Ugh. I need motivation

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I skied for the past four days. I told myself I would click back into MCAT studying today. Here I am trying to study, and it is snowing 2-3 inches per hour on top of 13 inches received last night.

Times like these, I want to say screw it. No med school, just work as a medic and get my three days off per week and ski until I'm 70. What would be wrong with that?

Anyone else get the "I second guess all of this effort" blues?

😡

 

[engineeredout]

I know how you feel, its like when I studied this past summer and had people calling me up at night saying "HAY WE'RE GOING OUT TO A BAR COME WITH US" and I had to go "nah, I'm studying renal physiology and kinematics".
​

Remind yourself why you're studying at all. No its not just to pass the MCAT, you're studying to attend med school. You've gotta ask yourself, how will you feel when you have that acceptance letter in hand at the end of all of this? You'll be standing at your mailbox ready to tackle the mailman because he's taking too damn long to get to your house. Finally he shows up, and you jump in his truck tearing open envelopes until you find the one from your dream school. You open it and you see HOLY **** I'VE GOTTEN ACCEPTED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!
​

Just think about that moment. If it's a moment you really want to experience, you'll find the motivation within yourself to study. ​

 

[rkaz]

I took the MCAT last year. It was my first and only attempt. I was totally distracted, hardly studied at all... didn't do a single practice test, hadn't even reviewed some physics or ochem in over 4 years (I'm a non-trad). When I took the test there were a bunch of easy questions that I missed because I couldn't remember the simple formula etc... I just rationalized my way through things. I was lucky to still get the score I did... but I could have scored at least 10 points higher if I had taken things seriously and done many practice questions.

I have been accepted at a solid DO program, and feel lucky that I will matriculate as a med student this year. However, I still have not gotten into my top choice (in-state MD) program. Maybe I will get accepted, maybe I won't... who knows. Since I am a non-trad and have been accepted, I will not reapply next year, as I now plan to matriculate and move forward with my life. However, I cannot express enough the regret I feel not having given myself a real chance to succeed. If I could go back in time and take the MCAT all over, you bet I would study like a maniac to do extremely well on the exam. Instead, I shot myself in the foot by not studying enough.

Don't make the same mistake as I did... as living with regret is no fun. Work hard now and be proud of yourself later when those acceptances come in.

 

[EricH]

“As the Sandwich-Islander believes that the strength and valor of the enemy he kills passes into himself, so we gain the strength of the temptations we resist” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

From my perspective the MCAT is not just a test of knowledge/ability. It is a test of whether you can endure the amount of studying that is required for Med. School. (except for those talented bastards that didn't have to study hard for a good score) Of course the MCAT is more bitter because you're not actually studying medicine.

When you get that awesome score, interviews and acceptances, the effort you put in now will seem trivial. I took TPR over a spring semester and studied 60 hours a week for six weeks before my test, yet it seems like only a footnote now.

Good Luck.

 

[nevinleiby]

Yeah...I remember quite well what you are going through. I didn't have too much of the motivation problem though. I was more or less the opposite (partly b/c of Eminem's Lose Yourself)

Just think - the time that you are putting in now goes DIRECTLY into your opportunity to become a physician. It's not typing up some lab report that no one cares about except the grader, staying up late to finish up that english comp paper, or scratching your head over theoretical derivation of the derivative.

It's your chance...So are you going to take it now or are you going to go skiing? What happens if you go skiing, but get seriously injured and can no longer be a physician or medic anymore because of a serious disability?

Unfortunately, tragedy happens - it's a part of life. My parents died tragically after I finished undergrad and three of my friends from high school also died suddenly. Two suicide, and one from a heart attack even though he was very fit (funeral is this Saturday 🙁).

From all that I learned, you must put everything that you have into the life that you are living...because if you're not, then what the heck are you wasting your time on?

Focus...study hard...and use your study breaks to play in the snow

 

[facetedforms]

Thanks guys. You successfully motivated me.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Thanks guys. You successfully motivated me.

Studying is terrible, but honestly you just need to do it. I had days where I'd study, sitting in a room for 10 hours, never stepping outside, etc. I seriously felt so isolated and I hated it. Then come time to take the test, I wasn't ready so I put it off, studying now just as much and as hard as the first time, but now with a full load of classes. It's not fun, but honestly, half-assing it now just means more work later (not to say I half assed it before, I just studied wrong). Just push through it, get the damn thing done, and NEVER think about it again. It's the same way with everything in life. I'm sure when you were 17 studying for the SAT you thought you were going to die and never do any greater task in your life ... looking back now I honestly couldn't even tell you what's on the SAT again, nor could have I really thought about it in 5 ish years. You'll do good ... just keep pushing, it will all be over soon and you'll be glad you pushed that hard. Also, if you want advice on how to study smart, check out the MCAT forums.

 

[soisauce]

i... am probably not your typical SDNer. The bulk of my studying was in front of my computer/television watching my shows and studying during commercial breaks. This was especially the case since I was at school and there were distractions everywhere. however, i did take a kaplan course which helped motivate me to study but not enough lol. eventually (10 days before my mcat), i took all my aamc practice and studied...

do not do what i did.

 

[Semicolon]

I don't think the SAT can even remotely compare to what the MCAT was like.

For instance, I never studied for the SAT. Not one minute. And I still did pretty darn good. 😀 Needless to say, I wasn't going to take that chance for the MCAT.

Several months before I applied to med school, I was pretty sure I was going to end up going to a PA school; my confidence was low and I even began thinking it was pointless to apply to med school. I kept trying and eventually found that I could go beyond what I thought was my limit; I couldn't be happier that I didn't give up.

Keep up the work, facedtedforms! It'll pay off in the end, no matter how bleak it may seem. 👍

 

[JaggerPlate]

I don't think the SAT can even remotely compare to what the MCAT was like.

For instance, I never studied for the SAT. Not one minute. And I still did pretty darn good. 😀 Needless to say, I wasn't going to take that chance for the MCAT.

Several months before I applied to med school, I was pretty sure I was going to end up going to a PA school; my confidence was low and I even began thinking it was pointless to apply to med school. I kept trying and eventually found that I could go beyond what I thought was my limit; I couldn't be happier that I didn't give up.

Keep up the work, facedtedforms! It'll pay off in the end, no matter how bleak it may seem. 👍

In two years you'll be saying 'I don't think the MCAT compares to what USMLE/COMLEX Step I was like.'

 

[JaggerPlate]

i... am probably not your typical SDNer. The bulk of my studying was in front of my computer/television watching my shows and studying during commercial breaks. This was especially the case since I was at school and there were distractions everywhere. however, i did take a kaplan course which helped motivate me to study but not enough lol. eventually (10 days before my mcat), i took all my aamc practice and studied...

do not do what i did.

I study like this for just about everything that doesn't involve heavy reading. I don't do well in complete silence, I loose focus and concentrate on weird random noises and stuff ... I like having background noise, but I usually focus mainly on studying ... not really just doing stuff during commercials (though it gets there sometimes).

 

[engineeredout]

I don't think the SAT can even remotely compare to what the MCAT was like.

For instance, I never studied for the SAT. Not one minute. And I still did pretty darn good. 😀 Needless to say, I wasn't going to take that chance for the MCAT.

Same here. Though I took a review class for the SAT, I goofed off in it for the most part. Ended up doing pretty well on it for no studying though

 

[Semicolon]

In two years you'll be saying 'I don't think the MCAT compares to what USMLE/COMLEX Step I was like.'

Can't wait. 😀

 

[nevinleiby]

Can't wait. 😀

Yeah...except there are more benchmarks (and more steps for that matter) to meet =(

Passing...definitely...ortho? surgery? EM?

 

[facetedforms]

Yeah...except there are more benchmarks (and more steps for that matter) to meet =(

Passing...definitely...ortho? surgery? EM?

At least those steps and benchmarks will be testing medicine, which is always better and more interesting.

What was that saying for the Step tests...."Two Months, Two weeks, Two pencils..." For I, II, III respectively.

 

[DeLaughterDO]

In two years you'll be saying 'I don't think the MCAT compares to what USMLE/COMLEX Step I was like.'

No you won't. Step I was orders of magnitude less annoying than the MCAT. I'd take step I again in a minute if I had to. I'd rather die than retake the MCAT. Maybe that is partly because Step I/II/III actually test medicine, whereas the MCAT is all useless minutia, but the step tests (USMLE and COMLEX) were not nearly as emotionally draining as the MCAT. There doesn't seem to be as much riding on the board exams as on the MCAT - less of the feeling that one's entire life's ambition is riding on a single performance.

That, and I think the board exams were easier

Just my opinion.

 

[Semicolon]

No you won't. Step I was orders of magnitude less annoying than the MCAT. I'd take step I again in a minute if I had to. I'd rather die than retake the MCAT. Maybe that is partly because Step I/II/III actually test medicine, whereas the MCAT is all useless minutia, but the step tests (USMLE and COMLEX) were not nearly as emotionally draining as the MCAT. There doesn't seem to be as much riding on the board exams as on the MCAT - less of the feeling that one's entire life's ambition is riding on a single performance.

That, and I think the board exams were easier

Just my opinion.

I'm sure this is going to make a lot of pre-meds feel better. 😀

Including myself.

 

[JaggerPlate]

No you won't. Step I was orders of magnitude less annoying than the MCAT. I'd take step I again in a minute if I had to. I'd rather die than retake the MCAT. Maybe that is partly because Step I/II/III actually test medicine, whereas the MCAT is all useless minutia, but the step tests (USMLE and COMLEX) were not nearly as emotionally draining as the MCAT. There doesn't seem to be as much riding on the board exams as on the MCAT - less of the feeling that one's entire life's ambition is riding on a single performance.

That, and I think the board exams were easier

Just my opinion.

God, seriously good to know. The reason I said that is because I had a Kaplan teacher who was taking Step I while he was teaching MCAT and, it could have been said circumstances, but he was just talking about how much he hated the MCAT, thought it defined his life etc ... and now it seemed like nothing and he was all stressed for the boards.

 

[EricH]

No you won't. Step I was orders of magnitude less annoying than the MCAT. I'd take step I again in a minute if I had to. I'd rather die than retake the MCAT. Maybe that is partly because Step I/II/III actually test medicine, whereas the MCAT is all useless minutia, but the step tests (USMLE and COMLEX) were not nearly as emotionally draining as the MCAT. There doesn't seem to be as much riding on the board exams as on the MCAT - less of the feeling that one's entire life's ambition is riding on a single performance.

That, and I think the board exams were easier

Just my opinion.

HOORAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dominate]

after getting accepted this cycle.. which is a blessing. It is very difficult to motivate myself to study my current courses that will have zero application to med school. Hang in there with the MCAT studying.... at least you are studying for a test and not taking some class you will never use.🙄

 

[Dissected]

No you won't. Step I was orders of magnitude less annoying than the MCAT. I'd take step I again in a minute if I had to. I'd rather die than retake the MCAT. Maybe that is partly because Step I/II/III actually test medicine, whereas the MCAT is all useless minutia, but the step tests (USMLE and COMLEX) were not nearly as emotionally draining as the MCAT. There doesn't seem to be as much riding on the board exams as on the MCAT - less of the feeling that one's entire life's ambition is riding on a single performance.

That, and I think the board exams were easier

Just my opinion.

Thank you for posting this. Thank you. The MCAT sucked all of the life out of me and I was a little apprehensive about the boards out of fear that they were going to be the same type of thing.

 

[engineeredout]

after getting accepted this cycle.. which is a blessing. It is very difficult to motivate myself to study my current courses that will have zero application to med school. Hang in there with the MCAT studying.... at least you are studying for a test and not taking some class you will never use.🙄

Thats definitely true. I'm taking so much useless crap this last semester its getting really hard to care.

Lots of busy worth though so I can't really just blow it all off.

 

[nevinleiby]

after getting accepted this cycle.. which is a blessing. It is very difficult to motivate myself to study my current courses that will have zero application to med school. Hang in there with the MCAT studying.... at least you are studying for a test and not taking some class you will never use.🙄

Like biochem lab reports

 

[coffeeeandtea]

after getting accepted this cycle.. which is a blessing. It is very difficult to motivate myself to study my current courses that will have zero application to med school. Hang in there with the MCAT studying.... at least you are studying for a test and not taking some class you will never use.🙄

omg yes. like this one atmospheric chemistry lab that i'm taking right now. when am i going to have to analyze the vibrational spectra of iodine ever again?!

 

[dominate]

Well.... I'm glad that I am not the only one struggling to study for useless classes... I guess we only have a few more months of college to enjoy before we get to the serious studying.

 

[facetedforms]

Very true. At least the 'serious' studying will be medicine and much more pertinent. I'm sure there will be classes in med school people think are not really worth the effort also.

 

[Mohammed1989]

Hey guys,
I need some motivation, as a undergrad I just recieved my grade for a winter session class. Sociology to be percise and recieved a c+. Something that looks very awful on a transcript. Any advice for a pre-med student trying to get real good grades and a high MCAT score.

Thanks in advance

 

[Semicolon]

Hey guys,
I need some motivation, as a undergrad I just recieved my grade for a winter session class. Sociology to be percise and recieved a c+. Something that looks very awful on a transcript. Any advice for a pre-med student trying to get real good grades and a high MCAT score.

Thanks in advance

Don't worry about it. Plenty of people here have gotten Cs during their undergrad and been accepted. Also, it's not a pre-req class, so there's even less to worry about.

If you do ever end up with a bad grade in a pre-req/science class, don't forget that AACOMAS is willing to replace your grade with a retake (but that doesn't give you a license to take it easy!). 😀

Good luck!

 

[Mohammed1989]

Don't worry about it. Plenty of people here have gotten Cs during their undergrad and been accepted. Also, it's not a pre-req class, so there's even less to worry about.

If you do ever end up with a bad grade in a pre-req/science class, don't forget that AACOMAS is willing to replace your grade with a retake (but that doesn't give you a license to take it easy!). 😀

Good luck!

hey thanks a lot really cheered me up 🙂. I actually wasn't aware if the AACOMAS letting you replace a grade like that. I'm still new to these forums and still moving around. Looks like you can find the best help around here. 😀

 

[coffeeeandtea]

Hey guys,
I need some motivation, as a undergrad I just recieved my grade for a winter session class. Sociology to be percise and recieved a c+. Something that looks very awful on a transcript. Any advice for a pre-med student trying to get real good grades and a high MCAT score.

Thanks in advance

yes, it is definitely possible to get a C (or maybe a few) and still be accepted to med school. just keep your head up and keep going. if you really want it, you'll make it happen 🙂

 

[Mohammed1989]

yes, it is definitely possible to get a C (or maybe a few) and still be accepted to med school. just keep your head up and keep going. if you really want it, you'll make it happen 🙂

Your right! if you really do want something, you won't let one c mess you up.

thanks much appreciated

 

[dominate]

getting a C or 2 will not kill you, but make sure you don't get too many. I was accepted after getting a C in organic chem 2, but during that semester I was an athlete during season and they took that into account. If you do well on your MCAT, they will be willing to look past a C.

 

[EricH]

I had a couple of Fs in my freshman year, and a POOR freshman GPA and it only came as a side note at my interviews....and I got into my #1

 

[DeLaughterDO]

Thank you for posting this. Thank you. The MCAT sucked all of the life out of me and I was a little apprehensive about the boards out of fear that they were going to be the same type of thing.

I understand completely what you are saying here. I truly believe the only reason we still have the MCAT is to find out who is sadistic enough to put themselves through it to apply to medical school. It really does kick the living crap out of you and you feel like you were chewed up and crapped out the other end.

Wouldn't do it again for the world. Although I'd go through medical school again in a minute. Some of the best times of my life.

Believe me, boards, while they seem a big deal when they are coming up, are not nearly as emotionally or physically exhausting as the MCAT when it is all said and done. Relax. Life gets much, much better 🙂

 

[Mohammed1989]

<p>hey guys, can anyony tell me how a W will look on their transcript. just one W but here's the thing, the class had nothing to do with a pre-req nor was it required towards the degree.the class was macroeconomics to be precise and I'm a biology major. it was taken by mistake and dropped as soon as I found out but I found out a little too late so I received a W. can anyone tell me how bad this is?</p>

 

[Chocolate Bear]

hey guys, can anyont tell me how a W will look on their transcript. just one W but here's the thing, the class had nothing to do with a pre-req nor was it required towards the degree. it was taken by mistake and dropped as soon as I found out but I found out a little too late so I received a W. can anyone tell me how bad this is?

A single W is no big deal at all. 👍

 

[Mohammed1989]

A single W is no big deal at all. 👍

but when your applying won't they look at it like, this guy dropped a class. He couldn't do it. Just thinking about it

 

[Chocolate Bear]

but when your applying won't they look at it like, this guy dropped a class. He couldn't do it. Just thinking about it

There are plenty of reasons to drop a class. Don't assume the adcoms are so narrow minded and ignorant to think that you can't cut it because of one class.

Search around. There are a couple of threads that show how many F's and other transcript blemishes some successful applicants had. 👍

 

[Mohammed1989]

There are plenty of reasons to drop a class. Don't assume the adcoms are so narrow minded and ignorant to think that you can't cut it because of one class.

Search around. There are a couple of threads that show how many F's and other transcript blemishes some successful applicants had. 👍

Thank you so much. Now I don't feel bad about dropping the class anymore. Appreciate the advice😀

 

[Sydney Pierce]

When I read this thread, I thought that this situation was far too similar! I am taking a year off between undergrad and medical school, have an acceptance at a great school, and am taking a distance education class just to keep my brain active. Now, I feel like I have no motivation and have been sitting here at my computer 'trying' to read a chapter for more than 5 hours and I don't seem to be getting anywhere. At this point I feel like the extra knowledge is hardly worth the effort, but then my drive to be the best I can be kicks in, and I feel like doing this will only help me on my quest to be a physician.

...enough ranting...I'll head back to the books...

 

[Mohammed1989]

When I read this thread, I thought that this situation was far too similar! I am taking a year off between undergrad and medical school, have an acceptance at a great school, and am taking a distance education class just to keep my brain active. Now, I feel like I have no motivation and have been sitting here at my computer 'trying' to read a chapter for more than 5 hours and I don't seem to be getting anywhere. At this point I feel like the extra knowledge is hardly worth the effort, but then my drive to be the best I can be kicks in, and I feel like doing this will only help me on my quest to be a physician.

...enough ranting...I'll head back to the books...

Well said, anyone who really wants it will make it happen. 🙂

 

[Mohammed1989]

I had a couple of Fs in my freshman year, and a POOR freshman GPA and it only came as a side note at my interviews....and I got into my #1

You must have a had a high MCAT score right? Or atleast a lot of shadowing done something to show your dedication right?

 

[Mohammed1989]

<p>Here's a question for everyone. I am currently at a community college but when I transfer out, I want to be a neuroscience major. I am currently a bio major, here's the thing I was able to finish my pre-med reqs. at the community college. Would it be a smart move to be a neuroscience major when I transfer out? Since I love the mind and plan on specializing in neurology. Any advice or suggestions.</p>

 

[Chocolate Bear]

<p>Here's a question for everyone. I am currently at a community college but when I transfer out, I want to be a neuroscience major. I am currently a bio major, here's the thing I was able to finish my pre-med reqs. at the community college. Would it be a smart move to be a neuroscience major when I transfer out? Since I love the mind and plan on specializing in neurology. Any advice or suggestions.</p>

You can do whatever the heck you feel like doing, but to answer your question, yes, neuroscience is a great choice. Good prep for neuroanatomy/phys in med school, and a great background for your current goal of neurology. 👍

 

[DOquestions]

<p>Here's a question for everyone. I am currently at a community college but when I transfer out, I want to be a neuroscience major. I am currently a bio major, here's the thing I was able to finish my pre-med reqs. at the community college. Would it be a smart move to be a neuroscience major when I transfer out? Since I love the mind and plan on specializing in neurology. Any advice or suggestions.</p>

Could you combine a neuroscience degree along with a kinesiology degree? This way you have employment opportunities if you need to take a year or more off before you start medical school.

 

[Mohammed1989]

You can do whatever the heck you feel like doing, but to answer your question, yes, neuroscience is a great choice. Good prep for neuroanatomy/phys in med school, and a great background for your current goal of neurology. 👍

sweet neuroscience here I come, thanks for the advice.👍 😀