Life in Medical School

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>I've been looking for information on what life is for a medical student. I know its stressful and busy. We all know that. But does anyone have any real information. Am I going to sacrifice countless hours of sleep? Am I really going to study for 10 hours a day? Am I ever going to see my friends and family that aren't in medical school with me? Will there be time to exercise and eat healthy? Do medical students have fun? It sounds like they don't. </p>

<p>I just finished my freshman year of college. I've been planning on going to med school, but these thoughts keep scaring me away.</p>

2

<p>Just like college, medical school experiences vary a lot. You'll notice we've got a few medical students on this board, so we can't really be that busy. Medical school has a lot more classroom time than undergrad does, and make no mistake that it's a lot more material. Most of my classmates sleep 6-7 hours a night, study 4-6 hours a night. We spend about 30 hours a week in class. Most of us are from all across the country, so we don't see our families very often. By "school" standards, our vacations are very modest -- two weeks for Christmas, one for Spring -- but of course that's much more than people in the working world get. My classmates almost universally find time to exercise -- usually morning runs every day. Most attend a Friday night party perhaps once a month or so, and can usually find at least a little time during the week for chess or board games during lunch or something like that. A large proportion of relationships end within the first month, both long-distance and local. New ones sprout up, but it's very hard to sustain them with somebody who's not a schoolmate -- in fact, in my class of 120, I think only one of them has found a significant other from outside the school. (Some of the ones who got carried in have stuck around, of course.) This phenomenon is rougher on girls than on boys.</p>

<p>That's my MS2 year. MS3 students have an entirely different atmosphere, since they're basically "working." MS1 students have a lighter curriculum.</p>

<p>I will add one note. Historically, at my school, academic troubles are more prevalent in students who have taken a lot of time off before medical school (not in studying rhythm), are non-science majors (less background), and one other risk factor: having done their undergraduate work here. The reason as explained to us is basically this: they still have too many local friends.</p>

3

<p>^ dont mind be asking but what med school do u go to BDM?</p>

<p>and that is pretty rough......do u guys get weekends off? summer break?</p>

4

<p>Weekends yes for the first two years, no for the latter two. There would normally be three "summers" in between; we get the first one off.</p>

5

<p>That doesn't sound nearly as bad as I thought it would. Clearly it is more rigorous than college, but sooner or later I've got to transition into the real world. I'm relieved to hear about the sleep and the exercise. I'm not at all surprised by the relationship issue and I have read about it on some other threads. </p>

<p>Is it wise to go to a school away from home as to minimize distractions from friends and family?</p>

6

<p>So you suggest getting a jump on the med school courses while in undergrad?</p>

7

<p>No. The relevant courses in undergrad are dramatically low-yield. For every ten extra things a biology major learns, one of them might be useful in medical school. But over the course of four years, enough of those have filtered in that biology majors have an easier adjustment to the first two, unimportant years.</p>

8

<p>I'm just finishing up MS1, so maybe I can help.</p>

<p>
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Am I going to sacrifice countless hours of sleep?

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</p>

<p>If you do, you're doing it wrong. Or you're like me and goof off to let off steam instead of sleep. :D I've realized that at the bare minimum, I have to take care of my physical needs - exercise, nutrition, and sleep - or I might as well not go to class. If I'm feeling too crappy to pay attention, then it's a waste of time.</p>

<p>
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Am I really going to study for 10 hours a day?

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</p>

<p>If I have a test on a Monday, then I might study 10 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise... no.</p>

<p>
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Am I ever going to see my friends and family that aren't in medical school with me?

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</p>

<p>Balance is key in medical school. There's no better way to burn out than to throw away everything that was precious to you before you matriculated. You have to prioritize, you have to plan, and you (as well as your friends and family) have to make some sacrifices. So yes, you should have a life outside of school.</p>

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Do medical students have fun? It sounds like they don't.

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</p>

<p>This depends on you and your medical school.</p>

<p>I have fun. I have fun on my own time with my hobbies, and I have fun in school with my classmates. At my school, during the first year you end up spending a lot of the time with the same people in various lab courses, so you get to know them well. There have been times in Histo where I spent more time laughing and joking around than using the microscope. I admire and respect those people, so I like being around them and school is fun.</p>

<p>I've heard rumors that students at some other schools are miserable all the time. That's not to say that there aren't unhappy people here, too. But I'm quite happy, even if I feel harried a lot of the time. </p>

<p>
[quote]
I just finished my freshman year of college. I've been planning on going to med school, but these thoughts keep scaring me away.

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</p>

<p>Don't feel like you have to make up your mind ASAP. Take your time to explore the waters before you decide to commit to applying to medical school. You hear a lot about the lows of medical school (and there can be a lot of those) but keep in mind that you'll experience great highs as well. Finding crackles on pulmonary exam when the ER attending with 15+ years of experience only noticed the esophageal candidiasis? That'll make your day.</p>

<p>
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Clearly it is more rigorous than college, but sooner or later I've got to transition into the real world.

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</p>

<p>The "real world" is less rigorous than medical school. A former roommate of mine who works for a hedge fund has it better than me, I think.</p>

<p>
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Is it wise to go to a school away from home as to minimize distractions from friends and family?

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</p>

<p>Are your friends and family a distraction or a source of support? For me, they're support. Sometimes I'm jealous of some of my classmates - they get on the train and go home to eat a meal they didn't have to cook or buy themselves, do some free laundry, and enjoy the company of their friends and family on a regular basis. I don't get to do that, and sometimes I really wish I could.</p>

<p>
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So you suggest getting a jump on the med school courses while in undergrad?

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</p>

<p>Giant waste of time. What's valuable in undergrad are the soft skills you learn - time management, study skills, testing skills, people skills, etc.</p>

9

<p>
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Am I going to sacrifice countless hours of sleep?

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</p>

<p>Agree with Shades that if you do, you're doing it wrong - at least during the first two years. As a third year, the BIGGEST change from the first two, at least as I see it, is that you lose a lot of control over your schedule. You have to be where others want you to be, when they want you to be there. For example - I've got two weeks on labor and delivery coming up the last two weeks of June, and it's the most intensive period of call and early hours of the entire 3rd year at my school. They've told us they want us there at 5am every morning, and we're to take call every third night (for example, my schedule is to take call on Monday, Thursday, Sunday and Wednesday nights over the two weeks). Am I going to be sleeping as much as I'd normally choose? Of course not. Likewise, even this two week period, when I'm on outpatient GYN clinic, we have morning report at 7am every day, which I have to be at, even on the days when my preceptor doesn't have clinic scheduled. </p>

<p>So there will be significant sleep lost. But you have to be adaptable to a certain extent too. Power naps work, going to bed earlier is definitely required, and being smart about your other habits helps.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Am I really going to study for 10 hours a day?

[/quote]

Test weeks, absolutely. One thing to point out is that curricula vary from school to school. Some places you'll have a schedule which is just like you did in undergrad (except with more time in the classroom) with multiple tests coming in a variety of different schedules (some places, all your tests are the same week, others space them out), and other places, you're taking pretty much just one "class" at a time, but you're doing you have four hours of lecture in it every day, and average an exam every three weeks or so. So where 10 hours will get you can vary a lot.</p>

<p>
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Am I ever going to see my friends and family that aren't in medical school with me?

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You'll make time if those things are important. I think it's important to have at least a couple people and activities that will allow you to escape from medical school every once in a while. If you're only hanging out with your medical school friends, imagine what is going to dominate 98% of your conversations? Exactly, medical school. I went on a ski trip with 22 of my med school friends last December, and the rule was supposed to be that for every mention of med school, you had to take a shot. It got so bad that you couldn't even keep track of how many shots people owed...it was just impossible not to talk about it. So having some release is important. I know that when I go see my little brother at my alma mater, he doesn't care about my patients or my lack of sleep or my last test grade, so I have to focus on something else.</p>

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Will there be time to exercise and eat healthy?

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ABSOLUTELY - in fact, I'm in much better shape now than when I entered medical school. It's just the nature of the message you're getting on a daily basis. Plus exercise helps with the stress and you sleep better.</p>

<p>
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Do medical students have fun? It sounds like they don't.

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Rule #1 when talking with medical students - they love to complain.
Rule #2 when talking with medical students - they love to exaggerate. </p>

<p>Believe me, I've told my share of pre-meds how awful it is, and the like. But again, it's definitely something you have to make time for. It's very possible to get so sucked in that you do nothing but study. But I know I can't live like that. If you can, then you're going to be a better med student than me. The point again goes back to having releases, things to take your mind off of medicine. </p>

<p>As for relationships - I've got a very different experience than BDM. I'd say in my class, most of the people who came in with long term SO's in my class have actually gotten married. There were a rash of engagements throughout the first year with subsequent weddings during the summer between M1 and M2. I will agree that it's harder to manage a new relationship with someone who is not a medical student or at least another health care student (several of my friends have had successes with nursing students). There have been quite a few couples form within my class, and the engagements from those people have been trickling in over the past 10 months.</p>

<p>Personally, I've dated another medical student, and it was pretty easy to not talk with her from monday to friday, see her friday night and all weekend, leave her house sunday morning, then call her sunday night to make plans for next friday. And we were both more than okay with that. Currently I'm starting to date a teacher, and I'll be honest, it seems like she's pretty leery of my schedule. I don't know how big of an issue it will be for her, but she's asked a lot of questions about it.</p>

10

<p>Wow. Thanks for all the honesty. It really means a lot to me.</p>

<p>Medical school sounds rigorous (to say the least), but I think I can handle it.</p>

<p>My health is very important to me, so I know I'll be able to make time for eating right, sleeping, and exercising. My family and friends are a huge part of my life, so its nice to hear that I will be able to see them. And its a huge load off my shoulders knowing that I probably will not be studying all day every day... just some days. </p>

<p>Obviously its not gonna be a walk in the park, but I'm up for the challenge. Its nice to get some inside info on the road that lies ahead of me... what a long road it will be</p>

11

<p>After reading these posts, it makes me even more excited to get into medical school. :) It sounds really rewarding despite the intense workload, but I love learning, so that's not a big, big problem. Thanks!</p>

12

<p>So, I just finished my first year at UNC SOM and here's what I have to say about it. First off, it wasn't anywhere near the nightmare that everyone made it out to be. In fact, I didn't find it overall to be that difficult. Don't get me wrong, the work load is gargantuan, but it's nothing to get your panties in a wad about. As long as you keep up with your studying and do what you're supposed to do you won't have a problem. Think about it: they wouldn't admit you if they didn't know you could handle it. Everyone in our class had plenty of time to hang out and have a very normal life this year and most of us made great grades. I know 3rd and 4th year will be VERY different, but my advice is to work hard but also to enjoy your first year. Good luck to everybody.</p>

13

<p>Some afterthoughts: our test schedule this year was a test every other Monday. This set up the phenomenon of an "on week" where you have a test the following Monday followed by an "off week." This schedule was best depicted on a shirt the MS2s had made up that had "on week" with a cup of coffee under it beside "off week" with a pint of beer under it. So, that's exactly how it was: fun on the off weeks and hard-core studying on the on weeks.</p>

14

<p>Thanks for the input. </p>

<p>All this new information is inspiring and relieving. </p>

<p>That I have been doubting my future as a physician was a huge burden, but now, I know I can handle it. I feel much better.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone!</p>

15

<p>
[quote]
That I have been doubting my future as a physician was a huge burden, but now, I know I can handle it. I feel much better.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Don't mix up "medical student" with "intern, resident, and beyond." The two are somewhat different.</p>

16

<p>SC has a good point. You've heard perspectives on the first two years of medical school, which are very, very different from anything which comes next.</p>

17

<p>...fantastic...</p>