Can i restart medicine?

Like I'm in 4th year but need to go back to year 1. I don't feel I have developed as a medical student socially and academically (other than just passing exams).

Reply 1

Reality Check

Original post by Anonymous

Like I'm in 4th year but need to go back to year 1. I don't feel I have developed as a medical student socially and academically (other than just passing exams).

You can't repeat assessments and examinations you've already passed, no. That would be having two bites of the cherry.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Original post by Reality Check

You can't repeat assessments and examinations you've already passed, no. That would be having two bites of the cherry.

Well I can't really drop out now - no medical school would accept me plus I don't think I would make it through the admission stage. I think I was very lucky. I don't have the IT that other medical students do and I don't know how to improve on that. Everyone is well-spoken, smart, has a strong work ethic - I am the complete opposite, way way behind.

Reply 3

Reality Check

Original post by Anonymous

If you've got to the fourth year, you can't be that bad! You sound like you're being very hard on yourself.

What support have you sought from your tutors/lecturers?

Reply 4

Reality Check

I"m just going to tag in here because this shouldn't be in the forum it currently is. You'll get more relevant answers if it's moved.

Reply 5

MuhammadAS

Original post by Anonymous

Like I'm in 4th year but need to go back to year 1. I don't feel I have developed as a medical student socially and academically (other than just passing exams).

Hey there, I’m a medical student and would love to talk in depth about your concerns, if you wanted to with someone. Just message me privately

Reply 6

Anonymous #1

Original post by Reality Check

If you've got to the fourth year, you can't be that bad! You sound like you're being very hard on yourself.

What support have you sought from your tutors/lecturers?

THAT IS WHAT IS SO SHOCKING.

I don't think they teach me or mould me into the medical student I want to be. I think I just have to accept what I am unfortunately. It is incredibly hard when you are having a group session and you are the only one not participating because you have nothing to say at all (and not really because of shyness). This has happened so many times :frown:

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

Original post by MuhammadAS

Hey there, I’m a medical student and would love to talk in depth about your concerns, if you wanted to with someone. Just message me privately

Is there such a thing as brain transplants yet because boy do I need it. My main worry or concern is the lack of contributions I make. I don't know what's wrong my brain but I hardly talk aghhh

Reply 8

MuhammadAS

Original post by Anonymous

Is there such a thing as brain transplants yet because boy do I need it. My main worry or concern is the lack of contributions I make. I don't know what's wrong my brain but I hardly talk aghhh

I mean you’ve said you haven’t developed socially, academically and feel like you don’t contribute. I was wondering if you’ve had any anxiety, depression or other MH issues - diagnosed or not. Maybe that have kept you from feeling a part of your cohort/course, be confident in yourself etc etc

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

Original post by MuhammadAS

Can depression can cause cognitive decline as bad as I am experiencing? And is it fixable? You are right, I am struggling. I do not socialise at all, I have not made any friends at university and I stay in room all day - this is why I was thinking of restarting medicine and getting a fresh start with the right support behind me.

Reply 10

MuhammadAS

Original post by Anonymous

I think depression can definitely affect people differently. And I wouldn’t say cognitive decline - but from personal experience it does hinder your ability to engage with work, with everything really. Sometimes I thought should I just drop out and go do another degree but it’s taken me to deal with my MH to feel a lot more comfortable and happy today, and to be able to work. I think the situation you do present is something that won’t be fixed from restarting medicine because if you’re still depressed, and that withdrawn it’s a cycle that will repeat. You need to deal with your MH.

Reply 11

MuhammadAS

Would like to add, the countless number of people I know who are dealing with MH, feeling like they’re not good enough or doing great both within medicine and outside. If you haven’t. Get in touch with your PT, academic or clinical supervisor. And be honest about how you feel. Talk to your GP, and deal with MH, and even disability services at university. You need them all to know your current situation and maybe they’ll be able to advise you a lot better and help you.

Reply 12

MuhammadAS

Thank you for this!! I wasn’t sure myself

Reply 13

Democracy

Original post by Anonymous

Like I'm in 4th year but need to go back to year 1. I don't feel I have developed as a medical student socially and academically (other than just passing exams).

Are you the same user who's been posting multiple similar threads and posts like this over the past few months?

I think you really need to sit down and have a chat with your personal tutor in the first instance. From an academic perspective you're almost certainly fine - you don't get to fourth year by chance. You do sound like you have very low self-confidence and self-esteem though, and I think this is something you need face-to-face help with rather than anonymous posts online.

If you think there is an element of anxiety and depression mixed in with this (certainly a possibility) you should also make an appointment with your GP.

:smile:

Reply 14

Anonymous #1

Original post by Democracy

It's just difficult to speak to my tutor or a GP about it because I'm on different rotations at the moment away from campus...

Reply 15

Democracy

Original post by Anonymous

It's just difficult to speak to my tutor or a GP about it because I'm on different rotations at the moment away from campus...

Yeah that's a bit cumbersome but if you email your tutor they could suggest a mutually convenient time. If this means missing placement for a morning or afternoon that's fine, I think your medical school would far rather you actually discussed this rather than struggling with it alone indefinitely.

Same goes for arranging a GP appointment.

Reply 16

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

Is there such a thing as brain transplants yet because boy do I need it. My main worry or concern is the lack of contributions I make. I don't know what's wrong my brain but I hardly talk aghhh

If its any consolation - I basically didnt make any contributions at my PBL based med school (i would try to get my 1 sentence in per session so I could breathe knowing I have at least spoken) btw also not shy at all, just didnt know enough to speak in PBL apart from the psychosocial stuff.

Fast forward - now an F2, with great 360/MSF/TABs, every clinical team I have worked with has given me positive feedback and I personally feel so much more confident than what I once did. I still don't know medicine/science to a molecular level but I know enough to be safe, competent and seek help when needed.

Hang in there, people like me/you arent that rare, many of my foundation colleagues describe similar experiences.

Reply 17

Anonymous #1

Original post by Anonymous

How were you outside of university? Did you have a social life/friends?

One thing that really frustrates is my lack of ability to recall knowledge from previous years and answer questions during teaching. Every single person I have met just seems so much more competent and knowledgable than me. I know I shouldn't compare myself to other people but my supervisors are always getting a bad impression of me and they often ask me why I am so quiet (urgh...because I don't know anything :frown:

)