I don't know if this is a weird question or not but I was just curious....Is it possible to go to med school part time? take fewer classes??? I will probably be getting married before medical school and I want to keep a good balance between my married life and medical school. Any tips or advice from married medical students or is it really hard to give time to your spouse and do good in med school???
Part-time Med School and Marriage in Med School
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I wouldn't exactly say that med school is a part-time endeavor.
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As far as I know, there is no flexibilty in the schedule of classes for medical school. If you want to be a doctor, then medical school will have to come first and your husband will just have to understand. Remember, it is not forever.
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I've heard of a few schools that will extend the curriculum to 5 years if they feel you'll be overloaded or something...I couldn't tell you which ones. Unfortunetly it is just one of those trials of marriage in the end...it is defintley doable though. My dad had 2 kids and a wife during medical school, and there are a lot of sdners here that have SO's, fiances, kids, etc. Just acceptance on the others parts, and good time management on your part.
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All medical schools (both allopathic & osteopathic) are full-time programs. There are possibilities to take a year off before your 3rd year or 4th year clinical rotations. Some people do this option so that they can do academic research, deal with a personal crisis, conduct family business, etc. Contact the individual schools & see if they allow some time off in between years... However, you are REQUIRED to finish the whole medical school program within six years (varies by individual school).
There are many people in medical school who are married. They have learned to successfully balance both marriage & medical school.
I responded to your post because I am in a similar position as you. I got married five months ago, and I will be starting medical school in Aug 2007. My wife knows that medical school (studying, tests, labs, late nights at the hospital, board exams) are the lifestyle of a physician & a physician's family. She doesn't like all of the lifestyle, but realizes that is what is necessary to become a competent physician.
Hopefully, your spouse will also learn to accept the physician's family lifestyle so that you too can become a competent physician. In the long-run, all the hard work & sacrifices will pay off!
I recommend taking a nice, long vacation alone together before you start medical school. Continue to work on communication & compromise during this time before school.
While in medical school, I think our spouses will be our greatest emotional support system... Think of your spouse as someone who can make you forget about all the stress of medical school. Look forward to getting home to a relaxing evening after a hard day of classes & exams!
Good luck!
kealaq
Western University COMP
DO Class of 2011
There are many people in medical school who are married. They have learned to successfully balance both marriage & medical school.
I responded to your post because I am in a similar position as you. I got married five months ago, and I will be starting medical school in Aug 2007. My wife knows that medical school (studying, tests, labs, late nights at the hospital, board exams) are the lifestyle of a physician & a physician's family. She doesn't like all of the lifestyle, but realizes that is what is necessary to become a competent physician.
Hopefully, your spouse will also learn to accept the physician's family lifestyle so that you too can become a competent physician. In the long-run, all the hard work & sacrifices will pay off!
I recommend taking a nice, long vacation alone together before you start medical school. Continue to work on communication & compromise during this time before school.
While in medical school, I think our spouses will be our greatest emotional support system... Think of your spouse as someone who can make you forget about all the stress of medical school. Look forward to getting home to a relaxing evening after a hard day of classes & exams!
Good luck!
kealaq
Western University COMP
DO Class of 2011
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Great post and great advice and congratulations on your acceptance! I totally agree with you. I am married and have four children and I know that it will be difficult, but they all are definitely my greatest emotional support system. They will all be moving with me so I can go to medical school. My husband knows this is my dream, but also that in the long run it is the best thing for our family. He likes to tease me and tell me that I am his retirement.
There seem to be a lot of "non-traditional" students starting medical school now. I am sure that it will work out fine in the end. 
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There might be some schools (such as George Washington University) that offer a 5-year program where the first year is decelerated into two years. However, the vast majority of programs are designed to be 4 years in length "full-time". Depending on how the curriculum is designed and whether attendance is mandatory or not, you may be able to stay home more often that you think (at first for the first 2 years)
Year 3 and Year 4 will be rough!!! Long hours. Some away from home. You may run into attendings and/or residents who don't care that you are married (although they are getting fewer and fewer). I know some people who held part time PRN jobs during the first two years of med school ... but year 3 and 4 is definately a full-time gig with occasional 80 hr week thrown in. But if your school is supportive, there are people who take a year off in between Year 1 and 2, year 2 and 3, and even year 3 and 4.
One thing to keep in mind ... depending on what state you want to get your initial licensure, there is a time limit from when you take COMLEX 1 (or USMLE 1) and when you finish COMLEX 3 (or USMLE 3). For example, Alaska gives you 7 years to finish all USMLE or COMLEX series. Same with Colorado. Washington DC gives you 7 years to finish the USMLE series but has no time limit for COMLEX. Check with your state board of medicine or osteopathic medicine (if your state has one).
Year 3 and Year 4 will be rough!!! Long hours. Some away from home. You may run into attendings and/or residents who don't care that you are married (although they are getting fewer and fewer). I know some people who held part time PRN jobs during the first two years of med school ... but year 3 and 4 is definately a full-time gig with occasional 80 hr week thrown in. But if your school is supportive, there are people who take a year off in between Year 1 and 2, year 2 and 3, and even year 3 and 4.
One thing to keep in mind ... depending on what state you want to get your initial licensure, there is a time limit from when you take COMLEX 1 (or USMLE 1) and when you finish COMLEX 3 (or USMLE 3). For example, Alaska gives you 7 years to finish all USMLE or COMLEX series. Same with Colorado. Washington DC gives you 7 years to finish the USMLE series but has no time limit for COMLEX. Check with your state board of medicine or osteopathic medicine (if your state has one).
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On one hand, being married will make med school easier for me because I'll have someone there to help me thru it when times get tough; on the other hand, it's going to be pretty rough for her too, having to support someone who just won't be as emotionally available as he used to be. Fortunately, we've been together for 20 years, so we have that bedrock to support us.
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Just for a little perspective...I got married on the Saturday before med school started on Monday. There is plenty of time for your spouse while you are in med school, you just have to budget the time into your schedule. For example, I prefer to study at home so that I am at least around when my wife is. If I am at home, I can control my distractions. Learn to discipline yourself with your studies & your time.
On a side note...you are probably in the wrong frame of mind if you are thinking about slowing down the pace before you have even started. No matter how many times people tell you what med school is like, you can't understand it until you get here. Much faster & much more material than you can imagine. Keep your priorties in line & you can do it, but not if you are trying to find shortcuts from the beginning.
On a side note...you are probably in the wrong frame of mind if you are thinking about slowing down the pace before you have even started. No matter how many times people tell you what med school is like, you can't understand it until you get here. Much faster & much more material than you can imagine. Keep your priorties in line & you can do it, but not if you are trying to find shortcuts from the beginning.
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I have been married for 2 years and will be starting medical school in 2007. People keep trying to tell me that I'm in for a rude awakening and will never see my wife once medical school begins. I think this is really funny because I don't think it is possible to see my wife any less. Currently, she is gone when I wake up and asleep when I get home. I basically see her on Sundays. It helps to have an understanding spouse who is just as busy as me!
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