Five Things I Learned From Medical School
When I first started medical school, I was much like most of you. I didn’t have much of a clue of what I was really getting myself involved with. Here are five things that I learned from my medical school experience, and five things I wish I would have known before starting.
1. Your Life Will Change
Medical school and the practice of medicine in general occupies your life. It’s not a job, but rather a lifestyle. Be prepared to work long, grueling hours throughout medical school and residency. Depending upon your specialty of choice, those hours might continue. Be prepared for these changes, and note that your free time will decrease dramatically. I wasn’t ready for this.
2. Medical Training is Inefficient
Not only do you get slapped in the face by having to stick around at the hospital for no reasons at all as a student, but your time is generally wasted. Yes, you’re paying thousands in tuition and you get repaid through the most inefficient use of that time imaginable. Instead of keeping you at the hospital sitting around doing nothing, your time is better spent in an environment better suited for studying. I don’t want to hear “well, you can study at the hospital while sitting around” either. Sure, you can study at the hospital but for all of you that have tried it you know it sucks. Just when you’re getting in that study zone, some resident sends you on a task in boredom hell. There’s nobody around that thinks studying at the hospital is better environment than a quiet library somewhere. If you do, you’re delirious.
3. Many Residents, Attendings, and Nurses are Asses
I didn’t say they all were, but many of them are. Sure, there are the cool residents like what Panda seems to be. But in general, you’ll be faced with some of the most unhappy and angry people that you’ve ever come into contact with. This brings up an interesting question, too. Why does medicine in general produce some of the most malignant personalities? I think that’s something you have to examine while looking into a possible career in medicine. If the majority of people are so unhappy, there has to be something wrong somewhere down the line. If you put yourself in front of these types of people day in and day out, you’ll start to become them. I wasn’t nearly as cynical as I am now prior to starting medicine. Some of the cynicism is waining at this point, but a lot of that stems from the fact that I’m no longer in the presence of dickheads all day long.
4. Many Patients Are Ungrateful
Most medical training institutions cater to the indigent population. From what I’ve experienced, many of these people are ungrateful. They treat you like shit and expect the best care possible, even though their ability to pay for services is nonexistent. You would think they would be appreciative of anything they could get for free, and many of them are. There are still the ungrateful ones that tend to stand out like a sore thumb. There’s nothing like being berated by your team and then going in to get further beaten down by some homeless guy with pancreatitis due to his excessive alcohol consumption. Instead, they should be thankful they’re able to receive medical treatment due to a self-inflicted disease.
5. Volunteering Will Not Show You Much
I thought that I was ready to go to medical school after a few of the typical volunteer experiences that most medical students complete prior to applying. Boy, was I wrong. Most of the volunteer experiences involve shadowing other physicians. While getting to see what they do all day, it doesn’t really immerse you into the lifestyle. This portion of your medical education will come around year three. Unfortunately at this point it’s too late. If you hate it, you’re already in a considerable amount of debt (for most students) and you’ve already put in too much time to simply quit. In order to really see what medical school and medical training is all about, here’s what you need to do:
During a summer between your college years, seek out a training hospital close to your house and ask them if you can spend an entire month shadowing a PGY-1 or PGY-2 OB/GYN resident. Work the same hours as the resident does, including call. Get involved with as many things as they’ll let you do. If it’s 3 am, you’ll probably get to do a lot. If you’re still fired up about medicine, you’ve just had a more realistic taste of what your life is about to transform into.
Hindsight is 20/20
If I would’ve known those five things above, and especially did the “extended” volunteer experience with an OB/GYN resident, I would’ve never wasted four years of my life to attend medical school. It’s sad to think that a one-month “boot camp” experience could have saved me thousands in school debt, but it’s the truth.
Know what you’re getting into, and know it well.
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Hoover,
Everyone seems to say residency sucks. However, does it get better once one becomes a practicing physician?
Hoover,
I completely agree with you about the volunteering experience. It is useless, and a good shadowing would be much more beneficial to anyone considering medicine.
As far as people being angry and mean all the time, I think that’s true, but considerably more so for anyone working in a teaching hospital. When I worked for a hospital, the nurses and other techs were nutty assholes. But every clinic I’ve been in has people that genuinely enjoy their job. I think in private practice, people tend to be more down to earth and nicer.
Keep up the good work!
klaus, I think in most cases it does get better after residency is over. However, I have worked with many physicians who are overworked and unhappy.
It really depends on a number of factors, mainly your specialty of choice and how much money you want (or need) to make. If you value your free time more than most people do, you could probably manage to swing a part time practice schedule if you wanted it bad enough.
Wow, this is some great advice. I was just wondering, and sorry if I missed this elsewhere, but what are you doing now? Did you continue to pursue medicine, or did you decide to call it quits after having gone through all of this?
Thanks for the comments Kate. I am not in medicine, but I finished school. I toyed around with a few tech careers that were very closely involved with medicine, but ultimately decided to start a company. My business is not related to medicine, and I’m the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life.
My free time is abundant, I absolutely love working, the money is great, and I’m the CEO.
Life is good. =)
Congratulations… I will now not go to medical school.
- Jaden
Wow, that really hit home. Every single comment was exactly what I experienced going through. If I didn’t have to take those stupid Shelf exams for each rotation, I could have learned something useful in the hospital. But most of the time, I just wanted to be left alone to study.
And I agree…We spend so much money on an education which we don’t have control over. There are so many things wrong with how my med school’s curriculum is run.
And boy do I hate writing H and Ps. In my last year, I realize that Pathology is the best residency for me. I prefer being in a lab doing research and I enjoy my sleep. I’ll probably end up doing a Phd because medicine is so dull.
The flip side of the argument of the indigent population is a little messed up, though. Although it is true, they are ungrateful, do you really think that an affluent population would allow residents treat them? Seeing what I’ve seen in the hospital, residents are very dangerous depending on their level of responsibility. I refuse to let them treat me.
Anyway, great article.
Hi is it really possible to job shadow a resident? Is doing so compliant with HIPAA and any other regulations? I am debating between teaching and medicine, and I am feeling a big feeling of dread because of the huge opportunity cost associated with each of my decision. I would love to shadow a resident to sort out my feelings if it was legally ok.
I agree with 3 & 4 a lot. On the job I keep a cool head and by acting polite and dignified you separate yourself from them. People will notice and you will develop a reputation as a person who is NOT an ass and who is ABOVE being bothered by the homeless and their behavior. You will quickly develop respect. Respect from people who wish they were you.
I got news for all the residents out there who are complaining about how hard they are working and how much it isn’t worth it in the end, I have a question for you. ESPECIALLY in the economy the way it is now, do you think there is anyone out there who is going to be a success in life without years of hard work? Years of long hours and tears? There may be a few special cases of people who get really lucky, but thats all they are, REEALLY lucky!
In the end, yeah Med school is a more grueling process than others, but (to steal words from Tom Hanks in “A League of Their Own”):
“Of course its hard! If it wasn’t hard everybody would be doing it. It being hard, is what makes it great.”
Couldn’t agree more Hoover, awesome post. 3rd year resident, currently, and only managing to stay sane because I chose Pathology, which I like. However, it scares me that I had no idea what Pathology Was at the start of medical school…if it were not for this, I would be a) divorced, b) even more overworked, tired and unhealthy than I am now. I should eventually make money at the end of this but there are much smarter ways of doing so – medical school cost me a million dollars, once you add up the lost wages, tuition and compounded interest over 10 years of med school, residency and fellowship.
I was heavily considering med school, but am having serious doubts because I get the same info that is displayed here from ‘everyone’ associated with medicine.
Horrible post, for christ sakes. This applies to ANY career:
1) your life will change – duh
2) job training is inefficient
3) people are assholes
4) people are assholes
5) are you getting this yet ?
Generic, stupid list. Whoever above said “great post” and “thanks for this” ? Ah yes, the great minds that will become doctors. Time to be worried.
Agree completely with Clarkson. Any job worth having is worth working hard for, and honestly if you go into medicine for the money you shouldn’t be there at all.