Questions about first year.

[Mah]

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Hello everyone,

I'm a first-year medical student in a MD program and currently, I'm a shadowing a doctor before I start school this Fall. I have a few questions,

The guy I'm shadowing was a chiropracter, then became a physical therapist and then did his DO. He's very knowledgeable in Anatomy and asks me lots so I get motivated to go home and read. He has been asking me to listen to people's hearts and lungs and differentiate between murmurs, lung sounds etc. Is there any website where I can find these audio files and learn them?

I'm scared of physiology and neuro, and I wanna be a neurosurgeon. Should I start reading something that would get me a headstart? Is there any school that puts up their lectures that I can listen to, may be the introductory ones?

The school I'm attending is not big on basic science research, but they have clinical research. They would probably let me do this in second term. If I wanna be a surgeon, should I approach an anatomy prof for research? Should I apply for a selective or do I just do research like that on side? How should I approach them? Are they very picky? The guy I'm talking about publishes very often, and I'm hoping to publish something, am I being too weird?

Sorry for blurting out all this, I hope you guys can help. Thanks.

 

[Tiger26]

I'd say enjoy your summer. If you want to be really ambitious for an M1, pick up a biochem book, flip through it and realize that your going to spend the better part of next semester mindless memorizing pathways, and then set the book down until you actually start school.

 

[JeffLebowski]

Hello everyone,

I'm a first-year medical student in a MD program and currently, I'm a shadowing a doctor before I start school this Fall. I have a few questions,

The guy I'm shadowing was a chiropracter, then became a physical therapist and then did his DO. He's very knowledgeable in Anatomy and asks me lots so I get motivated to go home and read. He has been asking me to listen to people's hearts and lungs and differentiate between murmurs, lung sounds etc. Is there any website where I can find these audio files and learn them?

I'm scared of physiology and neuro, and I wanna be a neurosurgeon. Should I start reading something that would get me a headstart? Is there any school that puts up their lectures that I can listen to, may be the introductory ones?

The school I'm attending is not big on basic science research, but they have clinical research. They would probably let me do this in second term. If I wanna be a surgeon, should I approach an anatomy prof for research? Should I apply for a selective or do I just do research like that on side? How should I approach them? Are they very picky? The guy I'm talking about publishes very often, and I'm hoping to publish something, am I being too weird?

Sorry for blurting out all this, I hope you guys can help. Thanks.

Can I give you some advice?

I wouldn't go around telling people you "wanna be a neurosurgeon", especially before you even start med school. It's good that you've got ambitions that will require you to excel and perform well, but it's kind of silly to tell people you've already decided on arguably one of the most prestigious & competitive & specialized specialties there is before you've even started med school. I think you'll save yourself some headache from classmates, friends, & family if you keep your aspirations vague until you lock it in during M3 year.

Again, it's great that you have lofty goals though because that'll push you to excel and that will serve you well no matter what you decide to go into. Just try to keep a rational head on your shoulders. Good luck.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'd say enjoy your summer.

Agreed. You will have plenty of time to learn heart sounds, learn the med school subjects, and line up research once you start. Med school will teach you all you need to know and then some.

 

[Mah]

I'd say enjoy your summer. If you want to be really ambitious for an M1, pick up a biochem book, flip through it and realize that your going to spend the better part of next semester mindless memorizing pathways, and then set the book down until you actually start school.

Biochem is boring, I tried reviewing it and fell asleep on the book 4X in the past 2 weeks, so I have given up on that 🙁

 

[Mah]

Can I give you some advice?

I wouldn't go around telling people you "wanna be a neurosurgeon", especially before you even start med school. It's good that you've got ambitions that will require you to excel and perform well, but it's kind of silly to tell people you've already decided on arguably one of the most prestigious & competitive & specialized specialties there is before you've even started med school. I think you'll save yourself some headache from classmates, friends, & family if you keep your aspirations vague until you lock it in during M3 year.

Again, it's great that you have lofty goals though because that'll push you to excel and that will serve you well no matter what you decide to go into. Just try to keep a rational head on your shoulders. Good luck.

hmm, you're right. I'm sorry 😳

Two of my siblings are doctors so its very natural and common talk in my family to talk about specialities. I'm pretty sure its gonna change like a million times before I'll settle on something. Sorry, I wasn't trying to showoff, but some people might see it differently *God knows I'm not smart at all, which is why I'm so worried*

And thanks for the encouraging words!

 

[Mah]

Oh u know why, its embarrassing when the doc introduces me to patients as medical student and then tells me to listen to their heart beat and I have no idea that there was supposed to be a murmur. Last time he asked me infront of the patient, I said it sounds funny 😳 *didn't know what else to say*

 

[PabsMD]

The guy I'm shadowing was a chiropracter, then became a physical therapist and then did his DO. He's very knowledgeable in Anatomy and asks me lots so I get motivated to go home and read. He has been asking me to listen to people's hearts and lungs and differentiate between murmurs, lung sounds etc. Is there any website where I can find these audio files and learn them?

http://blaufuss.org/ has heart sounds. Agree with the above posters that you don't need to prestudy the "scary" stuff right now, but since you are already auscultating murmurs, you may as well understand what you are listening for.

 

[Random Anesthesiologist]

hmm, you're right. I'm sorry 😳

Two of my siblings are doctors so its very natural and common talk in my family to talk about specialities. I'm pretty sure its gonna change like a million times before I'll settle on something. Sorry, I wasn't trying to showoff, but some people might see it differently *God knows I'm not smart at all, which is why I'm so worried*

And thanks for the encouraging words!

My family is full of physicians and other ancillary medical careers and we prefer to talk about beer, Jimmy Buffett, alma mater college athletics, and current goings-on. Occasionally we'll talk serious about med school and the future.

Mostly though it's beer, Jimmy Buffett, alma mater college athletics, etc.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

I'd say enjoy your summer. If you want to be really ambitious for an M1, pick up a biochem book, flip through it and realize that your going to spend the better part of next semester mindless memorizing pathways, and then set the book down until you actually start school.

👍 At most take a good anatomy, physiology, and/or biochem course during undergrad, but realize you're just scratching the surface. Enjoy the summer, realize that most students 'change their major' several times in med school just like in college, and chill out until school starts. If you're really interested in doing something super-competitive like NS, do try to hit the ground running once school starts and work hard at that time. You can list any authored publications on residency applications, so def get in on that if you can.

 

[Law2Doc]

If you're really interested in doing something super-competitive like NS, do try to hit the ground running once school starts and work hard at that time. You can list any authored publications on residency applications, so def get in on that if you can.

I'd take it one step at a time. For all OP knows at this stage, he's going to be struggling on every test, and have nominal time for research during the academic year. He/she should just show up prepared to work hard, and see how it pans out.
Could be neurosurgery might be in the cards, could be the OP will have to settle for something less competitive (like neurology or general surgery). Silly to even think about this now, before any stats are in. It's like trying to plan your victory party before even competing.

 

[PRIMER]

First off, stop apologizing. Second, stop saying you are not smart. You are smart, you have been accepted to medical school. Lastly, just relax and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Personally, I work well when I have a goal in mind. If you would like to be a neurosurgeon focus and go for it. And don't be afraid that if you don't do it (change your mind or don't match) that you will be a failure, not only in your own eyes but in the eyes of others. I once heard a quote that went something like this "Be who you are because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Also, telling people what you would like to do may be good because you may run into some people who will be able to direct you down paths that lead to fulfillment of your goals. If nobody knows what you are interested in how can they help you?

Finally, and this varies for each person, I would relax as much as you can before you start. You just don't want to look back and think "man I wish I could have back that time where I did not have to study." Relax, when the school year starts, just bust your hump and you will be fine.

 

[Mah]

http://blaufuss.org/ has heart sounds. Agree with the above posters that you don't need to prestudy the "scary" stuff right now, but since you are already auscultating murmurs, you may as well understand what you are listening for.

Hey thanks! yeah that's what I figured as well, I'm checking it right now 🙂

 

[Mah]

First off, stop apologizing. Second, stop saying you are not smart. You are smart, you have been accepted to medical school. Lastly, just relax and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Personally, I work well when I have a goal in mind. If you would like to be a neurosurgeon focus and go for it. And don't be afraid that if you don't do it (change your mind or don't match) that you will be a failure, not only in your own eyes but in the eyes of others. I once heard a quote that went something like this "Be who you are because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

Also, telling people what you would like to do may be good because you may run into some people who will be able to direct you down paths that lead to fulfillment of your goals. If nobody knows what you are interested in how can they help you?

Finally, and this varies for each person, I would relax as much as you can before you start. You just don't want to look back and think "man I wish I could have back that time where I did not have to study." Relax, when the school year starts, just bust your hump and you will be fine.

Thanks for this post. This is how I work as well, I need to set my goals high in order to get somewhere and that's the sole purpose of choosing a difficult field for now. I might not get into neuro, but at least I won't procrastinate!

 

[Mah]

I'd take it one step at a time. For all OP knows at this stage, he's going to be struggling on every test, and have nominal time for research during the academic year. He/she should just show up prepared to work hard, and see how it pans out.
Could be neurosurgery might be in the cards, could be the OP will have to settle for something less competitive (like neurology or general surgery). Silly to even think about this now, before any stats are in. It's like trying to plan your victory party before even competing.

I agree.