Support Group for Non-Science Major Med Students

[Elysium]

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I thought it would be interesting to get a discussion going with other people with non-science undergrad majors who are currently in med school. Do you love med school? Hate it? What's the best part? Worst part? How have your study habits changed from undergrad? Are you finding it difficult to adjust? Do you often wish you could just drive your car off of the Hoover Dam. Just kidding. 😳

I was a film major in undergrad and I basically loathe medical school. I find just about everything I'm learning so uninteresting I start crying everytime I start reading Moore's or memorizing brain structures or deciphering graphs in physiology. People assure me that things get relatively more interesting in second year, but somehow I'm convinced that they'll find a way to suck the joy out of anything even slightly clinically relevant. It's difficult to go from writing papers and analyzing concepts to memorizing the goddamned brachial plexus. Any tips on surviving or experiences you'd like to share?

 

[thackl]

Does engineering count. I personally think it's better to be non-bio. I would be completely burnt out and bored if I had taken these kind of classes for undergrad.

The material it pretty easy to understand and workload is ok (except test weeks 😱 )as long as you're not trying to learn everything in Moore (tried that for about a week and went crazy with anxiety). Just go high yield and continued doing things you enjoy...... even during test weeks.

Just remember, it's temporary and will all be worth it in the end. As an art major, you bring a different personality and perspective which is needed in this field.

 

[dmk724]

I thought it would be interesting to get a discussion going with other people with non-science undergrad majors who are currently in med school. Do you love med school? Hate it? What's the best part? Worst part? How have your study habits changed from undergrad? Are you finding it difficult to adjust? Do you often wish you could just drive your car off of the Hoover Dam. Just kidding. 😳

I was a history major in undergrad, and I actually don't hate med school. No, it's not fun, but it's not terrible either. Maybe it's because I went into medical school with the lowest possible expectations, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the curriculum and by my fellow classmates. It is a little weird to have my grade determined by multiple choice tests, and not have to write a single term paper, and a little odd not to worry about the proper footnote citation format. The thing for me is that I went into medicine because I like learning about people (which is also why I liked history so much), so I like clinical settings. So, as long as I get my clinical skills fix every month or so, I'm happy.

The thing that I really don't like about med school so far is the medical humanities course - they want us to become interested in the humanities aspect of medicine, mostly through literature. Unfortunately, the course directors have the unfortunate habit of unerringly and consistently picking the worst books imaginable. Otherwise, med school isn't so bad.

As for survival, I think that it's important to remember why you liked medicine in the first place, and to find experiences that will help you get "back in touch" with that. If you like clinical stuff, and feel that you don't get any of that in class, then shadow a doctor for a few hours or so. And take a break a few hours a week, to do something that you really like. Good luck - I hope things improve in the next semester.

 

[Bevo]

Economics major in undergrad.

For the most part I love med school, there are times I find it draining. But I think thats common to most med students at some point or another.

I guess I like these science courses more than my undergrad glasses is because I never really had any interest in economics. It was a means to an end.

I have to agree with the above poster's comments about essays and term papers. I hardly ever had a mcq test in undergrand. In fact, I dont think I had one until I went to finish my pre-med courses at a different insitution.

A world of difference in the 2 testing styles.
A british professor of mine would have preferred to give med students essay exams because he thinks it forces the student to really know their subject well.

 

[PluckyDuk8]

I was a psych major in undergrad.

So far I love 2nd year so much more than 1st. I feel like I'm more on an even playing field...and the material is so much more interesting, more relevant, and less dry.

 

[Willamette]

Anthropology major. Anatomy sucked. Physiology was better (I actually liked it the best of all of the first two years...followed by pathophysiology and pharm). Micro was was too much, too fast to hold onto. Pharm seems to be use it or lose it.
The first two years are glorified undergrad, but the third year is pretty cool so far (only you feel like you're always on the outside looking in with regard to relationships between team members on the ward).

Willamette

 

[fun8stuff]

Does engineering count. I personally think it's better to be non-bio. I would be completely burnt out and bored if I had taken these kind of classes for undergrad.

The material it pretty easy to understand and workload is ok (except test weeks 😱 )as long as you're not trying to learn everything in Moore (tried that for about a week and went crazy with anxiety). Just go high yield and continued doing things you enjoy...... even during test weeks.

Just remember, it's temporary and will all be worth it in the end. As an art major, you bring a different personality and perspective which is needed in this field.

I know this is probably a stupid question but... When people say "high yield", is this refering to a specific type of review book... like a series called "High Yield", or does it just mean to try and learn the most important concepts?

...i thought I saw some where a review series called high yield...

 

[zzeyfzz]

I was an econ major in undergrad, and I'm a second year now.

I would say that I like med school now probably because I wasn't really immersed in all this sciencey stuff when I was in undergrad. Things are kind of new to me, and I like this more applied approach to learning science. I remember bio in undergrad, and it felt like a total waste of time when I was remembering plant cycles and all that. Now, there's a point to what I'm learning.

I seriously disliked anatomy though, and I'm totally glad that's over. I think second year is great though because we are actually learning about diseases and how to treat them. And possibly, the professors this year are slightly better than last year's.

First year is rough, and memorizing is rough, but I just try to suck it up and look forward to the days after the exams and the vacations to come and the decreasing number of days until I begin third year.

 

[twinklz]

I was an English major in undergrad.

While I don't love medical school, I don't find it abysmal either. I just find myself feeling rather like a drone -- no independent thought allowed. Which at times makes it easier than undergrad, just a wee bit more infuriating. I'm also glad that I didn't have much of a science background because I'm enjoying learning about all this stuff for the first time, but I think it would be terribly tiresome to be learning the same things.

 

[MD'05]

Dude, I hope that is not really you in your avatar. You need a Queer Eye makeover badly. You look like an old ass yoddling Austrian.

 

[Energon]

Even though I was a bio major in college I fcuking hated basic sciences. Although I think its the stifling environment of medical education that I hated more.

Elysum, dont worry about not being a science major. Everyone has a tough time science background or not.

Best of luck

 

[Hercules]

I was a psych major in undergrad.

So far I love 2nd year so much more than 1st. I feel like I'm more on an even playing field...and the material is so much more interesting, more relevant, and less dry.

Classics major here. Totally agree about the playing field leveling out 2nd year. As a fourth year, I can say I'm glad I majored in Classics, but I would have probably taken a few key classes in undergrad to make that first year of med school a little easier.

 

[BenYossarian]

I was a history major. BUT I always intended to go to medical school...it was something I wanted to do...its probably the same for all of you...but I like med school a lot. I think I can agree on getting burnt out if I had done Bio or another science major. I am so glad I did history and all the other stuff I did in undergrad that had nothing to do with pre-med. And I don't feel like i missed much. I was worried about biochem, because I had never had it before...but I just had to get used to it. Its not bad. Ok.