To quit or not...how bad a sign if I dont like post bac classes?

[DrArete]

I'm in the middle of one of the elite post bac programs, and am doing well, but to be honest, I don't enjoy the science at all.
I am taking this as a sign that maybe this isn't for me.
I thought I knew what this would be like. I read, spoke with people, researched, etc etc. But if you just read about driving a car, or watch people doing it, what do you know about how it feels?
But I haven't taken any science in a good 13 years. It was never my academic inclination.
In my mind I glossed over the decade between starting and finishing, as just a sacrifice to get through.
But these years matter, also these are the building blocks of being a physician, and a good physician is first and foremost a good scientist, right?
Some have told me to stick it out, some to get out now.
The passion that I previously felt has evaporated with every weekend spent writing up chemistry labs, and doing problem sets.
When I was in my EMT class, it was great, everything was about medicine and practical interventions.

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[NTF]

Not liking post-bacc classes doesn't really mean anything. But your lack of tolerance for doing things you don't like as part of the process of getting to do what you might like is more of a problem. Because if doing some chemistry labs causes you this kind of angst you're going to self-inflict a whole mess of misery on yourself. Because like many education heavy careers there will always crap to deal with. If that is such an obstacle toward your happiness you should probably look for a career with less of an upfront investment.

 

[peppy]

I would say that enjoying the hands on part of the field is more important than enjoying writing chemistry lab reports. You will have to study hard during the first 2 years so you can do well on Step 1, but it's ok to not be particularly interested in the basic science aspects. This is why a lot of people enjoy 3rd and 4th year of med school more than the first two years. If you can put up with the first two years, the last half of med school is more hands on and closer to what you'll actually be doing as a doctor.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Also keep in mind that a good percentage of class enjoyment is dependant on your professor, the classmates, the location, time of day, and other stress levels in your life. For one of my bios, I thoroughly enjoy the content of biology, but I've had some professors and classmates that have made me really not want to be in that class.

A nice trick, as alluded to in the previous reply is to keep your eyes and focus on the end goal rather than the current circumstance.

 

[DrArete]

Also keep in mind that a good percentage of class enjoyment is dependant on your professor, the classmates, the location, time of day, and other stress levels in your life. For one of my bios, I thoroughly enjoy the content of biology, but I've had some professors and classmates that have made me really not want to be in that class.

A nice trick, as alluded to in the previous reply is to keep your eyes and focus on the end goal rather than the current circumstance.

Great post.
One of things that I've been wrestling with.
I had a nasty L5 herniation 1 week before class started, and for the entire program have been in pain and am recently getting physical therapy and hoping to avoid surgery.
I have been unable to do exercise or most outdoor activities, which is how I enjoy life. That has certainly colored my perception.
I can't tease out what part is that and what part is genuine concerns, so for now I am putting up with this, even though my heart is not in it.

 

[QofQuimica]

Not liking post-bacc classes doesn't really mean anything. But your lack of tolerance for doing things you don't like as part of the process of getting to do what you might like is more of a problem. Because if doing some chemistry labs causes you this kind of angst you're going to self-inflict a whole mess of misery on yourself. Because like many education heavy careers there will always crap to deal with. If that is such an obstacle toward your happiness you should probably look for a career with less of an upfront investment.

Agree completely with this.

OP, if you want to be a licensed physician some day, there's no way to avoid having to study and do things you'd just as soon not study or do. The hoops you have to jump through once you get into med school/residency are probably more numerous than the ones you have to jump through to get into med school in the first place. None of us can tell you whether to quit or keep going. It all comes down to whether you think that the gain is worth the pain. Some people answer yes, while others don't. There's no shame in making either decision as long as it's made honestly.

 

[Quizlet04]

What you are doing is not "real science", but it is practice for what you will need to do in the future. Repetitive procedure to build precision is the basis of a lot of med school. Careful execution of large problem sets is part of training for the MCAT. The topic matter doesn't matter; it's the process here that is important. If you can't see the value in the process, there's a problem.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Agree with a lot of what's posted above. In my experience, I loved loved loved science growing up. I would regularly seek out science info outside of class.

I got to college, was in a bit of a funk and hated general biology (which I thought would be my all time favorite subject) and general chemistry with a passion. I really started questioning my choice to be a biology major at that point since these were the core classes and I didn't want to be there.

Later, I took a psychology of drug use class (taught from a neurophys. & biochem. angle) and loved it. I hit cell biology and loved it. Then biochemistry and loved it. I started to realize that I hated learning little unconnected basic pieces, but when I got to put it together into how the big picture worked then I really did love the science.

I wound up doing a degree in clinical laboratory science for the sake of employment and for that the only class I didn't like was a management class. I took classes like medical microbiology, immunology, hematology, parasitology, and mycology.

I couldn't get enough of that stuff. So it is very possible to start out hating some of the the stuff and still find yourself loving the more medically relevant things. As previously mentioned, there are a ton of other factors that play into it. Just keep assessing where you are and be honest with yourself. If you find it isn't something you can deal with to get to the point of being a physician, then stop. I do think at some point you should start enjoying at least some of the science stuff.

 

[gunito]

Great post.
One of things that I've been wrestling with.
I had a nasty L5 herniation 1 week before class started, and for the entire program have been in pain and am recently getting physical therapy and hoping to avoid surgery.
I have been unable to do exercise or most outdoor activities, which is how I enjoy life. That has certainly colored my perception.
I can't tease out what part is that and what part is genuine concerns, so for now I am putting up with this, even though my heart is not in it.

I herniated T9/T10 in January a few weeks before school. I recently re-injured it at work and it hurts so bad. Dont let an injury control your life to that extent. I know it can be difficult to focus and study because of the pain but if you really want to do it you will.