starting med school in a week

[yoyo123]

hey,
Well next week i start med school, but not over here, im going to a 6 year program in ireland, straight out of high school. im about to begin the first year in a week or so, but im getting kind of intimidated .......i know becoming a doctor is very hard, but how do you guys handle it? Any study techniques anyone has whos about to start off in it straight out of high school? How many days a week does everyone study? 7? Well my first year is a "premed" year where i get a class in o chem, gen bio, gen physics, and medical informatics(anyone wanna tell whats that for?). Then second year is where i get anatomy and physiology and etc...Any advice for me?
thanks

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[HiddenTruth]

Well I went/am in a 6 year combined program in the states--and it's not terribly hard. Infact, I think it's easier than the normal route. So, that being said, I don't think you should have too much trouble up Ireland.

I'm not sure how your curric is set up but our's was typical--finishg Bach in 2 years--just loaded up on classes.

I think if your program is accelerated (which it may not be, because some of those foreign schools are just shorter and have difft requirements), would be just to stay on top of it. you may lose the "live it up" college life--or may not experience that--but I mean, you lose some to gain some--In the end, you will be 23/24 w/ a M.D. Good luck!

HT

 

[yoyo123]

hmm thats interesting i didnt know they had 6 year programs in teh US. Was it tough to get in? Probably needed like a 1400 SAT score huh?

 

[HiddenTruth]

hmm thats interesting i didnt know they had 6 year programs in teh US. Was it tough to get in? Probably needed like a 1400 SAT score huh?

yea they're decently competetive. I think our average incomming SAT was 1450 and ACT was 33-- from what I remember. But, the way I look at it is--it's a lot easier to do really well in H.S that it is in college. However, that being said, it is extremely competetive because, granted you are competing against only a limited number of people, you are also competing for very few spots, as there are very few programs that exist.

 

[velo]

ah Ireland....

"If you drink, and you havn't been to Ireland....get off your ass"
-Lewis Black

 

[s137mack]

Hi!

I am also in a 6 year med program in the US. I think that people like to scare you a lot about it at first. I think as long as you go into it knowing you are going to have study A LOT more than you did in HS than you will be fine. The load of classes getsharder and harder (I am MS3), but you learn to build up to it. We have to go in the summers too (not sure if you do), so that sucks, but also you never get out of the groove of studying. I am not sure if its easier than a tradional medical student. I think looking back, I might have liked to do it the other way. But, hindsights always 20/20. I am just in my third year of school and I have already started seeing patients in clinic. So, at least this way you know before getting in too deep if you really want to be a doctor. Good luck with school!!!!

 

[fielight]

from what i understand, foreign schools don't work like the US accelerated programs. i was in an 8 year program (4 undergrad + 4 med), and i had applied to some 7-year programs... generally, it's just that you get a shortened amount of undergrad work then go through the regular 4 year curriculum in medical school. in asia, the medical schools are set up so that you go straight from high school... but it's not the same as the 6-year programs in the US; you get a lump of 6 years to complete everything (plus some more basic sciences), but what we normally do in the regular 4 years of med school (US) is actually stretched over the 6 year period. what makes the US med schools demanding is that they have to fit all of the basic sciences in MS 1 and 2 (a very little amount of time for a lot of material)... it shouldn't be too bad if the foreign programs don't have this time-restriction.

basically, just study a lot; if you learn the material they give you by the end of the day of the lecture, then you'll be fine. it's when you put off studying for a day or two that the material really starts to build up. but like i said, i think in your case, it probably wouldn't be as fast paced because of the different structure of the curriculum.

 

[shaggybill]

First off, apologies for bumping this up...

Secondly, I admit that I am very ignorant here. Could someone explain to me what a 6-year program is or point me to a website that explains it? Is this like an undergrad and med school combined?

Thanks...

 

[HiddenTruth]

First off, apologies for bumping this up...

Secondly, I admit that I am very ignorant here. Could someone explain to me what a 6-year program is or point me to a website that explains it? Is this like an undergrad and med school combined?

Thanks...

It's a 6 year combined B.A/M.D program where it's guaranteed admission from high school. you only apply once. There are many 7 and 8 year programs as well. Some may require you to take MCAT and score average--it's not really used for admission, but simply a requirement, where as others, don't require to take the MCAT at all. I hope that answers your question.

 

[shaggybill]

Yes, it does. Thanks. Is it only for high schoolers?

 

[HiddenTruth]

Yes, it does. Thanks. Is it only for high schoolers?

Well the COMBINED program itself is for highschoolers, yes. I mean a person who has alreayd gone through college would not apply to a combined Bac/M.D. program. But, most of the 7/8 year programs are at trad schools where the combined program kids just enter the medical school class along with traditional kids. I am not sure about other 6 year programs, but my 6 year program is geared mainly towards 6 year kids and allows for a few openings for trad students to come join the 4 year med school.

Unless you were asking, whether you can transfer into it after some college. From what I know, you can if you have completed ONLY one year of college, but you would still have to start from the beginning and complete 6 years (it won't be 5 years).

 

[mshheaddoc]

Yes, it does. Thanks. Is it only for high schoolers?

Since its a combined program (BA/MD), usually apply right out of high school, so yes, high schoolers. I'm sure other do apply!