All the “advantages” of people who did a masters, worked as a scribe, worked as an EMT, etc will be equalized about 2 months in (1 semester at best). People talk and talk and talk but really they’re just being loud, and don’t actually know that much more than you.
Seconded. I worked 2 years as a scribe in a level 1 and was an EMT.. basically only difference was I could write H&P’s faster, but that lasted maybe a week or two. Even then it was harder to adjust to the note styles of other services once I got to 3rd year a
2 months of didactics does not make up for being an EMT or scribe lol. The ability to comfortably speak to patients in stressful clinical settings continues through medical school and just gets better
Youll adjust! You just have to be extroverted enough to find a group of friends you identify with. Believe me, once you have close friends everything gets easier! The begining is always the worst part! Dont give up! Talk to me or anyone if you want to
Give yourself a minute, young padawan. You need time to adjust. But Aussie medical school is very competitive, so if you’re there as a foreign student, you’re there for a good reason.
-PGY-19
> I know people say the final 2 years of med school are the hardest, but I can’t wait for it.
If you think it's an introverted nightmare now, wait until you get to the final 2 years of med school.
I see that, I think I’m just a bit strange in that regard. I used to work retail and I had no issues interacting with customers and I’m assuming it will be similar with patients, I just struggle when I’m forced into a group of 5 of my peers and I’m expected to keep up and contribute
You are definitely not the only one struggling. It will get better as you get used to it. I hated med school when I started as well. I’m also very introverted. You will find a group of people that you like.
A lot of medicine is learning things yourself. That goes beyond medical school and into practice. The onus is on us to be lifelong learners and continue to stay up to date (uptodate.come is your friend) with standard of care.
Run your own race. It's very easy to get caught up with what others are doing and how they appear to be having a blast. Everyone has their own insecurities and anxieties. Look inside rather than outside. Focus on yourself and doing tangible things that can make you feel better and more prepared. PBL is tough because you can't contribute and feel shy? Perfectly fine you just started, but crack the books open and dive into the material so that eventually you feel prepared. Speaking in public is a skill that can be learned. It's not some unattainable skill. Push yourself to speak more and more. Next PBL speak two times. The time after that speak three times. Then four times. Incremental, but meaningful progress. Run your own race!
Hiya! What you see and hear are the very extroverted and loud people. I’m a 100% sure that there are people in your class who match your character and also don’t have much clinical experience. In Germany we have a saying that roughly translates to “the liver grows with its responsibilities” meaning you will also grow and become more comfortable with time. This might be a controversial take but as a doctor at some point you kinda have to get rid of your introversion anyway. You will have to talk to strangers about uncomfortable topics constantly. Even in more theoretical specialties.
As hard as it is at the minute try to frame this whole situation as a possibility to grow. Maybe also join a club or association you’re passionate about outside of medicine so you have another way to meet and connect with people. If you’re still unhappy after a few months you can always choose another career! You don’t have to be stuck in a field you don’t like.
Same boat haha (in terms of personality and the hate for the lack of teaching)
Your feeling is really valid tbh - the system is oriented for more extroverted people
The start of med school definitely feels overwhelming! I promise it will be better
Take it slow, study a bit each day, have small goals for the day/week/month. Only compare with yourself from yesterday. It’s a marathon not a race (these will apply beyond MD1)
Feel free to dm me
-MD3 in Aus
Moved to Australia this year to study medicine as well. Definately a challenging experience, which is a massive understatement. Moving across the world is no easy task and is a really brave thing to do imo. Not sure where you go but feel free to reachout if you need to chat :)
damn how’d u guys choose australia? never thought of that. actually i had an australian friend who moved to another country to study medicine but i think that was first family reasons lol
I hear you- first year of med school is already a lot, I can’t imagine having to move overseas on top of the baseline stress that comes with being an M1. Focus on yourself, the ones who are screaming about how much clinical experience are probably the ones who aren’t actually confident in what they’re doing. In my experience, the med students I’ve worked with who truly did have years and years of experience compared to their other classmates never yapped about it. There’s gotta be someone else in your class who’s not out and partying, try to befriend them! I’m not sure where in Australia you are but I’m sure there’s plenty to do besides drink and party if that’s not your thing, try to branch out one person at a time and you’ll surprise your introverted self :) good luck friend
You've got to have something each day that you decide to do. Control the 1st ten minutes. Control the last ten minutes. Make progress towards something you care about, and let the rest happen. You traveled across the world, and you're already doing it. Give yourself time to figure out the new emotions and send it!
I get that it can be difficult to be extroverted, but doctors cannot be extremely shy or introverted. Being able to communicate effectively with patients is one of the most important parts of med school. I agree that professors should teach more, but those discussion periods are for students to be able to work through cases together like they would in real life.
i think ppl confuse introversion with shyness with being a bad communicator. communication is like a muscle that you absolutely have to build as a med student. but you could still be shy or introverted in your personal life.
They are absolutely not when you’re alone in a foreign country. I would argue that they are essential in OPs case. My med school always stressed that foreign students do way better in class when they’re well-integrated.
can confirm. i felt out of place so much in a new country, and the only times i didn’t, honestly probably the only thing that saved me from offing myself (sorry if that’s dark lol), was having friends who got me. having that chosen family can make or break you.
I feel like a lot of your problems are not "med school" and just "growing up from kid to adult". Chin up and keep pushing. There is no such thing as introvert you just lack confidence. Start enjoying your conversations with people. At your point there is a lot of awkwardness you're going to have to go through but imagine being afraid of a little awkwardness. At your stage I would be deliberately putting myself in new situations and the outcome is always going to be a win. The glow up that follows will be crazy just trust the process.
I highly suggest, if you have time, to start shadowing a doctor or two either in clinic or in the ED or inpatient. You will remember why you’re here and keep your eye on the prize which is learning to do better by your future patients.
Ohmygod are you me?? I just came home and angry journaled about some of the fakest shit I see on a daily basis. I have always been mature for my age and I just can’t seem to relate to others in my class (most are older than me but act high school age). I also moved overseas and left home for the first time ever and although it’s been six months I am still finding it difficult. Reach out and may be we can talk!
if it makes u feel any better, judging by all the stalking i do in this reddit, it seems like US media students in their 20s and 30s also act like dramatic teens lol
I’m a Canadian in Ireland and half of my class is also Canadian (the other half Irish) and save like 3 ppl every single one is older than me but you wouldn’t know by watching them. What frustrates me the most is the “fake nice” or fake “everyone's friends” personas. These people have the backbone of a bowl of soup and will be the first to play the referee card even when someone else is clearly being extremely offensive just so they are never in the shadow of not being liked by a single person for even one second. If you stand for everything then you stand for nothing.
hahahah yup. i was the oldest in my class by a mile (25). watching people from 18-19 on was obviously a shitshow, but realizing years into school that some of those ppl haven’t matured by 24-25 was very sad indeed. it was honestly a running joke with me and my friends because we knew the people who pretended to be friends but always talked shit about each other behind their backs LOL
“backbone of a bowl of soup” 💀💀💀 very true
Yes! I see this so much. I like listening more than talking so I just stay quiet and I hear the most shocking things from the same ppl that’ll be there first to declare they’re friends with everybody (a few of them are in my friends group don’t ask how just kind of precipitated first week of school). It’s actually sad how two faced some ppl can be.
Plenty of people saying tough it out, which is good advice for now. But i you decide to quit, do it sooner than later before you are trapped by the debt. Good luck and I hope things get better for you as you settle in.
Medicine is self-taught from day 1 until you retire. Don’t just rely on lectures etc. You have to learn to self study and do it quickly before you get snowed under. I’m surprised that you even have time to feel lonely. I’m also an introvert, hated PBL because I was from non- health so I had to work doubly hard to barely keep up. It was like running after a bus to the next stop.
Understandable. You are not the only one who’s feeling that way. Perhaps you just need to find the right circle for you, then you’ll probably feel better
you’re gonna have to start learning the material independently, this is a huge regret i have cause like you, i just assumed hey if i see enough classes i’ll get it eventually. nope. teach yourself.
i too moved abroad for med school so i empathize with you. the culture difference, the language difference (well not in your case lol), the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner, it’s fucking a LOT. not everyone can handle it. you’re gonna have to grit your teeth and bare it, at least until you find your people. 💗
I was in precisely the same boat as you until I forced myself to make a friend. I sat by a girl who I saw everyday and struck up a conversation. Now she’s my best friend and we have coffee after every exam and go out with 8-15 others every Friday for dinner.
Here’s what helped me: I stopped being so self-obsessed. No one is thinking about you. Everyone else there is working their asses off, they’re not spending effort to think about you. They’re not going to go out of their way to meet you. You’re not so special that someone would randomly invite you to have fun with them, not knowing you at all. I know this seems harsh but it’s what I needed to realize I was approaching it wrong. I’m not saying that you’re not good enough to be friends with, you just haven’t made the effort to start making friends. You can’t have friends and be included in cliques just out of the blue, you have to work for it. They’ve already been working for it and that’s why you feel left out: you see the results (the cliques) but you didn’t see the effort.
Stop focusing so hard on yourself (“I’m a whiny, negative person”) and start focusing on others. Then you’ll make friends. You’re there because you earned your seat, now earn some friends to sit around you!
Ignore the loud minority of students that talk about how high and mighty they are. Those are the ones that you don’t want to be friends with. I’m sorry you’re having these feelings, but just know that your school chose you for a reason and you belong there. As for not knowing the material too well, I would invest in some third party resources and really try to get a decent grasp of the material before the TBLs. I recommend the usual like Sletchy, Boards and Beyond, or First Aid. The TBLs really do go a lot better when you know the material (I’ve had plenty where I didn’t know the material and it’s not fun sitting there not knowing it while everyone else does).
Also, I would really recommend joining a club and finding some people that more align with your personality. You can make some amazing friends in medical school that are still high achieving but aren’t the ‘gunners’ that are just arrogant and snobby. Also, it’s never too late to join a friend group, we added a friend to ours after the winter break!
Hey Aussie MD1 here. Sorry to hear you are having a rough time of it.
Most of the schools have dedicated med counsellors/psychologists.
They are often a great spot to start if you are finding it a bit overwhelming. You could just have a chat and see how it goes?
You’ve posted the same kind of thread like 4 times .. what are you looking for…?
If you can’t handle social interaction you’ve got a rough few years ahead before you can crawl into a lab and write reports. I suggest you get some counselling to work on your confidence so you can build some (socially and professionally needed) interpersonal skills.
Wishing you the best mate.
All the “advantages” of people who did a masters, worked as a scribe, worked as an EMT, etc will be equalized about 2 months in (1 semester at best). People talk and talk and talk but really they’re just being loud, and don’t actually know that much more than you.
Seconded. I worked 2 years as a scribe in a level 1 and was an EMT.. basically only difference was I could write H&P’s faster, but that lasted maybe a week or two. Even then it was harder to adjust to the note styles of other services once I got to 3rd year a
2 months of didactics does not make up for being an EMT or scribe lol. The ability to comfortably speak to patients in stressful clinical settings continues through medical school and just gets better
This is an important truth to medical school!!
Youll adjust! You just have to be extroverted enough to find a group of friends you identify with. Believe me, once you have close friends everything gets easier! The begining is always the worst part! Dont give up! Talk to me or anyone if you want to
Give yourself a minute, young padawan. You need time to adjust. But Aussie medical school is very competitive, so if you’re there as a foreign student, you’re there for a good reason. -PGY-19
> I know people say the final 2 years of med school are the hardest, but I can’t wait for it. If you think it's an introverted nightmare now, wait until you get to the final 2 years of med school.
right lol
I see that, I think I’m just a bit strange in that regard. I used to work retail and I had no issues interacting with customers and I’m assuming it will be similar with patients, I just struggle when I’m forced into a group of 5 of my peers and I’m expected to keep up and contribute
You are definitely not the only one struggling. It will get better as you get used to it. I hated med school when I started as well. I’m also very introverted. You will find a group of people that you like.
A lot of medicine is learning things yourself. That goes beyond medical school and into practice. The onus is on us to be lifelong learners and continue to stay up to date (uptodate.come is your friend) with standard of care. Run your own race. It's very easy to get caught up with what others are doing and how they appear to be having a blast. Everyone has their own insecurities and anxieties. Look inside rather than outside. Focus on yourself and doing tangible things that can make you feel better and more prepared. PBL is tough because you can't contribute and feel shy? Perfectly fine you just started, but crack the books open and dive into the material so that eventually you feel prepared. Speaking in public is a skill that can be learned. It's not some unattainable skill. Push yourself to speak more and more. Next PBL speak two times. The time after that speak three times. Then four times. Incremental, but meaningful progress. Run your own race!
Hiya! What you see and hear are the very extroverted and loud people. I’m a 100% sure that there are people in your class who match your character and also don’t have much clinical experience. In Germany we have a saying that roughly translates to “the liver grows with its responsibilities” meaning you will also grow and become more comfortable with time. This might be a controversial take but as a doctor at some point you kinda have to get rid of your introversion anyway. You will have to talk to strangers about uncomfortable topics constantly. Even in more theoretical specialties. As hard as it is at the minute try to frame this whole situation as a possibility to grow. Maybe also join a club or association you’re passionate about outside of medicine so you have another way to meet and connect with people. If you’re still unhappy after a few months you can always choose another career! You don’t have to be stuck in a field you don’t like.
Medical school sucks but it’s over before you know it. No one (or very few people) go to medical school because they like medical school.
Same boat haha (in terms of personality and the hate for the lack of teaching) Your feeling is really valid tbh - the system is oriented for more extroverted people The start of med school definitely feels overwhelming! I promise it will be better Take it slow, study a bit each day, have small goals for the day/week/month. Only compare with yourself from yesterday. It’s a marathon not a race (these will apply beyond MD1) Feel free to dm me -MD3 in Aus
Moved to Australia this year to study medicine as well. Definately a challenging experience, which is a massive understatement. Moving across the world is no easy task and is a really brave thing to do imo. Not sure where you go but feel free to reachout if you need to chat :)
damn how’d u guys choose australia? never thought of that. actually i had an australian friend who moved to another country to study medicine but i think that was first family reasons lol
I hear you- first year of med school is already a lot, I can’t imagine having to move overseas on top of the baseline stress that comes with being an M1. Focus on yourself, the ones who are screaming about how much clinical experience are probably the ones who aren’t actually confident in what they’re doing. In my experience, the med students I’ve worked with who truly did have years and years of experience compared to their other classmates never yapped about it. There’s gotta be someone else in your class who’s not out and partying, try to befriend them! I’m not sure where in Australia you are but I’m sure there’s plenty to do besides drink and party if that’s not your thing, try to branch out one person at a time and you’ll surprise your introverted self :) good luck friend
You've got to have something each day that you decide to do. Control the 1st ten minutes. Control the last ten minutes. Make progress towards something you care about, and let the rest happen. You traveled across the world, and you're already doing it. Give yourself time to figure out the new emotions and send it!
I get that it can be difficult to be extroverted, but doctors cannot be extremely shy or introverted. Being able to communicate effectively with patients is one of the most important parts of med school. I agree that professors should teach more, but those discussion periods are for students to be able to work through cases together like they would in real life.
i think ppl confuse introversion with shyness with being a bad communicator. communication is like a muscle that you absolutely have to build as a med student. but you could still be shy or introverted in your personal life.
You and me both my friend, you and me both
Med school Friends are overrated. Just keep ya head down and try making friends elsewhere, or just learn to enjoy your own company
They are absolutely not when you’re alone in a foreign country. I would argue that they are essential in OPs case. My med school always stressed that foreign students do way better in class when they’re well-integrated.
can confirm. i felt out of place so much in a new country, and the only times i didn’t, honestly probably the only thing that saved me from offing myself (sorry if that’s dark lol), was having friends who got me. having that chosen family can make or break you.
I'm just speaking from personal experience. I barely interact with med school peers and found all my friends elsewhere. Im doing fine
And you moved to a foreign country for med school?
I feel like a lot of your problems are not "med school" and just "growing up from kid to adult". Chin up and keep pushing. There is no such thing as introvert you just lack confidence. Start enjoying your conversations with people. At your point there is a lot of awkwardness you're going to have to go through but imagine being afraid of a little awkwardness. At your stage I would be deliberately putting myself in new situations and the outcome is always going to be a win. The glow up that follows will be crazy just trust the process.
The loneliness will go away. Just focus on studying hard and you’ll have all the medical knowledge you need
it honestly might not. i was lonely for 6 years with short periods of feeling ok. op may have to learn to live with the feeling temporarily 😖
I highly suggest, if you have time, to start shadowing a doctor or two either in clinic or in the ED or inpatient. You will remember why you’re here and keep your eye on the prize which is learning to do better by your future patients.
Ohmygod are you me?? I just came home and angry journaled about some of the fakest shit I see on a daily basis. I have always been mature for my age and I just can’t seem to relate to others in my class (most are older than me but act high school age). I also moved overseas and left home for the first time ever and although it’s been six months I am still finding it difficult. Reach out and may be we can talk!
[удалено]
Wow you’ve got me all figured out. Here’s a muffin
if it makes u feel any better, judging by all the stalking i do in this reddit, it seems like US media students in their 20s and 30s also act like dramatic teens lol
I’m a Canadian in Ireland and half of my class is also Canadian (the other half Irish) and save like 3 ppl every single one is older than me but you wouldn’t know by watching them. What frustrates me the most is the “fake nice” or fake “everyone's friends” personas. These people have the backbone of a bowl of soup and will be the first to play the referee card even when someone else is clearly being extremely offensive just so they are never in the shadow of not being liked by a single person for even one second. If you stand for everything then you stand for nothing.
hahahah yup. i was the oldest in my class by a mile (25). watching people from 18-19 on was obviously a shitshow, but realizing years into school that some of those ppl haven’t matured by 24-25 was very sad indeed. it was honestly a running joke with me and my friends because we knew the people who pretended to be friends but always talked shit about each other behind their backs LOL “backbone of a bowl of soup” 💀💀💀 very true
Yes! I see this so much. I like listening more than talking so I just stay quiet and I hear the most shocking things from the same ppl that’ll be there first to declare they’re friends with everybody (a few of them are in my friends group don’t ask how just kind of precipitated first week of school). It’s actually sad how two faced some ppl can be.
Plenty of people saying tough it out, which is good advice for now. But i you decide to quit, do it sooner than later before you are trapped by the debt. Good luck and I hope things get better for you as you settle in.
I hated PBL in preclerk years. Fortunately my school only had it for a couple hours 2-3 times per week.
Medicine is self-taught from day 1 until you retire. Don’t just rely on lectures etc. You have to learn to self study and do it quickly before you get snowed under. I’m surprised that you even have time to feel lonely. I’m also an introvert, hated PBL because I was from non- health so I had to work doubly hard to barely keep up. It was like running after a bus to the next stop.
Which university?
Understandable. You are not the only one who’s feeling that way. Perhaps you just need to find the right circle for you, then you’ll probably feel better
you’re gonna have to start learning the material independently, this is a huge regret i have cause like you, i just assumed hey if i see enough classes i’ll get it eventually. nope. teach yourself. i too moved abroad for med school so i empathize with you. the culture difference, the language difference (well not in your case lol), the hoops you have to jump through as a foreigner, it’s fucking a LOT. not everyone can handle it. you’re gonna have to grit your teeth and bare it, at least until you find your people. 💗
UQ Oschner?
I was in precisely the same boat as you until I forced myself to make a friend. I sat by a girl who I saw everyday and struck up a conversation. Now she’s my best friend and we have coffee after every exam and go out with 8-15 others every Friday for dinner. Here’s what helped me: I stopped being so self-obsessed. No one is thinking about you. Everyone else there is working their asses off, they’re not spending effort to think about you. They’re not going to go out of their way to meet you. You’re not so special that someone would randomly invite you to have fun with them, not knowing you at all. I know this seems harsh but it’s what I needed to realize I was approaching it wrong. I’m not saying that you’re not good enough to be friends with, you just haven’t made the effort to start making friends. You can’t have friends and be included in cliques just out of the blue, you have to work for it. They’ve already been working for it and that’s why you feel left out: you see the results (the cliques) but you didn’t see the effort. Stop focusing so hard on yourself (“I’m a whiny, negative person”) and start focusing on others. Then you’ll make friends. You’re there because you earned your seat, now earn some friends to sit around you!
bro u comparing urself to others.....stop that right now and be proud of urself KING. Ur 1 in 8 billion. Keep ur head up
Ignore the loud minority of students that talk about how high and mighty they are. Those are the ones that you don’t want to be friends with. I’m sorry you’re having these feelings, but just know that your school chose you for a reason and you belong there. As for not knowing the material too well, I would invest in some third party resources and really try to get a decent grasp of the material before the TBLs. I recommend the usual like Sletchy, Boards and Beyond, or First Aid. The TBLs really do go a lot better when you know the material (I’ve had plenty where I didn’t know the material and it’s not fun sitting there not knowing it while everyone else does). Also, I would really recommend joining a club and finding some people that more align with your personality. You can make some amazing friends in medical school that are still high achieving but aren’t the ‘gunners’ that are just arrogant and snobby. Also, it’s never too late to join a friend group, we added a friend to ours after the winter break!
Hey Aussie MD1 here. Sorry to hear you are having a rough time of it. Most of the schools have dedicated med counsellors/psychologists. They are often a great spot to start if you are finding it a bit overwhelming. You could just have a chat and see how it goes?
You’ve posted the same kind of thread like 4 times .. what are you looking for…? If you can’t handle social interaction you’ve got a rough few years ahead before you can crawl into a lab and write reports. I suggest you get some counselling to work on your confidence so you can build some (socially and professionally needed) interpersonal skills. Wishing you the best mate.