Medical School Life
How much free time do you have each day as a medical student?
I would say about 2-6 hours depending on the day. On a weekday when we get out at twelve and do not have an additional activity, I probably study for 5 hours or so and then have the rest of the day free. On a day when we get out at 5pm or have an additional activity like a shadowing experience, free time is harder to come by. The weekend before an exam is obviously very busy, but most weekends allow for a a good amount of free time.
Is the coursework much heavier in medical school as compared to undergrad?
It’s different. On the one hand, it’s much more directly and professionally relevant, so in a way it’s easier to get motivated to study. On the other hand, the analogy to “taking a drink from a fire hose” can sometimes feel very true. Medical school coursework is very much about having perspective, and compared to undergrad, it is necessary to be able to integrate details into big-picture concepts. Critical thinking and depth of mastery of the material is important, as is knowing yourself and your study strategies. It is helpful to have a willingness to change things up and be flexible about adopting different learning styles.
Are you able to still pursue your own interests?
Yes! It all comes down to prioritization and time management. You must know your values and your priorities, and you must also understand the value of your own time so that you can manage it appropriately (which also means saying no to some things). School is of course the number one priority, but my classmates and I find time to pursue outside interests and passions, some of which are really diverse and interesting. A lot of people play sports, go to church in the community, bake, raise families, etc. To use myself as an example, I volunteer at the county animal shelter and with a local dog rescue; I also go running/swimming/weight-lifting on a regular basis; and I am also involved with activities on campus that I am passionate about, such as SoM mentors, organizing events to educate my peers about social justice issues and community service, Spanish Club, and teaching health/wellness classes at an inner-city high school.
What is your favorite part of medical school?
I love the clinical experience (free clinic, preceptorships) we get, especially in the context of all the “doctoring” concepts we’ve been learning. Aside from getting to see patients and really feel like you’re making a difference, it’s nice to reinforce medical and sociological concepts that you’ve been picking along the way. Last but not least, it’s a great way of familiarizing yourself with all those drugs out there. - Rohit Majumdar (MSI)
Working with patients at Free Clinic and gaining experience there examining, interviewing and learning treatment plans is both rewarding and enlightening. The patients REALLY appreciate you being there and just listening to them. It’s a completely different way to learn than within the classroom and most of what I learn there I will probably never forget. --Brian Champagne (MSI)
Meeting and being surrounded by extremely motivated and inspirational people. If being in medical school is your passion, you will find that you will relate to the students and faculty in medical school no matter how different your backgrounds may be because everyone wants to be there just as much as you do. To me, medicine is about helping people and relating to people. Even as a student, you will find this compassion everywhere. -Joanne Ho (MSI)
What is your least favorite part?
The knowledge that I won’t really be working for another eight years while my friends are already working full-time in industry. - Rohit Majumdar (MSI)
What’s the most challenging part of medical school for you?
The realization of just how much time and energy it takes over the long haul before I get to practice. It is absolutely essential to have a reason to be there, and to remind yourself of it when times get tough. You will have to prioritize school, often by cutting down on other fun activities. But it will be all worth it on the other side. -Rylee Scott (MS1)
With the exception of post exam days (and sometimes hours), there is always more to study and work on. With this in mind, it’s easy to feel guilty for spending time having fun as a medical student. In reality, medicine has an infinite amount of information and presentations of illnesses, so we will never know everything. It’s been a challenge for me to be comfortable with being out of control of the material and often times a little behind. The key is to make realistic academic and non-academic goals that will allow you have be happy and manage all of the material reasonably. -Brian Champagne (MSI)
Do medical students end up dating other medical students often?
Often as medical students, all you do is hang out with other medical students! You’re with each other for hours in lecture, studying together, and usually hanging out on weekends for social events. So one can see that it can be common, and not necessarily unsurprisingly, for med students to date one another. But, with that being said, realize that we are all colleagues and relationships can cause complications. We want to remain professional and maintain good relations with all our classmates.
Is it hard to date a person outside of medical school?
Relationships in general are difficult to handle during med school,but are very manageable in the first couple years as long as you keep in touch. Some of my classmates whose significant other is in the city can definitely find time to spend with him/her. Many classmates are married and live with their partner close to campus. Though many days, especially right before tests, are filled with studying, they are quite happy.
Others have long distance relationships which are quite difficult to maintain. That being said, many of my classmates have found a good balance. If they are driving distance, some people visit every couple weeks. If they are further away, most people have developed a routine of talking on the phone and keeping in touch. Personally, my girlfriend is in another country and will be for the next 2 years. But we have been doing well because we understand each others schedules and try to make time for talking. Knowing that I’ll have a phone call to look forward to usually keeps me motivated to stay focused and study efficiently.
How is medical school different from what you expected?
Upon entering medical school, I was prepared for my life to be put on hold for four plus years to solely dedicate my self to studying medicine. In reality, I am still very much living life while being a medical student. I am still able to keep up with the things I am interested in outside of school, can still hang out with friends, make time for family and think about things that don’t involve systems of the body. In fact, all these things are strongly encouraged! I’ve even added to my list of interests as I meet new people and explore new extracurricular activities.
Pre-Med Questions
Major:
Is it better for me to choose a science major if I want to go to Medical School?
While this question is probably targeted towards arts and humanities majors, I feel like I should clear the air for all my engineering brethren out there: the mindset of medicine is almost identical to the mindset of engineering. Yeah, it may take a toll on your GPA, but you will be ridiculously well-prepared to solve problems and to quickly study large amounts of information, which is what medical school is mostly about. As an added bonus, it also makes learning the basic fluid dynamics (oh god please no more Navier-Stokes) we’re studying right now in our cardiology block quite a bit easier. That said, the “slacker engineer” persona doesn’t really work as well in medical school; because the information you pick up here actually matters later on (unlike most of thermodynamics), you’ve gotta be on top of it.
It’s not necessarily “better” to be a science major for medical school. Yes, it will probably help you once you are in medical school, but if you are passionate about another major and you excel at it, there’s no harm in doing it. In fact, you will probably stand out positively to an admissions committee if you choose a different major. Just make sure you can weave in your Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics courses into your other undergraduate classes.
Is it easier for Biology majors once they get into medical school? Do non-science majors struggle?
Let me start off by saying that I believe everyone struggles in medical school in some form. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. With that said, I think that the amount of difficulty depends more on what courses you took as an undergraduate and how much of a course load you are accustomed to. Everyone takes similar prerequisites, so the foundation should be comparable. I was a non-science major and I have been holding my weight thus far...Yet, I supplemented my major prerequisites with several additional science courses like physiology, biochemistry, and anatomy. To contrast my experience, there are several students who studied Biology or a “hard science” major that appear to be struggling. I think it is convenient to take a Biology related major because the major requirements generally fulfill the pre-med prerequisites and it introduces you to many of the topics covered in medical school. Yet, the non-science route is just as valid, provided you take additional courses to prepare yourself. For me, the most difficult part of being a non-science major was gaining access to research opportunities. Long story short, pick a major that you enjoy and excel at. Also, take the prerequisites! Everyone approaches school differently, so find out what works for you and know your limits. -Greg Kennedy (MSI)
Can I still study abroad and be pre-med?
YES! I would struggle to count how many people in my class have studied abroad, there are lots! Although you may have to make time between all of your med school prerequisites and major requirements, studying abroad is fun, is a great life experience, can provide an opportunity to learn another language AND helps you gain an understanding of the world beyond our personal bubbles. Both for personal growth and in the context of medicine, demonstrating an interest in other cultures, experiencing what it is like to travel out of your comfort zone to a foreign place, and embracing the diversity of worldviews and lifestyles that exist are all very valuable.
MCAT:
How much time do I need to study for the MCAT?
It depends on how well you take tests and how much of the content you already know. I don’t consider myself to be a proficient test taker, so I definitely studied more than I should have. I took a prep course and took 3 months off to prepare. I studied every day for an average of 8 hours. I studied so much that my scores started dropping! So, I stopped taking practice tests, studied less, and focused on content I didn’t know. I have friends that scored well without studying and some that studied for two weeks and did fine. I also know folks who studied really hard and tanked… Everyone’s MCAT experience and study strategy will differ. It is really up to you and what you feel you need. I would definitely recommend taking all of your pre-med prerequisites prior to your MCAT. Also, take a few practice tests to see how well you do with a time limit and what subjects you need to study. You also need to consider how much time you have to study and if your school performance be hindered by studying. I would recommend studying and taking it during a break from school… But, again, do what works for you. -Greg Kennedy
What helped you most in preparing for the test?
I was one who took the MCAT twice, and the huge difference for me was taking a prep course. I acknowledge it’s an expensive option though. A prep course though helped me to “take a test.” It wasn’t that I needed to learn the material per se -- the science foundations will come back as you review and study. But good test taking skills -- like process of elimination, how to read the question, and pacing yourself -- are qualities that I gained and strengthened from a prep course. It were those skills that built up a lot of my confidence, and confidence is also very important when you’re taking a test like the MCAT.
Should I take a prep course?
That is totally up to you, based on your personality. If you are the type of person who can schedule out the next few months of studying and stay mostly on target with your goals, then you can consider studying on your own. If you need a good review of the sciences and some motivation to keep you on target, a class would help. If you are just taking the class for “study tips,” it may not be worth it. I would recommend purchasing a cheaper online course or google for study tips rather than take a course unless you had more reasons for the course.
Personally, I purchased all the examkracker books (http://www.examkrackers.com/MCAT/), a simple MCAT review book, and all of the AAMC practice tests. Other than that, I reviewed subjects on my own and used the examkracker books to practice. I set up a schedule for 2 months of a summer for review and practice questions and 3 weeks for practice tests (with 2 weeks of leeway) and I stayed mostly on target. Most important thing that helped me study: a research job on the side that I loved and kept me sane from studying!
Is it possible to study for the MCAT and regular courses simultaneously?
Yes, but studying in the summer is worth it.
Most of the folks I saw attempt this burned out fast. You pay a lot for a prep course! Take it when you have time and can focus. -GRK
What score do I need to get into medical school?
In 2007, the average MCAT of matriculants was 30-31 P. The previous statement is absolutely worthless, because what MCAT any given person needs to get into any medical school depends on a thousand different variables: how early you apply, your GPA, the non-numerical portions of your application, how you did on the interview, the alignment of the planets, etc. If you’re talking specific medical schools, osteopathic schools, or special programs (MSTP, PRIME), the stats change.
Applying:
What kind of questions have medical school interviewers asked you?
- Why medicine?
- Why do you want to go to [insert name of medical school]?
- What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
- What are your thoughts on the recent health care reform?
Is it bad to take time off?
No of course not! In fact, most of my classmates have taken time off. The average age of matriculation is 23 (that means most people took at least 1 year off!)
Research:
Where should I start finding research opportunities?
If your school has a central undergraduate research grant or program office, go talk to them, and they can redirect you to professors they know who are willing to take on undergrads. If not, make or buff up your resume, set aside an hour or two, google research at your school in which you have an interest, and start e-mailing.
Extracurricular Activities:
How important are extracurricular activities?
Extracurricular activities are super important, but not just for filling up space on an application. Hopefully you have found something outside school that you have a passion for and that gives some additional meaning to life. Whatever it may be (playing ukulele, doing bench side research, travelling, ice sculpting, volunteering at schools, Irish dancing, teaching swim lessons, or cooking) getting involved with activities and organizations outside of school will keep you grounded, healthy, and happy and are important for success in medical school and in life.
Do they have to be health related?
No, but they should cultivate you as a person in some way (academically, culturally, socially, creatively, etc). I never really understood why medical schools picked well-rounded people until I got here: while medicine definitely requires you to be a scientist, it is ultimately a field that is about people. Even with the relatively tiny number of medical histories I have taken, I can assure you that my non-health related experiences have helped me far more in connecting with a patient and guiding them through talking about their problem than any biological concept I’ve learned in medical school. Given that 80% of diagnoses are derived from the history alone, your extracurricular experiences may actually save a life some day.
When should I start gaining exposure to clinical or hospital settings as an undergrad?
As soon as you feel comfortable taking on more responsibilities outside of your schoolwork. You should know what you’re getting into, and there’s no better way of knowing what life is ultimately going to be like than stepping into the real world. On a more “practical” level, it’ll brush up your resume, and you may even learn that medicine’s not the right career for you early (my friends owe their six-figure salaries in investment banking to shadowing early).
