So, I left medical school.

[sunnysnow7]

Brown or Duke?

I applied to both of those because they're known for that (and I'm not expecting you to tell me out of confidentiality )

The schools I am referring to are UNR and UA Phoenix - both turned me off bad when I spoke to students and faculty/admissions. Seemed like pieces of work to me.

UNR and UA Phoenix are research oriented? I didn't get that impression whatsoever. And IIRC, UA is P/F with no internal ranking, which I would think would decrease the degree of gunnerism...

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[moonwake]

UNR and UA Phoenix are research oriented? I didn't get that impression whatsoever. And IIRC, UA is P/F with no internal ranking, which I would think would decrease the degree of gunnerism...

Research projects mandatory for both schools and thats all they could talk about. Did you interview there?

Oh and when I interviewed there I asked the same thing then one of the interviewers pulled me aside and said - just because we say we don't have ranked doesn't mean we don't have ranked. We just don't tell you what your rank is (we always rank our classes).

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

Am I the only one that didn't want to go MD because of the "gunnerish" and "research-based" atmosphere? At the MD schools I applied to, I could feel their snobbishness over every email, phone call, and conversation.

Yea I dont know, I really do think it is entirely school dependent. I dont know much about the MD vs DO thing since I did not apply MD. But I can tell you at one of my DO interviews, not only did I get massive vibes of "gunnerisms" but the tour guide actually physically told us that they have had gunners in their program (ie people giving wrong answers to others purposefully to screw their grade). It was a simple slip up but after she mentioned that stuff I dragged the details out of her. Contrast that to the school I will be attending and it is night and day, where as I understand it, gunners are shunned.

Honestly, just from the interview trail, I am under the impression that its not MD/DO dependent at all, but is actually more dependent on the type of students that the schools go for (so the school mission). The school I will be attending has many more non-trads as a whole and some of their other requirements point to looking for more altruistic and mature people. The other school that I first mentioned definitely attracted a younger crowd of students (most were still in undergrad), the school was a lot more numbers heavy, and they definitely seemed less focused on service. So I really think where the difference is at is in the students that they look for.

 

[sunnysnow7]

Research projects mandatory for both schools and thats all they could talk about. Did you interview there?

Yeah. Withdrew from UA Phoenix post-interview, but not because of the research requirement. Many, many med schools seem to require research these days. However, it didn't sound like it was a central focus at UA.

Not sure about UNR, although I think they still use traditional grading, which is unfortunate IMO.

 

[moonwake]

Yeah. Withdrew from UA Phoenix post-interview, but not because of the research requirement. Many, many med schools seem to require research these days. However, it didn't sound like it was a central focus at UA.

Not sure about UNR, although I think they still use traditional grading, which is unfortunate IMO.

I got rejected from U of A Phoenix but it was for the best- not even for the research requirement either. I had a really bad vibe- maybe it was just me. I didn't get that vibe anywhere else besides UNR. I'm just crazy I guess.

 

[UBC2014]

If you're depressed, get treatment. Don't quit school because of it. I don't know. I didn't watch everything but this person could've been a good physician and found happiness as a physician. I feel like decisions were made because of extraneous factors that aren't going to stick for someone's whole career. I think a little perseverance could've got her thru this

Right, so depression isn't something that is universally treated - there are many types of depression, and not all are addressed the same.

When someone is in a difficulty situation, a lifestyle that is non-congruent with their physical or mental health, then it can be unfathomable to receive the help that they need until they get out of that situation.

Those extraneous factors, while may not persist indefinitely, it is hard to say that they aren't the most important factors at the time. You make decisions based on your current existence.

 

[whizatphys]

I don't know about everyone else, but when I was a pre-med I don't even remember thinking about the cost of the education or the number of hours I would be putting in as a resident. The only thing on my mind was "How can I improve my application?"

People in medical school have already overcome significant odds. Most have gone through 4 years of college or more and some have gone through multiple application cycles, wasted away an entire summer or two studying for the MCAT, and slaved over research they didn't necessarily have any interest in.

Medicine (getting acceptance, medical school, residency and practice) is a HUGE 10+ year marathon. But it cannot be easily compared to an actual marathon (one where you run). In a real marathon, you have choices. If you sprain your ankle you can stop and try again next year. If you can't keep up with the frontrunners you can just walk. You can't easily do this in medicine. You have 6 figures of debt, 6 years of progress and a massive stigma (that may follow you forever) associated with those who quit stopping you.

However if you are struggling to keep your head above water, it may be the best option. Most medical students feel that way at some point, but if the feeling is constant, it may be a sign that they are on a path to misery and despair.

I bet there is a correlation between GPA and MCAT scores and perceived happiness during medical school. Those who have higher scores would likely have an easier time memorizing and thus a better work/life balance.

BTW Medical school is mostly memorization. My favourite analogy is that learning in medicine is like throwing **** at a barn door. You just keep chucking **** until it finally sticks on the residual **** from the previous throws. Sure there are concepts that require understanding, but its mostly just to form the backbone upon which you will need to attach hundreds of names of enzymes or drugs.

You make several excellent points, my friend.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Right, so depression isn't something that is universally treated - there are many types of depression, and not all are addressed the same.

Please tell me more. Because Major Depressive Disorder, which is what every person that is in medical school here is talking about when they say "depression", is a diagnosis requiring both certain criteria to be met and a length of time that symptoms are present for. While there are various treatment modalities for this depression, all evidence points to a combination of pharmacotherapy and CBT for optimal outcomes long-term.

Depression doesn't magically resolve when someone's circumstances improve, but it can definitely be worsened by outside stressors. @JP2740 is suggesting that OP should seek help, which means talking to a counselor or mental health professional and receiving the appropriate treatment. If OP doesn't have MDD, perhaps the professionals would be able to recommend other options to help her out.

 

[moonwake]

Please tell me more. Because Major Depressive Disorder, which is what every person that is in medical school here is talking about when they say "depression", is a diagnosis requiring both certain criteria to be met and a length of time that symptoms are present for. While there are various treatment modalities for this depression, all evidence points to a combination of pharmacotherapy and CBT for optimal outcomes long-term.

Depression doesn't magically resolve when someone's circumstances improve, but it can definitely be worsened by outside stressors. @JP2740 is suggesting that OP should seek help, which means talking to a counselor or mental health professional and receiving the appropriate treatment. If OP doesn't have MDD, perhaps the professionals would be able to recommend other options to help her out.

Why not consult the Psychiatric Resident forum?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/psychiatry.44/

 

[whizatphys]

And this is exactly why people applying to medical school shouldn't miss the forest for the trees and should really be looking into the realities of the training process and what becoming a physician entails. I think many people become so focused on getting into medical school and the idea of being a physician that they don't think much beyond that. I think that's a huge mistake.

I agree. My question then is: how might those individuals go about gaining this sort of insight before finding that they are lucky enough (and I mean that, truly) to officially enter the process, after having gone through (or preferably while going through) the undergrad pre-med process/MCAT/extracurriculars etc? Perhaps this is something that can be improved upon in the field... what do you think?

 

[moonwake]

I agree. My question then is: how might those individuals go about gaining this sort of insight before finding that they are lucky enough (and I mean that, truly) to officially enter the process, after having gone through (or preferably while going through) the undergrad pre-med process/MCAT/extracurriculars etc? Perhaps this is something that can be improved upon in the field... what do you think?

My friend applied twice to med school (only applied to top 20 schools) had a 4.0 summa cum mag gpa 34 MCAT, etc. Didn't get in both years. It took him not getting in to realize that he didn't even want to be a doctor. He had an unrealistic expectation about medical school and he got an space physiology masters in London and now works for NASA. He's fulfilling his life dream. It takes a struggle or going through that "crucible" for you to find yourself, what you want, and where you need to go from there.

 

[whizatphys]

If you're depressed, get treatment. Don't quit school because of it. I don't know. I didn't watch everything but this person could've been a good physician and found happiness as a physician. I feel like decisions were made because of extraneous factors that aren't going to stick for someone's whole career. I think a little perseverance could've got her thru this

I do want to say that while I did experience a horrendous bout of depression, it did eventually resolve prior to my return after taking a LOA -- during my year off, I saw a psychiatrist at my school at least bi-monthly. It was required of me, as I was transparent to my administrative faculty upon leaving -- my distraught state was no secret, you could tell I was struggling simply by looking at me. I was DISHEVELED.

I have been proactive about my psychiatric health issues, as they did not begin in medical school (which I mention in the video) and I was aware that they would likely create a sort of... vulnerability for me, in terms of coping with med school stress etc. My school was very helpful, and understanding, but nobody held my hand (although I neither wanted nor expected anyone to).

I should say that before medical school, these issues had been much resolved through CBT and intensive therapy, and I continue to practice forms of exposure therapy every day to keep my OCD under control... although certainly, it still gets the best of me, sometimes.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Am I the only one that didn't want to go MD because of the "gunnerish" and "research-based" atmosphere? At the MD schools I applied to, I could feel their snobbishness over every email, phone call, and conversation.

Yes, you might be the only person with that delusion.

What was so snobby? That they listed their institution after they signed their name in e-mails?

 

[username456789]

Ah, got it.

I see it a bit differently - I seem to meet very bright people who are insecure (or pathological) enough to be gunners, more often than people who are gunning to make up for their lower ability. It's a side effect of living in New York City, maybe. Lots of talent but lots of crazy as well.

You see it differently likely because you're not in medical school yet. Medical school is full of people who, like you described, are very bright. Unfortunately, the cream of the crop is further stratified in medical school, and the ones who do not automatically rise to the top are generally not used to being in a lower position. This is what has the potential to breed the gunner.

 

[Chansey]

@whizatphys

Did you have a history of depression before entering medical school? Was your administration supportive of you during your struggles, or did you feel pressured to take a LOA/withdrawal? Do you think you would have been more successful if your school had a Pass/Fail preclinical curriculum?

Sadly, depression is EXTREMELY COMMON among high achieving students. At my local medical school, I've heard that over 50% of students are prescribed some sort of antidepressant or anti-anxiety pill.

I hope you are on your way to recovery. Life is too short to spend it on something you hate.

 

[username456789]

I mean even like mid-tier MD - I only applied to a few higher up MD programs and that was my mistake because I didn't do as well on the real MCAT than on all my practice tests. I turned down MD interviews for that reason alone after I got my DO acceptance.

You seem to have completely missed his point.

 

[charmiedermie]

I'm extremely competitive when it comes to med school and life in general and I have no problem telling my classmates that. It's not a bad thing and it doesn't mean I hope they don't work to be the best they can be. I'd love to see everyone in my class score 99.99% on every test as long as I score 100%.

So you don't care what score people get, as long as your grade is higher? That's fine. I never said being a competitive person is necessarily negative. It was taken negatively by someone who lashed out, when he can dish things out but not take it.

Notice the use of the word "usually."

I like that you appreciate and understand adverbs.

And this is exactly why people applying to medical school shouldn't miss the forest for the trees and should really be looking into the realities of the training process and what becoming a physician entails. I think many people become so focused on getting into medical school and the idea of being a physician that they don't think much beyond that. I think that's a huge mistake.

Would you have become a physician if you knew this in advance?

Haha wow. Actually, sometimes being blunt and honest is the best therapy.
Had a patient with recurrent pancreatitis diagnosed as autoimmune. Didn't want the steroids because he was afraid of the side effects.
Attending told him the truth: would you rather die from the pancreatic complications or try some steroids to save your life? Because side effects can be managed.

Saying this generation is mentally weak is not "truth".

I'm glad you used the word "bullied," because the bullying that occurs in medical school is real and can be psychologically tormenting, especially considering the insidious way in which it comes to haunt students a lot like myself. As sad as it might be, it is the truth.

So sad you feel this way. I would say the bullying increases when you get to third year. Part of the reason I chose the specialty I did is because of the low to non-existent level of bullying of students and residents. Wish I could say the same for other specialties.

 

[moonwake]

You seem to have completely missed his point.

you mean his sarcasm. um no i didnt just saying i wasnt bitter

 

[whizatphys]

@whizatphys

Did you have a history of depression before entering medical school? Was your administration supportive of you during your struggles, or did you feel pressured to take a LOA/withdrawal? Do you think you would have been more successful if your school had a Pass/Fail preclinical curriculum?

Sadly, depression is EXTREMELY COMMON among high achieving students. At my local medical school, I've heard that over 50% of students are prescribed some sort of antidepressant or anti-anxiety pill.

I hope you are on your way to recovery. Life is too short to spend it on something you hate.

Thank you for your questions. They are well thought-out, and they are equally thought-provoking. From what I have read (not only in the responses I've received so far in this forum and also on YouTube, but additionally in some outside research I did when I was feeling alone in my plight during my LOA), it seems that depression in medical school is a pressing issue. I will do my best to answer your questions in my next video, which I will post on SDN in the very near future.

 

[moonwake]

yeah and their profile pics. so stuck up- looking. they were great in real life but its those little things that tell you they were horrible people

 

[username456789]

yeah and their profile pics. so stuck up- looking. they were great in real life but its those little things that tell you they were horrible people

I'm starting to think that the people at those schools are the lucky ones for not ending up in school with you.

 

[tiedyeddog]

yeah and their profile pics. so stuck up- looking. they were great in real life but its those little things that tell you they were horrible people

You can tell someone is a terrible person just by looking at their profile pictures? Do detail what exactly that means? I guess no one smiles at MD schools but everyone throws up peace signs and smiles in the DO school profile pictures?

 

[moonwake]

I'm starting to think that the people at those schools are the lucky ones for not ending up in school with you.

im being sarcastic but your opinion is greatly valued troll

 

[moonwake]

You can tell someone is a terrible person just by looking at their profile pictures? Do detail what exactly that means? I guess no one smiles at MD schools but everyone throws up peace signs and smiles in the DO school profile pictures?

ahem lol I guess you thought I was being serious...

 

[tiedyeddog]

I am not sure what you are being serious about or not?

Did you actually choose to go DO over MD due to some preconceived notion that the people at DO schools are nicer? Please tell me that was also sarcasm.

 

[Flintwire]

You can tell someone is a terrible person just by looking at their profile pictures? Do detail what exactly that means? I guess no one smiles at MD schools but everyone throws up peace signs and smiles in the DO school profile pictures?

I think your sarcasm detector is broken ...

 

[Jeffers21]

It was very brave of her to come out and talk about her experiences, and her opinions must carry some weight and shouldn't be totally disregarded.

With that being said, I do feel like every person is different and experiences things differently. Everyone suffers in med school, just in different ways.

It was brave of her to mention her lack of a real reason for pursuing medicine.
I feel that this can make or break a student. You need valid reasons for putting yourself through stress and endless sacrifices. It is the only thing that keeps you going. I feel that this may have been her problem, unfortunately. I hope she finds what makes her tick.

 

[charmiedermie]

This thread mildly horrifies me. The whole medicine thing is known to be hard and filled with difficult people and lonely moments. It's the crucible that forms you into the physician you are supposed to be. I think it's tragic that OP left school. It's like quitting a marathon 3 miles in because there were hills, it was kind of rainy, and people were running faster than you, some even trying to win.

Many of the people here telling her not to quit with the hope it might get better, would be the first to criticize if she didn't match and ask why she didn't quit earlier if she knew it wasn't for her. I applaud @whizatphys for knowing herself and quitting before any more damage occurred.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I think your sarcasm detector is broken ...

You haven't been around these forums long enough, my friend. The stupid things people say can be astounding.

 

[moonwake]

I am not sure what you are being serious about or not?

Did you actually choose to go DO over MD due to some preconceived notion that the people at DO schools are nicer? Please tell me that was also sarcasm.

i didnt say that as a written off generalization. im saying the schools i did interview at gave me an awful vibe. hence me asking did anyone feel that the md schools they applied to gave them the same impression. i have little say if other md programs have similarities since i only interviewed at two but given that there are 140~ md programs i think my observation hardly represents ALL md programs. just stating my experience and what i decided

edit- for the record im not going to judge someone off an email or whatever. all im saying is the people i talked to in person gave off the same vibe in every email etc aka every time i contacted them

 

[alpinism]

Who are "The Chosen"

To add on to what Nick said:

Med students and residents who -

1. Have a near photographic memory
2. Are very good at time management
3. Need only a few hours of sleep per night

 

[BDUS]

BTW Medical school is mostly memorization. My favourite analogy is that learning in medicine is like throwing **** at a barn door. You just keep chucking **** until it finally sticks on the residual **** from the previous throws. Sure there are concepts that require understanding, but its mostly just to form the backbone upon which you will need to attach hundreds of names of enzymes or drugs.

I like this description. The understanding part is the backbone. Understanding is not enough you have to take the step and remember the terminology.

 

[jdh71]

Many of the people here telling her not to quit with the hope it might get better, would be the first to criticize if she didn't match and ask why she didn't quit earlier if she knew it wasn't for her. I applaud @whizatphys for knowing herself and quitting before any more damage occurred.

Maybe. It's still tragic. My point was that the notion that medicine is hard work and full of strong type A personalities who want to be better that you should not be a news flash to anyone who applies and gets in.

To be clear I'm not crapping on OP. At all. You do what you gotta do in life, but I'm not going to cheer this kind of behavior on in a hippie-love-**** kind of manner either. Embrace your inner wounded child and run with that weepy mother****er and whatnot. I mean, I think folks should have enough self-awareness to sort this out prior - med school is hard to get into, someone didn't get that spot and could have. I admire digging deep, allowing the fire to pass over, and reazling that one not only remains but one thrives and survives. The folks who strain a hammie part way through the race and limp their way through - that's what gets me going. Can you take a punch to the face and keep swinging. And hey. I realize that not everyone can do this. Fine. I'm not even mad. I'm not saying anything bad about OP. I just don't understand half of this thread. So.

 

[pd1112]

@whizatphys

Did you have a history of depression before entering medical school? Was your administration supportive of you during your struggles, or did you feel pressured to take a LOA/withdrawal? Do you think you would have been more successful if your school had a Pass/Fail preclinical curriculum?

Sadly, depression is EXTREMELY COMMON among high achieving students. At my local medical school, I've heard that over 50% of students are prescribed some sort of antidepressant or anti-anxiety pill.

I hope you are on your way to recovery. Life is too short to spend it on something you hate.

 

[Mass Effect]

Maybe. It's still tragic

No, the Germanwings plane crash is tragic. The mayhem caused by ISIS is tragic. The fact that states are still proposing legislated discrimination is tragic. A person deciding she does not want to become a doctor is not tragic. Not even close. You're acting like the only reason she couldn't possibly want to be a doctor is because someone looked at her and said "boo," which suggests to me that you didn't fully comprehend her reasons for leaving. She does not want this life. She couldn't be clearer about it. As for having self-awareness prior to med school, no one is perfect. Not everyone has extraordinary insight at age 20. People change careers all the time. All. The. Time. Take a poll on SDN to find out how many career-changers there are here. Many people have left another career to become a doctor. The only reasons more people don't leave med school for other careers is because the debt has kept them prisoner to this career. To dilute everything the poster has said to a case of running home from the playground because of the bullies truly does a disservice to anyone else out there who might be feeling as she does and casts an inaccurate light on this thread.

 

[jdh71]

No, the Germanwings plane crash is tragic. The mayhem caused by ISIS is tragic. The fact that states are still proposing legislated discrimination is tragic. A person deciding she does not want to become a doctor is not tragic. Not even close. You're acting like the only reason she couldn't possibly want to be a doctor is because someone looked at her and said "boo," which suggests to me that you didn't fully comprehend her reasons for leaving. She does not want this life. She couldn't be clearer about it. As for having self-awareness prior to med school, no one is perfect. Not everyone has extraordinary insight at age 20. People change careers all the time. All. The. Time. Take a poll on SDN to find out how many career-changers there are here. Many people have left another career to become a doctor. The only reasons more people don't leave med school for other careers is because the debt has kept them prisoner to this career. To dilute everything the poster has said to a case of running home from the playground because of the bullies truly does a disservice to anyone else out there who might be feeling as she does and casts an inaccurate light on this thread.

I think it's still tragic. So there. Where is your God now?

All I've done here is explain my reaction here. Apparently all responses are equal, just some are more equal than others.

I love SDN, especially the allo part. Which might make allo the boobs if SDN was a hawt chick. (But it's still not my favorite part!)

 

[WingedOx]

Eh, I REALLY don't think there's an MD vs DO thing about it, but yeah, I'll agree that there's a sh-t ton of entitlement among students at certain schools (though I think it has more to do with region than tier). Even if the people are friendly and helpful to classmates and peers, the amount of non-self-aware silver spoon pretentiousness can be a little jarring if you're not used to that environment.

 

[Kahreek]

@whizatphys

6.5/10 wb

and i think medicine has a place for you, if you want to pursue it.

 

[fancymylotus]

Maybe. It's still tragic. My point was that the notion that medicine is hard work and full of strong type A personalities who want to be better that you should not be a news flash to anyone who applies and gets in.

To be clear I'm not crapping on OP. At all. You do what you gotta do in life, but I'm not going to cheer this kind of behavior on in a hippie-love-**** kind of manner either. Embrace your inner wounded child and run with that weepy mother****er and whatnot. I mean, I think folks should have enough self-awareness to sort this out prior - med school is hard to get into, someone didn't get that spot and could have. I admire digging deep, allowing the fire to pass over, and reazling that one not only remains but one thrives and survives. The folks who strain a hammie part way through the race and limp their way through - that's what gets me going. Can you take a punch to the face and keep swinging. And hey. I realize that not everyone can do this. Fine. I'm not even mad. I'm not saying anything bad about OP. I just don't understand half of this thread. So.

JDH. Are you outraged though?

 

[Ismet]

I think it's still tragic. So there. Where is your God now?

All I've done here is explain my reaction here. Apparently all responses are equal, just some are more equal than others.

for Animal Farm

 

[jdh71]

JDH. Are you outraged though?

Definitely. Always.

 

[fancymylotus]

Definitely. Always.

Pictures

Or I don't believe you

 

[Shjanzey]

I'm a type B personality, and I find Med School to be fabulous. Don't get me wrong, there is tons of work to be done and it can be stressful, however people get entirely too wound up about the small things around here. All you really have to do is study and take the test. Most of my colleagues that aren't "doing well" just don't put in the time. They are more interested in having a life than topping out the class, and you know what? That is a great place to be. Better to be happy and healthy than miserable all the time.

I feel for the OP, by her video it sounds like life threw a nasty curveball at her during one of the most stressful times of her life. It is easy to cope with the pace when everything is going well. I don't know if I could have managed things any better than OP if I had to deal with several deaths in the middle of a semester.

 

[Mad Jack]

Maybe. It's still tragic. My point was that the notion that medicine is hard work and full of strong type A personalities who want to be better that you should not be a news flash to anyone who applies and gets in.

To be clear I'm not crapping on OP. At all. You do what you gotta do in life, but I'm not going to cheer this kind of behavior on in a hippie-love-**** kind of manner either. Embrace your inner wounded child and run with that weepy mother****er and whatnot. I mean, I think folks should have enough self-awareness to sort this out prior - med school is hard to get into, someone didn't get that spot and could have. I admire digging deep, allowing the fire to pass over, and reazling that one not only remains but one thrives and survives. The folks who strain a hammie part way through the race and limp their way through - that's what gets me going. Can you take a punch to the face and keep swinging. And hey. I realize that not everyone can do this. Fine. I'm not even mad. I'm not saying anything bad about OP. I just don't understand half of this thread. So.

The thing is, there's some people that get something out of limping into that race, and there's some that gain no satisfaction from it. Limping to the end of the race because it makes you feel accomplished and like you've done something you really needed to do is one thing, but limping to the end of a race you entered for ill-conceived reasons and will gain no satisfaction from actually finishing is a stupid waste of time, particularly when it's a 7-14 year race. I guess it all comes down to, "can you imagine anything better to do with the next 7-14 years of your life?" If so, then get out now. Med school crushed me at first, but I keep going because there's nowhere better for me to be, and I'd hate myself for not going forward

Not everyone is like that- there's a lot of people that would be perfectly happy working a nine to five, barbecuing on the weekends, having a couple of kids and a normal life over the next decade, the sort that wouldn't feel they'd shorted themselves or left something unfinished. Those are what I'd like to call "normal people," the ones that are content to simply exist and skirt painful experiences that might broaden their horizons because they're too averse to suffering in order to better themselves. Sometimes I wish I was like them and could just chill and enjoy the 'ol middle class life, glassily staring at a football game with my friends while my 2.5 kids and dog run around. Being content with stagnation must be nice in a way, in the same sense that ignorance can be bliss. You have to either be a damn tough individual or a masochist to make it through medical school intact. Not everyone can or should do it, and it's okay for someone to realize that not putting yourself through hell for something that won't make you happy is an option.

 

[Mad Jack]

I'm a type B personality, and I find Med School to be fabulous. Don't get me wrong, there is tons of work to be done and it can be stressful, however people get entirely too wound up about the small things around here. All you really have to do is study and take the test. Most of my colleagues that aren't "doing well" just don't put in the time. They are more interested in having a life than topping out the class, and you know what? That is a great place to be. Better to be happy and healthy than miserable all the time.

I feel for the OP, by her video it sounds like life threw a nasty curveball at her during one of the most stressful times of her life. It is easy to cope with the pace when everything is going well. I don't know if I could have managed things any better than OP if I had to deal with several deaths in the middle of a semester.

I read all of your posts in BMO's voice, just for the record.

 

[The_Sunny_Doc]

Some of the factors I weighed when I applied only DO were exactly the things she brought up as a problem, largely to do with culture and fit. It actually makes me feel a lot better about my decision, because I'd have probably ended up like her if I'd gone MD.

Happy to hear you say this, MJ.

The majority of my friends from high school who match my personality (type B, fun-loving, more interested in relationships and having diverse life experiences) went to DO schools. Guess it wasn't a coincidence!

 

[Shjanzey]

Sometimes I wish I was like them and could just chill and enjoy the 'ol middle class life, glassily staring at a football game with my friends while my 2.5 kids and dog run around. Being content with stagnation must be nice in a way, in the same sense that ignorance can be bliss.

You just described the definition of hell to me. I don't understand how people can be satisfied with that. I tried it out for a few years, had a career, felt miserable. At least now at the end of the day I feel like I accomplished something, instead of complaining about my dick manager yet again.

People who are satisfied with stagnation are strange creatures to me. They lurk the halls of facebook, dumping massive loads of picture of their kids in an effort to prove to the world that they are happy, no seriously really really happy.

 

[Kahreek]

Talking about achievements is there any rocket surgeon badge in SDN?
I want one.

 

[Mad Jack]

Happy to hear you say this, MJ.

The majority of my friends from high school who match my personality (type B, fun-loving, more interested in relationships and having diverse life experiences) went to DO schools. Guess it wasn't a coincidence!

As some others have noted, there's some chill MD schools out there. And there's some high-strung DO schools. But, I don't know, I just feel like the type of people they select for on my campus really fit my personality more than any place else I checked out.

 

[Mad Jack]

Talking about achievements is there any rocket surgeon badge in SDN?
I want one.

Become a rocket scientist and a surgeon. You are now a rocket surgeon.