Waiting to get started is worse than waiting to get accepted

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
TexasTriathlete

TexasTriathlete

HTFU
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Messages
6,211
Reaction score
30
Seriously. This is killing me.

Everyone says that I should enjoy my time off. People who say that need to look at my transcript. I spent my whole undergrad enjoying myself, and others. Sometimes I'm amazed that I even graduated. Now I'm ready to get down to business.

Maybe I'll feel better once racing season starts back up. Assuming I can afford to race as much as I want to.
Members don't see this ad.
 
listen to everyone, relax and have fun. enjoy it while you can. :)
 
Said the guy who has an acceptance.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Right there with ya Tex.

It has been so hard for me to concentrate on my "stupid" classes this semester (such as my required "plant" class...grrr)...

I just want to get on with my life now...ya know?
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Seriously. This is killing me.... Now I'm ready to get down to business....
Click to expand...

That's what I said. It gets even worse during orientation because you spend days listening to one boring "welcome" speech after another and filling out tons of paperwork. At the end of three days of it I was ready to die. After three days of anatomy, though, I was ready to go back home and hide.

Bradenton fixed that a little this year when they began doing orientation in the morning and actually having class in the afternoon. So, your first day you have lecture. That would have been a lot more enjoyable. Have you found out yet how PCOM-GA does the orientation?
 
I know what you mean. A few good books I read to pass the time were, the DO's in America by the Norman Geitzev(whatever), White Coat: Becoming a doctor at Harvard Medical School by Ellen Rothman, Med School Confidential: A complete guide to the medical school experience by Robert Miller, What I learned in Medical School: Personal Stories of Young Doctors by Kevin Takakuwa, Hot Lights Cold Steel by Michael Collins, and Choosing the perfect medical speciality. Yeah, I was pretty excited, but they were all decent reads.

Another thing was to pick up First Aid and read a few pages, which made me think . . . yeah, I don't think I'm quite ready to study yet.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Seriously. This is killing me.

Everyone says that I should enjoy my time off. People who say that need to look at my transcript. I spent my whole undergrad enjoying myself, and others. Sometimes I'm amazed that I even graduated. Now I'm ready to get down to business.

Maybe I'll feel better once racing season starts back up. Assuming I can afford to race as much as I want to.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear you. I felt the same way up until when classes actually began, too. Then, as scpod basically said, I wanted basically crawl in a dark cave and for the pain to end. I took quite a bit of time off as well (about 10 years). I don't want to make medical school sound like it is crazy hard, because it does become a bit more manageable after you get more used to it, but it is most definitely hard work. I think the hardest thing about my experience is that it is like a constant smack in the head. There really hasn't been much relief, if any... You just keep getting slammed with stuff. It's not overly difficult stuff, but there's a lot of it for sure.

Of course I wouldn't have listened to myself a year ago, either. :laugh: Try to savour your time right now as if you knew were going to get marooned on a nasty desert in the middle of a sand storm somewhere for the next year, or so...
 
This is OT, but you know what's possibly worse than waiting? After you've become accustomed to the craziness of medical school and can't really rest anymore. For real. You don't know how to enjoy "free time" because you are used to the time crunch and working so much. You keep thinking you should be doing something. Ach. When you do have time, you've forgotten how to just breathe and relax. :laugh:

Okay, back on topic. I understand the anticipation, but I hope you can also fully enjoy your time before school begins. However that looks like for you. :) :thumbup:
 
spicedmanna said:
Yeah, I hear you. I felt the same way up until when classes actually began, too. Then, as scpod basically said, I wanted basically crawl in a dark cave and for the pain to end. I took quite a bit of time off as well (about 10 years). I don't want to make medical school sound like it is crazy hard, because it does become a bit more manageable after you get more used to it, but it is most definitely hard work. I think the hardest thing about my experience is that it is like a constant smack in the head. There really hasn't been much relief, if any... You just keep getting slammed with stuff. It's not overly difficult stuff, but there's a lot of it for sure.

Of course I wouldn't have listened to myself a year ago, either. :laugh: Try to savour your time right now as if you knew were going to get marooned on a nasty desert in the middle of a sand storm somewhere for the next year, or so...
Click to expand...


Ditto.

Take the time to appreciate having "nothing to do" and having time to go for a run, or a ride, or a swim, etc...

You will be SHOCKED at how it feels to never be able to take a break without thinking in the back of your mind "I should be studying".
 
spicedmanna said:
This is OT, but you know what's possibly worse than waiting? After you've become accustomed to the craziness of medical school and can't really rest anymore. For real. You don't know how to enjoy "free time" because you are used to the time crunch and working so much. You keep thinking you should be doing something. Ach. When you do have time, you've forgotten how to just breathe and relax. :laugh:

Okay, back on topic. I understand the anticipation, but I hope you can also fully enjoy your time before school begins. However that looks like for you. :) :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Ok, that was just weird that we posted that at the same time... :) Or, basically the same thing at the same time.

How's KC with the ice and snow. ;) That's about the only thing I don't miss about KC.
 
MJB said:
Ok, that was just weird that we posted that at the same time... :) Or, basically the same thing at the same time.
Click to expand...

Great minds... ;)

How's KC with the ice and snow. ;) That's about the only thing I don't miss about KC.
Click to expand...

:laugh: Yeah, I'm sitting here waiting for my plane at MCI and it's snowing and cold outside.
 
Buckeye4life said:
I know what you mean. A few good books I read to pass the time were, the DO's in America by the Norman Geitzev(whatever), White Coat: Becoming a doctor at Harvard Medical School by Ellen Rothman, Med School Confidential: A complete guide to the medical school experience by Robert Miller, What I learned in Medical School: Personal Stories of Young Doctors by Kevin Takakuwa, Hot Lights Cold Steel by Michael Collins, and Choosing the perfect medical speciality. Yeah, I was pretty excited, but they were all decent reads.

Another thing was to pick up First Aid and read a few pages, which made me think . . . yeah, I don't think I'm quite ready to study yet.
Click to expand...
Another good one is "Complications." I can't remember who the author is because I lent it to someone, but the sub-title is "A surgeons notes on an imperfect science." I am having an extremely difficult time waiting myself.
 
I think that it is less ready to start school than more ready to get the hell out of undergrad/post-bac and move down to the city of our school. Well, at least that's what I am excited for ^.^
 
Members don't see this ad :)
scpod said:
That's what I said. It gets even worse during orientation because you spend days listening to one boring "welcome" speech after another and filling out tons of paperwork. At the end of three days of it I was ready to die. After three days of anatomy, though, I was ready to go back home and hide.

Bradenton fixed that a little this year when they began doing orientation in the morning and actually having class in the afternoon. So, your first day you have lecture. That would have been a lot more enjoyable. Have you found out yet how PCOM-GA does the orientation?
Click to expand...

Our orientation was uh-mazing... I wouldn't have traded that week for any other in my life... Seriously. I was drunk for 14 straight days. (We had "pre-orientation week" too lol)
 
HillMill said:
Another good one is "Complications." I can't remember who the author is because I lent it to someone, but the sub-title is "A surgeons notes on an imperfect science." I am having an extremely difficult time waiting myself.
Click to expand...

I went and got "Complications" and "house of God". Both were really good and pretty much required reading...
 
am i the only one who still thinks waiting to be accepted is worse than waiting to get started? i'm excited to start, but i wouldn't say having this free time is "killing me" more than waiting to hear back from schools after interviews.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Seriously. This is killing me.

Everyone says that I should enjoy my time off. People who say that need to look at my transcript. I spent my whole undergrad enjoying myself, and others. Sometimes I'm amazed that I even graduated. Now I'm ready to get down to business.

Maybe I'll feel better once racing season starts back up. Assuming I can afford to race as much as I want to.
Click to expand...

ARE U CRAZY!!!!! I just finished my undergrad yesterday, and i am so glad that i have 7 months until med school starts. I just took Cell/Molec/Biochem/Calc/and English and after having 4 cumulative finals in three days I am glad to be done. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR TEXAS
 
Yeah so you and I have a different perspective on the matter. I finished undergrad five years ago, and its been more than two years since I've been more than a half-time student. During that time, I've worked full-time, which is something that sucks ass and/or balls.

School, no matter how hard, is infinitely better than the real world. And my job is actually a lot more laid-back and casual than the majority of crappy corporate jobs. And I'm going to be taking on a second job too. Hopefully that will make things more interesting, but as a rule, work sucks.

Bring on school.
 
spicedmanna said:
I think the hardest thing about my experience is that it is like a constant smack in the head. There really hasn't been much relief, if any... You just keep getting slammed with stuff.
Click to expand...

I remember reading House of God on the beach the summer before school started, and coming to the 8th Law - "They can always hurt you more." and not really understanding what it meant.

Now, I am finally getting it. Once you start to get anatomy, there will be neuroanatomy. Once micro starts to make sense, there will be pharm to memorize. Once you become comfortable with physical exam, they will change the grading and you will have to relearn everything in a different order. Once you pass Step I, it will time to start preparing for Step II.

The excitement you feel for school now is great, but realize it's really just a form of short timer's disease. That excitement will only carry you so far, and med school doesn't stop. You will hit the wall...everyone does...maybe after 3 weeks, 3 months or 3 years, but that's why you should enjoy yourself now, while you have the chance.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Yeah so you and I have a different perspective on the matter. I finished undergrad five years ago, and its been more than two years since I've been more than a half-time student. During that time, I've worked full-time, which is something that sucks ass and/or balls.

School, no matter how hard, is infinitely better than the real world. And my job is actually a lot more laid-back and casual than the majority of crappy corporate jobs. And I'm going to be taking on a second job too. Hopefully that will make things more interesting, but as a rule, work sucks.

Bring on school.
Click to expand...


I know a guy that was saying those SAME things as recently as June...

Oh, it was ME! :)

All we're saying is careful what you wish for...School's great and I love it, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish sometimes I could take a half-day on a Friday and head to the lake, etc....

You could NEVER get me to go back to my job, but that doesn't mean I don't long for the slacktitude that was the real world on occasion.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Seriously. This is killing me.

Everyone says that I should enjoy my time off. People who say that need to look at my transcript. I spent my whole undergrad enjoying myself, and others. Sometimes I'm amazed that I even graduated. Now I'm ready to get down to business.

Maybe I'll feel better once racing season starts back up. Assuming I can afford to race as much as I want to.
Click to expand...

I'm writing you a script for a few beers and a lapdance. Oh yeah, dont forget to have dinner at hooter's before hand. :thumbup:
 
If there's anything I hate, its idle time. Sitting around doing nothing makes me depressed. I think that's part of why I did so poorly when I was in undergrad. The coursework was not challenging, and mostly not very interesting, and I just got in a funk where I never did anything or went to class, and I just didn't care.

I am counting on medical school to consume me completely. If it does, I will be happy.
 
Then you should be ecstatic, TT.

now i'm going back to trying to find some way to make sense of all those freakin' chemotherapy drugs. :smuggrin:
 
TexasTriathlete said:
If there's anything I hate, its idle time. Sitting around doing nothing makes me depressed. I think that's part of why I did so poorly when I was in undergrad. The coursework was not challenging, and mostly not very interesting, and I just got in a funk where I never did anything or went to class, and I just didn't care.

I am counting on medical school to consume me completely. If it does, I will be happy.
Click to expand...

tex, if you dont mind me asking why is your gpa so low? for a guy who has a 2.2, it seems like school really isnt your thing.
 
Well, I need a little more time to sell my farm and 12 lambs, 10 cows, 97 chickens, and 23 pigs. Seriously, I need more time with my family.
 
School wasn't my thing until I actually cared about it. My post-bac GPA is about 3.45 in 80+ hours of mostly pretty tough sciences, and I managed a 33 on the MCAT. I'm pretty far removed from that 2.2.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
Yeah so you and I have a different perspective on the matter. I finished undergrad five years ago, and its been more than two years since I've been more than a half-time student. During that time, I've worked full-time, which is something that sucks ass and/or balls.

School, no matter how hard, is infinitely better than the real world. And my job is actually a lot more laid-back and casual than the majority of crappy corporate jobs. And I'm going to be taking on a second job too. Hopefully that will make things more interesting, but as a rule, work sucks.

Bring on school.
Click to expand...

Hahaha which would you say is worse?
 
TexasTriathlete said:
I am counting on medical school to consume me completely. If it does, I will be happy.
Click to expand...

You have no idea.

Don't get me wrong, I love school, but, WOW, I have never studied like this before. You will relish the free time you get, more so than you can ever imagine.

I am glad you are so excited though, you should be. But enjoy this time before school starts.
 
I am excited for med school as well! However, after 4.5 years of undergrad, I'm ready for a nice 7-8 month break (starting Tuesday!!!). When I think about the fact that I have been in some sort of schooling for approximately 18.5 of the nearly 23 years I've been alive, I am ecstatic about having a break. I'm sure that I'll be more than ready to head to med school come July, though. For now, I just need to get through my biochem exam and then find a job that is not crappy and pays decently.
 
I went to a party this evening, and I was talking to a professional triathlete I know there. That got me a little excited about the upcoming season. Maybe that will be the distraction I need to keep my attention until I make the move to Atlanta. Still, I'm ready to roll. No, I don't have free time to "enjoy". Just work.
 
TexasTriathlete said:
I went to a party this evening, and I was talking to a professional triathlete I know there. That got me a little excited about the upcoming season. Maybe that will be the distraction I need to keep my attention until I make the move to Atlanta. Still, I'm ready to roll. No, I don't have free time to "enjoy". Just work.
Click to expand...

This is all good and all, but make sure you MAKE some time to relax and enjoy something or someone. Go somewhere for a week, or at least a long weekend. It doesn't have to be some glamourous trip to Italy or Paris, something small will do just fine.

I remember thinking, before school started, about how I would make all this time to do this and that during school, but once it started, you can't do it. You have never imagined wanting, or needing, a Christmas break until you've experienced that first semester of med school. No one is asking you to dampen your thoughts and excitement for school starting, but to just enjoy the little things while you can b/c making time for them during school is hard. As I said before, I love school, but having a little more free time with my wife would be wonderful - but again, that is a sacrifice of going to med school and we all know that when we signed up for this.

Just curious TT, are you interviewing anywhere else or are you for sure attending PCOM-GA next year, regardless of what else comes your way?
 
I'm pretty much done. I like GA-PCOM for two things: class size and location. There isn't another school on my list that can provide both of those. I've got a $2000 deposit due April 15th, and I really don't have the money to be taking more interview trips.

MD/DO does not concern me at all, so I am perfectly content with my decision, regardless of who comes calling. The only thing that could really change my mind would be in-state tuition. And even that wouldn't be a slam-dunk. I really felt at home at GA-PCOM.
 
I hear ya. I wasn't implying an MD/DO thing, but I did see you applied to a lot of other schools, so I was just curious. Definitely once you find a place that feels like home and gives you that good gut feeling, you can't go wrong.
 
Given how unusual my application is, I thought it would be a good idea to apply to as many places as I can afford. But now that I've found somewhere I'm comfortable, I don't see any reason to keep looking.
 
megboo said:
I'm getting all my internet time in now and over the next 8 months. After that I'll mostly be using it for reference, not for chat.
Click to expand...

and for porn :)
 
Megboo, your cat pictures crack me the freak up. They are great. Kthxbai... :lol::lol: hahahaha...
 
art4vandalay said:
tex, if you dont mind me asking why is your gpa so low? for a guy who has a 2.2, it seems like school really isnt your thing.
Click to expand...


I'm beginning to notice a trend in your posts Arty. Your're the guy who asks his date why her ass looks big in those pants.
 
PT2MD said:
I'm beginning to notice a trend in your posts Arty. Your're the guy who asks his date why her ass looks big in those pants.
Click to expand...

i dont doubt texas's abilities or ambitions at all. I was just surpised that someone with a 2.2 is excited to get back to the rigors of school. Thats all.
 
School is actually not rigorous. It is freaking easy. I didn't get the 2.2 because school was rigorous. And I don't have a 2.2 anymore either.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

C
3.1 SMP GPA (you read that right) 502 MCAT/ORM. Accepted off waitlist to med school.
Replies
6
Views
2K
catcatcat45
C
DocSherman
Is the current cycle moving faster than normal or is this business as usual?
Replies
23
Views
1K
DocSherman
DocSherman
I
MD waitlist vs. DO commit to enroll?
Replies
31
Views
2K
beeswax
beeswax
H
Will an additional LOR and letter of interest help me at this stage? should i wait?
Replies
4
Views
647
hopefulmed97
H
J
Is it harder for DO students to match into dermatology than it is for MD students?
Replies
12
Views
4K
hallowmann
hallowmann
Top