What's your average day like?

[TTigers70]

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I tried to search and found some stuff but it was dated being from 2004. Don't know if things have changed much since then but I'd like a more modern perspective. Basically, I am interested in seeing what the average day consists of throughout med school. Specifics are appreciated.

I'll borrow 6ft3dr2b's template because it is pretty all encompassing:

"Location (what school?)

What year?

When are you classes? (ex 9-5)

Where do you live? (apt/on campus?)

Do you socialize? (how long?)

Do you exercise? (how long?)

How long do you study?

What are your weekends like?"

Lastly, I'd like to know if you think commuting about 30 minutes to an hour to a med school is a bad idea versus living very close to it?

Thanks in advance

 

[hoqhuuep]

Location (what school?) Cincinnati Medical

What year? 2013 (M1)

When are you classes? (ex 9-5) Optional except for lab, usually 8am-2/3pm

Where do you live? (apt/on campus?) Apartment

Do you socialize? (how long?) Study groups, parties after exams

Do you exercise? (how long?) Everyday, one hour

How long do you study? 8-10 hours/day

What are your weekends like? Catching up, review

Lastly, I'd like to know if you think commuting about 30 minutes to an hour to a med school is a bad idea versus living very close to it? I commute 20 minutes, but I think it's worth it for the sense of independence. A lot of classmates live 1 minute from campus and appreciate that as well... I'd say it's a matter of taste tbh.

 

[pingouin]

Moving to pre-allo since OP is not currently a medical student. Many current med students actively help out in pre-allo and would be happy to answer there.

 

[Techmed07]

I tried to search and found some stuff but it was dated being from 2004. Don't know if things have changed much since then but I'd like a more modern perspective. Basically, I am interested in seeing what the average day consists of throughout med school. Specifics are appreciated.

I'll borrow 6ft3dr2b's template because it is pretty all encompassing:

"Location (what school?) In the best state.. Texas of course

What year? Junior

When are you classes? (ex 9-5)

Monday: 9-12
Tuesday: 9:30-9:00 p.m (I have a night cell biology lab)
Wednesday: 9-5
Thursday: 9-2
Friday: 12-2

Where do you live? (apt/on campus?)

Apartment

Do you socialize? (how long?)

Not really.👎

Do you exercise? (how long?)

I rarely excerise, BUT I do walk to school,walk to lab and walk home

How long do you study?

I try to put a least 8 hours on the weekends.
10-15 hours average a week.. but of course it depends on the week.



What are your weekends like?"

uneventful...average intelligence + bad high school education = no life and hard work to maintain a high GPA.

Thanks in advance

-

 

[silverhorse84]

-This is my experience so far as an MSI. If you're talking about throughout all of medical school, know that schedules change drastically once you hit MS3/4. Also, schedules vary quite a bit depending on the school.

Location (what school?): USUHS

What year? c/o 2013

When are you classes? (ex 9-5): start at 7:30 or 8:30 - mix of finishing at 2/3/4pm (if you attend all classes - lectures are generally optional and taped)

Where do you live? (apt/on campus?): 2 miles away in an apt

Do you socialize? (how long?): not much with classmates. I tend to separate work and personal lives and I see school as work - but that's just me and I think it's more rare.

Do you exercise? (how long?): 4x a week for about an hour

How long do you study? varies depending on the week. I tend to review the days material that afternoon. The weekend ranges from no studying to hardcore if we have a big exam coming up.

What are your weekends like? exercise, church, hang out, movies, studying. Varies (see above)

Lastly, I'd like to know if you think commuting about 30 minutes to an hour to a med school is a bad idea versus living very close to it? I love living close because for this city 30 minutes of commute means not very many miles and a lot of traffic. At most it takes me 15 to get to school, and I like the freedom in not worrying about traffic in my decision of when to drive home/to school. 30 minutes isn't bad.

 

[Law2Doc]

I tried to search and found some stuff but it was dated being from 2004. ...

There are many threads about med school life much more recent than 2004. Really shouldn't be too hard to find one. That being said, I think a number of the posters above gave good synopsis of life in the first couple of years of med school. Basically if you treat it like a long-houred, full time job, with a boss who makes you work weekends, you'll do fine. You get up early, study, go to class, take some time to work out and goof off, study, and then sleep. You may find that the goofing off time is but a small fraction of what you did in undergrad, and you may find that your more serious partying is limited to the post-exam parties. You will also find that most people work a big chunk of the weekends because that is the only two days a week where you aren't getting more info thrown at you and so it's an optimum time to organize, review and often catch up. The volume of material in med school is huge, and so what worked in terms of studying in undergrad often doesn't work so well in med school -- the tried and true method tends to be multiple repetitions of the material -- first pre-reading, then attending or listening to the lecture material, then reviewing the lecture notes, and then at least one or two more times going through the noteset and lecture notes before the exam. Obviously this takes a lot of time -- more for some than others, but most can expect to work hard in med school.

Then third year is very different -- you will be on rotations where you will generally start early, end late, and at most places may have overnight call. Typical IM or surgery rotation may be a 5:30 am start, and leaving at 6pm on non-call days, with possible late night or overnight call (meaning you stay at the hospital) every third or fourth day. You get an average of one day off out of every seven, which often translates to one weekend totally off (a "golden weekend"), one weekend totally on, and two split weekends. So basically your time is not your own. Forget about making plans or having a social life during the more intense rotations (surgery, IM, OB). By contrast, some of the other core rotations (psych, peds) may have much more lenient schedules, where you often get to have weekends off and work much closer to normal hours (eg 7-5:30).

Fourth year is different in that you get to take electives which may be more lenient in hours, but also tend to have to do sub-I's (subinternships, where you get to act like an intern and live their hours). The sub-Is can be insane hours and hard work, but by and large the easy months outweigh the hard ones during fourth year. However you have to be doing interviews and application stuff, and frequently have to be taking the two parts of Step 2 during fourth year, so your free time tends to be eaten up. Once match day rolls around in March, you are basically dead wood and tend to have a relaxing remaining 3 months unless you are a masochist and try to take difficult things at the end that will put you in good shape for internship.(I don't advise this, but some folks have done it to their own benefit).

Basically look at med school as two different schools -- a basic science phase, where you will be doing a more intense version of the lecture driven schooling you did in undergrad, and then the clerkship phase, where you will basically learn by doing, by seeing patients, by rounding, and by spending long hours in the hospital elbow to elbow with residents. You can expect the first two years to be the same kind of schedule as you might have in a large law firm or I bank job -- lots of work, but certainly time to hit the gym, watch a little TV, and catch an occasional drink or movie with friends. The latter two years are not the same, as you start to see how little control you have over your own schedule -- a good prep for residency. You may break the 80 hour work week hurdle at times (there are no national rules protecting med students, just residents), and you may see what it's like working q3 or q4 overnights for an extended period. By contrast you may have some very easy rotations/electives where you work very normal business hours, or even less. Third year will generally be the hardest year for most in terms of work hours until they reach residency. For many, it will also be the most rewarding.

 

[superbike81]

Any married people wanna chime in as to what their life was like during med school? Luckily my wife is very understanding, but no woman should be completely neglected. I should be able to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to her right?

 

[Law2Doc]

...Luckily my wife is very understanding, but no woman should be completely neglected. I should be able to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to her right?

In the first two years, sure. Third year, and sub-Is during 4th year, you may be overnight at the hospital every 3rd to 5th night and working the majority of weekend days, so she'd better have her own friends/hobbies/events or she may, in fact, feel neglected. You may also be doing away rotations in 4th year where you will be away from your spouse. Then residency often will end up like an extended version of third year -- you will be working very hard and be exhausted much of the time that you aren't at work. I'd say med school breaks up the weaker relationships, intern year breaks up the next weakest set.
Again, if your spouse depends on you to be entertained you are SOL, but if your spouse has their own things going on, it's probably workable. This is why so many physicians end up with other doctors or professionals -- it's very hard to for others to grasp the hours involved, even once explained to them.

 

[armybound]

In the southwest.

First year.

We average about 5 hours per day

Off campus, about 10 miles away.

At least 4 hours per day.

1 hour per day.

2-4 hours per day

On test weeks: studying 9-5. On non test weeks: studying a few hours and de-stressing the rest of the time.

30 minutes is about the max that I would want to do.

similar story here, but with less socializing 😉

 

[BlueElmo]

Thanks Law2Doc. Again, your posts are very informative.

 

[montessori2md]

mid-atlantic, class of 2012
Classes vary, normally 4 hrs/day
I don't socialize a lot w/ classmates, my free time = family time. This is partly due to the commute, and partly b/c I'm a homebody.
I don't exercise much, though I should : ) Maybe 1.5 hr/wk if you don't count walking to class.
Study time varies, but typically about 5 hours/day. For certain classes (cough, anatomy, cough) I was doing 12 hours all week (5 days).
Weekends are a mix of study time and free time, usually I take one day off, and then do a partial study day on Sunday. If we have an exam, I may study both days. If we just finished an exam, I probably won't do anything school related all weekend.
I commute to school b/c of my family. It doesn't bother me, but I do think 3rd year would be easier if I could stumble across the street to get home post call vs driving home.
I use my commute time to listen to Goljan audio and NPR. My school also audio records lectures, and sometimes I listen to those en route as well. I also just don't go to class a couple of days/week, and listen to the audio and look at the ppts on my own.

Spouse time -There is absolutely no reason you can't have a life your first 2 years. That said, there will be times when you feel stressed out because of a big exam and will be a PITA to be around. This is no different from anyone with a "real" job. Third year I can't really speak to; from what I hear it's highly variable from school to school and rotation to rotation. Some people use med school (or their job, or whatever) as an excuse to be a useless inconsiderate significant other...you don't sound like that sort of person. Some spouses use their SO's med student status as an excuse to complain about lack of time, $$, etc. Others are more flexible, and can wait to celebrate your anniversary until after your exam, etc. Either you married someone who is able to deal, or you didn't, and unfortunately, it's not always apparent before you're in the middle of it.

I think it's really useful for a spouse to read a negative take on medicine -like Panda's blog. I think it's best to sit down before hand and develop a battle plan. For me, the hardest part has been the financial side, because I had a paycheck, and now I have debt instead. For my spouse, I think it's been hardest for him to deal w/ the shift in household rank -for years, the household schedule basically revolved around him, because I had a flexible job. Now, if the kid is sick, and I have to be in clinic or have an exam, he has to rearrange his schedule. Sometimes he has to take the dog to the vet, or one of the other 200 little things that go along with running a household. But fortunately for me, his father was a physician, and he sort of gets the whole middle of the night phone calls, sleep deprivation, etc that will be my future life, and is ok with it.

 

[TTigers70]

Any married people wanna chime in as to what their life was like during med school? Luckily my wife is very understanding, but no woman should be completely neglected. I should be able to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to her right?

I worry about the same thing and thats actually why I asked the commuting question. She will in all likelihood be attending law school in NYC whereas my number 1 school (not necessarily dream or reach school, just where I feel I fit best) is 30 to an hour depending on traffic. I know the hours are rough so not living together on top of everything seems to be a recipe for disaster.

 

[samuraiR]

mid-atlantic, class of 2012
Classes vary, normally 4 hrs/day
I don't socialize a lot w/ classmates, my free time = family time. This is partly due to the commute, and partly b/c I'm a homebody.
I don't exercise much, though I should : ) Maybe 1.5 hr/wk if you don't count walking to class.
Study time varies, but typically about 5 hours/day. For certain classes (cough, anatomy, cough) I was doing 12 hours all week (5 days).
Weekends are a mix of study time and free time, usually I take one day off, and then do a partial study day on Sunday. If we have an exam, I may study both days. If we just finished an exam, I probably won't do anything school related all weekend.
I commute to school b/c of my family. It doesn't bother me, but I do think 3rd year would be easier if I could stumble across the street to get home post call vs driving home.
I use my commute time to listen to Goljan audio and NPR. My school also audio records lectures, and sometimes I listen to those en route as well. I also just don't go to class a couple of days/week, and listen to the audio and look at the ppts on my own.

Spouse time -There is absolutely no reason you can't have a life your first 2 years. That said, there will be times when you feel stressed out because of a big exam and will be a PITA to be around. This is no different from anyone with a "real" job. Third year I can't really speak to; from what I hear it's highly variable from school to school and rotation to rotation. Some people use med school (or their job, or whatever) as an excuse to be a useless inconsiderate significant other...you don't sound like that sort of person. Some spouses use their SO's med student status as an excuse to complain about lack of time, $$, etc. Others are more flexible, and can wait to celebrate your anniversary until after your exam, etc. Either you married someone who is able to deal, or you didn't, and unfortunately, it's not always apparent before you're in the middle of it.

I think it's really useful for a spouse to read a negative take on medicine -like Panda's blog. I think it's best to sit down before hand and develop a battle plan. For me, the hardest part has been the financial side, because I had a paycheck, and now I have debt instead. For my spouse, I think it's been hardest for him to deal w/ the shift in household rank -for years, the household schedule basically revolved around him, because I had a flexible job. Now, if the kid is sick, and I have to be in clinic or have an exam, he has to rearrange his schedule. Sometimes he has to take the dog to the vet, or one of the other 200 little things that go along with running a household. But fortunately for me, his father was a physician, and he sort of gets the whole middle of the night phone calls, sleep deprivation, etc that will be my future life, and is ok with it.

This post was very awesome, and very insightful.. THANKS!👍

 

[45408]

Location (what school?) MCW

What year? M4

When are you classes? don't have any. My rotations range from 30-80 hours a week, depending on the rotation.

Where do you live? in an apartment downtown, 15 minutes from campus

Do you socialize? as an M4? about as much as you want to. I'm just starting my 3rd straight month of vacation.

Do you exercise? not much, but that's a motivation issue

How long do you study? not much. as an M4, I really only STUDIED when I was on my surgery rotation, because I'm going into surgery. Otherwise, I'd read about my patients' specific illnesses or for a presentation for the class.

What are your weekends like? Except for my sub-internships, I've got weekends off as an M4.

Lastly, I'd like to know if you think commuting about 30 minutes to an hour to a med school is a bad idea versus living very close to it? Yes, very bad idea.

 

[45408]

Any married people wanna chime in as to what their life was like during med school? Luckily my wife is very understanding, but no woman should be completely neglected. I should be able to dedicate 1-2 hours a day to her right?

Yes. You make your priorities. Like L2D said (in a very well-written post), you will have overnight call on some rotations (as an M3, I had in-house, overnight call for trauma surgery and OB) and a number of short call rotations. Short call is when the intern is staying overnight, but you'll leave at 10-11pm and come back at 6-7am. The intern then goes home around noon, but you still stay until the work is done, usually around 4-6pm.

 

[Ravendown]

"Location (what school?)
Sophie Davis in NYC
What year?
I Guess I'd be in MS1
When are you classes? (ex 9-5)
1-5 PM, but more if you choose to spend time in lab earlier
Where do you live? (apt/on campus?
I commute [about 1.5 hours]
Do you socialize? (how long?)
yeah, before class, and a night---maybe an hour

Do you exercise? (how long?)
Yeah 30 minutes
How long do you study?
I try for 2-4 hours of hardcore studying, but somehow anime usually gets in there somewhere
What are your weekends like?"
Not too bad, study, play, study [I try for at least 10 hours of studying on weekends]
Lastly, I'd like to know if you think commuting about 30 minutes to an hour to a med school is a bad idea versus living very close to it?
Commuting is fine for me so far. There is definitely enough time in the day to commute, study, and do well. If that's not working out for some individuals, they need to change their study style/skills.