Terrified, please help me

[Aldrix8]

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I just got into med school this year in Europe and I was wondering a few things....

A 4th year med student here said that the people who pass exams by just studying the slides (the powerpoints from the lectures) will have it coming back at them later when they have to finish med school or are doctors. Basically he implied that reading books is a must to retain the knowledge. He said that only reading slides will only prepare you for the exam, and afterwards you will just forget it all again.

At a later age than normal I decided I wanted to pursue the dream to become a doctor (I'm 22 now). But now that things are getting real I'm having panick attacks......I'm terrified that I won't make it for some reason and that I should just drop out. But what was all that effort for then? I worked my ass off to get to where I am. I'm just terrified and hyperventilating and stuff like that.

School starts next month........There is another field where I know I can probably study with more ease at mind and less presure (computer science). It's a stable white collar job.

Sometimes, like today, I get really scared and wonder if I'm maybe not cut out for being a doctor. I'm terrified that I might drop out in the later years for whatever reason that my crazy head can think of.

Does anyone have advise for me? I'm a hard working student who starts studying from day one.

I'm seeing professionals who are helping me with confidence issues and all.

I also feel lonely......My parents told the rest of my family that their son got into medical school and all. They were so proud when they told them on the phone. Now I'm just so ashamed, I mean, everyone is treating me like I'm special but what if I fail in two years? What will people then do? Mock me?

I don't want to let my parents down......

I got rejected once this year and I cried 2-4 times that day because I didn't get in. Now that I did get in I still feel lost.

I have a lump in my throat as I'm writing this.

The reason I wanted to become a doctor...........Was because it's a stable job with a decent income and that I can do meaningfull work helping people, healing them, making them feel better, putting a smile on their faces.

I mean, how did I even get this far if I'm so terrified?

The thing that scares me most is.....What if after three years I get kicked out for whatever reason. I won't be able to do a study like computer science anymore because of money issues. Maybe I can work and save money, or whatever.

Please help me and give me advice, I feel so lost and broken right now...

 

[deleted480308]

relax....for real...if you got in, you are smart enough to finish

 

[Psai]

Reading books won't help you. Looking at the material over and over again will help you.

 

[TheFuture_22]

At least half my class mostly just reads the PowerPoints (aside from a board review book/website every now and then). Books are more for reference if you aren't understanding something (in my opinion).

 

[DarknightX]

Sounds like you have a couple of issues.

People who just study

I just got into med school this year in Europe and I was wondering a few things....

A 4th year med student here said that the people who pass exams by just studying the slides (the powerpoints from the lectures) will have it coming back at them later when they have to finish med school or are doctors. Basically he implied that reading books is a must to retain the knowledge. He said that only reading slides will only prepare you for the exam, and afterwards you will just forget it all again. .

A little confused here. Why do you need to limit yourself to just studying powerpoint slides? A lot of med students follow that strategy and then augment areas of deficits with reading, but I don't know too many people who read through texts cover to cover. It really depends on your study habits and how you learn. Part of being successful in medical school is figuring out what study habits work for you. I've never read through a text cover to cover, and found that doing so would be a waste of time. I also didn't attend much lecture. Making things as concise as possible and going over them a million times is what worked for me. I read more now during residency, but my reading is focused...it's journal articles, sections from books, etc.

Also, are you from the States and going to Europe, or do you live in Europe and going to medical school there?

At a later age than normal I decided I wanted to pursue the dream to become a doctor (I'm 22 now). But now that things are getting real I'm having panick attacks......I'm terrified that I won't make it for some reason and that I should just drop out. But what was all that effort for then? I worked my ass off to get to where I am. I'm just terrified and hyperventilating and stuff like that.

22 is still a very young age to start medical school. At your age I was just starting to think about medical school. I didn't start till a couple of years later. There are many people who don't start until their 30's and even older, so I don't know what you mean by normal.

School starts next month........There is another field where I know I can probably study with more ease at mind and less presure (computer science). It's a stable white collar job.

Sometimes, like today, I get really scared and wonder if I'm maybe not cut out for being a doctor. I'm terrified that I might drop out in the later years for whatever reason that my crazy head can think of.

Does anyone have advise for me? I'm a hard working student who starts studying from day one.

If you're a hard working student who studies from day one, you have absolutely nothing to fear. Thousands of people with average intelligence have made it through medical school just fine. It doesn't take a genius.

I'm seeing professionals who are helping me with confidence issues and all.

I also feel lonely......My parents told the rest of my family that their son got into medical school and all. They were so proud when they told them on the phone. Now I'm just so ashamed, I mean, everyone is treating me like I'm special but what if I fail in two years? What will people then do? Mock me?

I don't want to let my parents down......

I got rejected once this year and I cried 2-4 times that day because I didn't get in. Now that I did get in I still feel lost.

I have a lump in my throat as I'm writing this.

The reason I wanted to become a doctor...........Was because it's a stable job with a decent income and that I can do meaningfull work helping people, healing them, making them feel better, putting a smile on their faces.

I mean, how did I even get this far if I'm so terrified?

The thing that scares me most is.....What if after three years I get kicked out for whatever reason. I won't be able to do a study like computer science anymore because of money issues. Maybe I can work and save money, or whatever.

Please help me and give me advice, I feel so lost and broken right now...

If you decide you don't like medical school, why can't you quit and go study computer science? What's the big deal? Isn't medical school in Europe quite cheap?

I think most of your fears are unfounded, but maybe you don't really want to go to medical school as much as you previously thought.

 

[Aldrix8]

Sounds like you have a couple of issues.

People who just study


A little confused here. Why do you need to limit yourself to just studying powerpoint slides? A lot of med students follow that strategy and then augment areas of deficits with reading, but I don't know too many people who read through texts cover to cover. It really depends on your study habits and how you learn. Part of being successful in medical school is figuring out what study habits work for you. I've never read through a text cover to cover, and found that doing so would be a waste of time. I also didn't attend much lecture. Making things as concise as possible and going over them a million times is what worked for me. I read more now during residency, but my reading is focused...it's journal articles, sections from books, etc.

Also, are you from the States and going to Europe, or do you live in Europe and going to medical school there?



22 is still a very young age to start medical school. At your age I was just starting to think about medical school. I didn't start till a couple of years later. There are many people who don't start until their 30's and even older, so I don't know what you mean by normal.



If you're a hard working student who studies from day one, you have absolutely nothing to fear. Thousands of people with average intelligence have made it through medical school just fine. It doesn't take a genius.




If you decide you don't like medical school, why can't you quit and go study computer science? What's the big deal? Isn't medical school in Europe quite cheap?

I think most of your fears are unfounded, but maybe you don't really want to go to medical school as much as you previously thought.

I was thinking of reading the slides, because reading all those books as well will just not be efficient time wise I think. But I take things to heart and what that med student said made me doubt myself and if I would pass the exams in med school if I just read the slides. I'm from Europe and going to a European medical school here.

In europe, or at least in my country, most of the first years are 17-18 years old. The avarage would be maybe 20, on that I am not very sure. The 4th year med student told me the avarage is 20, he started when he was 20 too. So that's why I meant by normal.

I was talking to my sister and I thought of just trying the first year and see where I end up next year, and if I still feel this way then switch.

I can quit now and go for computer science next month, but I can already hear my mother who will be shocked, my father who will be shocked and my brother who will say 'I told you so, just like when you stopped playing that sport after only trying it for a week'. He always uses that against me when I decide to stop something. I was maybe 10-13 at the time. Also my mom and dad told a lot of my other family members. When they visit, I can already shiver in fear of their looks and judgement over me.

I've had less than normal sleep yesterday, so maybe that added to the panic.

It's just, when I heard I didn't get in the first time this year, I was thinking 'I will do the white collar job for the rest of my job, full-time, a desk job'. I got scared by that sort of too, because computer science is just programming all day I believe.

I've shadowed a physician twice and I was just marveled by it all, but maybe I was only marveled because I loved the way people respected a physician. See I'm not very confident and I've been picked on when I was in primary and high school. Maybe I wanted that respect......I can't believe I've watched all those medical realities and soaps and pulll this crap of dropping out now....

The thought of 'maybe I don't belong here' came when the senior med students showed me around (I requested) the medical university. At some point we were at the computer and he was showing me an image of a muscle tissue that was stained. Then the fear and the question 'do I even belong here?' kicked in.

Maybe you're right about my fears being unfounded, but why am I so terrified then? Maybe you're right about me not wanting to go to med school as much as I previously thought....

More input would be very welcome.

 

[deleted480308]

I'll also throw in that all of our professors so far have told us the books are not necessary and we will be just fine on their power points...

 

[Kahreek]

there are subjects where reading anything more that the powerpoints is a waste of time.
you will only need to read some chapters and not all the book. Nobody needs or should read a scientific textbook from cover to cover.
In medschool you will learn mostly by topics, and for each you can get information in textbooks, reviewbooks, powerpoints, pdfs, notes, internet, etc.
Each one with different levels of detail.
But mind you is not always the one with more detail that gives you the better grade. Because time management is a huge thing.

 

[Aldrix8]

Does anyone have any more advice?

 

[Nephronlearner]

Oh my...
if you are hard working... what exactly are you terrified of? Medical school isn't a PhD in astrophysics. For the most part if you can motivate yourself to sit down and study, you will do fine and pass the exams.

As for powerpoints - professors decide what they want you to know! If passing those exams is enough to be a competent resident afterwards is enough for the rest of the class, it will be enough for you too.
However, if you want to make sure you aren't missing anything important, you can always buy a review book and read it as you study for the course exams. (assuming you aren't preparing for the USMLE's; if you are - then those will take care of "not missing important stuff")

Relax and celebrate the acceptance. For now (before the school starts)... just organise a barbecue party for your friends or something...

 

[Aldrix8]

Oh my...
if you are hard working... what exactly are you terrified of? Medical school isn't a PhD in astrophysics. For the most part if you can motivate yourself to sit down and study, you will do fine and pass the exams.

As for powerpoints - professors decide what they want you to know! If passing those exams is enough to be a competent resident afterwards is enough for the rest of the class, it will be enough for you too.
However, if you want to make sure you aren't missing anything important, you can always buy a review book and read it as you study for the course exams. (assuming you aren't preparing for the USMLE's; if you are - then those will take care of "not missing important stuff")

Relax and celebrate the acceptance. For now (before the school starts)... just organise a barbecue party for your friends or something...

I'm terrified of failing in the 5th (it goes to 6th year here) year. I'll be 27 and then what? I won't be able to finance another study at the uni (example a safe field like computer science). I'd have debt and I'd have to work as a shelf filler at our local wall mart/grocery shop.............I'll be 28 when I finish, that's close to 30! That just scares me a lot 🙁.

 

[Nephronlearner]

I'm terrified of failing in the 5th (it goes to 6th year here) year. I'll be 27 and then what? I won't be able to finance another study at the uni (example a safe field like computer science). I'd have debt and I'd have to work as a shelf filler at our local wall mart/grocery shop.............I'll be 28 when I finish, that's close to 30! That just scares me a lot 🙁.

I still haven't met anyone who has failed in the 5th or 6th year. You will probably spend plenty of time at the hospital then and have to do some additional studying - but unless you literally fall asleep on multiple occasions, including during the exam, you won't fail. Those who aren't ready for medical school generally fail in the 1st two years.

 

[Aldrix8]

I still haven't met anyone who has failed in the 5th or 6th year. You will probably spend plenty of time at the hospital then and have to do some additional studying - but unless you literally fall asleep on multiple occasions, including during the exam, you won't fail. Those who aren't ready for medical school generally fail in the 1st two years.

I read an article about 2 students. One stopped at the end of her first year even though she passed all her subjects with good/decent grades. The other was a 4th year who started when she was 18 and didn't like the patient contact. She tried it once but she didn't like it and quit then. I feel mortified.

I can talk to people one on one (and one to a group, when you're a doctor people listen as you explain stuff, so it's different then giving a presentation), but I just can't fathom how I'm supposed to learn how to give a physical exam on a patient. I mean, where do you even start? Then I realize these stuff you learn as you go through medical school.

 

[Aldrix8]

I've had a burning desire to get into medical school, that and because God answered my prayers, I got this far. Now all there is fear of faillure. Maybe because I have to adjust to a lot of new stuff (cadavers/actually learning stuff about the human body instead of math/physics/chemistry/bio).

 

[Excelsior_3]

You will figure out what you are good at and should use textbooks to reinforce weaker subjects...but just remember that this "mountain" of information will be useful in the future & your skills will become second nature. A white coat is not necessarily an invincibility cape for me at least, it taught me humility.
You wont be alone kid and fyi refer your family members to their pcp when they start coming to you for advice...just shake your head & tell them to hit you up after residency 😀 best of luck!

 

[Grey1993]

I read the comments above.. Some where good but some.. Not so much.. See.. Most of us have these issues and it's really a common thing among med students. True it's a hard working job and it can be really overwhelming but if you could get in.. You definitely can do this too.. Just try to put all these fears aside.. It's ok to feel scared from time to time but remember not to drown in the feeling. Have a plan. Set goals. I think you have everything you need to become a great doctor.

 

[cbrons]

You need to relax... Not everything 4th years say is helpful or important


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