5 Reasons I Miss Being in Medical School

By: Charlie of LifeofaMedStudent

being in medicine school — Med-school “prom” with the (future) wife!

Now as an attending physician, I have it pretty good. The big checks, a much better lifestyle, and practicing anesthesia on my own keep me thankful to be in medicine. That being said, every so often I have to admit I might just miss a little the life I had while being in medical school. Read on and see why!

1) Meeting new friends/people

Starting medical school was a lot like starting college. A bunch of like-minded, nervous students from all over starting medical school at the same time. While diverse in background, in medical school though there was a common goal – become a doctor! That didn’t mean in between all the studying there couldn’t be time for social interaction, and in my class, we frequently made the most of it! And because where I went to a school where there were regional campuses, I made a whole set of friends those 2 years, and another set 2 years later when we all matriculated back to the main campus for clinical rotations.

Some of the best friends of my life were made in those years, and I fondly remember those social outings getting to know my fellow classmates. While starting residency was similar, the more serious nature and long hours of the job didn’t have the same immediate social aspect that I remember from medical school.

“Anatomy group 2” – would end up being the best of friends! *Note the radial nerve palsy “wrist drop” demonstration*

2) Less responsibility in the prime of your life

This may not apply to the non-traditional applicants, but for many of us, medical school was a period of little real responsibility during the prime years of life. By residency, many had settled down and had marriages and children, and more “adult” responsibilities – myself included. Medical school was a bridge between college and the real world, a time when about the only thing I really had to worry about was passing the next test and what beer special would be available immediately after. Despite the intensity of medical school, I had more hobbies, a wider range of friends, went to more social events, and was in better shape than at any point after.

Halloween 2010 “Charlie’s Angels” – now one anesthesiologist and three amazing pediatricians!

3) Financially simpler

Speaking of less responsibility, financially life was also much simpler. Loans in, money out. Repeat x 8 semesters. While I made my share of financial mistakes in medical school and looking back would do a lot more to cut down on my $185,000 of debt in medical school, at the time I didn’t know any better. Ignorance is bliss! I lived cheaply but spent money on a lot of fun events. Cancun trip after Step 2? Absolutely… it’s just loans right!? Now, I pay >$100,000/year in taxes, worry about 401ks, Roth IRAs, life insurance, disability insurance, taxable accounts, asset allocation, retirement goals, on and on and on!

Ideally, you start to get caught up with finances toward the end of medical school, well before you make the same financial mistakes in residency I did. Go in knowing “loans = bad” and try to live simply, minimizing too much lifestyle spending. Then in 3rd or 4th year read a book like “The White Coat Investor” and start to plan your future. But those first two years? Focus on studying and getting ahead academically!

4) Being around best academic centers and the best academic minds

While this applies to both medical school and residency, I do often miss being around the big academic centers where the brightest minds in the medical world all worked together. There was always a certain bit of inspiration being taught by someone who had literally written the book (or chapter) on the subject! Add to that the amazing opportunities to see the latest cutting-edge medical care/technology that an academic center has at their disposal, it’s really a phenomenal part of your life and education. Now that I’m off on my own in a more rural area without some of those resources, I really look back at how lucky I was to have that experience.

5) Being in awe of medicine!

I remember being impressed by so much as a medical student, especially by things that are routine now. Seeing medical students talk about their first intubations or central lines on Twitter with such excitement reminds me just how excited I used to be about those same procedures. Now as I regularly practice cardiac anesthesia, I aim to do an intubation, art line, central line, Swan-Ganz catheter and get it done in within the first 30 min of the case. I rarely think about just how awesome it felt to successfully do any ONE of those in training. So much in medicine does become routine, I miss that wide-eyed wonder of what is now my everyday job.

Now, do I REALLY miss being in medical school? Ok, of course not. I’m happy and settled down in a much more permanent life (finally) with my wife and daughter. I’m happy to be in a great job in a quiet part of Indiana. And of course, it’s nice to be so well rewarded financially to do a job I love. I’m very thankful for this life in medicine!!

But that’s not really the point of this post – the real point is to show that no matter how rough medical school seems going through it, there are parts of that journey that may be unique to that time. Pieces of you may change and never return to that stage as you progress professionally and personally. So enjoy it! Live it up! Medical school will be over before you know it, and yes, there are parts you just might miss someday!

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