possible dismissal from BS/MD

[medschoolstruggle]

Okay so let me break it down. I am currently an M1 in a BS/MD program. I look a leave of absence because I wasn't doing so well and was so drained from coming right out of HS into this program and getting my BS in 3 years and then doing medical school online during a pandemic. I got AMAZING hands on experience during my loa and i came back to school feeling refreshed and confident and was doing great until my cardio module. My school has me on academic probation and is considering me for dismissal. ( might i add i failed these classes during the pandemic while dealing with personal issues that they are aware of ) According to my advisor he says there is a good chance i can just retake the test but what happens from now on, will the rest of my med school journey have to be perfect?

I think going into a BS/MD program right from hs a lot of pros but also a lot of cons. I lack hands on experience and knowledge thats gained from going the traditional route or even applying later in life. The majority of my experience that I would have had was all online because of COVID. Now that my school is considering me for dismissal I am rethinking why I don't think my performance is at its best. I think that I need more time to grow and experience and become more knowledgeable.

BUT wouldn't it be stupid to loose my spot and take the chance of applying the traditional route? What if my school dimisses me? Would it look better to drop out than to be kicked out? Please help. If I do leave what program or job would i get and will i even have a chance to get in a med school again.

I knew a BS/MD program was rigorous but I applied so young and did not know that experiences that I would be missing out on. Going the traditional route you are forced to do shadowing hours or research or hands on experiences that expose you to the medical field and increase your knowledge. Studying for the MCAT alone is something that teaches discipline and you start med school off with all this information already. Coming right from high school we dont get that exposure and we are still so young. Even my own faculty talks about we are already at a disadvantage because of this and it shows ( for ex our step scores are terrible)

PS i have other reasons for not liking my program and the way the staff treats students and handled the pandemic, also this program is supposed to be for underrepresented students and most of the kids are rich whose parents went to this program and donate money to it.

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[DarkBluMage]

Okay so let me break it down. I am currently an M1 in a BS/MD program. I look a leave of absence because I wasn't doing so well and was so drained from coming right out of HS into this program and getting my BS in 3 years and then doing medical school online during a pandemic. I got AMAZING hands on experience during my loa and i came back to school feeling refreshed and confident and was doing great until my cardio module. My school has me on academic probation and is considering me for dismissal. ( might i add i failed these classes during the pandemic while dealing with personal issues that they are aware of ) According to my advisor he says there is a good chance i can just retake the test but what happens from now on, will the rest of my med school journey have to be perfect?

I think going into a BS/MD program right from hs a lot of pros but also a lot of cons. I lack hands on experience and knowledge thats gained from going the traditional route or even applying later in life. The majority of my experience that I would have had was all online because of COVID. Now that my school is considering me for dismissal I am rethinking why I don't think my performance is at its best. I think that I need more time to grow and experience and become more knowledgeable.

BUT wouldn't it be stupid to loose my spot and take the chance of applying the traditional route? What if my school dimisses me? Would it look better to drop out than to be kicked out? Please help. If I do leave what program or job would i get and will i even have a chance to get in a med school again.

I knew a BS/MD program was rigorous but I applied so young and did not know that experiences that I would be missing out on.

PS i have other reasons for not liking my program and the way the staff treats students and handled the pandemic, also this program is supposed to be for underrepresented students and most of the kids are rich whose parents went to this program and donate money to it.

If you leave med school you can kiss your career of being a doctor goodbye. It’s hard enough to get into one. Trying to make it in to another med school after voluntarily withdrawing is next to zero.
I would kill to be in your shoes and have been able to go to med school straight after college. So many students have to take gap years to be competitive for med school or they have other set backs and it takes years for them to get accepted or even those that work so hard towards it and never make it into med school. If they choose to dismiss you but give you the chance to withdraw so it doesn’t look like a dismissal then take it. You could still have a shot at Carib schools. If they choose to let you remain in the program then finish med school unless you decide you don’t want to be a physician. Think long and hard about what you’re doing.
Also I’m not sure what experiences you think you’re missing out on, but most non-trads take gap years for research/clinical experiences because they have to in order to be competitive and not necessarily because they want to. Ask most people and I’d think they’d want to slide straight into medical school out of college.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

You need to do whatever it takes to pass remediation and or all future tests and not get dismissed or your career in medicine is over as mentioned above.

I know it’s tough as I just went through a tough breakup and was having a lot of trouble focusing. How I helped it

1. Go to library (studying at home is too distraction prone) and leave iPhone at home or in a locker (assuming it’s safe to walk around without one—I know some med schools are in bad areas)

2. Do not procrastinate, review the slides and anki in advance if possible. Listen to music on laptop or iPad if it helps

 

[GoSpursGo]

Just don’t fail this test. That is much easier than withdrawing/being dismissed, and then having to reapply and hope you do better next time

 

[medschoolstruggle]

If you leave med school you can kiss your career of being a doctor goodbye. It’s hard enough to get into one. Trying to make it in to another med school after voluntarily withdrawing is next to zero.
I would kill to be in your shoes and have been able to go to med school straight after college. So many students have to take gap years to be competitive for med school or they have other set backs and it takes years for them to get accepted or even those that work so hard towards it and never make it into med school. If they choose to dismiss you but give you the chance to withdraw so it doesn’t look like a dismissal then take it. You could still have a shot at Carib schools. If they choose to let you remain in the program then finish med school unless you decide you don’t want to be a physician. Think long and hard about what you’re doing.
Also I’m not sure what experiences you think you’re missing out on, but most non-trads take gap years for research/clinical experiences because they have to in order to be competitive and not necessarily because they want to. Ask most people and I’d think they’d want to slide straight into medical school out of college.

Going the traditional route you are forced to do shadowing hours or research or hands on experiences that expose you to the medical field and increase your knowledge. Studying for the MCAT alone is something that teaches discipline and you start med school off with all this information already. Coming right from high school we dont get that exposure and we are still so young. Even my own faculty talks about we are already at a disadvantage because of this and it shows ( for ex our step scores are terrible)

 

[medschoolstruggle]

Just don’t fail this test. That is much easier than withdrawing/being dismissed, and then having to reapply and hope you do better next time

i know i could pass it but then i worry about M2 year. i feel like i have no room for mistakes and my anxiety will just be through the roof

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

The traditional route ship has already passed though

 

[medschoolstruggle]

The traditional route ship has already passed though

how? im only 22 y/o and have a BS already

 

[DarkBluMage]

how? im only 22 y/o and have a BS already

Do you think med school is like undergrad? You don’t just hop med schools. Even transferring med schools is difficult let alone trying to reapply and get into one after already having matriculated. You don’t seem like you understand the situation.

 

[DarkBluMage]

Going the traditional route you are forced to do shadowing hours or research or hands on experiences that expose you to the medical field and increase your knowledge. Studying for the MCAT alone is something that teaches discipline and you start med school off with all this information already. Coming right from high school we dont get that exposure and we are still so young. Even my own faculty talks about we are already at a disadvantage because of this and it shows ( for ex our step scores are terrible)

None of those experiences are worth leaving medical school for. You’ll get more valuable hands on experience in your 3rd and 4th years when you finish the preclinical phase and start rotations.

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Going the traditional route you are forced to do shadowing hours or research or hands on experiences that expose you to the medical field and increase your knowledge. Studying for the MCAT alone is something that teaches discipline and you start med school off with all this information already. Coming right from high school we dont get that exposure and we are still so young. Even my own faculty talks about we are already at a disadvantage because of this and it shows ( for ex our step scores are terrible)

Not having research, shadowing, or even not taking the MCAT before medical school have nothing to do with why you're struggling. You already have a BS degree that you completed in 3 years with no issues, that's already an achievement in itself, better than most people who went through the traditional route. Med school curriculum can be hard on anyone (even non trads with Masters or PhDs), you just have to find the way you learn best and stick with it. If you're failing, it means that you're doing something wrong. You need to step back, reevaluate, identify the issues, and come up with a new plan of action. Otherwise, I'm afraid you're not going to make it through. Simple as that.

 

[GoSpursGo]

i know i could pass it but then i worry about M2 year. i feel like i have no room for mistakes and my anxiety will just be through the roof

Well it comes down to whether you want to be a doctor. If the answer is yes, then while your concerns are valid you will still have to eventually pass these classes, and it won’t be any easier next time. Besides that, you will find it very hard to get into another school regardless of whether you drop out or are dismissed. In fact, dropping out may be worse—in the future if you try to reapply prospective schools will be worried you might drop out again, in which case they just wasted a spot on you. At a minimum, it is not clear to me that dropping out would be seen more or less favorably, and ultimately no matter how you look at it simply passing this test and doing better going forward is by far the easiest path to being a doctor. In retrospect, maybe it would have been nice to have not gone straight into this program from HS—but you did, and this is where you are now, and you need to find a way to make the best of it.

If you don’t want to be a doctor and think you decided on this path way too early, then get out while you can. But you need to understand that may be a decision that you can’t undo.

 

[IR3A4]

how? im only 22 y/o and have a BS already

I started med school at 29. If you drop out now your best chance of getting back into med school would be around that age, after years of re-proving yourself to admissions and creating a story that dropping out to switch schools was dumb and youve matured now.

 

[guytakingboards]

Pretty much agree with everyone else.

You are pot-committed, for better or worse. There will be no second bite of the apple if you withdraw or are dismissed.

It sounds like you're experiencing all the drawbacks and regrets of choosing the path you did, but it is what it is. Those regrets don't change your situation.

TBH, this is one of those classic experience-building moments as you transition into adulthood. This may be the first real struggle you've had. This may be the first time you've had to make the best of a bad situation and/or overcome adversity. This may be the first time you realize the world doesn't particularly care if you're unhappy with your lot in life but if you want to succeed you have to persevere. That sounds harsh, but the road to medicine is dotted with personal and professional challenges.

edit* All regrets aside, the questions should be asking yourself are:
-What is my problem?
-Can I overcome it?
-Is the end worth it? Would I be happier doing something else?
-Can I continue to overcome challenges like these in the future?

If you think you can't overcome this or don't think the ends justifiy the means, then you should consider withdrawing (with the knowledge that your medical career is over). Obviously not a decision to be taken lightly, but any regret about not studying for the MCAT, not shadowing or doing research is entirely moot.

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

Okay so let me break it down. I am currently an M1 in a BS/MD program. I look a leave of absence because I wasn't doing so well and was so drained from coming right out of HS into this program and getting my BS in 3 years and then doing medical school online during a pandemic. I got AMAZING hands on experience during my loa and i came back to school feeling refreshed and confident and was doing great until my cardio module. My school has me on academic probation and is considering me for dismissal. ( might i add i failed these classes during the pandemic while dealing with personal issues that they are aware of ) According to my advisor he says there is a good chance i can just retake the test but what happens from now on, will the rest of my med school journey have to be perfect?

I think going into a BS/MD program right from hs a lot of pros but also a lot of cons. I lack hands on experience and knowledge thats gained from going the traditional route or even applying later in life. The majority of my experience that I would have had was all online because of COVID. Now that my school is considering me for dismissal I am rethinking why I don't think my performance is at its best. I think that I need more time to grow and experience and become more knowledgeable.

BUT wouldn't it be stupid to loose my spot and take the chance of applying the traditional route? What if my school dimisses me? Would it look better to drop out than to be kicked out? Please help. If I do leave what program or job would i get and will i even have a chance to get in a med school again.

I knew a BS/MD program was rigorous but I applied so young and did not know that experiences that I would be missing out on. Going the traditional route you are forced to do shadowing hours or research or hands on experiences that expose you to the medical field and increase your knowledge. Studying for the MCAT alone is something that teaches discipline and you start med school off with all this information already. Coming right from high school we dont get that exposure and we are still so young. Even my own faculty talks about we are already at a disadvantage because of this and it shows ( for ex our step scores are terrible)

PS i have other reasons for not liking my program and the way the staff treats students and handled the pandemic, also this program is supposed to be for underrepresented students and most of the kids are rich whose parents went to this program and donate money to it.

I am gonna sound harsh, but you are basically clueless how lucky you are to get into med school without all the unnecessary fluff most people had to do. You think preparing for the MCAT will help you learn medicine? Why don't you go check out the MCAT first? Shadowing? You are being taught clinical medicine and if you don't like it now, how would you like shadowing??

Your options are the following. If you fail and get dismissed, you will never do medicine again. If you really don't want to do medicine, quit now. If you think you want to figure out whether you want to do medicine, figure it out while you are still in it. There's zero chance you can quit and go back in again.

 

[deleted1095841]

It is much easier to pass the tests ahead of you in medical school than to get into medical school. If there's even a slight chance you want to be doctor, I suggest you finish the BS/MD program, and then reassess after graduation what you want to do. Just my $0.02