I'm thinking of dropping out of Medical school

Hi,

I'm in my 2nd year of med school (3 years left) and I've been debating leaving for a while now. I find the course very hard and I constantly feel like I don't understand it and in turn it means I don't really enjoy anything being taught. I find it very difficult to remain motivated for 3 more years of study if it's going to stay like this.

I'm very hesitant as I'm weary that I've invested 2 years of my time and money into something that would become totally useless and I don't want to feel like I've just wasted 2 years of my life. My decision to choose medicine as a degree wasn't very well informed and I was only 17 at the time not really understanding what I'd be getting into and never really considered other degrees as its what I thought someone who's fairly smart does.

Now I have been thinking I would enjoy a degree more in the realms of Biology/geography/zoology or that kind of area. But again I'm hesitant as I know medicine will go directly to a well paid job whereas the others don't have that same guarantee.

Has anyone done this before or know anyone who has, or just generally any thoughts in general. Thanks x

Hey! Sorry you're not enjoying med school!

As a previous poster mentioned, it is important to carefully consider the consequences of dropping out.

As a final year medic, who resat a year and also intercalated (elsewhere), I knew I did not enjoy my course by the end of first year. Unfortunately, that never changed, and once I intercalated in a different degree, I only felt stronger this way. For the reasons already provided (years invested, money, being blacklisted, job prospects etc) I continued to push through and continue with med school. However, I do wish I didn't. I wish I had dropped out after first year or after intercalating or after my first clinical placement year- because these were all pivotal points of the degree, telling me that med school life was not for me. The toll of pursuing a course that I didn't enjoy for so long has been immense and I wish I hadn't let my inner critique and other's opinions get to me. I have known people to drop out and really enjoy themselves and find themselves again so I think if you feel strongly enough, it's better now than later. If in doubt, wait for your first clinical year/intercalation and reassess your feelings. x

Hi,

I'm in my 2nd year of med school (3 years left) and I've been debating leaving for a while now. I find the course very hard and I constantly feel like I don't understand it and in turn it means I don't really enjoy anything being taught. I find it very difficult to remain motivated for 3 more years of study if it's going to stay like this.

I'm very hesitant as I'm weary that I've invested 2 years of my time and money into something that would become totally useless and I don't want to feel like I've just wasted 2 years of my life. My decision to choose medicine as a degree wasn't very well informed and I was only 17 at the time not really understanding what I'd be getting into and never really considered other degrees as its what I thought someone who's fairly smart does.

Now I have been thinking I would enjoy a degree more in the realms of Biology/geography/zoology or that kind of area. But again I'm hesitant as I know medicine will go directly to a well paid job whereas the others don't have that same guarantee.

Has anyone done this before or know anyone who has, or just generally any thoughts in general. Thanks x

Hi,

I'm in my 2nd year of med school (3 years left) and I've been debating leaving for a while now. I find the course very hard and I constantly feel like I don't understand it and in turn it means I don't really enjoy anything being taught. I find it very difficult to remain motivated for 3 more years of study if it's going to stay like this.

I'm very hesitant as I'm weary that I've invested 2 years of my time and money into something that would become totally useless and I don't want to feel like I've just wasted 2 years of my life. My decision to choose medicine as a degree wasn't very well informed and I was only 17 at the time not really understanding what I'd be getting into and never really considered other degrees as its what I thought someone who's fairly smart does.

Now I have been thinking I would enjoy a degree more in the realms of Biology/geography/zoology or that kind of area. But again I'm hesitant as I know medicine will go directly to a well paid job whereas the others don't have that same guarantee.

Has anyone done this before or know anyone who has, or just generally any thoughts in general. Thanks x

Also curious as to what you decided to do as I'm currently in pretty much the same boat right now as well haha

What year are you in? How come you are considering dropping out?

Also 2nd year medic, in London. Just general lack of motivation/drive for the course and second thoughts on whether I actually want to be a doctor for the rest of my life. Plus my family are far away and whilst I got used to that eventually in 1st year, some personal problems with friends have made it a bit tougher for me to deal with that in 2nd year and even more so now, with exam anxiety.

Right now just trying to cram for the exams which are very close. Figure I might as well just focus on trying to pass my 2nd year exams for now and then I can have all summer to be with my family and ponder over my future haha

Hi. I can totally see how you getting through a med degree is nigh on impossible without real motivation but leaving after 2nd year is a really huge decision. Once you quit med, there is no going back so you need to be 100% sure that it is not the career for you.
I found this old thread about quitting after year 3 that might be helpful...hope it works....

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5834182#:~:text=Yes%2C%20you%20can%20do%20your,three%20years%20of%20clinical%20medicine.&text=Also%20bear%20in%20mind%20that,allow%20every%20student%20to%20intercalate.

Might be worth trying to stick it out to end of 3rd year and leaving with a qualification and then maybe a year out? To consider your future and then maybe continue or do a masters in something different?
I am no expert so do not want to give you any false info so hopefully @GANFYD will be able to say if above is possible or give you some ideas on how best to move forward in this tricky situation.
I wish you the best.

Thanks very much, that's really helpful.

I agree with what you said, I don't really think it should be done before 3rd year because then, hypothetically, at least I could get some sort of degree to at least make it worth my while.

One of the main things that's stopping me from having dropped out already (along with not wanting to feel like I wasted 2 years worth of time + tuition) is that, as you said, it's a very irreversible definitive decision and I'll be done with med as far as UK med schools are concerned. I'm going to be intercalating in a humanities-based degree next year (3rd year) so hopefully that'll be a nice break from the preclinical slog. I'm hoping after that, clinical years will be a bit better, as it's more practical and useful (and that's one of the main things I've hated about preclin years - insane amounts of revising the minutia of clinically irrelevant stuff).