A week in the life of a first year medical student?

[Guest Lynlloyd]

I'd like to invite Mac students to summarize "a week in the life of a first year medical student". I know this is premature, but, if I am hugely lucky enough to be accepted, I'd like to have a sense of what to expect in the first year.

Thanks in advance from and anxiously waiting, soon to have no nails left PRE med person 8o !!

[Guest peachy]

Check out this old thread:

 

pub125.ezboard.com/fpreme...=249.topic

[Guest Lynlloyd]

Thanks peachy!

That is a great link. I feel I have a much better picture.

Lynlloyd.

[Guest jmh2005]

Things are pretty much as I described them now, in unit 3, as they were in unit 2...endo/heme/GI now...I actually really love the material, a nice change from the typical stuff you always hear about...

 

I have an amazing group who have similar interests which is great...a bit more time to do independent reading in this unit, not as many small groups (aka, lectures...) for some reason, and especially with SARS, we are not allowed to do any horizontal electives and currently clinical skills in hospital, which has not been fun...hopefully things will get back ASAP, but I'm fearing that won't be the case...

 

But, basically, the same structure applies, as it will in unit 4, 2 tutorials, CPCs, 1-2 large group and 1-2 small group sessions as well as clinical skills and a once monthly extra clinical skills session... unit 1 is only unit that is 'a bit different'...and often termed "unit FUN!"...watch out though, unit 2 will slap you in the face if you're not careful...

 

I'm still loving things as much as I did on my first day, probably even more so, with all the knowledge I feel I have gained and the amazing friends I have made...

 

Can't wait for summer electives, post-unit 3... 8 weeks...ER, Ob/Gyn and Gen Surg...should be great!!

 

Good luck!!

[Guest Lynlloyd]

Thanks so much for your helpful posts.

If I get in...I'll be on the look-out for you.

You are such a helpful soul!!

Good luck to YOU!

Lynlloyd.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

There's one thing I'd like to add to that description of your first week at (any) med school.

 

The constant feeling of disbelief that you made it in.

 

In fact, there were a number of times during the first quarter where I would remember that I was in fact in med school, and I just wanted to stand up in class and shout out "holy s---, I'm in med school!" just to make sure it wasn't just a dream. This was in fact a pretty common feeling among my classmates the first few weeks at UWO.

 

The flip side was that some of my classmates, having undergone the paranoia-inducing rigamarole that is the OMSAS application process, kept thinking there was some catch or trick that would get them kicked out. Fortunately I can report there wasn't - but it probably took until the first set of exams before many realized that!

[Guest misagh]

Hahaha! That mental image of a student getting up in the middle of the lecture hall is hilarious! I felt a bit of that disbelief when I got interview invites, so I can only imagine how strong it must be once one gets in.

 

cheers,

-misagh

[Guest jmh2005]

As UWO said, you sometimes still can't believe you are doing what you are doing...it's so true...I can still remember when Tony Clement (our health minister) was talking to our class about staying and practicing in Ontario...it was SO surreal, I had tears in my eyes, I was so happy... I honestly couldn't believe that I was there for some reason (was this a great dream?)...and most of us felt this way...even now, I still every now and then have this 'reality check', I'm in med school (and almost done my 1st of 3 years!!)...no one ever fails out...so once you're in, they want to keep you...it truly is a great feeling, and I hope that you guys get to experience it soon!! Best of luck!!!

 

Jess

[Guest peachy]

I'm not in medical school yet... But when I got my acceptance letter I made my parents read it and confirm that it actually was an acceptance letter before I told anybody.. I was so worried that I was reading it wrong, and that it wasn't really an acceptance!!

 

It feels soooo different. When you are applying, you feel like you constantly have to justify to yourself and to the world why you want to be a doctor. When you get in, you can just sit back and think about it for yourself. It's nice.

[Guest macMDstudent]

I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only one who felt it was all surreal for the first little while in med school. We had to pick up a bunch of booklets/handouts on the first day and I was sure that they wouldn't have a pile with my name on it, and somebody would pull me aside and say "there was a terrible mistake..." But it was there, and away I went in the journey of a med student.

 

But once you get into in for a few weeks, you'll realize "hey, I'm here, they are putting tons of resources into training me to be a doctor so I better get with it and do the work that's piling up. I have a lot to learn to do this right!"

 

A "typical week" totally depends on what unit you are in. Usually you will have at least one day totally off per week from any commitments at Mac in any unit. The more electives you do, the busier you are. If you have children or other commitments outside of school, your life can get very busy (until SARS shut so much down!). Your ability to learn independently really is challengened. Time management is key. Some people set up more sessions in Anatomy or sign up for every elective being offered while others do not.

 

Typically, the most I have had in any one day is about 6 hours of committed time with either tutorial or "lectures" (small or large group session in Macspeak) or clinical skills sessions or whatever. Most days are less than 5 hours committed time where you "have" to be somewhere; some are only 2 or 3. This unit I have 2 days a week with no official school commitments; but I do use them to study most of the day or do elective.

 

What you want or get out of the program is up to each student. We will all get through and we all will be competitive for residency positions, that much is clear. People who want to do very competitive specialities spend a lot of time on electives in that one area and do research projects with faculty members. People who aren't sure what they want to do often do " a little bit of everything."

 

I love the program, what I am learning and am grateful I was lucky enough to be selected. It is fun and challenging, I can't think of a better thing to spend the rest of my life doing for a career other than practicing medicine.

[Guest Carolyn]

Talk about surreal. I've started receiving letters with Dr. in front of them now that I'm graduating in one month... that is a bizarre feeling...