Pre-Med Summer Plans

[drm36]

Its that time of the year again where one has to begin planning the summer.

For those of you who are going to medical school in the fall of 2001, does anyone have any cool summer plans yet? It seems like this is probably the one summer where we can get by doing something that is not medically related!

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[lilycat]

Before heading off to med school (god, it seems weird to actually say that!), I'm considering a bunch of options, but haven't decided on any yet:

1) Go to Costa Rica for a month -- I found a good Spanish language/immersion type program there, that isn't too expensive, and all my friends who've traveled there say it's an amazing country.

2) Quit my current job, move down to SoCal with my sister, and work some kind of *easy* job like retail for the discounts, and to have more free time to just hang out, surf, and relax for the first time in years!

3) Be responsible and try to do research or something in an attempt to make contacts for that way far-off thing called residency. I think I may couple this with #2 above.

Or, I may try to do all 3 options. It sort of depends on the cash flow. I have a little bit of money saved up from my current job, but I'm sort of starting to worry about saving it to set up an apt. for next year, etc. Anyone else having money worries?

 

[jimi]

lilycat!

I'm so glad you brought up the financial issue...I'm definitely having money worries...

I really don't require much to be happy but my problem is that I will probably be getting married within the next year (which needs it's own special fund), would have to move to a new city (apartment, moving, etc. etc. costs) and then on top of that I have all the actual med school costs!

I understand my problem isn't unique but trust me with my salary right now (which is about next to nothing....makes you realize how much this country values teachers), all of these upcoming costs are starting to get a bit overwhelming!

At the same time I really want to take advantage of the summer but it's hard knowing that in a few months I will be going headfirst into debt.

Sheesh! I need fun, inexpensive ideas for the summer.

 

[lilycat]

Okay, this is veering off of the topic a little, but at least jimi & I are interested in it!

So, my question is, should I save up my money, or should I go wild and crazy this summer and have fun? Specifically, I think this will determine whether or not I go to Costa Rica. The cost of the program is ~$1800, and then with airfare and incidentals, I'm assuming I'll spend at least around $2500 (this might be on the low end, I have no idea). Currently, I have about $8000-9000 (approx.) saved up from work -- but I am planning to buy a computer (~$1500-2000), and then I will need money for starting up my own place -- I have no furniture besides bedroom stuff -- and I am wholly determined to get two kittens this summer. Wow, just writing this makes me depressed. I will have no money for the first time ever. I am very sad now. I don't think I am going to Costa Rica anymore.

All right, here's to a summer of mooching off of my family and working a crappy job. (I'm just glad I don't have the added stress of thinking about a future wedding -- sorry jimi! but congratulations too!)

 

[kimberlicox]

Originally posted by baylor21:
Thats been something I'm curious about. Of course all med school adcoms want you to be well rounded, etc.

But it seems that if you get accepted.. all that well roundedness they emphasized before goes out the window and you are expected to devote 100% of your time to medical activities if you want a good letter from the med school dean, good residency spot, etc.

Maybe its just me, but I was actually hoping to stay involved in things like the playing with the symphony, youth soccer coaching/referreing and other activities that don't relate directly to medicine. But I guess i'm expected to give all that other stuff up if I get accepted and just do one of the following things: 1) study, 2) work/volunteer at a hospital; 3) do research.

Not that I'm dreading that but I want to do other stuff too.

Guess what Baylor? There ARE programs that want you to be well-rounded and balanced for residency. I can't speak directly about any of the TX programs but can tell you that many, many surgical programs told me that I was appreciated/invited for an interview because I was well-rounded and balanced!

Granted I do have publications and good letters, etc. under my belt but I think you would be doing yourself a favor physically, psychologically as well as professionally if you still found time to coach soccer and do other things you love. Your Dean can and does mention extracurriculars in his letter and the more well-rounded you appear to be, IMHO the better residency candidate you will appear to be.

Extracurriculars don't replace good grades, USMLE scores and letters, but they certainly will make you a more attractive candidate, all else being equal.

For those of you contemplating spending or saving money, my advice would be to use whatever savings you have to make your life appreciably better. I used my savings to "treat" myself during medical school - a nice dinner out here and there, a trip, etc. For school fees and other related costs I used loans and it worked out quite well. Alternatively if you have a fairly substantial sum (like Lilycat) you could invest it, so you get something financial in return for it. I wouldn't advocate spending it all on school stuff - getting kittens, buying some nice things for your house, etc. will make you happier in the long run than spending it on books, paper and pens.

Just my two cents...