What worries you most about being a med student?

[Khenon]

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Okay, I admit it . . . I'm kinda freaked about my time away from family, and just having general down-time. I'm also one of those people that NEEDS 8+ hrs of sleep a night. Rotations are going to be serious hell for me . . . I don't even want to talk about internship/residency.

 

[dr.z]

Couse work and board exams.

 

[DO Sigma Nu guy]

Couse work and board exams.

Ditto

 

[wazzudoc]

Okay, I admit it . . . I'm kinda freaked about my time away from family, and just having general down-time. I'm also one of those people that NEEDS 8+ hrs of sleep a night. Rotations are going to be serious hell for me . . . I don't even want to talk about internship/residency.

What worries me the most about medical school is the financial aspect. 240K in debt is no small number and I worry what it will do to my ability to get home loans in the future. With my family, my daughter deserves a yard to play in and I want to provide it as soon as possible. Of course, I could go to the bank and get this question answered, and I know there are high risk lenders, though, I don't consider myself a high risk because I don't have any delinquent bills or credit cards.
Yeah, the time away from family concerns me too, my daughter will say her first word and I'll be taking a biochem exam or something. But what you have to do is make the time you do have with your family count. My wife is really supportive and that helps too. Because of the time, competitiveness, and energy required, medicine is kinda a selfish endeavor when it involves a family because you gotta move your family to the school, live in small apartments, and then off to residency, so when your spouse wants to do something or has an idea, listen and then act on it. They are making a tremendous sacrifice for us. It's important we sacrifice for them too.
Also, how competitive do you want to be in school? For me I'd rather get in the high 70's low 80's in my classes and have time to workout, then study all the time to get in the upper 90's, be out of shape and miserable because all I do is study. I think that also will affect your sleep schedule and time with or without family. Are you the "gunner" type that will study all the time or do you want more balance? I'm not saying slack off and barely pass because you will be accountable for the material around boards time but you'll be a lot happier having that down time you mentioned.
Finally, try not to worry about boards, rotations, or residency, we're just starting. I'm only thinking about the first year classes. Sure, I'd be lying if I said I didn't research and read about where to do rotations or residencies but that is on the back burner. None of it matters if I can't pass these classes we are about to start.


COMP 2010

 

[DrB]

What worries me the most about medical school is the financial aspect. 240K in debt is no small number and I worry what it will do to my ability to get home loans in the future. With my family, my daughter deserves a yard to play in and I want to provide it as soon as possible.
COMP 2010

Although I do not have time to give a long reply, I will say that several lenders give great home loans to new docs. Once you are graduated, you can get a new home loan without PMI and without looking at your school debt.

As for my biggest worry... the next two weeks

 

[FutureDocDO]

Although I do not have time to give a long reply, I will say that several lenders give great home loans to new docs. Once you are graduated, you can get a new home loan without PMI and without looking at your school debt.

As for my biggest worry... the next two weeks

Good luck with finals! Are they cummulative?

 

[DrB]

Good luck with finals! Are they cummulative.

Mostly, but only for this Semester... We have three practical exams this time (OMM, Histo, and PD).

-Good luck to us all

 

[PhDtoDO]

Hey,

Although I haven't started yet (TUCOM-MI 2010), I've been working/studying at Tulane School of Medicine for 7 years. I dated med student for 2.5 yrs and I have to say, they have more free time than me/a grad student with a part-time job.

I too need 8+hours of sleep and there are only some rotations that require such early bird antics. My boyfriend would get cranky and compared his lack of sleep to hell. I spent years working banquets at a hotel and regularly had 4 or 5am call-times...once or twice 3am. But you don't do it everyday and you get your holidays off.

3rd year is the hardest and depending on what you go into, is most like the first year of residency. It's doable, even if you have a life.

So for me, its really just a matter of time management with at least 6 wks of vacation time if not more! And for once in my life, I'm only working one job...becoming a doctor.

Don't worry too much about it. Thousands of parents have gotten through med school without missing out too much on the kid stuff.

-s

PS Banks love to loan money to doctors. Don't worry about the house thing...trust me.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I picked finances.

I spent all of my money on bar tabs and eating out, and my loans for 3rd year don't come until July, so I'm having to borrow money from dad.

So, I'm concerned with having enough money while in med school, which I obviously don't have after maxing out my loans.

I am UNconcerned about paying back my loans, which will exceed $200k, however. It won't be a problem.

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Honestly, my biggest concern is how am I going to make it to the gym 3-4th years and residency.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Although I do not have time to give a long reply, I will say that several lenders give great home loans to new docs. Once you are graduated, you can get a new home loan without PMI and without looking at your school debt.

DO not worry about getting a house having student loans. I will be graduating in 5 weeks and I already have purchased a home for residency. As long as your students loans are deferred (do the paperwork before you graduate) and your credit score is good you will have no problem getting a home loan. Basically a doctors income is guaranteed during a residency program so mortgage companies are eager to accomodate.

 

[EastCoaster78]

I will be graduating in 5 weeks and I already have purchased a home for residency.

Why dont you just build yourself a cabin.

 

[DrB]

Why dont you just build yourself a cabin.

Haha...

If I stay in Las Vegas area, not much I can afford for the Residents salary of 40K. As far as I have checked the banks would give me a loan for no more than 175K... Thats not even a small condo here.

If I stay, then I would wait until I am finished with Residency and can get something better.

 

[BMW19]

I think you should get used to NOT having 8 hours of sleep way before even rotations ever start. No one I know in my first year class gets that much sleep. You have to study and classes start at 8 at most schools. Start training your body to get 6 hours that way when you have to go off of 4 you won't freak. Just my opinion. I was the same way before med school, used to get lots of nice deep sleep. Now I average 6

Okay, I admit it . . . I'm kinda freaked about my time away from family, and just having general down-time. I'm also one of those people that NEEDS 8+ hrs of sleep a night. Rotations are going to be serious hell for me . . . I don't even want to talk about internship/residency.

 

[jellibelli]

I'm afraid of failure.
I fear that I won't pass my classes and I fear not becoming a good doc.

 

[NonTradMed]

I fear failing out, dropping out and being in debt. I also fear killing someone during residency and having my license taken away. Then there's always the fear of not finding someone and starting a family because my schedule won't permit me to have a personal life. Getting in was tough, but I think there will be plenty of battles to fight later on too!

 

[Triage]

Seeing as I don't start until August, right now I would have to say the delay it puts on settling down and starting a family. Although I'm sure I will fear failing out or accumulating too much debt as time goes on. 😳

 

[Biodude]

Honestly, my biggest concern is how am I going to make it to the gym 3-4th years and residency.

That's a good point. Many of my med student friends have trouble getting the time to do workouts 😱

 

[docmd2010]

I think my biggest fear is time management. having 8 hours of class a day/workingout/studying/eating/sleeping/personal time. doesn't seem like enough time in a day to these things that i did everyday in undergrad. i also have the fear of not meeting someone during med school, because i won't have the time to devote. i've wanted to get to school so bad during undergrad, that i actually forgot what it's like to be a med student/resident/doctor. now that i'm in, i guess it's kinda bittersweet 🙂 🙄

 

[OSUdoc08]

I think my biggest fear is time management. having 8 hours of class a day/workingout/studying/eating/sleeping/personal time. doesn't seem like enough time in a day to these things that i did everyday in undergrad. i also have the fear of not meeting someone during med school, because i won't have the time to devote. i've wanted to get to school so bad during undergrad, that i actually forgot what it's like to be a med student/resident/doctor. now that i'm in, i guess it's kinda bittersweet 🙂 🙄

1. You do not have to attend class in medical school. It is common to find that your grades will improve when you quit going, and go over the material at your own pace.

2. You don't have to study every day. As an exam gets closer, you will increase your study time, but after the exam is over, you can take time off.

3. You do not need to "meet someone" during medical school. I don't see why people emphasize this so much. Wouldn't you rather meet someone after you've settled into a career, since that likely won't be in the same area that you did medical school?

 

[DORocksMySocks]

Well, I happen to be concerned about "all of the above" options listed in the poll. Not only that, but I am a bit worried about moving so far away from my boyfriend of 4 years (he is going to be going to MD school)...I know that sounds cheesy but we took most of our undergrad courses together, so it will be an adjustment to be apart.

 

[richarddanialan]

Listen, this might sound a bit crazy, but when I think of medical school and all the hardships that follow, I watch/think back to Rocky IV. That movie really helps me out a lot, especially the training scene and also the fight scene itself. Just think of medical school as Drago! We'll ALL be fine.

 

[mysophobe]

Even Rocky had a montage.

 

[thesauce]

I worry about being teased because I'm a DO and not an MD

 

[OSUdoc08]

I worry about being teased because I'm a DO and not an MD

It sucks to get made fun of by ignorant pre-meds, doesn't it?

 

[DrB]

Listen, this might sound a bit crazy, but when I think of medical school and all the hardships that follow, I watch/think back to Rocky IV. That movie really helps me out a lot, especially the training scene and also the fight scene itself. Just think of medical school as Drago! We'll ALL be fine.

Question is, will you last four rounds in the ring with Drago?

 

[mswise34]

Question is, will you last four rounds in the ring with Drago?

my main concern is how much will college football affect my studying time. And of even greater concern, will UGA go to the SEC Championship Uh-Gen and if so is it going to fall during exam time...
Oh, I'm also concerned about boards

 

[JohnUC33]

I worry about being teased because I'm a DO and not an MD

Wow, if only med school was so simple that being "teased" by ignorant tools was the only major worry.

 

[Ice-1]

I think people tend to worry about different issues as they progress through medical school. People just starting out tend to worry about whether they will survive the experience (grades, sleep, social, etc) and after the first year there is more worry about whether you'll ever know enough to be a good doc (or at least not kill all your patients). The financial issues are ever present, especially at expensive private schools, but tend to get more pronounced as loan payment time approaches. And then, just about when you've got med school all figured out you graduate like me and then face the same worries about residency! The most comforting thought is that lots of med students went through this and became good doctors, and chances are you will too!