Transition to Med School

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NurseyK,

Is medical school as tough as everyone says it is?

Would you say that it takes brains or hardwork and determination to make it through med school?

Just wondering. :rolleyes:
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Hi Kat,

Actually I've been in NY since June. I'm in the Bronx doing neuro and this will be the last rotation I will be doing in this area. Got a chance to avoid the searing heat of the AZ summer and visit family members but it'll be good to get back to my friends in AZ! Best of luck on your first exam, you'll do just fine. Answer to ella's question, a combo of both maximizes your chances but brains and no hard work you may or may not get by, I think hard work helps though you may not be Einstein. JMHO. My best to you all out there. ted. :cool:
 
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Hey Ted!! Hey Neurogirl!!

Where are ya both? How's rotations?

Medschool's going well over here (read: I'm getting used to the sleep deprivation and "stress" weight loss). I'm facing our next Composite Exam on Monday. There's nothing like having 10 exams in the space of 7 weeks! :eek:

I miss the work, but not the job (or is it the other way around?) - I think you know what I mean....of course, I'd never quit here and go BACK...LOL :D

Medschool's hell - and I'm just a glutton for punishment..... ;)

I hope you and yours are well!

Kat :)
 
Back in the desert of AZ doing a sub-i in IM. So glad that things are going well for you and though I'm doing rotations, I can feel for you (all that sleep lost, nutrition or binging missed out on:O( . I feel weird as I had just left NY approx. 2 weeks ago, I can't believe my home town is under attack. All of my family has been accounted for and for that I am truly grateful to God! I'll pray that things continue to go well for you in school. :cool:
 
Hi Kat,

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, but internship has been all-consuming... much more than even med school was. I'm adjusting, but boy will I be glad when it's over! We're already counting the days! Someone once told me that the worst years of medical education are: 1. the first year of med school 2. internship 3. first year in practice. I believe him! The other day, one of our residents said he felt like he'd aged 10 years during internship. God, I hope I don't end up feeling that way...I don't have 10 years to spare!!! :D

Glad to hear you're doing well. Hang in there and keep me posted...I'll check in whenever I have a chance.

Neurogirl DO, MPH
 
Ted and Neuro -

Thank you for your well wishes!

I'm glad both of you are well, and...um....enjoying your experiences as much as I am (cough, cough). ;)

We must keep in touch!

Kat :D
 
Just trying to keep in touch like you suggested :D Where are you Kat? Doing well hopefully. Do you have quarters or semesters? If it's quarters, you should be coming down to the wire, keep your chin up! I'm getting frustrated with the Match process and the technicalities. Just got back from Fresno. Fortunately, I won't need to travel for rotations until Feb (sooner if I get interviews :eek: ). I'd love to hear how things are going! :cool: ted
 
Ted -

HHHHEEEYYYYYY!!!!!!!

I'm buried in deep here....Composite Exams, ANA/Embryo, OMM/OPP....sigh....our class is the guinea pigs for the current schedule. Admin is finding that it's not "working" and most of the class is failing (multiple) subjects. Sooo, next yr the schedule will be different (yet again, according to rumour).

Despite all, like the little glutton for punishment I am, I'm luving it....save for the interpersonal crap (probably D/T the whole "age difference" thing). I'm plugging thru, studying my a$$ off, doing VERY well as far as grades and class rank. It's just a matter of maintaining and sustaining over the long haul.

The Match....ouch.....I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I hope all turns out the way you want! Keep me posted. I hope all is well with you and your family.

One of these days we'll have to get together and compare "notes" in person!...you know...with ALL that FREE time we have here in medschool....LOL :D

Kat
 
Unless I get interviews, I shouldn't be heading east any time soon, but I agree, we should meet and compare notes (yours'll come out a little shinier than mine). Glad things are going well for you. Things here are stable. Keep me posted and I'll keep you posted. :cool:
 
Ted & Neurogirl -

Thanksgiving is approaching (finally)! A couple o' tests and I face the drive home -- in the snow, according to the local weather report.

Things are steady - tedious...the "bug parade" is starting....ahhhhh...I'm starting to dream of "bugs" and "drugs" LOL! :p

Happy Turkey Day to you and yours!! I hope all is well.

Kat :D
 
Hey Kat!

Good to hear that things haven't changed on the med school front, still busy :p I'm in NY heading back to Phoenix in the morning. Got done with one interview on Friday and will have another on Tuesday. Thanksgiving this year,as last year,will be spent with friends from church. Dad, my sister,and niece will be visiting the Valley of the Sun for the Christmas holidays!!! (This is after three horrible weeks of being forced back into the classroom (spelled: mandatory), sorry but I think this is quite unnecessary). Hope your Thanksgiving is great and that school, well is kinder :D Send us more glowing reports at Christmas time (perhaps to your former colleagues as well :D )
 
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Hey Kat,

Got your message. Send me your e-mail so I can respond, it wasn't in the message. (Should I have checked the profile, eeks jet lag, what an evil thing. It just scrambles the brain cells!)

ted :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
Congratulations for getting into medical school....You're a woman of virtue, be strong, I'm sure you will be a great doctor better than many others who just got in from undergrad. I, as well, am going through the bug parade... Good luck!!! Trick question, what human disease does Wuchereria bancrofti cause!! :cool: Cheers! :D
 
Filariasis which MAY lead to elephantiasis.
 
TO nursey k and all nurse to med school students what were your grades like in nursing school and what were your mcats like?
 
I am not sure how valid this info is for comparison. We have 4 nurses (inclu one NP in our class). All of us were former ER RN's. All of us did well in Nursing school, and (obviously) well enough on MCAT to get in. All of us are passing this first semester. A few are "holding on", and a few are doing varying degrees of "better than holding on". Have I found that this correlates with age, gender, marital status, recent course work before school, years out of school, or years spent working in the field? NOPE - it's a crap shoot. (I don't know anyone's EXACT grades because, basically, we don't talk about that stuff. The competition is over, so to speak; everyone is just interested in passing.)

If you are asking if you can "survive" medschool as a RN. Sure you can. There are quite a few former nurses out there in Doctor-land.

Sorry I couldn't be more specific. Hope some of this helped.

Kat :D
 
I would like to encourage anyone with previous health care experience to take on the challenge of medical school. Determination and hard work is the key, it is just the question of "doing it".
 
Originally posted by Freeeedom!:
•I would like to encourage anyone with previous health care experience to take on the challenge of medical school. Determination and hard work is the key, it is just the question of "doing it".•••

Good summary!
Click to expand...
 
Hi Kat (and all posting here),

Ditto for me on that post by Freeedom. Sorry I haven't e-mailed you back Kat, we're in the classroom for "pre-boards" lectures and now I've come down with a wicked sinus infection . :mad: Hope things are going well and that all of the stessed out folks in your environment own up to the fact that they are (hopefully) adults and are responsible for their own actions, successes and failures!!! I'll try to e-mail you week after next and I'll let you in on my next interview. Best wishes and here's hoping your vacation comes sooner rather than later. :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
Just read your postings regarding RNs to DO/MDs. I am a critical care RN of 7+ yrs and at the application stage for med school. I'd love to answer some of the questions that have been asked in the past. In response to the first post, I have been lucky to have had wonderful support from my fellow RNs. In fact, many of them are also in post-grad school of some sort. I can honestly say that I have had objectionable responses from only two people. One has a problem with the incurred debt (vs. earning potential) and the other has dreams of owning her own business outside of nursing. All in all, good support though, so I'll pass it on by saying for your coworkers, CONGRATULATIONS!!

I did well (A's and B's) in nursing school, but I was no scholar. I had a seven month old and a two year old when I started. They are now much older and my grades have improved tremendously. I have applied to five schools, 4 allopathic and 1 osteopathic, and have interviewed at four of them so far. I am very grateful.

I don't know where I will end up, but wherever it is, I'm ready. Let's go!
 
Hello - I'm so glad to have found this excellent site. There appears to be plenty of useful information here.

One day (about 4 yrs ago) I said to myself, "If I could do it all over again, I would have been a doctor." The city that I live in does not have a medical school so I decided to 'settle' on becoming an RN (as moving our family was out of the question). I loved returning to school and did rather well. I have now been working full time as an RN for approx 8 months. Although I do enjoy my job I continue to feel that there is something more I should and could be doing. I have decided (it took a while) that life-long learning is a given... and since there is talk that they may in fact open a med school in our city... I am going to work towards entry into the medical (as opposed to nursing) profession. I am quite excited about this new venture!

I'm just wondering if anyone here is familiar with Canadian application/education processes. (yep... I live in Canada) And, does my nursing education help in anyway with acceptance and the whole educational process? And finally.... just how hard is school??? (just a bit of fear here!)

I look forward to reading more on this site and hope that anyone with helpful information will post something. Thanks all!
 
I am not a nurse but a social worker. I work in an inpatient psychiatric unit. I have had much support from the residents and attendings, but my fellow social workers feel as though I am turing my back on the profession. Also, the psychologists I work with act as though going to medical school is a complete waste of time, and that I should get a phd. There seems to be this overwhelming sense that all doctors (MD & DO) are malignant and self absorbed. It appears to me that the allied health professionals I work with are more malignant to coworkers and patients than most of the doctors.

Congrats on DO school. I recently recieved my acceptance to Pikeville. Good luck and do not let anyone stand in the way of your dream! :eek: :mad:
 
Nursey K,

Totally understand you. I have experienced similar switch in field to medicine. And nope, I didn't inform people other than my parents about my decision. Guess what? Same response your mentioned. People are jealous. That's all. But since you are the one who put it ALL the effort to get into med school, you have all the right and privilenge to IGNORE their negative responses. Be yourself! You are who you are and you do what you want.

Remember, you only live once. Live it YOUR way!
 
Thank you all for your well-wishes! I hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays!

I'm on break (2 weeks...Ooooooo Ahhhhh). It's very much needed. I tell ya, I think just about everyone was getting on everyone else's last nerve towards the end of the semester; the older folks just about had it with the "kids", the "kids" had it with the older folks, and the Professors had it with everyone! ;)

We'll find out our grades when we go back - they won't tell you over the phone, e-mail, or snail mail....AGONY! :p

One semester down, 3 more to go until rotations (where I'll feel a lot more comfortable). H&P Week and Systems here I come!

Kat :D
 
Ok, Ok....so I just wanted to move this up to the top again... :p

The great update: H&P Week is over; OPEP and CODA continue; our first system (Derm) is DONE and I came out intact. :clap: I don't know what's worse though - exam questions from the Ph.D.'s or exam questions from the Clinicians. No disrespect intended, but, I think the Clinicians believe that since they "work" their specialty field everyday, certain knowledge is "common." Let's just say that some of the exam questions involved info that was a little too complex for this stage of the game.... :wink:

On to Musculoskeletal and back into ANA Lab. I was getting to like not smelling bad these last few weeks!

Ted - I hope things went well with the Match. Neurogirl - How's it going in Residency?

...KIT...

Kat :D
 
Hey Kat,

So glad to hear that you survived!!! Not done with anatomy yet? Eeeks, my niece is at UBuffalo and they were done in Dec! Just listening to you talk about it almost makes me remember that vile and evil smell :mad: Anyway, I've got my inital rank list. I am going to give one of my top choice programs a second look this week to help me make my final decision. Believe me when I say, I am so glad this is over. I am so ready for this to be over and done with (the Match and school). Best of luck to you, hang in there, it really is almost over (for year one :D ) Ted.
 
Ted -

Good luck! I know things will go well for you!....just in case, I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya! :wink:

Kat :D

PS: They split our ANA up. For the next 4, or so, weeks as we progress through the Musculoskeletal system, we dissect the UE's and LE's from our last semester's body. THEN we are finally DONE with ANA...woo woo!
 
Thanks for the good wishes, yes, keep those fingers crossed, I need all the help I can get :D
Interesting concept LECOM has there, I think it makes sense but I'd still rather be out of the lab :wink: Keep on keepin' the faith!
 
Hi Kat,

Glad to hear you're doing well...not that I had any doubts! Boy, time flies, doesn't it! The year will be over before you know it. Just know that the first year is the worst year (at least it was for me). Any ideas yet about specialty choice? Still thinking about EM?

Things are great here, but I'm certainly ready for internship to be over! Can't wait until I'm doing neuro. I must say I have a new found respect for the IM docs. They work harder than anyone and get most of the headaches, but they don't get the compensation they deserve. As someone recently put it, "they do twice the work for half the pay". Anyway, it's hard to believe we're on the downhill slide...only 4 months to go!!!!!!! :clap:

Keep me posted on your progress!

To Ted,

What specialty are you going into?

Neurogirl :D
 
Neurogirl -

Good to hear that all is well! Yep, I'm still headed towards EM. I've been in contact with a few of our grads in EM trying to narrow down Residency choices (I'm going to try to rotate thru those Hospitals 3rd and 4th yrs). I get so ahead of myself, don't I? Keepin' the focus... :cool:

We just had our first M/S Exam...[whew]...I can't wait to get 8 hrs of sleep tonite (scary, all that sleep in ONE nite)...or wait, am I obligated to go out for a drink? :wink:

Since we are scheduled for only ONE more 3-day weekend :mad: and have NO Spring Break :p I'm taking advantage of any down-time that can be squeezed in! (read: need the sanity checks)

5 weeks of M/S and 9 weeks of Neuro...then we are DONE with our first year already! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

Kat :D
 
Hi Kat and Neurogirl,

EM is the name of the game here! I'm in Guatemala with DOCARE doing a 2 week rotation. It has been awesome!!!! I just got back from Copan, Honduras checking out the ruins. Match is next month. I'll wind up on one of the coasts, now I really don't care which one, just so long as I don't have to scramble! Got to get going, this is costing me many quetzales! I'll post when I get back next week. Best wishes to you both. :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
Neurogirl, Kat, and Ted,

I see you have quite the SDN relationship going on here. It's great to see the different levels and years here.

I have a question for you all. Coming from a nursing background, what was your transition into medical school like? Was it easy? For a while? What were the biggest hurdles? Did nursing really help?

I'd appreciate any feedback here, I start in the fall and have no idea what to expect, except studying.

By the way Neurogirl, I love neuro!!! I'm thinking maybe peds neuro. Any suggestions?
 
I guess I should have said questionS.

See ya!
 
mdmom -

Ted and Neuro have been a nice source of support for me. Ted and I are both former nurses...Neurogirl is an enigma... :wink:

As I've always stated from the beginning, I don't regret my time in Nursing. I have my experiences that no one can take away from me. I find the "traditional students" having a (relatively) easier time with "memorize and regurgitate" exams; and the 4 nurses in our class seeming to have an easier time with "clinical application"-type of exams (after all, that's what we've been doing for a living). I'm enjoying the clinical apps, personally, and also our limited clinical rotations so far this semester.

I'll leave Ted to fill you in on the later years, and how her background has helped her with 3rd and 4th yr rotations. :D

Congrats and GL in school!

Kat :)
 
mdmom,

Hi! As Kat said, I'm an enigma (LOL)! In my past life, I wasn't a nurse, but we did have several RNs in my class. It seemed that their experience helped more in the 2nd year than in the first. In the 2nd year, the nurses usually kicked butt in pharmacolgy and other, more clinically oriented courses. Of course, it goes without saying that you'll be way ahead of the game during the 3rd and 4th yr clinical rotations. Glad to hear you're interested in neuro. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help. I'm sure you'll do fine. For now, your job is to RELAX and enjoy your freedom...it will soon be gone...forever!
 
Hey mdmom,

I had a lot of issues that cropped up at the time I started med school.
1. I moved 3,000 miles away from home for the first time.
2. My mom was dying, end stage cancer.
3. For the first 4 or more weeks of med school, my furniture was traveling all over the U.S. which left me on the floor for many of my activities of daily living.

I agree with Kat and Neurogirl, I was more skilled at taking exams with clinical applications as opposed to the memorize/regurg stuff so consequently, my second year was easier. It was a pleasure to enter clinicals and get back to patient care in a new role. That was a transition I had no problem making where some of my younger non-clinical classmates had trouble. I felt that this is where (clinical setting) I belonged. I have done very well in my clinical rotations. Approach everything (class work, home life) with the idea that you may need to change your strategy frequently and quickly until you find a style that will help you out. I will answer questions you might have as you go along. It is always a pleasure to help out a fellow nurse. Best of luck to you. ted :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by tedsadoc2002:
•...I'm in Guatemala with DOCARE doing a 2 week rotation. It has been awesome!!!! I just got back from Copan, Honduras checking out the ruins... :cool: •••••Aaannnnnnddddd....?.....details, details....sounds like you had a blast! :cool:

Kat :D
 
It is a blast (I'm still here!!!!). I promise I will post details here when I get back. <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" /> I'm spending many quetzales to check e-mail, post messages and the like, plus I've got to got to the travel agent and pay for my beach trip. <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" /> That's Friday )the day before we return. The more practical reason I post short and sweet here is 2 fold, I BROKE MY GLASSES :( and this computer is in a foreign language (repleat with foreign symbols that drive me crazy <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> Will check back on the weekend. Hope you are all well!!! :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
Thanks for your responses everyone. I'm sure I'll be back with a lot more questions. This whole losing my freedom thing is quite frightening <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> or should I say intimidating :(
But I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be. This is what I (we) have wanted for a long, long, LONG time.

See ya!
 
CONGRATS!!! as you seem that you are already proud of yourself and thats all it takes...you will probably make an outstanding physician because you have the nursing background...and I think that is AWESOME. You can only help to change the system and that is great...I'm really happy to have read about you!! and don't worry, we are all smiling for you here on the net...heh, I know it's not face to face but don't worry yo.
~S.
 
Hi all,

I'm back from Guatemala (well, actually last week). I did a 2 week rotation with DOCARE, that's an organization that was founded in the 1960's by an osteopathic physician. Medical professionals (doctors, PA's, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists etc.) volunteer their time and supplies to give medical care to people that do not have access to such care. We treated all kinds of things from scabies to giardia, to early arthritis and diabetes.
The country is beautiful and on the weekends, we had the opportunity to visit various historic sites, I just added another country's stamp in my passport by visiting Copan, Honduras.
One of the nicest experiences I have to include here is a house call we made on an elderly woman with rheumatoid arthritis, pneumonia, hypotension, and generalized weakness. This woman was unable to visit our clinic because she couldn't walk and her daughter couldn't bring her down that steep mountain. Her daughter flagged my friend down (we're quite obvious in our scrubs and stethoscopes) as we were walking past the booth where she sells food. She told us her mom had been ill for several weeks so we figured (with permission of our administrator) we'd go up and see her. Well to make a long story short, after figuring out her problem list, we went back to the clinic, got her the appropriate medicines, pain meds, inhalers, antibiotics, vitamins, and a prednisone dose pack. We did a follow up wisit 2 days later and low and behold, there was a vastly improved woman, able to sit up, eat, and was placing the blessings of the Lord on us for coming to help her. Her whole family was delighted at her progress. It was an awesome sight. Praise God, His love endures forever!!! So, that is what Ted was up to when she was in Guatemala. Reality hit me with both barrels last week when I started my 2 week rotation at the Maricopa County Medical Examiners Office!!! I will NOT be giving up my day job for this one :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Hope everyone is having a good week. Keep those good thoughts, wishes and prayers going for me, Match Day is fast approaching and it feels like a freight train barrelling down on me. <img border="0" alt="[Pity]" title="" src="graemlins/pity.gif" />
 
Sounds like the trip was well worth it! You were, obviously, very needed there...and really made a difference in many peoples' lives. :clap:

What a change to be at the M.E.'s ofc now! Actually, I'd like to do a forensics rotation thru a M.E.'s office also (eyeballing Chief M.E. in West Virginia -- if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it big! LOL!). What are you doing over there (besides smelling bad <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> ).

Kat :D
 
hahahahahaha, I beg your pardon, I call it "being aromatic" :D :D :D It's kind of weird, because now every time I listen to the news at night, the next day, I'm examining the victim! I've even gotten a chance to sit in on a trial, where the ME was an expert witness. Anyway, I'm going to read my forensics book tonight and catch up on a little TV (no, not the news, I don't want to know who I am going to meet tomorrow). Have a good one. Kat, why don't you do one (path rotation) in Manhattan, you could be in on some high profile cases! :cool: :cool: :cool: Later.
 
Hey gang!

I just had to share the good news with everyone here. It must have been the silent sounds of your crossed fingers and wonderful prayers that helped me out here, right :D ? Anyway, the hard part is over I'VE MATCHED!!!! No scrambling here! AMEN. To God be the glory!!!! I'll let you know where I wind up for the next 3-4 years on Thursday afternoon. Right now, I've got to get off the ceiling :wink: :wink: :wink: Ciao. ted
 
Thanks Kat (man, I could hear the snap, crackle, and pop of the uncrossing all the way here in Phoenix :D )

So now for the moment I'm sure you have not been waiting for (because I was doing the waiting here): I'll be back in NY, Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. It's a brand new program, and so you wonder, ted, why'd ya do it? Well, I went to a brand new school and did well. May sound illogical to you, but it felt right, and I'm pleased. Of course, I'd rather not have dealt with snow, cold and winter or anything less than 50 degrees or similar humidity and higher, but hey, I won't get to hang out too much anyways right? :p Thanks for the support on this forum, you all are AWESOME :clap: :cool: :clap: :cool:
 
Horray! Back on the East Coast (the better 1/2 of the country-----hahahahahah! :wink: ). It's going to be weird dealing with the cold and snow again, huh? I'm going back to that vicinity this summer (a little north)...we'll have to find each other and do lunch, dah-ling...they do let you eat in Residency, right? :D :cool:

Kat :)
 
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