday all day. I actually attended lectures, though, and I was often in class from around 8 until 4. Then I would study until 9-11 depending on the year.

I will say, for me, second year was more work. There is more material second year in most programs, and that material is markedly more important. There is also the Step 1, which made my second semester a lot of work.

A lot of this is going to depend on how much you want to (or physically can) work. The problem is that most first/second years do not know what they want to do, so if you slack off or are treating it like an 8-5 job, your chances of scoring really highly on Step 1 are markedly diminished, and that is going to make it more difficult to get competitive residencies if you decide you want to become a radonc or NS or dermatologist, etc. There were people I am friends with who worked a lot less, and they also did significantly worse on the Step 1 than I did. Life is full of trade-offs, but if you go in without the idea that you're going to work as much as possible with some time off to do healthy things like work out, then you're in for a long life of disappointment.
 
It's time consuming enough that have to do the following (which I did not have to do in undergrad or grad school):

-Seriously limit the time spent on internet crap per day (~15 minutes)
-Avoid talking to friends and family on the phone except for an hour or so on Sunday
-Cook almost exclusively slow-cooker meals so they can be ready when I get home
-Study all day from 9am-9:30 pm except for few hours of hygiene (shower, etc), classroom activities, eating and commute time.

It's more than a full-time job. If you handle stress well, it's not terribly bad, but still challenging. I know some people who do not handle stress well and they are going nuts.
 
illegallysmooth said:
It's time consuming enough that have to do the following (which I did not have to do in undergrad or grad school):

-Seriously limit the time spent on internet crap per day (~15 minutes)
-Avoid talking to friends and family on the phone except for an hour or so on Sunday
-Cook almost exclusively slow-cooker meals so they can be ready when I get home
-Study all day from 9am-9:30 pm except for few hours of hygiene (shower, etc), classroom activities, eating and commute time.

It's more than a full-time job. If you handle stress well, it's not terribly bad, but still challenging. I know some people who do not handle stress well and they are going nuts.
Click to expand...


I never thought of slow cooker meals...great idea! Thankfully I live with my girlfriend/personal chef :) What sort of stuff do you make??

I like making
-Stuffed peppers
-Dark chocolate chili
-Paella
 
willen101383 said:
I never thought of slow cooker meals...great idea! Thankfully I live with my girlfriend/personal chef :) What sort of stuff do you make??

I like making
-Stuffed peppers
-Dark chocolate chili
-Paella
Click to expand...

In a slow cooker, I especially like pot roast, pulled pork, braised pork chops and chicken curry. When I'm looking for something new I go to foodnetwork.com and search for "slow cooker."
 
BaronVonZ said:
To the med students that have posted in this thread, could you comment on your diet in medical school? Have time restrictions lowered the quality of what you eat?
Click to expand...

I personally eat a lot better in medical school, but I didn't have a kitchen in college (it was a dining hall situation). So I'm totally going to town with the cooking stuff.

These past two weekends I've cooked: swordfish (on sale!), sweet potato/beans quesadilla, tamarind candies, banana bread with flaxseed, spaghetti with shrimp sauce, homemade pizza from scratch (including the crust). Lots of fruits and veggies, too!
 
damn looks like I'm the only one keeping Hungryman in business... :laugh:
 
BaronVonZ said:
To the med students that have posted in this thread, could you comment on your diet in medical school? Have time restrictions lowered the quality of what you eat?
Click to expand...

HotGhettoMess said:
x2, this is exactly what came to mind when one of the previous posters mentioned he/she didn't have time for cooking. I bodybuild and cook all of my meals.
Click to expand...

You'll have time for it if you make time. I still eat somewhat healthy but definitely not gourmet. Chicken, rice, sandwiches, protein bars, fruits and veggies, etc.
 
pianola said:
I personally eat a lot better in medical school, but I didn't have a kitchen in college (it was a dining hall situation). So I'm totally going to town with the cooking stuff.

These past two weekends I've cooked: swordfish (on sale!), sweet potato/beans quesadilla, tamarind candies, banana bread with flaxseed, spaghetti with shrimp sauce, homemade pizza from scratch (including the crust). Lots of fruits and veggies, too!
Click to expand...

Go easy on the swordfish - most of it has high concentrations of mercury as does shark. Fish like wild Alaskan salmon and also sardines have low amounts of mercury and are high in heart healthy fish oils. Some people do not like sardines but almost everyone loves wild salmon. Avoid farmed fish. I try to eat salmon at least once per week and two tins of sardines each week. You also get alot calcium from the sardines because you are eating their soft little bones as well as the flesh.
 
searun said:
Go easy on the swordfish - most of it has high concentrations of mercury as does shark. Fish like wild Alaskan salmon and also sardines have low amounts of mercury and are high in heart healthy fish oils. Some people do not like sardines but almost everyone loves wild salmon. Avoid farmed fish. I try to eat salmon at least once per week and two tins of sardines each week. You also get alot calcium from the sardines because you are eating their soft little bones as well as the flesh.
Click to expand...

i thought mercury wasn't such a big deal unless you were a kid, The Mad Hatter, or Jeremy Piven :confused:
 
searun said:
Go easy on the swordfish - most of it has high concentrations of mercury as does shark. Fish like wild Alaskan salmon and also sardines have low amounts of mercury and are high in heart healthy fish oils. Some people do not like sardines but almost everyone loves wild salmon. Avoid farmed fish. I try to eat salmon at least once per week and two tins of sardines each week. You also get alot calcium from the sardines because you are eating their soft little bones as well as the flesh.
Click to expand...

tic-tac-tictac-mint-a-rod-steriods-alex-rodriguez.jpg
 
searun said:
Go easy on the swordfish - most of it has high concentrations of mercury as does shark. Fish like wild Alaskan salmon and also sardines have low amounts of mercury and are high in heart healthy fish oils. Some people do not like sardines but almost everyone loves wild salmon. Avoid farmed fish. I try to eat salmon at least once per week and two tins of sardines each week. You also get alot calcium from the sardines because you are eating their soft little bones as well as the flesh.
Click to expand...

Haha, you sound like my mom! :D That's exactly what she said when I told her I had swordfish - down to the "eat salmon!". It was the first time I'd tried swordfish, though, so I should be ok mercury-wise.

Chicken satay for dinner tonight, folks!

Someone posting above me (too lazy to quote) said it right: You have time for what you make time for. And I made time for good food! :love:
 
If med school were a woman, on the scale down to earth to histrionic, med school would be bat-****-bi-polar homicidal-crazy....
 
pianola said:
I personally eat a lot better in medical school, but I didn't have a kitchen in college (it was a dining hall situation). So I'm totally going to town with the cooking stuff.

These past two weekends I've cooked: swordfish (on sale!), sweet potato/beans quesadilla, tamarind candies, banana bread with flaxseed, spaghetti with shrimp sauce, homemade pizza from scratch (including the crust). Lots of fruits and veggies, too!
Click to expand...

Watch out for carb face.
 
How the first two years of medical school will affect your lifestyle, diet, free time, etc, will depend on both you and your school. How hard you will need to work will depend on your intelligence, your study skills, how much of the coursework you've been exposed to before, and of course what your goals are. Your school will may have a more difficult courseload in first year or second year depending on how they structure their cirriculum. Most people I know managed to keep up with at least exercise and diet. Some people cruised, others worked 80 hours a week, but not many worked 120 hours a week.

Step 1 studying and third year swallows everyone's life. You may like the year if you enjoy being in the hospital, but you you will be IN the hospital all the f-ing time. Best case scenario you get to save one hobby or go out a couple of times a week. If you get a rotation that's an exception to this rule treasure it.

Fourth year is easy for just about everyone, though a few people who want difficult to get residencies will being doing hard 'audition' rotations right up until match day. After match day it should be easy for everyone who is not a complete masochist.

Residency sucks in varying degrees depending on your residency. As a general rule residencies get better over time. Most people seem to agree that Intern year is worse than third year.
 
Getting ready to start 2nd year TOMORROW!!! :eek::eek::eek:

1. Slow cooker FTW!

2. I learned the hard way...but you absolutely MUST make time for working out (or whatever hobby that keeps you sane).

3. If you live close to home or you are married...take full advantage of the support. My family loves to cook for me and my classmates...so we get hooked up with food quite often!
 
if you study 7 hours a day in undergrad

you are

1. overdoing it
2. will do the same thing and be more neurotic in med school

if you skip lectures in undergrad

you probably will skip them in med school.
 
PA is just as demanding if not worse than med school. The PA people I know are busy as hell.
 
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