Very scared

[deleted4401]

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Hey everyone,

I am so excited to start med school next year, but I am terrified.

I went abroad my junior year and hardly studied because it was easy. Then, three weeks into my senior year, I got my first acceptance. I have basically not studied for 2 whole years, and I also haven't taken a science class in two years. I've worked in a clinic and babysat, but that isn't really like studying.

I am freaked out that I will start school in August and not know how to 'turn it on'. And that could lead to bad things, because based on what everyone says, med school seems to be the most difficult studying period of one's life.

I just feel myself getting dumber. I'm just not as sharp as I was as a sophomore. Does anyone have any suggestions to alleviate this?

Thanks,
Simul
-btw, as posted elsewhere, Felix Trinidad is undoubtedly the best pound for pound boxer in the world

 

[ned]

Originally posted by SimulD:
•Hey everyone,

I am so excited to start med school next year, but I am terrified.

I went abroad my junior year and hardly studied because it was easy. Then, three weeks into my senior year, I got my first acceptance. I have basically not studied for 2 whole years, and I also haven't taken a science class in two years. I've worked in a clinic and babysat, but that isn't really like studying.

I am freaked out that I will start school in August and not know how to 'turn it on'. And that could lead to bad things, because based on what everyone says, med school seems to be the most difficult studying period of one's life.

I just feel myself getting dumber. I'm just not as sharp as I was as a sophomore. Does anyone have any suggestions to alleviate this?

Thanks,
Simul
-btw, as posted elsewhere, Felix Trinidad is undoubtedly the best pound for pound boxer in the world•

Hi. I'm an M1 just finishing up the school year. I also took some time off before med school. I did fine, and I'm sure you'll be able to get back into the swing of things.

There was one thing that you said that especially caught my eye: "I'm just not as sharp as I was when I was a sophomore." I had the *exact same thing* happen to me -- in high school and even during my freshman year in college, I think I had an uncommon focus that made studying easy. But as I advanced in college, something happened: I simply lost the ability to digest as much as I used to. I'm able to handle med school, but I know that if I had the attention span and concentrating-ability of my freshman year in college, things would be much easier.

Perhaps it's alcohol-induced brain-cell destruction brought on by undergraduate studies. Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[cavaor]

I had the same experience.

 

[WSU02]

Don't worry, med school is NOT as hard as it is rumored. Otherwise, how would those of us with families be able to manage. 😉

Seriously, you'll manage. Most med schools that I interviewed at have ways of ensuring a very high retention rate. WSU has 2nd years tutor 1st years "in the danger zone". They won't let you flunk out.

HTH.
Kristi
349 more days of med school!

 

[puffy1]

SimulD: You're going to Tulane, right? Relax, you'll adjust in no time.

 

[GrandMasterB]

Word. This thread totally made me feel better. I havent done anything science related in about 2 years, and also have the alcohol/inactivity based mental deterioration thing going on. My short term memory is fried! My ability to concentrate is almost non-existent at this point. It took me two hours to write this post (j/k). I am starting med school in 2 months and am pretty concerned. Oh, well I guess I will just have a lot of catching up to do. Oh, and Roy Jones Jr. is pound for pound the best boxer in the world. Prince Naseem Hamed is pound for pound the best entertainer in the world.

 

[FlameBoy]

Don't worry, you will panic, fail all your 1st semester tests and drop out. Thus making room for someone who can handle the pressure of the medical world.

 

[Akane]

Originally posted by FlameBoy:
•Don't worry, you will panic, fail all your 1st semester tests and drop out. Thus making room for someone who can handle the pressure of the medical world.•

That was a joke, right?

Actually, I think you would probably need to find some way to adjust. First year may not be as easy for you as someone else coming fresh out of undergrad courses in sciences (like anatomy, physio, etc.).

For me, I had to get a "B" (*gasp* never had one in my life until then) on the first test before I kickstarted in to workaholic mode. It's a motivational thing as I see it. I doubt that you are any less sharp than before. You just need to find out what brings out that sharpness. If you weren't sharp, they wouldn't have accepted you right?

And yeah, they won't let you flunk out that easily (it was so hard to get into already). There's always remedial work and summer school that you can make it up (depends on where you go though).

 

[Hannah]

Thanks all! I also am scared and feel like I developed ADD after the past two years. For some reason it has really increased over the past year--I'm scared but at the same time, everyone says it's so easy, it's just like drinking water out of a fire hose--tons of material but not that difficult. As long as I don't turn into Leonard Shelby from "Memento" I'll be okay...Good luck to us all first years this fall! 🙂

 

[C U in MD school]

pray!
good luck

 

[Vader]

I wouldn't worry too much. Unless you have a neurological problem (sometimes I think I have early onset Alzheimer's) 🙂 , it is mostly psychological. You are probably either burned out or just need some mental exercise--I'd recommend getting back in gear by reading Time, Newsweek, etc. and maybe JAMA or NEJM. Definitely don't start studying yet. The most important things to do are relax, recover on sleep, and get organized. You'll learn how to best study for medical school soon enough. Congratulations for making it this far and good luck! 🙂

 

[Hannah]

Thanks Vader for your advice! I'm going to read "The Economist" and "The Atlantic Monthly", both of which I subscribe to, but haven't had time to read lately. I realized the reason for my ADD in the past few years comes from my VERY boring and dumb job, which has caused me to get lazy, despite my salary, it's BORING. I just need more mental stimulation--i.e. med school! I can't wait!

 

[kris]

Originally posted by JD*:
•I read your post with concern--but not too much. I have taken a short term trial of Inderal, to take my State Lic. exams, worked great for me, and there is Ativan. Xanax and the other Benzo's are too short term, you get a rebound that hurts.

... JD•

JD,
Have you ever heard that Ativan can cause short-term memory problems? Not permanent problems, just while you're taking it. I get some pretty heavy anxiety sometimes (big life things happening), but I was hesitant to use Ativan while in school after the pharmacist mentioned this short-term memory stuff to me.

Just curious.
--kris

 

[Djanaba]

Wow. If your benzo kicks in after oral admin after only 3 minutes, you've got one lovely placebo effect kicking in before the pill does!

 

[JD*]

Kris. Search google to see the half life of each benzo and the 5 different affects of each. Some do hit short term, some are necessary to relieve acute aniety. They now refer to Klonopin as the "golden benzo." PMD here do not give xanax but do write ativan and klonopin. GL. IMO JD Acute anxiety will take your concentration to zero. BTW

 

[Doctor Wyldstyle]

What about MCAT scores and correlation with 1st year success? I know it sounds dumb but I took it in summer of 99' and have been relatively inactive sciencewise since!!!

 

[Popoy]

Me too.... Anyone have any thoughts?!

 

[AJM]

I haven't heard of MCATs correlating with 1st year success, however it has been shown that how you do in MCATs directly correlates with how you do in Step 1 of the Boards.

 

[MRF1366]

Well, let's think this one through…

The MCAT: A long, hard test taken in a HIGH pressure situation, that requires you to remember huge amounts of information, and then to APPLY(rather than simply regurgitate) that information to answer complex problems.

Gee, sounds like every med school test I've ever taken.

I'll allow you to extrapolate from that whatever you want. But this should answer all those posters who ask: "Why can't I get into med school when all I did was bomb the MCAT!?" 🙄

 

[pjyrkinen]

HI
I know just how you feel. I finished nursing school 15 years ago, and worked up until 4 years ago when I sustained a back injury. I had not cracked a book in all that time . Now I'm back in school again. I realley felt dumb my first two semesters back. But you will do fine. Your young and will get back into the groove real quick. Just remenber to study this time.
Patty 🙂

 

[mcwmark]

Just as an unscientific observation, people that did well on the MCAT do better on the multiple choice exams we have for exams.

The people that had to retake the MCAT, also have a bit more trouble with questions--i.e. excluding the wrong answers and taking educated guesses.

It's just test taking strategy. You'll learn it.