Should I drop out of Med School?

Question

I am currently enrolled in med school. I am there mostly to appease my parents and it is not something that I love. The work right now seems tedious. My focus is anesthesiology and I really don't think I am cut out for it. After hearing my peers talk about how much they love it and how hard they worked to get in the school I feel like I am a waste of space who somehow got a high MCAT score. Should I drop out and let someone else be there who really wants it or should I just be happy that I am there and deal with it?

Answer 1

Well first off, s***w your parents to be frank about it.  Your parents don't have to live your life, they don't have to do this job for the rest of their life!  It should not matter to you what they think.  

Second off, do you want to do this for the rest of your life?  Do you want to work in a hospital until you retire?  Will you be happy if you do?  If the answer to any of these is no, then I suggest going to grad school for something else.  

I'm in the same situation.  I haven't started law school yet, but I am rethinking the whole idea now.  I'm not sure whether I want to do that for the rest of my life.  I'm not sure whether I want to do the workload.  The only thing that I am sure about is I want to make the money.  

So, you decide for you, not anyone else!  If you haven't wasted too much time in med school, I would transfer out into a grad program and do a dual program so that you can get your PhD at the same time.  This is what I'm planning on doing (dual program anyway, I might end up getting my MBA or MPA....who knows).

Answer 2

Listen up girl. I am finishing my PhD in math from a big research univ. It was something I loved... passionately...and I still love very much. So what? 7 months from now... I will walk into a postdoc and make 47K a year. For the last 3 years I have been making 15K a year. I cannot afford a car, I can hardly afford rent. And I will get into a job that pays so little that many with BS degrees will shrink from it. This is what happens when you do something you love. THE WORLD USES AND ABUSES YOU AND THROWS YOU AWAY. THEY LAUGH AT YOU...A PIZZA GUY ONCE MOCKED ME SAYING THAT EVEN HE MADE 20K.

You are in med school. Once u finish your residency...you will be making so many millions that you can buy up a university or two and study what you want. People like me who followed their heart will be striving to feed themselves. Dont even think of dropping out.

Answer 3

Wow, this is a really difficult question.  Many students have no idea what med school entails when they enter med school.  I'm guessing you are in rotations and that they blow hard.  I sympathize with you.  The first two years are mostly book work and the second two are hellish rotations where you work insane hours.   For the first two years you will probably party alot then reality seeps in once you enter third year.  I know people who have quit and I know others who stayed because they were so much in debt with loans that they didnt know what else to do.  One person I know went into pharmacy where the hours aren't as bad and you may want to consider that option.  And not it is now downgrading.  Pharmacy pays well and you don't have the liability of a doctor.  Doctors malpractice insurance is close to 10k a year for some.  You really need to get a feel of what you want out of your life.  But in all honest, all students want to quit at some point.  I dont think there are many who dont consider leaving med school at some point.   So seriously consider your options.  Also consider taking a leave of absence as well.  This may be harder if you are in rotations.  It all depends if you just got in or it is your second year and how much you are in debt.   This usually determines what your options are.  Its easier to leave when your not 100k in debt and looking at working at Chiles while you figue out what you are going to do.  Other people I know (Students) have stuck with it and hated every year and are now happier but still overworked.  I hope this helps.  Either way, you need to remember you need to find a job somewhere.  

Answer 4

Do what you want to do.  Life is so short, so please do something that will make you happy.

Answer 5

Life is too short to put aside your own dreams to appease your parents. We spend an enormous amount of our waking hours at work (especially in the medical profession!). If you are not happy with what you do for a living, it affects your entire life.

Try to talk with people who are farther ahead in their training than you. Perhaps the studying part of the deal is tedious, but the actual work is rewarding. Be sure in your mind that you have given this a good shot, and that you know for sure what you are getting into (or out of).

Is there another branch of medicine that you would like to try? Surely your parents wouldn't mind a lateral move?

If you know for sure that you want out of medicine altogether, you need to let your parents know that you are not happy. Hopefully they will be understanding. If you are smart enough to get a good MCAT score, you are likely able to land yourself a pretty good job in another field more suitable to you.

Parents are sometimes overbearing when it comes to the future of their children. At your age, it's time to start thinking about taking control of your own destiny. After all, it is you who will live your life, not them. Good luck.

Answer 6

There are some tough questions you need to ask yourself.  Is there another career that interests you more?  How much of your unhappiness is due to the stresses of med school and might change once you're a practicing physician?  Are you able to take time off to reevaluate your decision to practice medicine?

I took time off in the middle of med school because I was having similar doubts about whether medicine was right for me.  By the end of the year off I had decided that I wanted to continue and started back up.  Remember that you are not trapped.  You have the freedom to change your mind about your career at any point.  Many people do.  But also know that it's hard to get a clear idea of whether or not you will enjoy medicine when you are overwhelmed with everything in medical school.  Are there deans or other people at your school with whom you can discuss your feelings?  Good luck with your decision!