Rampant use of drugs to improve academic performance

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It is a fact of life. You can

1. Be okay with the fact that you are competing against yourself and getting the grades you're getting without drugs

2. Report everybody you discover using them

3. Take the drugs

4. Simmer deep inside


I don't know why people bat around the concept of "fairness" here. There's nothing fair about anything. You either let it bother you or not.
 
dagubananas said:
This is extremely common at my school. It seems that everyone I meet is using Ritalin, Adderall, or something similar on a regular basis to keep focus while studying. It is commonly known that physicians at the school clinic will hand out prescriptions for the drugs upon request with no questions asked.

I don't use any of these "study aids" and sometimes I feel like I'm competing against people who are taking the equivalent of academic steroids. Is this fair? Is it common at your school or is it just here? What are your thoughts and experiences, SDN?
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Last time i checked, Adderall doesnt make you smarter or does it? Just because it allows you to "focus," it doesnt make you smarter. You just got to put the hours in.
 
I wish I could find a link to it, but there was a great article in the New Yorker a few years back about stimulant use amongst undergrads.

Basically, they found that the people using such drugs were not doing so with the goal of acing all their classes. They were using so that they could party and procrastinate, then catch up with 48 hour study sessions.

Although this was an undergrad study, I have a feeling that this is similar in Med school. Its not the top performers who are using, its those that don't give themselves enough time to succeed so they resort to desperate measures.
 
dagubananas said:
That seems like an awfully simplistic way to wrap up a discussion. The question here is SHOULD students be taking drugs they don't medically need in order to perform at school? Should physicians be prescribing those drugs for those purposes? Is a student who chooses not to take these drugs handicapping himself against his classmates?

You seem to have given up on it as an issue. Are you happy to simply throw up your hands and assume the status quo isn't worth talking about?



Success in medical school doesn't have anything to do with how "smart" you are. I'm not saying it CANT be done without the drugs, but let's be honest: they give an undeniable advantage.
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so aside from the people straight up telling you they cheated the system, who exactly is getting on your nerves? Do you know for a fact that these people don't need it? We're you there diagnosing them? I tend to doubt it. Is it abused? You bet. Is a patient heavily vetted before the Rx is handed out? Probably not... but there ARE people who need it, and those people who need it find a bit of salvation from what can otherwise really hamper their cognitive ability. ThePoopologist is right on all 4 points.

To answer your question, No, students should NOT be taking them if they don't need them,.. but the ones who do need them SHOULD have them, and it's not up to you to determine who should and shouldn't use them
 
This thread is very informative. Thank you



*writes down Ritalin/Adderall on his To-Get-Before-Medical-School checklist*
 
dagubananas said:
I think taking drugs that enhance academic performance (when not medically necessary) is akin to cheating. You say I should mind my own business (if I am interpreting you right, yo). Do you take the same approach with other forms of academic dishonesty?
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Go to your Disciplinary Chair at your school and straight up ask him if taking ritalin/adderall to help you study harder to score higher on tests is the same as looking at the guy's sheet next to you. Do it and report back.
 
dagubananas said:
Maybe you're not getting this.

This is an ethical question for the purposes of discussion. It is something I see happening at my school that bothers me, and I think it is something worth talking about as a group of students.

Obviously the realities of confronting this issue head-on with my school are prohibitive. I would hope, however, that doesn't mean we can't have an honest discussion about the issues here. Your sarcasm and flippant attitude aren't really very helpful in that regard.
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It was half-sarcastic, half-"I kinda wanna know what their stance is"

What do you hope to accomplish with this thread? Feel validated in your stance that it's wrong? Argue with people on the internet over ethics? It is a poopologist said. You can't change it, so either learn to ignore it, or join 'em.
 
I apologize. Im having a bad day at work lol. Forget everything I said.
 
dagubananas said:
This is extremely common at my school. It seems that everyone I meet is using Ritalin, Adderall, or something similar on a regular basis to keep focus while studying. It is commonly known that physicians at the school clinic will hand out prescriptions for the drugs upon request with no questions asked.

I don't use any of these "study aids" and sometimes I feel like I'm competing against people who are taking the equivalent of academic steroids. Is this fair? Is it common at your school or is it just here? What are your thoughts and experiences, SDN?
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So as a non-trad who has taken Ritalin for years (and long before this pursuit) would you suggest I stop taking it and fail due to ADD?

For those of us with a legit need, this med isn't some magic treatment that keeps us up and helps us study....it makes us NORMAL.
 
dagubananas said:
That seems like an awfully simplistic way to wrap up a discussion. The question here is SHOULD students be taking drugs they don't medically need in order to perform at school? Should physicians be prescribing those drugs for those purposes? Is a student who chooses not to take these drugs handicapping himself against his classmates?

You seem to have given up on it as an issue. Are you happy to simply throw up your hands and assume the status quo isn't worth talking about?



Success in medical school doesn't have anything to do with how "smart" you are. I'm not saying it CANT be done without the drugs, but let's be honest: they give an undeniable advantage.
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Yes I believe how smart you are along with a number of other factors determines success in medical school. I am a 4th year path resident so I have met many ppl who have done very well and those that struggled no matter how hard they worked. I think if the latter group took Ritalin, they wouldnt have performed any better. I knew one guy who I considered smart but never studied and eventually quit medical school.

I define "smart" as those that were always able to do well on standardized exams (SAT, ACT, MCAT, USMLE). Also, these ppl had a strong work ethic as well. One of my friends got a 260-270 on Step 1 and he worked hard. Plus, I am sure he is naturally smart. Some ppl work their butts off and can't even clear 200. Naturally smart (those that pick up things quickly and are able to retain a lot of what they read), work ethic, time management and good test taking ability are what I believe determines success in medical school (if you define success in medical school as high scores on board exams).

Hell if I took Ritalin I dont think it wouldve helped me in medical school. I worked hard in med school but I dont think I would be able to do any better.

So what determines success in medical school?
 
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I have to say that I find this stuff to be pretty serious accusations.

I won't go into this and that but I will say that I speak from experience when I say that if you think you need the drug to be normal you are ill informed. Someone extremely close to me has been diagnosed with ADD/HD since age 5. They have been prescribed Ritalin and Straterra and found the same results both times. Controlling their symptoms was much easier off the drug then on the drug. Will the drug help people? Like most psych drugs, sometimes. However to think that you must have the drug to be normal is a crutch in my opinion.

If your school is really that open on prescribing meds I find it rather pathetic. I don't think any of us feel that most of these individuals are good candidates for the drugs. This is effectively legally abusing a controlled substance. It does not surprise me that a school would stoop this low to ensure their results stay high but it goes directly against most academic ethics, not to mention medical ethics.

I would say in your case stay off the meds and don't worry about the others. People have gotten through medical school for decades without medication so don't think you can't.

I am interested what school you go to however...😎
 
I wouldn't say this practice is common at my school though it definitely does occur. They aren't handed out like candy though.

Another thing you should note is the use of stimulants in medicine has a relatively long history and is not only ingrained but almost accepted. A lot of the older docs I've talked to have admitted to using something on those tough nights...more so in residency and to keep themselves awake back during 100 hr unpaid work weeks.

What does it matter to you though? I could see a professionalism issue being present if the pills were prescribed illegally or being dealt illegally, but med school is about you learning all that you can, and not having these silly competitions with your class.

<libertarian rant>If it were up to me, I'd legalize all of the non addictive drugs and let people buy them OTC. It's their choice to make as long as they are informed of the benefits and disadvantages and aren't breaking any laws or contracts (honor codes and professionalism included) </end libertarian rant>

I don't see the difference between an individual using coffee/tea, red bull, better study habits, sacrificing sleep, or using legal prescription drugs to get ahead. We all have our preferred strategies and while drugs aren't my thing, neither is drawing on a whiteboard, but I won't fault someone for doing either.

I guess class rank is a small factor in becoming a physician so in a way, these students getting ahead force others to get ahead, but it seems like these pills are available to everyone so fairness isn't an issue: only your conviction that using these drugs are not in your best interest is the issue. And you may be 100% correct that drugs aren't the answer for you. But don't hate the player, don't hate the game, hate the institution. Med school is tough.
 
dagubananas said:
Because I'm feeling some competitive pressure. I think anyone can understand that with the stakes as high as they are, it stings a little bit to see your peers pull ahead with the help of a pharmaceutical advantage. Class rank matters, letters of recommendation matter, grades matter, it all matters. I kind of resent the idea that I should feel compelled to take a pill to keep up
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I wholly agree!!!!! The problem is too that some schools grade on a curve. If your peers are scoring higher, the curve will be set by them and your grade is determined by how well they do. If they take a stimulant without a diagnosis, and you don't, it DOES affect you and anyone who can't understand that is having a problem with basic comprehension.

Simply put, unless they have a diagnosis, your classmates are breaking the law. You'll find a lot of support for them on this forum because I would bet that half the users are using stimulants as well without a diagnosis. What they're doing is wrong and if caught, it could irreparably damage their future.
 
EagerToBeMD said:
I wholly agree!!!!! The problem is too that some schools grade on a curve. If your peers are scoring higher, the curve will be set by them and your grade is determined by how well they do. If they take a stimulant without a diagnosis, and you don't, it DOES affect you and anyone who can't understand that is having a problem with basic comprehension.

Simply put, unless they have a diagnosis, your classmates are breaking the law. You'll find a lot of support for them on this forum because I would bet that half the users are using stimulants as well without a diagnosis. What they're doing is wrong and if caught, it could irreparably damage their future.
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The doc that prescribed the pill DID diagnose these students with something. It may be a joke diagnosis but the students are doing nothing illegal. Perhaps they are doing something morally wrong, but not illegal.
 
Kevin Baker said:
The doc that prescribed the pill DID diagnose these students with something. It may be a joke diagnosis but the students are doing nothing illegal. Perhaps they are doing something morally wrong, but not illegal.
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What in the world makes you think these students all have prescriptions? Just because the doctors at the clinic will hand out prescriptions, I'm not naive enough to think that all of them went that route. And FYI, if docs are handing out prescriptions like candy, no questions asked, the docs are also doing something illegal.
 
These threads are freakin hilarious. They always go 1 of 2 ways: 1) the person has too much "moral fiber" to use them. You say its cheating and academic dishonesty? Hahaha grow up man. Its not like you take this pill and magically know pathology. Its a legal drug that helps focus. Absolutely nothing wrong with using them, your just too stupid to go get them yourself. It doesnt create an unfair advantage, its still their work. You still have to put in the time. From my experience the people making this claim are usually the ones that thought they were special, could be a dermatologist with no effort, cure cancer, and bang all the hot girls in the class. Then they get in school, realize they are not that smart, good looking, or hard working, and get their ass kicked in school. But instead of admitting any of these, they blame the "drugs". Its pathetic and no your not special.
2) the "i dont wanna get addicted to the drugs" crowd. Yea, because people are out giving zjs and stealing their moms vcrs for drug money. Get outta here.
now shut up, mind your own business, realize your not as smart as you thought you were, yes you probably will end up in primary care, or go get a prescription yourself.
Either way, im off to throw my 100,000 ritalin party yallllllllllll!!!!!!!!
 
gators21 said:
These threads are freakin hilarious. They always go 1 of 2 ways: 1) the person has too much "moral fiber" to use them. You say its cheating and academic dishonesty? Hahaha grow up man. Its not like you take this pill and magically know pathology. Its a legal drug that helps focus. Absolutely nothing wrong with using them, your just too stupid to go get them yourself. It doesnt create an unfair advantage, its still their work. You still have to put in the time. From my experience the people making this claim are usually the ones that thought they were special, could be a dermatologist with no effort, cure cancer, and bang all the hot girls in the class. Then they get in school, realize they are not that smart, good looking, or hard working, and get their ass kicked in school. But instead of admitting any of these, they blame the "drugs". Its pathetic and no your not special.
2) the "i dont wanna get addicted to the drugs" crowd. Yea, because people are out giving zjs and stealing their moms vcrs for drug money. Get outta here.
now shut up, mind your own business, realize your not as smart as you thought you were, yes you probably will end up in primary care, or go get a prescription yourself.
Either way, im off to throw my 100,000 ritalin party yallllllllllll!!!!!!!!
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I take it your on one now?
 
Kevin Baker said:
<libertarian rant>If it were up to me, I'd legalize all of the non addictive drugs and let people buy them OTC. It's their choice to make as long as they are informed of the benefits and disadvantages and aren't breaking any laws or contracts (honor codes and professionalism included) </end libertarian rant>

I don't see the difference between an individual using coffee/tea, red bull, better study habits, sacrificing sleep, or using legal prescription drugs to get ahead. We all have our preferred strategies and while drugs aren't my thing, neither is drawing on a whiteboard, but I won't fault someone for doing either.
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You'd probably feel different if you'd spent a few months in a third world country. (if you have please disregard). I spent a fair amount of time overseas in a country where I could walk up to a pharm and ask for some OC 80s...if they had them they were yours. Going into why narcs is a big deal is kind of self explanatory. However a bigger problem in my mind was the ease of getting antibiotics. I purchased azith on many occasions for people in my group as well as myself. (or atleast I told them that's what they needed). While I like to think I made an educated decision on suggesting these drugs and that they were warranted the rest of population consisted of uneducated workers. Needless to say a huge problem in this country was bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

I do see a big different between amphetamines and caffeine or red bull. First of all many researchers agree that red bull only works because of sugar and caffeine. Secondly when comparing caffeine and amphetamines you have to admit that the addiction potential is much greater in amps. The chances or hurting yourself on amps is also much greater. I do agree that certain drugs should be legal but my extent is to natural, unmodified drugs (ie extracting cocaine is not acceptable). I think the the argument really boils down to there are two sets of people, those who can control themselves and those who can not. My concern is for those who can not control themselves and understand the dangers of drug use. If they want to ruin there life then fine but more often then not when they ruin their life they are affecting me via tax dollars, violence, crime etc.
 
dagubananas said:
I couldn't help but notice some anger and hostility in your post. If you are trying to make a legitimate point, this is not the way to do it. Immediate and unprovoked personal attacks like this really serve only to undermine your credibility rather than strengthen it. I would like to think that - as medical students - we can operate with some degree of professionalism and mutual respect. It sounds like you are really pushing yourself quite a bit to get through medical school. Don't forget that professionalism is a lesson that you need to learn as well.
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I've been around drug use for much of my life, between the average user to the full fledged addict. One thing all users have in common is trying rationalize their use. This can be accomplished in many different ways but one that is pretty common is attacking the other for not doing it.
 
dagubananas said:
I would like to think that - as medical students - we can operate with some degree of professionalism and mutual respect.
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Haha, there's your problem. I doubt you will find much professionalism and mutual respect (especially over an ethical issue) between medical students on an online forum. Being anonymous helps bring out the inner jack-ass (myself included). Also, there's no discussion on the topic. It's only "drugs r bad, stop it" and "drugs r gud, y u no take drugs?" It's not like magically you're going to be persuaded to take drugs and vice versa.

images
 
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dagubananas said:
I couldn't help but notice some anger and hostility in your post. If you are trying to make a legitimate point, this is not the way to do it. Immediate and unprovoked personal attacks like this really serve only to undermine your credibility rather than strengthen it. I would like to think that - as medical students - we can operate with some degree of professionalism and mutual respect. It sounds like you are really pushing yourself quite a bit to get through medical school. Don't forget that professionalism is a lesson that you need to learn as well.
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I didn't mean that towards you, just a generalization about these threads. If you search, this topic has been brought up many times. I find it hilarious that. Every time, the complaint is "im not the smartest guy in my class, therefore everyone is cheating by taking adderall". Because there is no possible way anyone can be smarter or harder working. The sense of entitlement and self worth is crazy.
I just laugh at everyone up on their high horse, while other people blow by them class. Instead of putting in more work or studying smarter, they need a scapegoat. Then they call there classmates "drug addicts" when one day these people will be your colleagues and you will have patients that will be real addicts.
No hostility intended, just humor. Good luck in school and just remember that your still gonna be a doctor 👍
 
gators21 said:
These threads are freakin hilarious. They always go 1 of 2 ways: 1) the person has too much "moral fiber" to use them. You say its cheating and academic dishonesty? Hahaha grow up man. Its not like you take this pill and magically know pathology. Its a legal drug that helps focus. Absolutely nothing wrong with using them, your just too stupid to go get them yourself.
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If there's nothing wrong with using them, why aren't they available over the counter?

It doesnt create an unfair advantage, its still their work.
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Speed doesn't give someone an unfair advantage in studying? What world are you from? This is no different than steroid use among athletes. It's not like they'd be strong athletes if all they did was take steroids and eat Twinkies all day, but it sure as hell gives them an advantage when they train.

From my experience the people making this claim are usually the ones that thought they were special, could be a dermatologist with no effort, cure cancer, and bang all the hot girls in the class. Then they get in school, realize they are not that smart, good looking, or hard working, and get their ass kicked in school. But instead of admitting any of these, they blame the "drugs". Its pathetic and no your not special.
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And the people making these excuses are those trying to convince themselves they're not doing anything wrong even though a lot of times, they're actually breaking the law by getting these drugs without a prescription.
 
EagerToBeMD said:
If there's nothing wrong with using them, why aren't they available over the counter?



Speed doesn't give someone an unfair advantage in studying? What world are you from? This is no different than steroid use among athletes. It's not like they'd be strong athletes if all they did was take steroids and eat Twinkies all day, but it sure as hell gives them an advantage when they train.



And the people making these excuses are those trying to convince themselves they're not doing anything wrong even though a lot of times, they're actually breaking the law by getting these drugs without a prescription.
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Hahahahahahahahaha. Dude have't laughed that hard in a while, thanx
1) Not gonna touch that with a 20 foot pole as SDN is not for a political debate. Plus this thread was started with the notion that the students are procuring these meds from a liscenced physician.
2) there is a huge difference. Roids in baseball are used to become better in a sport designed for entertainment. Adderall use helps people focus to study that can one day save someones life. Wait, i forgot. Patients don't want someone who actually knows what there doing, they only want someone who did it without any caffeine, review books, adderall, or tutors. PDs also wont take the guy with the higher board scores(and most likely better LOR because they know their stuff), for the guy that did it with no help. 🙂laugh🙂
3) refer above.
 
Like i said before, i mean no hostility towards anyone. I wish everyone the best of luck in school. Now im off to study in my DARE shirt!
 
dagubananas said:
Well, if you took the time to read the thread....



...You probably would have already had your answer. In fact if I had ADD I think this would bother me even more, as it would make my condition seem less legitimate.





I'm not sure you can honestly say it wouldn't have helped. Certainly there are plenty of people (who don't have ADD and are taking stimulants) who would disagree with you.
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FWIW OP ive tried adderall on numerous occasions and it didnt help me in the least bit. Hell, if anything it made me want to A. call all my friends B. purchase a ton of crap I want but dont need online C. Go skiing and be reckless lol. In fact, I tried to study and couldnt even sit there long enough to get anything done. I am an adrenaline junkie, I love that feeling...but its not a feeling that makes me want to sit down and study. Im sure the affects are quite different for people who have ADD but for myself, and many other people ive spoken with they do very little to help..and in my case they would definitely hurt.

I dont know how far along you are in med school...but I can pretty much say that I am more or less at my academic peak. Perhaps I could do more work...but I am happy with my grades, and frankly i have a great work school balance and I dont care to give that up to maybe increase my gpa a few points. Sort of OT, but I think most people have the potential to do more...but their need for having a life stops them from putting in more hours...and I highly doubt adderall (insert stimulant here) would do anything to change that for myself and many people I associate with.

But for the gunners who are willing to put in those insane hours to get X grade..and they are amenable to getting work done while under the influence of amphetamines, then im sure that would help them prolong their study session just enough to cram in that extra minutiae..that help them do better on exams...but do absolutely nothing to make them a better physician.

I think its BS that people illegally use adderall...but to each their own..and if they want to use it...that is their life not mine, and I have far more significant things to worry about than my classmates' adderall use.
 
Wow... (in regards to many of the posts, not the one prior to mine)

I personally, can't use any chemicals. No caffeine, no stimulants, no drugs of any kind (besides those I am legitimately rx'd). I have a heart murmur and I get palpitations whenever I use even a tiny amount of caffeine. So, I guess I'm going to fail out of school??? I doubt it very much. My favorite joke my med school and Dr friends tell me is "what do they call the guy with the C average through med school"... "Doctor"...

So you don't think it's fair for students to use chemicals for studying. I agree, it's probably not fair, but either you man up and file a complaint to the dean (or maybe don't man ALL the way up and file an anonymous complaint) or you let it go. If you aren't going to use them, which I think is smart, you either ignore, or you complain... we can't help you, we can't tell you the policies in place in your school, and we certainly can't study for you....

and in regards to the comparison with 'roids... roids makes you have a small penis. Anyone dumb enough to shrink their junk to grow the other muscles is really beyond stupid... personally, I wouldn't want to look at my friends and say "yep I took drugs to get through med school"... that's a badge of honor for sure...

just my .02
 
gators21 said:
Hahahahahahahahaha. Dude have't laughed that hard in a while, thanx
1) Not gonna touch that with a 20 foot pole as SDN is not for a political debate. Plus this thread was started with the notion that the students are procuring these meds from a liscenced physician.
2) there is a huge difference. Roids in baseball are used to become better in a sport designed for entertainment. Adderall use helps people focus to study that can one day save someones life. Wait, i forgot. Patients don't want someone who actually knows what there doing, they only want someone who did it without any caffeine, review books, adderall, or tutors. PDs also wont take the guy with the higher board scores(and most likely better LOR because they know their stuff), for the guy that did it with no help. 🙂laugh🙂
3) refer above.
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In regards to #2 I think your reasoning is fouled. I doubt many patients want a doctor who has abused drugs. This is drug abuse, whether or not you want to believe it. Students who do not have ADD and are using the drug to get a better grade, whether prescribed or not, are abusing a drug to preform better. amphs are not meant to enhance your performance they are meant to make you normal.

Seriously people this thread is split between those who do it and those who don't. If you do it act like you've been there and realize you are only rationalizing your behavior. You'll be doing yourself a favor in the long run.
 
museic said:
In regards to #2 I think your reasoning is fouled. I doubt many patients want a doctor who has abused drugs. This is drug abuse, whether or not you want to believe it. Students who do not have ADD and are using the drug to get a better grade, whether prescribed or not, are abusing a drug to preform better. amphs are not meant to enhance your performance they are meant to make you normal.

Seriously people this thread is split between those who do it and those who don't. If you do it act like you've been there and realize you are only rationalizing your behavior. You'll be doing yourself a favor in the long run.
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Its so funny the perception that adderall/ritalin has. People seem to think it makes you smarter. Hate to break it to people, but theres no such magical drug, prayer, witch doctor voodoo, whatever..... Everyone has their motivation, whatever it is. Some people need a little more help. Thats how adderall can help. Just taking it doesn't make it easier to learn the material or make you remeber everything. Reading embryo still sucks. What i find funny are these people that once school gets hard, they find out that they aren't as smart as they thought. They need to validate themselves by calling everyone else a drugged up cheater.

"If you do it act like you've been there and realize you are only rationalizing your behavior. You'll be doing yourself a favor in the long run" dude seriously get over yourself. Thats exactly the holier-than-thou attitude that drives me crazy. I 100% agree people without a presciption using adderall are in the wrong. But only because it is a serious medication with side effects that should be monitered. But to sit here and judge people for taking a legal medication with a prescrition, then claim your better for doing it the " right way" is terrible and hilarious. But whatever helps you sleep at night. you are in for a rude and very fast awakening when you actually deal with patients. Dont be suprised when they knock you off that high horse.

Also viagra was originally designed as a blood pressure med. does that mean old people shouldnt get boners too? Or is it that they are all criminals for not using it for its original purpose?
 
gators21 said:
Also viagra was originally designed as a blood pressure med. does that mean old people shouldnt get boners too? Or is it that they are all criminals for not using it for its original purpose?
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But clearly the FDA has approved viagra for ED... So, the people who are using it potentially are using it legally... however, I know a great deal of men who get scrips for this and don't really need it, they use it for 'fun'... same deal as the other meds, you're getting a scrip for something you don't really need it for... Here's a better one: You want to lose weight, so you convince a doc to rx you some synthroid to up your metabolic rate for a bit to lose some pounds... Ok or not? You're getting a legal drug, prescribed, but not for its intended purpose, nor is it really safe to do so. In the short term it will have limited side effects, but in the long term, it will cause problems... Thoughts?
 
dagubananas said:
That seems like an awfully simplistic way to wrap up a discussion. The question here is SHOULD students be taking drugs they don't medically need in order to perform at school? Should physicians be prescribing those drugs for those purposes? Is a student who chooses not to take these drugs handicapping himself against his classmates?

You seem to have given up on it as an issue. Are you happy to simply throw up your hands and assume the status quo isn't worth talking about?
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You will be dealing with these inequalities your entire life. I can debate this issue with you until the end of time, but whether I disagree/agree with you on any point, the point is that when you log out of SDN and resume studying, the spectrum of choices you have is a very narrow one.

Look, you are one student. Your choice is to either compete without the amphetamines or compete with them.
 
I am glad someone finally brought up this issue. It bothered me too that several students use the ADD drugs. I am a non-trad who has gone thr' several stressful periods in my life, never took meds/drugs, never resorted to drinking alcohol. Heck, never even ate too much due to stress. I honestly believe there is no free lunch. If you are taking something to improve your "focus", there will be side effects of the drug. Haven't you heard? Methylphenidate will only help you of you need it (i.e, you really have ADD). Otherewise, you wil get hooked on it and experience all its glorious side effects. Why do you think Phentermine is discontinued after a year (as a weight loss drug)?
 
I think if you understand the purpose of school you can better deal with this situation.

You must work harder on your education than you do on your grades.

What type of "boost" do you think these drugs can give a person? 5-10%? Well, exercising can probably give you the same boost. A really healthy diet can probably give a small boost in concentration. Are you these things? Next, who cares really? If you focus on education and learning the material well, then everything works out. If you are a nice person, a hard worker, enjoyable to be around, and you focus on networking, then a few percentage points on an exam won't change your career trajectory.

Medical school is a competition and it isn't fair for people to use drugs when they don't need them BUT you can't do anything about it. There will be other cheaters too, either getting access to information that no one else does or finding a way to cheat on an exam. Don't worry about those people. The way your career turns out will be independent of all this stuff.
 
Jack is Back said:
Medical school is a competition and it isn't fair for people to use drugs when they don't need them BUT you can't do anything about it. There will be other cheaters too, either getting access to information that no one else does or finding a way to cheat on an exam. Don't worry about those people. The way your career turns out will be independent of all this stuff.
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What? This seems entirely contradictory to me.
 
Jack is Back said:
If you focus on education and learning the material well, then everything works out. If you are a nice person, a hard worker, enjoyable to be around, and you focus on networking, then a few percentage points on an exam won't change your career trajectory.
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I donno man, this stuff is kinda tough to swallow as an (o)MS1 looking at the uphill battle I'm going to be fighting over the next few years.

If you are looking at an allopathic program in a competitive field, the numbers absolutely do matter. Being a nice person/hard worker, etc are nice bonuses, but you need to get in the door first and that means you must succeed on a decidedly more objective level first (rank, scores, rotations...). Being a DO only adds to the difficulty, and stresses the importance that you really need to be in the upper crust if you expect to be picky about your future. These are stressful times. With an environment like that, I have a hard time blaming anyone who worries about other people gaining an (unfair?) advantage during these first few years.
 
This reminds me of an advice I got when I was a 1st year: In preclinical years, focus on you, because you have enough to worry about.

Incidentally, long-term use/abuse of these drugs is known to be bad for memory retention.
 
gators21 said:
Its so funny the perception that adderall/ritalin has. People seem to think it makes you smarter. Hate to break it to people, but theres no such magical drug, prayer, witch doctor voodoo, whatever..... Everyone has their motivation, whatever it is. Some people need a little more help. Thats how adderall can help. Just taking it doesn't make it easier to learn the material or make you remeber everything. Reading embryo still sucks. What i find funny are these people that once school gets hard, they find out that they aren't as smart as they thought. They need to validate themselves by calling everyone else a drugged up cheater.

"If you do it act like you've been there and realize you are only rationalizing your behavior. You'll be doing yourself a favor in the long run" dude seriously get over yourself. Thats exactly the holier-than-thou attitude that drives me crazy. I 100% agree people without a presciption using adderall are in the wrong. But only because it is a serious medication with side effects that should be monitered. But to sit here and judge people for taking a legal medication with a prescrition, then claim your better for doing it the " right way" is terrible and hilarious. But whatever helps you sleep at night. you are in for a rude and very fast awakening when you actually deal with patients. Dont be suprised when they knock you off that high horse.

Also viagra was originally designed as a blood pressure med. does that mean old people shouldnt get boners too? Or is it that they are all criminals for not using it for its original purpose?
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Please, I am by no means better then you or anyone in this entire world. Don't lecture me on having a holier then thou attitude. I'm calling it what it is, drug abuse. I haven't even started medical school and I could care less what my peers do, in my classes now or next year. In no way did I ever judge you or anyone else for taking drugs but you have to call it what it is. I've been through some crap to get where I am and if you think I was the guy getting straight A's and top of my class you are sadly mistaken. I also never claimed to be doing it the "right" way...in fact I never addressed the way that I do it.
 
I was assuming you all had some OMM Jedi tricks to boost your abilities. Don't shatter my DO-fanboy illusions.
 
museic said:
Don't lecture me on having a holier then thou attitude. I'm calling it what it is, drug abuse.
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It's not drug abuse if someone is using a drug safely, getting it legally, and is under physician guidance. Framing this as drug abuse perfectly justifies us in thinking you have a holier than thou attitude. I can get behind calling it recreational use, but abuse just makes you look like you're trying to exaggerate.
 
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