If you have absolutely no passion for medicine then you should not be going to medical school because that interest in learning the material is what is going to push you through. Med students, and later professionals, suffer from rates of mental illness at double the rate of the gen pop but we put the fucking onus on the goddamn students to get their shit together. Stress is ever present in our busy, frantic lives. Once you feel better, you will realize that you're doing FINE. Academic problems were found to be a major cause of stress among all students. All my hair was falling out and my entire body was inflamed. Please please get yourself to a psychiatrist. They should be able to start you on an ssri while you wait for a psychiatrist to have an opening. I found my Med school peers a great support because they were also going through the same sacrifice to become doctors but I’d urge you to try and stay connected w your non-MED friends -they will help ground you throughout your training. Controlled drowning. I was consistently doing average/a little better than average and I felt like I suffocating under an endless to-do list. I’m not dreading the process or regretting the process. You should not feel suicidal at any point, that is not normal. Second year was a breeze, though. but I can't because med school sucks most of my time, mental space and effort and I can't blame anyone but myself - I'm simply not cut out for this. Grading systems: While many U.S. medical schools use an Honors/Pass/Fail grading system, many medical schools overseas use a traditional A–F system. Some level of stress is probably inevitable during med school, but it does not have to be overwhelming. Exercise can be an excellent way to decompress, and some schools may have fitness centers or classes on campus. Other sources of stress in medical school and their relationships are also discussed. Because I am in medical school, I'm doing great, and everything really has always worked out for me. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. You get a good job, high salary, lots of respect. – Your only competition is who you were yesterday. Weekend's alternate between doing nothing (visiting gf) and busting ass all weekend 8am-10pm with about 3 hours breakage scattered. Good luck! I'm doing great. It sounds intense, but these students also speak about learning new study techniques along the way that help them better manage their time, integrate this new knowledge, and excel as a med student. You have just enough time to get that little gasp of air. There are several things you can do to ease stress and deal with all the responsibilities of medical school. I want to go out during the middle of the week and get drunk and go on trips and see my boyfriend more than twice a month and meet new people and slack off during the night and sunbath sometimes and work out consistently and start culinary lessons and learn how to play the piano and a third language. Consider some of the following: Find healthy ways to unwind:Find healthy ways to deal with stress, such as exercising, listening to music and pursuing hobbies. No More Stress in Medical School: So understand two things. What makes it hard is the sheer volume of material. I struggled with depression a lot in the first 2 years of medical school, so if you want to PM me, I'm here, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the medicalschool community. If you are only in it to satisfy parental expectations, for the money or prestige then it won’t ever be worth it. And I don't mean this in a ~quirky and funny~ depreciative way. Many people waste their 20s in partying and taking expensive trips, then they have no substantial career foundation after 30 years old. Find things that you’re doing currently that are awesome and latch on to them. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It's your life and you shouldn't be wasting precious time doing something you hate. If you’re not happy now, you most likely won’t be happy in the future and find something to complain about. We have a responsibility as educators to examine whether the stress that assessment causes is worth the measurement of competency and the student learning that is gained. Personally it was less stressful than undergrad. The prevalence of stress is highest among third-year medical students. Don’t get so carried away with fantasizing about your future life. No one can remember everything. It’s comparable a Soviet gulag but not worse than that. Now I put my phone on "do not disturb.". The second is why/ what’s motivating you? This approach has helped me a ton. The first several months of med school were very difficult for me until I found that mental balance but it took me opening up to my family, faculty, and mental health professional to get me where I needed to be. My grades improved significantly when I began eating well, got 8 hours of sleep, and went to the gym. The first visit was one hour long and was an in-depth history, strategy session, medication management, and resource identification. And since you are not in the US, I'm guessing you are in your early 20s now? They state, “The cycle of stress, anxiety… And you know what? Now I go over the lectures at least once, but really I just make/practice Anki cards--and I never even finish the deck before the test. Everyone is going through the same thing so your friends relate and you can group-bitch about it. I had many classmates that hated the classroom side of things but absolutely loved their clinical rotations. Little things like, "I am enough." I'm very likely going to be a terrible doctor and get sued in the future because I can't fucking learn anything. If you fall behind, then you will be stressed out. You can do less and still be just as successful. It was fucking terrible. I honestly think the "magical glorious life in 20s" is merely a fantasy created by the media. Welcome to /r/MedicalSchool: An international community for medical students. But me, I work to live. A few months ago I tried to kms and it ended up delaying my undergrad graduation by a year and now I’m watching my peers move up and do great things and on top of that they’re going to graduate long before me and move on & out. Overall, though, I didn't think it was too bad. I went to see a psychiatrist that the school provided for zero charge to me. I'll second this. Totally agree. I have several friends who do this and couldn’t be happier. Third year of medical school is like learning to ride a bike ; 5 confessions of a medical student ; Remembering Dr. Denton A. Cooley ; How minor fixes can help with resident burnout ; For students with test stress, medical schools leave a void How the United States depends on doctors trained in other countries I know how you feel. Thanks guys :), ‘There’s someone else who’ll always do it better than you’. Exercise: You need to exercise while in medical school. Combining exercise with healthy sleep and eating habits goes a long way in dealing with stress in medical school. we covered half of my 16 week biochem UG course in like 4 lectures lol. It really depends on what school you go to but I think a lot of the stress and workload is overstated by the community on this sub. The American Medical Student Association is well aware of the growing concern of mental health in medical students. Med school is still difficult, but I’ve made time for myself where I can. It’s a lot easier to remember a differential, workup and treatment when you’ve lived it w a patient and have a face to put to a disease process. – Your doors of opportunity are always open. Actively find other people who aren't stressed out and constantly talking about school. You can choose a lifestyle specialty and work three days a week if you want. “A Medical Mentality” is a US medical student who was tired of feeling overwhelmed by all the stress and anxiety that future doctors experience throughout the course of training. 10% above the class average last exam. Welcome to /r/MedicalSchool: An international community for medical students. The future is magical in our heads until we actually reach it and realize it’s not so different than where we were previously in terms of our satisfaction. Because you know what? Press J to jump to the feed. If a supplement's label or ads won't give you reliable information, how can you find out if a supplement can help — or, for that matter, hurt? Stop reading terrible things about the medical establishment. It’s just that life is pointless and nothing matters and I’m always tired. That being said I think a lot of that is because I, as well as those around me, are really interested in the subject matter and invested in becoming physicians. you know what it's really not that stressful (at least for the first 2 years) as long as you study hard but actually committing to studying is very difficult nigh impossible, at least for me. It was all SO NEGATIVE. You sounds really depressed and that will make ift genuinely next to impossible to form the memories you need for studying. But it's also extremely rewarding. After 9:00, I do not answer texts or emails related to school. The better I feel though, the less I want to drop out. For me, that means a focus on my mental health and not working myself into the ground for achievement's sake. Another 15% reported that they had depression and close to 10% were suffering from stress related disorders. This is the first question you need to answer. 1. Everyone needs a little downtime to recharge and unwind. For real, you do not need to study as much as you are to do well in medical school. Stop hanging out with people from the medical school. Also maybe adjust your study habits/plans because some of those things you described wanting to do are definitely possible in med school. First year was definitely the worst for me. As mentioned in other comments, I really do hope you decide to seek out help from a mental health professional. I am currently doing very poor in my subjects of physics, chem and bio (I'm in year 12) and have no passion for medicine and stress out a lot very easily and have depression. It can be weightlifting, running, biking, swimming, power-walking, yoga, Pilates, or anything you can think of. Most med school clubs are very laid back because they realize how stressful med school can be. r/medicalschool: Welcome to /r/MedicalSchool: An international community for medical students. That said, it sounds like your routine may be off. Not to detract from your point, but you could probably say the same thing about life in your 30s through old age ha. Even the hard stuff. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But since it isn't a very socially acceptable form of work and I need to make money somehow so I don't starve to death, I actually do want to be a doctor - ironically enough, a psychiatrist, which I'm ridiculously good at and I actually love the hell out of it. Everyone strongly urging psychiatric care..... have you guys *seen* a psychiatrist? Most of all, it was someone who understood wtf being a medical student is all about and actually gave a shit. If you take a step back, I think you'll find that you don't need to work this hard to be successful. I am currently doing very poor in my subjects of physics, chem and bio (I'm in year 12) and have no passion for medicine and stress out a lot very easily and have depression. This helped me considerably. They're gonna fill out a PHQ-9 or something of the sort, maybe even BEFORE they see the doc, and walk out with a script for an SSRI and a f/u appointment. I did so in med school for other things that were preoccupying my mind and had me in a funk. My passion for medicine is the only thing that keeps me going. I just can't help feeling like I'm somehow behind everyone else. I've also been going to a counselor and it feels like it helps. Med school isn't stressful because of the difficulty of the material, it's pretty comparable to senior undergrad courses in difficulty. So I'm being forced into med school overseas most likely next year. You have many many more years to enjoy your life. I don’t know if it gets better but I promise you’re not alone, not the only one who feels like an outsider looking in, You're right. Being a pre-med is stressful, but there are healthy habits you can start practicing now that will help you manage stress next semester, and later when you’re in medical school. I obviously don't know anything about your family situation but don't let yourself be forced into something you don't want to do. If you don't have a passion for it, idk how anyone could survive this. I think so. :/. People used to wake me up at 1am panicking about some assignment or another in the group text and asking me if I'd sent xyz email and I'd be up for the rest of the night agonizing. I imagine it would be really hard to self motivate if you hated it. But there are ways that you can mitigate not only how you perceive what stresses you, but also how you respond to it. I almost got institutionalized and was very close to killing myself. Just try and take away one learning point from each case. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the medicalschool community. Do I want to be a doctor? I know you mentioned you are wasting the "best years of your life", but imo the best years of our lives are in 30-40s when our hard work blossoms into financial independence and social prestige. Does medical school need to be so stressful? I also had a staff tell me that you need to see the same presentation nine times on average before you’ll be comfortable managing that clinical situation without looking it up. Yes, we know that medics are a strange group of people at the best of times but still, have a read of the following and try to sympathise! Still, I'm not sure if it's the right thing for me. Get Free Hardest Part Of Medical School now and use Hardest Part Of Medical School immediately to get % off or $ off or free shipping. This last time we discussed what would happen if I dropped out of medical school. "Everything is always working out for me." You need to get the stress … I’m about to be in my fourth year of medical school and I still haven’t felt burnt out. The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), for example, is tackling burnout on several fronts. -Andy Dwyer, parks and rec. Education. More and more reason not to be susceptible to the illusion that life will magically become better at some nebulous point. Who can get the highest score? which is terrible because stress is practically synonymous with med school! I'm excited to be a doctor, and I know that once I graduate and get through residency, I'll be more and more able to shape my career the way that I want it. The work load is going to get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better, but if you’re doing it for the right reasons, it will be worth it and there is a light at the end of the tunnel :). Because I could have written this post about a month and a half ago. If for some reason your school doesn't make it easily accessible, then go to a PCP right away (like tomorrow if you can). My grades are average (or a little above average) and it seems I can't really memorize anything; once the exam is over all the knowledge gets erased forever by my goblin brain. Although the literature is slim on evidence-based interventions for medical student burnout, Dyrbye said awareness of the problem is growing. I was in finally so that feeling of not knowing your future is over. What gets me through the stress is that I really like it and find it fascinating. Honestly, if I could be anything I want to be, I would be a sugar baby. There is an unacceptably high level of stress amongst medical students and we know that this increases before exams and assignments. Finally, you get to choose what your career will look like in the end. Its not even that bad, only feels like you're working with a loaded gun pointed to your head before boards. I just want to know how bad med school gets, maybe if it's really bad and i can get some good stories about how bad it is, i can use it against my dad. There are people out there who care and it isn't very helpful to scare them away from getting help by only providing one side of the story. Many medical students point to a famous analogy about learning in medical school being like trying to drink from a fire hose. For example, I did two years of law school before I switched majors. Medical schools are stepping up. Depression is rampant in medical school due to the immense amount of stress we are placed under. Measurably, markedly better. But if you love the challenge of medicine, how cool the human body is, and want to help people at their most vulnerable, then stay with it - just remember to be kind to yourself and seek help when you need it. Stress can definitely trigger these episodes again (bouts of depression, anxiety, panic attacks etc.) It's not so much like you're crazy stressed and then also alone with it. Approximately 30% of those in medical school have symptoms of depression. I don't know. You work harder than undergrad but for me at least there was less stress. There are plenty of easy, healthy and fun ways to deal with stress in medical school. I lost so much weight that strangers were concerned for me haha. To be honest, medical school isn’t really that stressful. It made the world of difference that allowed me to handle the stress of med school much better AND make time for the things I love. It made the world of difference that allowed me to handle the stress of med school much better AND make time for the things I love. I was working 14 hours a day every day and I felt like a failure--but I'm not. Although it's a slow process, careful, objective medical studies provide the guidance that counts.In most cases, scientific investigations of supplements start with simple observational studies, in which researchers compare the health status of folks who take a particular supplement with the health of people who don't take the supplement. Like we did my entire 3-4 month cell bio course in undergrad in like 6 weeks. Some people are like that, and it works for them! During Med school, your schedule is ruled by administrators - this doesn’t hold when you graduate. I had an actual, horrible panic attack and called my boyfriend en route to the gun store. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. I would not recommend medical school unless you are seriously interested in it. Press J to jump to the feed. You might feel that such precise grading systems can add additional stress to an already competitive atmosphere and post-graduate job market and industry. 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