Medical School
I recently graduated from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. My medical school experience may not be typical, but I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about it. Just send me an email through the Contact Me page.
Deciding to go to medical school
This is not a decision to be taken lightly. It is very difficult to get in to medical school in the United States. You need good grades in college, at least a few interesting extracurricular activities, and good MCAT scores. Most students are not accepted on their first try, since there are more than twice as many applicants as there are positions offered. But if you are certain that medicine is the career for you, then you should definitely try again.
Once you get in, medical school is not an easy four years. (Some of my classmates would call that an understatement.) The material is no more intellectually challenging than college, but the sheer volume of information you must learn is overwhelming. No matter how hard you worked in college, you will have to learn new, more efficient study habits in medical school. If you are lucky, you will go to a school where your classmates are friendly and work together to help each other succeed.
The clinical years present a whole new challenge, as you must adjust to a new set of demands with each clinical rotation. Some rotations, such as surgery and OB, will test your physical endurance. Others, such as psychiatry and pediatrics, may test your emotional adaptability. And each new attending has a new standard for grading. If you are not a flexible person, this will be highly challenging for you.
Finally, the practice of medicine has changed from the "Golden Era" picture some people have, when doctors worked 40 hours a week, made a small fortune, and golfed every weekend with their buddies. Most doctors work longer hours, make less money (in real dollars, at least), and have less free time than they used to. Insurance companies and government regulation have increased the amount of paperwork required to practice medicine. New pharmaceuticals and technology have driven costs up, while making decisions about treatment more complicated than ever. Malpractice lawsuits abound, and malpractice insurance is more expensive than ever. These are the pragmatic aspects of medicine that lead to burnout. I mention them not to frighten you away, but because you must be aware of them, and STILL love the practice of medicine if you are to succeed today.
Despite all the trouble plaguing the modern American medical community, medicine is an incredibly rewarding field. You have the chance to make a positive difference in people's lives on a daily basis. You may not make a fortune, but if you manage your money well, a doctor's income will still go a long way. And if you love what you are doing, a 70-hour work week doesn't feel so long.
Medical School at Wake Forest
Okay, this is the insider's view. The school has no idea this site exists (and I'd rather it stay that way).
On the whole, Wake offers an excellent medical education. Rather than "terms" or "semesters," our first two years are divided into "phases." Each phase is about 12 weeks long. In Phase 1A, you learn gross anatomy, histology, neuroanatomy, and embryology. In Phase 1B, you learn biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, microbiology, etc. Throughout all the phases, there are some once-a-week classes in patient interviewing and physical examination, medical information gathering, and ethical/legal/practical issues. During second year, you learn about pathophysiology (disease states), broken down by organ system. The order has changed somewhat since my second year, and may change again. But major systems include neuro, psych, heme/onc, cardio, pulm, renal, GI, endocrine, musculoskeletal, rheumatology, and reproductive. At the end of second year, we got some time off to study for the USMLE, step 1. We are required to pass it to continue with third year. If you fail it once, the school lets you take some more time off to study, retake the test, and rejoin your class. If you fail it twice, you repeat second year. Three strikes, you're out.
Third and fourth year are the clinical years, when we leave the classroom behind (mostly) and spend the majority of our time on the wards, caring for patients alongside residents and attending physicians. As a third year, you are placed in a group with 7 to 10 other students, and go through the required rotations together. Everyone does 8 weeks of inpatient medicine, 8 weeks of surgery, 6 weeks of OB/GYN, 8 weeks of pediatrics, 1 week of anesthesia, 1 week of radiology, 4 weeks of psychiatry, 4 weeks of neurology, 4 weeks of outpatient medicine and 4 weeks of family practice. There are 2 blocks of vacation time, 2 weeks each, every 4 months during third year. At the end of third year, we go straight on into fourth year. The school actually requires that we schedule a 4 week "boards study" rotation for the USMLE step 2. We are required to take step 2 to continue with fourth year. The three strikes policy still applies. As a fourth year, you have much more freedom. We are required to take 4 weeks of emergency medicine, 4 weeks of intensive care (but you can choose which ICU), and two 4-week rotations in "advanced inpatient medicine," familiarly known as AIs. The remaining time is elective. We get an additional vacation month, which most people use for residency interviews.
Medical Student Life
Contrary to what some people will tell you, it is possible to have a life during medical school. In fact, I'd say it's necessary to have a life separate from medical school, to keep yourself sane.
Most med students quickly learn that there is no way any human being on earth can remember every little factoid your professors will throw at you in lecture. In fact, just learning the really key stuff can take a lot of study time. You've got to learn to study more efficiently. The law of diminishing returns clearly applies. Halfway through my first year, I realized that I could study 100 hours a week and average 92 on the tests, or I could study 60 hours a week and average 87. Guess what I decided? The extra 40 hours spent studying wasn't worth the extra 5 points on my grades. And once I relaxed, I was able to concentrate better during my alotted study time. Better quality study time makes up for quantity. That's what I mean by studying more efficiently.
So what do I do with all that spare time? Well, for one thing, I designed this web page! I spend most of my spare time with my husband. Like many medical students, I find it necessary to exercise for my health. Other Wake Forest med students have joined the YMCA, and one group formed an after-school basketball league that meets whenever everyone has time. The various student organizations have activities at lunchtime and after school. And certain students in each class tend to host parties for everyone on the weekends. Basically, whatever your hobbies have been up to this point, you can continue them in medical school. You may just have to cut back a little.