How hard is medicine really?

Hooly22

(was told to try posting here too..

It probably seems like a really stupid question, but I genuinely want to know.
I've probably posted about Medicine before, but it is really something I'm considering.

I am smart enough, but I'm not 6 A1s smart. It's just not going to happen for me. I'm hoping to get around 500 ish, but is this enough?

I've done the work experience in Temple Street, and I'm pretty set on this being what I want to do.

But if there are any med students out there, could someone who isnt a straight A student survive med school? I'd usually be a B student, except for biology, and home ec which I'd usually get As in. Since the start of 5th year (im 6th year now) I've never gotten lower than 80 in biology.

Just for the record , I stupidly gave up chemistry, because I wanted to be able to get as many points as possible and I knew i'd do better in home ec(although i did like chemistry). If i need to, I will do chemistry for a year after my LC.

CaramelBear

Hmm, it is quite hard. You need to be able to keep your butt on the grindstone through all of the 5 years.

You will most certainly need Chemistry, at least it has been necessary so far. I'm sure you've heard that they're bringing the points down next year, so hopefully, you'll get the points. But you still need to prepare for the interview-type test that they will hold, shortly after. http://www2.cao.ie/otherinfo/2009UGMedEntry.pdf might help better inform you on the points and such.

But my friends, who're doing medicine, had to literally give up their social lives until they got used to the pace of their work and studying and what not. If you are a good planner, and know yourself well, you should not find it impossible. But in Medicine, you're going to have to keep at it. All year through.

tallaght01

I wasn't a straight A student but passed. Having said that, I'd a first class honours degree in Biomedical sciences before I went to med school, and still found it rock hard. Much much tougher than my bachelors degree.

BUT the really tough bit of medicine comes after graduation. The ridiculous hours. The pressure of making life and death decisions constantly takes it's toll on you after a while.

You also get dogs abuse from the public. I took so much abuse this wekend that I was going to start a thread about it, just to vent. But I dealt with it in the more mature way, and went to the boozer with one of my colleagues.

In summary, medical school is the easiest bit by miles!

Chunky Monkey

Hooly22 wrote: »

I am smart enough, but I'm not 6 A1s smart. It's just not going to happen for me. I'm hoping to get around 500 ish, but is this enough?

Sure you're not selling yourself a bit short there? The subjects themselves don't take a huge amount of smarts (even for applied maths and the like). A bit of creativity with your study methods and time management is what will help.

Not a med student for another two weeks so I've no idea how hard it is. Just to say, I got in with 505 (repeat) at a UK college (though you could say technically 460 as they ignored my D3 in business, they were only looking for five subjects).

If you're thinking of applying to the UK as well, look at your individual grades rather than points. You could get 500 and straight B's and not get in or you could get 500 with a couple of A's thrown in and get a place.

UEA only look for biology and Peninsula (where I'm going) look for an A grade in any of the sciences. There are few who don't require chemistry. I don't think you need chemistry for the six year course at RCSI though I'm not 100% sure of that.

Carsinian Thau

You can also get into NUIG without chemistry.
For the six year program a minimum of a HC3 in any of the lab sciences is required. You can get in on one.
E.g. one of my best friends in the course got in with his only science being physics.

Vorsprung

I just finished it, to be honest it was grand but they've changed the system now (this is in UCD) so the days of going out on the beer for 3 years then working harder in the clinical years are out the window - they use a GPA system now where all years count towards the final mark. My last 2 years were fairly tough, and the Xmas of Final year (when I was doing my finals in Paeds, Psych and Obs/Gynae) was probably the low point for us all. It's a great course, but don't be fooled into thinking it's the bees knees, every course has its downers, and medicine has them too.

And just in relation to what one of the other posters said earlier about people losing their social lives while doing medicine - thats the point where people need to re-evaluate what their doing. No uni course is worth losing touch with doing things outside which you enjoy. Particularly so when you'll be coming into a job where you soon realise that working 35 hours straight is the norm. And if you're a fella, saying this to the ladies brings a ****load of sympathy. Every cloud has a silver lining etc etc

Hooly22

CaramelBear wrote: »

You will most certainly need Chemistry, at least it has been necessary so far. I'm sure you've heard that they're bringing the points down next year, so hopefully, you'll get the points. But you still need to prepare for the interview-type test that they will hold, shortly after. http://www2.cao.ie/otherinfo/2009UGMedEntry.pdf might help better inform you on the points and such.

I've been on that link before... but I didn't see anything about an interview? I thought it was just apptitude test and LC points combined?

Also, on that it says the only colleges requiring chemistry are TCD and UCC (obviously you'd be doing the 6 year course instead of 5, but thats fine with me). Are you chances higher if you have chemistry?

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

Sure you're not selling yourself a bit short there? .

No honestly, I can do good if I try(which i will) but that's out of my reach. Miles out of my reach.

Chunky Monkey wrote: »

UEA only look for biology and Peninsula (where I'm going) look for an A grade in any of the sciences. There are few who don't require chemistry. I don't think you need chemistry for the six year course at RCSI though I'm not 100% sure of that.

I'd love to go abroad to do it, I'd go anywhere if it meant studying medicine, but I have one supportive parent, and one not so supportive parent who wont let me leave Dublin, let alone Ireland.

Carsinian Thau

Hooly22 wrote: »

I've been on that link before... but I didn't see anything about an interview? I thought it was just apptitude test and LC points combined?

That's what is going to happen. There was a lot of talk about interviews (they may still be introduced, but not for the time being).
So LC and apptitude test is all you'll have to contend with.

Hooly22 wrote: »

I'd love to go abroad to do it, I'd go anywhere if it meant studying medicine, but I have one supportive parent, and one not so supportive parent who wont let me leave Dublin, let alone Ireland.

If you get it elsewhere, the one supportive parent may be enough. There's no real harm in applying anyway.

sillymoo

Medicine is a hard course but if you can get the grades to get in you will do fine. The hardest thing to get to grips with I found is the sheer volume of information you need to learn and retain. Retaining the info for exams is one thing but when you are put on the spot a few years later and expected to reproduce it, thats a whole new ball game!

The social life is a toughie. Be super organised and dont leave all your study to the last minute. Im in RCSI and the nightlife is brilliant. You are all under pressure but all want to go out and let loose, so go out on the lash together. Theres some evenings ive ended up down in the Swan after lectures and being mad hungover in anatomy the next morning! But its part of the fun of being at college. Also the clubs and socs are great for random parties and get togethers.

Be serious about your study. But be serious about having fun too as life is too short. Its all about balancing study with a social life. As my dad said to me once, "You work to live, not live to work." I want to look back when I finish college and to have enjoyed it (as well as having a good degree!).

Chunky Monkey

Hooly22 wrote: »

No honestly, I can do good if I try(which i will) but that's out of my reach. Miles out of my reach.

The whole cliché of aim higher and you'll do better is so true. Also the 'just do it' idea kinda helps. I know this from personal experience. You're wasting time by worrying and saying it's out of your reach.

I'd love to go abroad to do it, I'd go anywhere if it meant studying medicine, but I have one supportive parent, and one not so supportive parent who wont let me leave Dublin, let alone Ireland.

Financially? I'll have no support from either of my parents but looks like I'll manage even without a grant (and no savings!). However that may mean not going to college straight after school (better chance of getting a loan) but that's not the worst thing in the world.

If you mean otherwise, you may need to, as politely and respectfully as possible of course, tell them to shove it up their arse.

tech77

I agree with Sillymoo.
From the academic side, it's the sheer AMOUNT of stuff that you have to memorise that's difficult.
The concepts aren't difficult in themselves.

So if you're organised and don't mind memorising stuff (something i never really was tbh) and into your biomed subjects you should be ok.

DrIndy

medicine is about passion

if you don't have the passion for the art - then it becomes very stressful.

Hours are very long, pressures from patients and families to always have answers are hard. (I say very often - "I don't know - but i'll try to find out") Additionally - you are surrounded by death and life and often you are standing at shore trying to hold back the tide feeling very alone as the inevitable happens.

We try to be perfectionists without being realists too and forget our job is to prolong life and dignity - not to prevent the inevitable. The clock will always keep ticking, no matter what we do.

If you can rise above the stress, the long hours, the relatively poor pay (the industrial equivalent to our training earns 2-3 times as much for less hours) and love your patients and love your job - then you finally discover it is for you.

I did - but I know a lot of people who didn't.

Lafortezza

A guy I went to college with did medicine and he said the best thing he ever did was invest in a brief 10hour course about "Learning/Studying/Memorising Techniques".
Basically it taught him how to study efficiently, ways to learn and understand information and procedures instead of just learning by rote, and memory techniques for reliably retaining lists of fact and figures.

He said that simple techniques really really helped him cut down his hours slaving over the books compared to his class mates, and he even had the vague semblance of a social life in his final years.