Medical Education US

I would like to know, how hard is med school? There is a lot of myths about med school, one is that you have to be really smart to even stay in med school. how true is the traditional myths about med school? or is it kind of like what people told you the first day of college would be like?

If you are smart enough to get accepted into medical school, then you are probably smart enough to survive. However, medical school is extremely challenging, as are most residency programs. There are a few big differences between college and medical school:

1. In medical school you will be in class all day long your first two years. It is more like high school than college - you start at around 8am and you'll be in the same building until after 4pm. You then go home and study / read / prepare for the next day. That isn't to say that you are studying ALL the time, but there is a lot to study.

2. Third and fourth year of medical school are demanding in ways college doesn't really address:

You are expected to take call in medical school, which typically means staying up most of the night at least once a week, and at least for me, I was expected to then work the next day. Some of the newer limits on resident hours may have impacted how students are treated, but I doubt it has made that much of an impact in changing the crazy approach of sleep deprivation. Also, it is pretty commonplace to be expected to work 80 hrs a week during residency (which I believe is the new upper limit most laws have imposed). As a third and fourth year student, you'll often put in similar hours.

You will be dealing with people who die, people who are dying, people who are being told they are dying, and families of people in the above categories - this creates a type of stress that is different. Some people actually enjoy this type of stress and challenge and are quite good at comforting others - for most people it is extremely uncomfortable and they never get comfortable with it - but typically people learn how to be competent when facing death and distress.

Also, as a medical student and doctor, you are often in situations where a mistake may mean someone's life - this creates a different type of stress from anything you'll experience as a typical part of college.


So, to answer you question about the myths of medical school - the myths are probably untrue (most people who start medical school can and do graduate), but I would say medical school is way harder and more challenging than any myths I had heard before I started med school.

Medical school really isn't so much about how smart you are (although that certainly helps), but more about dedication, desire, determination, and hard work. I completely agree with everything that Dr. Admin stated in his reply and want to add that if you're in medical school for the "right reasons" and therefore enjoy what you do, it is far more rewarding than you can imagine and easily makes the long hours worthwhile. It is truly overwhelming the first time you realize that you made a life/death difference in someone's life, the first time a patient tells you something that they have never told any other health care provider, the first time a patient writes you a thank you card or makes a gift for you. Conversely, there are numerous times when you have to make sacrifices as well...not being able to spend much time with spouse/SO, not having control over your schedule, financial considerations (not too much of an issue with loans, but something to consider for some), and having limited time to keep up on personal hobbies and current events. These are issues during medical school as well as residency.

I think that the most important decision in deciding whether to go to medical school is determining why you want to go. If your heart is in it, everything is manageable. Then the challenge is striking a healthy balance between work and pleasure (a challenge for most physicians throughout their lifetime).