Got Questions?
Since I started Med School, I’ve gotten a few odd questions here or there from the non-medical people in my life: friends, family, or an acquaintance’s brother’s friend’s dog’s owner asking me to check out their rash or bowel movement. Honestly, it’s usually a bowel movement. As flattered as I am that they feel comfortable enough to show me their personal business, I make sure to always answer medical questions with “I know nothing. Ask me again in a few years.” Even if I have an idea of what it might be, better to be safe than sorry…or sued. No, but really, it’s always best to avoid those kinds of questions. However, I never tire of answering questions about what med school is like, or at least how it’s been for me. As the first hopefully-soon-to-be doc in a family of all non-meds (sounds kind of like muggle doesn’t it?), I can’t help but get excited to tell them all about my field. Same goes to most of my non-med friends I had prior to med school. It’s not the most profound statement when I really think about it. People love to talk about what they do. But I guess with medicine, not a lot of people get this far, so those that do have a unique opportunity to share insight with those who look from a distance. I thought I would put some of these conversations to paper…or screen rather. I polled my friends and followers of ND MD productions to ask anything and everything about medical school, and this is what you guys came up with.
“Did the MCAT prepare you for med school?”
100%. Absolutely. 4/5 dentists recommend. I think my first year of medical school went by so smoothly because of how much I studied for the MCAT…god I wish this were true. I hope my sarcasm is easy to read because unfortunately, the MCAT prepares you for Med school the same way the SAT does for college. Sure, there is some biology/biochemistry overlap you’ll see in your first year (or month really), but the MCAT really ends up being just another one of those “barriers to entry” for acceptance. It’s a pain. But you’ll get through it and brain dump it just like we all did, I promise.
“How does grading compare between pre-clerkship and clerkship?”
This one will differ from school to school, so make sure to look into the curriculum of whatever program you’re considering. In my case, pre-clerkship was actually graded as pass-fail, each module requiring a 70 or higher to pass. This was done in part to take some of the stress off of students and allow a more gradual entrance into school and the rigorous schedule. And all that’s reported were “passes” or “fails”, no high-pass or low-pass or good-god-that-was-close pass. So really, easy answer: there wasn’t much grading in pre-clerkship. Clerkship is a whole other story. You spend 3-6 weeks in each rotation, rotating mostly around the general specialties. Throughout your clerkship, you have a host of quizzes, assignments, readings, interactive modules, and all the wonderful work you’ve grown accustomed to in pre-clerkship just now for the respective rotation. These all count for a very, very small portion of your final grade. You’re also graded by your preceptors on your performance in the wards, which comes down to your attentiveness, professionalism, as well as your ability to aid your team and learn/apply real-world concepts. This counts for a larger, yet still very small portion of your final grade. And finally, there is your shelf exam, your end of the rotation exam covering STEP 2 related concepts specific to the rotation you just finished. This counts for…well this is pretty much your final grade. Now, this doesn’t mean go slack off on wards since the grade isn’t weighed as high. You should always strive to be the best in clinic you can be not to set a good impression for future letters of rec, but also remember: you’re inserting yourself into the lives of patients and those trying to take care of them. Take up the responsibility to help out your team as much as they are helping you.
“How does med school compare to nursing school?”
I’ll answer this with the stipulation that I am not a nurse nor have I ever been through nursing school. All I know is what my friends that have been through it have told me, so I’ll do my very best. Also, I’m going to refrain from any discussion about difficulty of curriculum or even acceptance rates. What’s difficult for one person is a breeze for another, and vice versa. Ok, so the biggest difference seems to really come down to material covered. Nursing school from my understanding is incredibly clinical, which makes sense. Their curriculum focuses on the medicine of wards and remains pretty focused to what their job entails. They also spend a fair amount of time in simulations as well as in the hospital itself, getting nice time away from the books and getting hands-on experience. Med school on the other hand is a lot more focused on, well, not being focused. One day you’ll be learning about the clinical applications of banana bags and the next day you’ll dive deep into the molecular structure of a particular enzyme for 2 hours…no joke. But in a way, you have to learn a little bit about everything because you need to be exposed to everything. It’s not like when you enter med school you know what kind of physician you’ll be. You might think you do, but really you have no idea. You have to stay broader to help you find which path to go and give yourself an understanding of the paths you stray from, whereas nursing students can remain a bit more streamlined in their studies. Another key difference is time required. Most nursing programs are 2 years (and many are offered in conjunction with undergraduate programs to graduate with a BSN in 4), whereas med school remains “college part 2” with an additional 4 years. So if you’re considering both nursing and med, think about your health interests, the time you’d like to spend in training, the type of work you’d like to do on wards, and what kind of lifestyle you’d ultimately like to have. One isn’t better than the other, and either will be incredible if it’s the right choice for you.
“How expensive is it? What tips would you give to managing finances in med school?”
Love this question, hate this situation. Because any way you cut it, med school is flat out expensive. Serves us right for wanting to help people, huh? The costs will differ from school to school. Current data says your average cost for public will be 200-250k and private will be 250k-350k. Major Yikes. There’s a lot we can do to offset these costs. Now, if you can manage a way to bring in some cash, great. I stress GREAT caution if it’s not passive income. Only because, your time is already going to be cut thin enough as it is. Which is why it might be more worth your time to cut back on some costs rather than bring in more to spend. Easy areas to focus on: what you eat, where you sleep, and what you treat yourself on. As far as eating, like I said before, time is your most valuable resource. This often means take-out take-out take-out. Try your best to limit this and instead plan out a meal-prep night once a week. It’s an easy way to cut down on 3+ meals, plus it gives you a well-deserved study break. My Sunday nights were always reserved for this, and I’d make one pot or pan of some medley to eat on for the week. That paired with my daily overnight oats has saved me hours and a few pretty pennies too. Next, where you sleep. Life’s more fun with friends, right? Get a roommate. Or three. And I know what you’re going to say, yeah duh. My added helpful advice, try and room within the medical field: people that will have your schedule, or at the very least understand it. Be selfish about this choice and pick people that will keep a stress-free, study home environment. Lastly, pick your poison for indulgences. We all need them. Want Spotify premium? Maybe splurge on some new shoes or a jacket without holes in it? Whatever it is, pick a splurge (or two) and stick with them. Save the real splurges (like that dog I’m still waiting on) for later.
“Is free time overrated?”
NO! It’s what keeps you sane! Keeps you thriving at full throttle. Don’t become a robot. Your patients aren’t going to want a robot, and neither will the other people in your life. Make sure to make time for it. Even if it’s just one day a week, take that hour or 2 for yourself and refocus. Recalibrate. And if you’re worried about it being “a waste of time,” at the very least think about how it makes you unique. Think about how you’re going to stand out in an interview from the onslaught of incredible applications and CVs you’ll be in competition with. Maybe your hobby or special talent you’ve kept cultivated throughout school could be the thing that sets you apart.
“What are the cons to medicine/why is there so much burnout?”
This…this might be a tough question to answer. Some of the cons I think aren’t specific to medicine, but to any career that’s time-intensive. Time in the hospital means time away from friends, time away from family, time away from doing the other things you want to do in life. You have to pick your battles, and medicine certainly has its battles. I think a big con for at least starting medicine is the “opportunity cost” so to speak of starting your life later. It’s definitely hard to watch your friends get married, have kids, rise up in their job, meanwhile you’re still in school. Eventually, this will all settle out, but it’s hard to remember that when it’s happening. I think burnout is multifactorial. A big part surely is from the hours. Many physicians wake up at the crack of dawn or earlier and finish the day after the sun has set. And while you get to see the highs of people’s lives (new baby, disease-free, pain taken away, etc.), you are fighting a losing game. Everything in medicine is about delaying the inevitable as painlessly as possible. But the inevitable still comes, and when it does, it can hit like a freight train. The lows of medicine can weigh a doctor down and make them feel like all their work is for nothing. And sadly, they tend to come more often than the highs, which makes the highs harder to remember. The pandemic of course multiplied all of this, as it even forced many physicians out of their respective fields towards fighting patient overflow. An Ophthalmologist shouldn’t be concerning themselves with respirators, yet that was the reality we were faced with. That brings up another point about burnout, the ever-changing field. If you polled any doctor on what drains them the most, it would probably be charting. You go into medicine to work with patients, yet more and more the field is forcing them away from patients to spend more time behind a computer. Looking for a source of burnout? There you go. This is why it is crucial to not only make sure you’re going into medicine for the right reasons (see below), but also choose the right field for the right reasons. Make sure you surround yourself with the staff and patient population that energize your heart.
“Is it worth it?”
You know, I’d love to just say yes 100% on this as well. But that’s really a question you have to answer for yourself. If you’re going into it for the wrong reasons, it could be the worst decision you’ll ever make. If you’re doing it for a stable income, a notable place in society, or any other reason besides you love people and want to improve their health and well-being, it might be the wrong field for you. And that’s ok! It’s not for everyone. Life is only worth a damn if you’re doing what you love. Don’t force yourself down a path where you won’t maximize your inner joy and the effect it will have on others. I say that because not only of the disservice you’ll do for yourself but for all of the patients you’ll meet praying for a doctor that wants to be there. However, if you’re here because your heart and soul demand it, it’s worth everything. And I say that as someone who’s currently in the hardest part of med school. For every day I question if it’s worth it, there are 10 others where I think of this future day when I get to walk into a patient’s room and take away a weight off their shoulders (however small those shoulders may be #pedslife). I promise you if you’re here because your soul is on fire for patient care, you’ll never regret it.
I hope this helped. I haven’t really ever written anything like this before, and I know I’m far from an “expert” on all of this. But if anything I said helped clarify something about med school for you or think differently about the life of a med student, then that’ll warm my heart. If you have any other questions about med school life, medicine, the field, or how game of thrones should’ve ended (not relevant but still love to discuss), reach out and let me know what’s on your mind! Thank you to everyone who helped provide these questions, and until next time, stay healthy and happy reading!
