Perfectionism and Pre-Allo

[MossyFiber]

Anyone else struggling with a case of perfectionism in their premed years and finding that it's seriously impending how well you could be doing and how happy you are overall?

I have a tendency of staying up half the night before an exam reworking material that I already know, just because I feel like I should be getting like a 99% even though a 91% would totally do. Or not submitting a physics lab until I've made it three times longer than it should be. Or feeling like I have to go to every set of posted office hours for a class to make sure I totally understand the material. And I try to wake up at 5 AM to go running, then work / do homework / go to class from 7 AM - 8 PM, sometimes without a lunch break, and then after five days of doing this I am completely brain dead and nonproductive over the weekend. Similarly I feel like I would be a lot happier / less stressed just planning to apply DO but I'm still thinking I HAVE to get into an MD school - I don't even know why.

How do you exist as a premed and not hate life? Supposedly if you're cut out to be a doctor in the US you're academically the best of the best... is it possible to make it into an MD school and not be perfect?

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[StoicJosher]

Most of those are not examples of perfectionism - more like neurosis.

 

[seafood92]

Most of those are not examples of perfectionism - more like neurosis.

Yup. You gotta relax man.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

There are no perfect applicants. Stop wasting the best years of your life or you'll just get depressed. Man, your life sounds like it sucks! I drank and partied and had friends and I'm still going to med school in August.

 

[MossyFiber]

But I don't LIKE drinking and partying. =[

 

[At0mic]

Anyone else struggling with a case of perfectionism in their premed years and finding that it's seriously impending how well you could be doing and how happy you are overall?

...after five days of doing this I am completely brain dead and nonproductive over the weekend.

How do you exist as a premed and not hate life?

Yeah, there are ups and downs with premed, but if you are feeling unhappy and unproductive then you need to do some thinking as to how you will deal with the even greater stress medical school brings with it.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

But I don't LIKE drinking and partying. =[

Well clearly you don't like studying all day either or you wouldn't be complaining about it. Not saying you have to do the things I did for fun, just do SOMETHING for fun.

 

[Freakfarm0]

Sounds like you've got a classic case of pre-med neuroticism.

You do not need to be perfect. Hell, you don't even need to be the best in your class to get into a medical school. And unless you are applying to the very elite medical schools, you do not need to be anywhere near the best.

Tone it down a little. Take the 91. Turn in a half-assed lab report. Enjoy college! As a doctor, you will have the prime of your life stripped away from you. College is the only time in your 20s in which you get to lead a (mostly) normal life!

 

[otggwmfs]

.

 

[Lilmissviolin]

I understand what you're going through-currently feeling the same way as a non-traditional applicant.

 

[flatearth22]

lol...you sound like the anti-version of me. I would calculate how low I could score on a test or how many lab reports I could half-ass and still pull off a B in a class....ahh...freshman year

 

[crazyasian]

lol...you sound like the anti-version of me. I would calculate how low I could score on a test or how many lab reports I could half-ass and still pull off a B in a class....ahh...freshman year

Lol this was me when I was struck with a case of senioritis my senior year

 

[MossyFiber]

I understand what you're going through-currently feeling the same way as a non-traditional applicant.

I had a REALLY rough time my first two years of college and ended up transferring elsewhere. My gpa was trashed and I'm going to end up graduating with something like a 3.3 (I'm a junior right now). So I feel like it's my last chance to finish up my bachelor's and do well. I have to do everything perfectly from here on out to offset my previous mistakes.

 

[Freakfarm0]

I had a REALLY rough time my first two years of college and ended up transferring elsewhere. My gpa was trashed and I'm going to end up graduating with something like a 3.3 (I'm a junior right now). So I feel like it's my last chance to finish up my bachelor's and do well. I have to do everything perfectly from here on out to offset my previous mistakes.

You can get into med school without having the magic 3.8.

 

[otggwmfs]

.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Actually SDN has me doing the opposite. I have found myself skipping class and putting off work to get the endless EC hours that SDN says I must have to get into med school.

What you need to do is to learn how to cram. People knock cramming but it is truly awesome, especially for information you'll never have to know again (like 99% of undergrad). I found that my grades have actually increased since I started cramming.

Edit: also realize A's are not worth sacrificing your happiness. You'll look back at this time with regret if you do.

 

[NeuralNetwork]

How do you exist as a premed and not hate life?

I think I would hate life if I wasn't premed..being premed throughout my time in college gave me something that streamlined and organized me. What would make me "hate life" would be to not have a focused goal and to just get by in classes (like a good proportion of my fraternity did ). I suppose everyone is different though in what makes them happy. Just some tips from what I saw in your post:

- Keep up the exercise..but seriously, get some sleep. Only wake up that early if it positively impacts your day and/or you're a morning person

- You don't need to be the best of the best..not even close. You just need to be good.

- Schedule your classes better

- Office hours are for: 1) if you truly need help with a topic you don't get (i.e. Wikipedia failed you), or 2) seeking a LOR, want more time with the professor. Stop wasting your time there, and workout during that time instead.

 

[QuizzicalApe]

I was always aiming for the best grades I could get, but I always tried to remember the concept of diminishing returns. Shoot for the top letter grade, but don't bust your balls to eke out another non-essential percentage point once you're solidly in that tier.

I ended up with a fair amount of free time, but traditionally I have been something of a skilled artisan when it comes to cramming a few days before a test.

 

[BenzylAcetate]

Anyone else struggling with a case of perfectionism in their premed years and finding that it's seriously impending how well you could be doing and how happy you are overall?

I have a tendency of staying up half the night before an exam reworking material that I already know, just because I feel like I should be getting like a 99% even though a 91% would totally do. Or not submitting a physics lab until I've made it three times longer than it should be. Or feeling like I have to go to every set of posted office hours for a class to make sure I totally understand the material. And I try to wake up at 5 AM to go running, then work / do homework / go to class from 7 AM - 8 PM, sometimes without a lunch break, and then after five days of doing this I am completely brain dead and nonproductive over the weekend. Similarly I feel like I would be a lot happier / less stressed just planning to apply DO but I'm still thinking I HAVE to get into an MD school - I don't even know why.

How do you exist as a premed and not hate life? Supposedly if you're cut out to be a doctor in the US you're academically the best of the best... is it possible to make it into an MD school and not be perfect?

Trololololo?

 

[deleted393595]

Anyone else struggling with a case of perfectionism in their premed years and finding that it's seriously impending how well you could be doing and how happy you are overall?

I have a tendency of staying up half the night before an exam reworking material that I already know, just because I feel like I should be getting like a 99% even though a 91% would totally do. Or not submitting a physics lab until I've made it three times longer than it should be. Or feeling like I have to go to every set of posted office hours for a class to make sure I totally understand the material. And I try to wake up at 5 AM to go running, then work / do homework / go to class from 7 AM - 8 PM, sometimes without a lunch break, and then after five days of doing this I am completely brain dead and nonproductive over the weekend. Similarly I feel like I would be a lot happier / less stressed just planning to apply DO but I'm still thinking I HAVE to get into an MD school - I don't even know why.

How do you exist as a premed and not hate life? Supposedly if you're cut out to be a doctor in the US you're academically the best of the best... is it possible to make it into an MD school and not be perfect?

You need to have your lunch on time and get some more sleep. And being brain-dead is part of it: you have to mix in some free non-productive time in there as well so that you don't get burnt out.

 

[orthomyxo]

lol...you sound like the anti-version of me. I would calculate how low I could score on a test or how many lab reports I could half-ass and still pull off a B in a class....ahh...freshman year

I still do that as a junior, except I aim for the minimum amount of work needed to get an A-. Feels good man.