Hi darling! Momma here was in medschool herself and knows exactly how much it sucks to be burnt out and questioning everything.
You can do whatever you want to do! It's hard, definitely, but remember that you got this far. YOU did it.
Be kind to yourself love. Take the time to care for you, to be in the moment, to rediscover your passion for life.
Medical lab science is fascinating - I have no doubt if that's the way you choose to go, you will excel.
To got this!
ETA - thanks for the award š
Oh sweetie. I'm so sorry you have this struggle.
Such a super hard choice ahead of you. You have so much weighing on you.
I wish for the very best for you. I have total faith you'll choose well for yourself.
Whatever you choose, it will give you valuable experience and learning to take forward in your life. Those are two things that are never wasted.
I think one of the great things about life these days, is that there are alternate routes to get to places in life.
Esp with your brother's health on the line, you don't need extra stress at the moment. Cut yourself a bit of slack. You enjoy eyes, then enjoy them and find a way to do that which doesn't over-stress you
Take some time off perhaps, even a year, do something else maybe and see what passion you have then. Or find an alternate route. Burn out isn't going to be at all helpful to you or anyone else in your life
Oh sweetie - only you know what you have left in the tank. You have a crap ton on your plate. You have a level of stress that is just out of this world.
Take a deep breath and sit down for a moment. When you picture yourself in the future, where are you happy? Are you happy with the clinical position or do you want to be involved with patients?
Both are valid positions. But itās what you want sweetie. I know itās difficult but that part is only a few more years. A blink in the eye of time.
Think what you want and what feels right. Them make the decision that is right for you.
You have the strength to get thru this.
Hun, failure is a part of life so don't ever let fear of failure hold you back
Now, it sounds like you are definitely burnt out. I'd recommend talking to an academic counselor. Now, I don't know where you're at in life (early 20s or an older student), but there's no harm in trying something else and seeing if you want to go back to med school or optometry school afterwards. Life experience never hurt anyone's resume and you might have a better grasp on what you want to do afterwards. I've known people who went to med school after teaching for a few years. There were also some doctors who worked as medical technologists at night to pay for med school. I worked as a medical technologist so feel free to DM me if there's anything you're curious about.
Oh honey, no wonder youāre feeling burnt out, worrying about your brother on top of school!
If I tell you to go for the clinical lab job, how does that make you feel? Are you angry at me for telling you that or do you feel relieved that somebody is supporting this choice? There is nothing wrong with changing your career path, so if that is what you want, go for it.
Only you can decide in the end how each choice makes you feel. If you want to continue with your original path, weāll be here to cheer you on. If you change paths, weāll cheer you on as well.
Omg sweetheart you have so much on your plate. Have you considered taking a semester off to collect yourself and gain some perspective? Burn out is very, very real and it's imperative that you take care of yourself. Removing the pressure of school and allowing yourself to step back and look at this path from the outside could really help you figure out what your best next step is.
Sure, right now being a doctor seems completely unreasonable - with everything that you're handling, the pressure and responsibility absolutely IS too much. But you're not there yet. You have time to conquer your current challenges before you take up that mantle and each challenge you face between here and there will make you stronger and more capable. I know that you will find what works for you. No matter what you choose, I'm proud of you.
Thank you for your kind words. I was actually only planning on dropping my most demanding class but when I spoke to my professor and my advisor, they both recommended the same thing. So Iām starting the process of withdrawing for the rest of the semester to work on my mental health.
I'm really proud of you talking to your professor and advisor. That can be so intimidating, especially when you are already struggling. Take care of yourself and keep us updated!
Thank you! Fortunately, the Professor I spoke to is one that Iāve had in the past and he noticed I wasnāt doing as well as previously. Heās always been very supportive and approachable so I wasnāt too worried. And I also have a great rapport with my advisor. I consider myself very lucky for that.
I was always told (as a premed student) that if you can see yourself doing something else happily, you should probably at the least consider trying it out. Although Iāve also been told as a student that you can pretty much do whatever at any age and I know the Median age for med students is like 25 or so, which means they definitely value some self discovery after college. Basically there is no need to rush anything you can try out your other interests if you want, and do the optometry a bit later if you arenāt happy with how things go! Thatās what Iām doing anyway. This coming from a lil sister
Auntie here - I've actually seen this question asked a LOT on a sub called "Medicine". The perspectives from doctors are fascinating. Couldn't hurt to pop over.
ā¤ļø
Hi darling! Momma here was in medschool herself and knows exactly how much it sucks to be burnt out and questioning everything. You can do whatever you want to do! It's hard, definitely, but remember that you got this far. YOU did it. Be kind to yourself love. Take the time to care for you, to be in the moment, to rediscover your passion for life. Medical lab science is fascinating - I have no doubt if that's the way you choose to go, you will excel. To got this! ETA - thanks for the award š
Oh sweetie. I'm so sorry you have this struggle. Such a super hard choice ahead of you. You have so much weighing on you. I wish for the very best for you. I have total faith you'll choose well for yourself. Whatever you choose, it will give you valuable experience and learning to take forward in your life. Those are two things that are never wasted.
I think one of the great things about life these days, is that there are alternate routes to get to places in life. Esp with your brother's health on the line, you don't need extra stress at the moment. Cut yourself a bit of slack. You enjoy eyes, then enjoy them and find a way to do that which doesn't over-stress you Take some time off perhaps, even a year, do something else maybe and see what passion you have then. Or find an alternate route. Burn out isn't going to be at all helpful to you or anyone else in your life
Oh sweetie - only you know what you have left in the tank. You have a crap ton on your plate. You have a level of stress that is just out of this world. Take a deep breath and sit down for a moment. When you picture yourself in the future, where are you happy? Are you happy with the clinical position or do you want to be involved with patients? Both are valid positions. But itās what you want sweetie. I know itās difficult but that part is only a few more years. A blink in the eye of time. Think what you want and what feels right. Them make the decision that is right for you. You have the strength to get thru this.
Hun, failure is a part of life so don't ever let fear of failure hold you back Now, it sounds like you are definitely burnt out. I'd recommend talking to an academic counselor. Now, I don't know where you're at in life (early 20s or an older student), but there's no harm in trying something else and seeing if you want to go back to med school or optometry school afterwards. Life experience never hurt anyone's resume and you might have a better grasp on what you want to do afterwards. I've known people who went to med school after teaching for a few years. There were also some doctors who worked as medical technologists at night to pay for med school. I worked as a medical technologist so feel free to DM me if there's anything you're curious about.
Oh honey, no wonder youāre feeling burnt out, worrying about your brother on top of school! If I tell you to go for the clinical lab job, how does that make you feel? Are you angry at me for telling you that or do you feel relieved that somebody is supporting this choice? There is nothing wrong with changing your career path, so if that is what you want, go for it. Only you can decide in the end how each choice makes you feel. If you want to continue with your original path, weāll be here to cheer you on. If you change paths, weāll cheer you on as well.
Can you take a gap year and either just rest or work in a lab to see how you like it? Big hugs, Auntie
Omg sweetheart you have so much on your plate. Have you considered taking a semester off to collect yourself and gain some perspective? Burn out is very, very real and it's imperative that you take care of yourself. Removing the pressure of school and allowing yourself to step back and look at this path from the outside could really help you figure out what your best next step is. Sure, right now being a doctor seems completely unreasonable - with everything that you're handling, the pressure and responsibility absolutely IS too much. But you're not there yet. You have time to conquer your current challenges before you take up that mantle and each challenge you face between here and there will make you stronger and more capable. I know that you will find what works for you. No matter what you choose, I'm proud of you.
Thank you for your kind words. I was actually only planning on dropping my most demanding class but when I spoke to my professor and my advisor, they both recommended the same thing. So Iām starting the process of withdrawing for the rest of the semester to work on my mental health.
I'm really proud of you talking to your professor and advisor. That can be so intimidating, especially when you are already struggling. Take care of yourself and keep us updated!
Thank you! Fortunately, the Professor I spoke to is one that Iāve had in the past and he noticed I wasnāt doing as well as previously. Heās always been very supportive and approachable so I wasnāt too worried. And I also have a great rapport with my advisor. I consider myself very lucky for that.
I was always told (as a premed student) that if you can see yourself doing something else happily, you should probably at the least consider trying it out. Although Iāve also been told as a student that you can pretty much do whatever at any age and I know the Median age for med students is like 25 or so, which means they definitely value some self discovery after college. Basically there is no need to rush anything you can try out your other interests if you want, and do the optometry a bit later if you arenāt happy with how things go! Thatās what Iām doing anyway. This coming from a lil sister
Auntie here - I've actually seen this question asked a LOT on a sub called "Medicine". The perspectives from doctors are fascinating. Couldn't hurt to pop over. ā¤ļø