Cold Feet / Anxiety / Doubts

EngDoc

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone else out there is feeling in any way like myself. Got everything sorted for UCD at this stage but I'm having real problems with commitment here. Also, saying this with total respect to people who didn't get the place they were looking for, I'm fully aware of how lucky I am to get everything sorted!

Still...my anxiety has gone through the roof. Keep trying to convince my partner that it would be best to push it out for another year. But, at the ripe age of 29...I'm being told if I want to do it, I should do it now. The idea of four more years in college is terrifying though.

I suppose it's fair to say I have a few problems with anxiety. Worried that I might have a panic attack soon after starting and need to drop out. I was in touch with the good folks in UCD and they said it's not too late to pull out, they still offer places through September. I think there are a few people who still haven't confirmed, paid fees etc!

It's really annoying that others who have been offered places are filled with excitment (and rightly feckin' so) and I can't sleep from the anxiety of it all.

I suppose it's lucky that I have savings for the first year myself. So even if it doesn't work out, I wouldn't be in debt to a bank. I know if I turn it down I'll always have the 'what-if' thoughts later on but to be honest my gut feeling is saying...this is a bad choice for you.

Just wondering how you guys feel...can't imagine anyone else is as pessimistic as me!

bill buchanan

EngDoc wrote: »

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone else out there is feeling in any way like myself. Got everything sorted for UCD at this stage but I'm having real problems with commitment here. Also, saying this with total respect to people who didn't get the place they were looking for, I'm fully aware of how lucky I am to get everything sorted!

Still...my anxiety has gone through the roof. Keep trying to convince my partner that it would be best to push it out for another year. But, at the ripe age of 29...I'm being told if I want to do it, I should do it now. The idea of four more years in college is terrifying though.

I suppose it's fair to say I have a few problems with anxiety. Worried that I might have a panic attack soon after starting and need to drop out. I was in touch with the good folks in UCD and they said it's not too late to pull out, they still offer places through September. I think there are a few people who still haven't confirmed, paid fees etc!

It's really annoying that others who have been offered places are filled with excitment (and rightly feckin' so) and I can't sleep from the anxiety of it all.

I suppose it's lucky that I have savings for the first year myself. So even if it doesn't work out, I wouldn't be in debt to a bank. I know if I turn it down I'll always have the 'what-if' thoughts later on but to be honest my gut feeling is saying...this is a bad choice for you.

Just wondering how you guys feel...can't imagine anyone else is as pessimistic as me!

Med school will literally be the best time of your life. It's absolutely awesome. there is literally nothing to be anxious about. you'll be poor and stressed etc. But uni is great. Med school in particular. I'd be worried about the other end way more than about med school. I'd hate to be starting out aged 34. No way i'd be able for the nights and the hours etc. But don't be anxious about med school. It's a great great experience.

EngDoc

bill buchanan wrote: »

Med school will literally be the best time of your life. It's absolutely awesome. there is literally nothing to be anxious about. you'll be poor and stressed etc. But uni is great. Med school in particular. I'd be worried about the other end way more than about med school. I'd hate to be starting out aged 34. No way i'd be able for the nights and the hours etc. But don't be anxious about med school. It's a great great experience.

So I shouldn't worry about going into debt for med school for four years, I should be worried about starting an internship at 33? I think that's probably another good reason for not doing it in fairness.

bill buchanan

EngDoc wrote: »

So I shouldn't worry about going into debt for med school for four years, I should be worried about starting an internship at 33? I think that's probably another good reason for not doing it in fairness.

Look, there are lots of reasons for not doing it. But if you're going to do it, just enjoy your time at uni and do your worrying when you graduate. You'll get used to high stress very quickly when you graduate!

RobFowl

33 is not too old to be an intern. TBH with the way the health service is now coming out in 4-5 years time is not a bad thing. If you choose to be a GP you'll be finished training by 38 which is a good age to be looking at permanent jobs. Most consultancies would leave you finished in your early 40's which up to relatively recently was the age most people got their positions.
If you have the savings for 1 year I really think you should give it a go. Having doubts in medicine is not a bad thing and believe me you be living with a degree of uncertainty is most things for the rest of your career anyway...

trigger26

Panic attacks begin to happen and trigger around times of big change, mine started when I was leaving college. Even though the body is intelligent, it can't tell the difference between a thought and a real event. If your thinking worrying thoughts then you're going to feel anxious feelings whether the thoughts are real or not. The fact is that you have enough money to do this and you have a free choice to do this or not. You might also think about the flip side of not doing this course and staying where you are, life ain't gonna hang on for you!

The good thing about anxiety/ panic attacks is that it is something than be overcome using CBT, EFT, counselling, hypnosis or whatever method suits you. Take the pressure off yourself and know the only thing you can do is your best and let it be:)

bill buchanan

RobFowl wrote: »

33 is not too old to be an intern. TBH with the way the health service is now coming out in 4-5 years time is not a bad thing. If you choose to be a GP you'll be finished training by 38 which is a good age to be looking at permanent jonbs. Most consultancies would leave you finished in your early 40's which up to relatively recently was the age most people got their positions.
If you have the savings for 1 year I really think you should give it a go. Having doubts in medicine is not a bad thing and believe me you be living with a degree of uncertainty is most things for the rest of your career anyway...

I think that's a fair enough opinion. I certainly found my ability to manage nights went seirously south in my early thirties. I coulnd't imagine donig 24/36 hour shifts now. But maybe I'm an anomaly.

The problem with the GP csheme now is that a lot of people don't get ionto it early. I've worked with people who have their memberships of various colleges who can't get on schemes.

Also, "technically" people graduating in their mid 30s could get a consultant post by their early 40s, as they'll be fnishing their time then. But, in reality, that depends on availability of posts. And we all know the situation with consultant posts in Ireland.

RobFowl

bill buchanan wrote: »

I think that's a fair enough opinion. I certainly found my ability to manage nights went seirously south in my early thirties. I coulnd't imagine donig 24/36 hour shifts now. But maybe I'm an anomaly.

The problem with the GP csheme now is that a lot of people don't get ionto it early. I've worked with people who have their memberships of various colleges who can't get on schemes.

Also, "technically" people graduating in their mid 30s could get a consultant post by their early 40s, as they'll be fnishing their time then. But, in reality, that depends on availability of posts. And we all know the situation with consultant posts in Ireland.

I did 36 hours shifts well into my 30's and managed them ok (was glad to see the back of them though ).
Suspect in 10 years time consultant posts will be much easier to get (although less financially attractive than now) and the workload will be more reasonable.

bill buchanan

RobFowl wrote: »

I did 36 hours shifts well into my 30's and managed them ok (was glad to see the back of them though ).
Suspect in 10 years time consultant posts will be much easier to get (although less financially attractive than now) and the workload will be more reasonable.

I did them until I was mid thirties, but not sure I could have coped with starting 10+ years of them in my mid thirties. Plus the later years of nights were that bit easier as it became less scary and we had interns and SHOs to do the direct take etc.

Have you heard some encouraging news about consultant progression? The latest we were told (albeit about 8 months ago) was that there would be a few consultant jobs (but on MUCH less money) but most end-grade jobs that would be opening up would be staff grade type things, often with a lot of out of hours work. These would be really just service provision jobs.

BUT that would have been mostly in-hospital shop floor talk. If you have anything more concrete, i know a lot of disgruntled NCHDs on these shores who you could cheer up no end

tiredcity

I'd many sleepless nights before starting and still get the odd one but I've never regretted the decision to do the course. There was a similar thread about this last year; my response is here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=73674262&postcount=41 but the whole thread is worth a read for the various viewpoints. Best of luck with your decision