Is medicine as hard as it is made out to be?

Hey all,

I'm gonna decide whether i want to do medicine in the next couple of days, and then if i do want to, i'll book my ukcat. (I've heard the price doubles in the last two weeks of registration, is that true?)

I've tried thinking about all the downsides of medicine. And one of them is that it's complicated, and there's loads of stuff to learn. But is it THAT hard, that you're chained to your desk your entire uni life? Or is it more like studying hard every other day and understanding what you're studying? Is it hard to remember everything; cos there's so much to learn, isn't it really easy to forget stuff?

Some positive sides of medicine are the fact that it would be interesting to understand how the body works and how it reacts to disease and the environment. It would be cool to be able to communicate to patients, and then hopefully help them, even if they are ungrateful. Making a diagnosis would be cool (although, it obviously isn't anything like the way Greg House does it lol).

Yeah, so inside all of my waffling, my question is whether medicine is really that hard, that unless you're a genuis you shouldn't go for it?

Reply 1

Creative

10

If you can meet the grade requirements, you're quite capable of studying medicine at uni :smile:

. I don't think all doctors are geniuses, they've just been taught how to be good doctors... at med school :p:

.

Reply 2

Helenia

20

In no way do you need to be a genius. Yes, there's a lot to learn, but the vast majority of it is not conceptually difficult. And you do forget a lot, but it's still familiar when you go back over it at a later date. The best doctors are not always the cleverest ones. :wink:

You can also definitely do Medicine without being chained to your desk. There are times when you have to knuckle down, but I've had a pretty awesome social life throughout med school and have done ok for myself. :smile:

Reply 3

mc_watson87

18

Medicine is a lot harder and a lot more work than other degrees. Did medicine for a year and found it really tough the work load and the hours per week were too much for my liking. I didn't like the course structure, it was too ambiguous with so much I was meant to be doing on my own behind the scenes. :colondollar:

I changed to Physics and its a lot easier and a lot less work than Med.

It didn't require too high a level of intelligence though, just the ability when need be to sit down and work... something I distinctly lack.

Reply 4

ThisLittlePiggy

12

The course work in Medicine is not particularly hard and as Helenia has said, you do not need to be especially clever.Many of the Doctors that I have met have also said this.

However, the volume of work can sometimes be staggering and it some times seems to come at you thick and fast. Some careful planning and diligence ,however, would easily allow you to do your work and have a great social life.

One thing that you need to know is that it does not end with medical school and you will have to study years after graduating for the various career progressing exams.So if you are work shy in any way then things could be a little rough.

Reply 5

maxi321

8

Id imagine medicine is alot more work than most degrees, but watching arts students go out partying it raw, whilst your in your room doing a 3000 word essay, is something you're gonna have to brave if you want to pass your degree. on the other hand its a fun, varied degree and it beats sitting in a classroom learning about the russian revolution.

Reply 6

Wasps26

My parents who are both doctors say content wise its like learning 4 languages. But med students apparently have a rep for being some of the biggest partyers/have the most intense social life, probably because they get so little time to do it they make the most of it!

And Maxi321 I guess at this point I should argue that History is cool if you take a glance at my sig, but I actually agree with you! You can't guess I'm a wannabe med student can you?! :smile:

Reply 7

maxi321

8

From history to medicine, thats quite a leep; although oddly I have a friend who wants to make that exact transition.

Reply 8

Wasps26

It is indeed quite a leap and will no doubt mean more work than your average med degree, but its an entirely possible leap and I fully intend to make it!
I have the added benefit of doctors for parents (although sometimes it really doesn't fell like a benefit! But in terms of medicine I suppose it helps!) in that I know what I'm letting myself in for!

What I would say to the OP is I'm sure you can deal with the stress/hard work and pressure that comes with a medicine degree, but it may be more a matter of whether you want to deal with it or not....

Reply 9

Amrito-Dorito

Just gotta sit your arse down and revise the load of lectures lying in front of you.

i.e. Don't procrastinate and you'll pass.

Reply 10

Tyraell

13

loyal

(I've heard the price doubles in the last two weeks of registration, is that true?)

It went up by £15 when I did it, I assume it's the same now?

Wasps26

My parents who are both doctors say content wise its like learning 4 languages. But med students apparently have a rep for being some of the biggest partyers/have the most intense social life, probably because they get so little time to do it they make the most of it!

And Maxi321 I guess at this point I should argue that History is cool if you take a glance at my sig, but I actually agree with you! You can't guess I'm a wannabe med student can you?! :smile:

I thought you were kidding then! What ever made you want to do medicine via history?

Reply 11

Amrito-Dorito

Yeah my Mum and Dad are both doctors and they do NOT seem like they work full-on geeks at Uni and I know this for a fact. They still go out and get hammered even now and the pictures I've seen from them in Medical school lead me to believe they were, like me, hardcore last minute-ers.

Reply 12

michaela_banana

9

I agree with the above - you don't need to be a genius, very little is conceptually challenging. If you understood a-level chemistry (and I didn't!) then you'll definitely be fine. By far the worst part about studying medicine is the sheer volume you have to remember. It's tedious and time consuming, but not difficult if you get a good system going. Medics in my experience tend to mix business with pleasure so to speak more than other courses, because the volume's so high mixing it up with study groups at the pub or over dinner work really well and can be very good fun (if you agree to stop studying once one of you's too drunk to say pharmacology without slurring!)

Reply 13

ThisLittlePiggy

12

DrDomDom

I wouldnt have any respect for them if they were my parents.

What? People aren't allowed to get drunk?

Reply 14

jseldis

7

michaela_banana

I agree with the above - you don't need to be a genius, very little is conceptually challenging. If you understood a-level chemistry (and I didn't!) then you'll definitely be fine. By far the worst part about studying medicine is the sheer volume you have to remember. It's tedious and time consuming, but not difficult if you get a good system going. Medics in my experience tend to mix business with pleasure so to speak more than other courses, because the volume's so high mixing it up with study groups at the pub or over dinner work really well and can be very good fun (if you agree to stop studying once one of you's too drunk to say pharmacology without slurring!)

See that's quite a cool idea! That's my idea of fun!

EDIT : After reading that back, maybe I need to get out more.

Reply 15

AEH

8

Medicine just takes a bit more planning and is a bit more of a general slog than other degrees. This applies to just about everything about it; the stuff you need to learn, the organisation and the money. If you think ahead and don't let yourself get knocked around by events then its quite do-able. I'm not exactly a genius and I haven't failed anything here (Yet...hopefully).

Reply 16

ThisLittlePiggy

12

Maybe in Staffordshire they do. I've been to plenty of charity balls, and whilst the people may not be vomiting all over the place, they have been pretty ****** up.

Reply 17

angelmxxx

14

maxi321

From history to medicine, thats quite a leep; although oddly I have a friend who wants to make that exact transition.

i've just made that decision, although the other way round! i have soo much extra history reading to do :s-smilie:

Reply 18

Saffie

11

Its not hard in the way people make out.
Exams are scary but totally doable.

Its the long hours, and constant serious issues, having to sit exams for years after your peers, beurocrasy, lack of job control, being constantly responsible, running around hospitals, others expectations... and so on, that are hard.

Reply 19

AEH

8

That, and having to use the phrase "No, the NHS, the government or any other organisation don't give me any flavour of bursary at all, I pay for it with debt".

Is medicine as hard as it is made out to be?

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