Unbelievable but True

My friend and I were musing over the realities of medical school while prepping for our final gross anatomy exam. Both of us are in our 30s with kids. Our conversation went something like this...

Me: You know this is bad, but it isn't that bad.

New best friend: I was thinking the same thing! I was really thinking medical school would be much harder. I mean it's hard...

Me: But it's hard like it should be--not hard enough to kill you.

NBF: No! It was way worse in my mind.

Me: Yeah, I was totally having the "do I want to endure the pain?" inner-turmoil before applying.

NBF: Me too! People need to know it's not that bad. Well, it's bad, but not that bad.

Me: No worse than it needs to be. I cannot believe how much we need to know!

NBF: Totally agree. I definitely think it is manageable though. I mean, it's hard, but manageable.

Me: If I knew it would be so manageable, I probably would have applied sooner.


So there you go. An unsolicited "you can do this!" endorsement from two med-student mommies. Maybe, just maybe, motherhood has given us super powers that let us sail through the storm that would sink 20-somethings. Or maybe, medical school really is survivable when you surround yourself with the right people at the right school.

Heading into the Home-stretch

A week from today I will be taking the National Board of Medical Examiners' Anatomy test. For some reason, I feel morally obligated to freak out, worry, and beat myself up for not being a diligent student. But, you know, I simply cannot do that. I am enjoying med school way to much.

And that, my friends, is the great surprise. Med school is fun. More fun than I ever imagined. And it is manageable. A year ago, as I eagerly anticipated my interviews, I was worried that I wouldn't really have what it takes to make it through medical school. You know--those doubts that you don't have the right stuff to balance the demands of adulthood (and no, my 22-year-old classmates really have no concept of this) with the commitment of being an uber-full-time student.

Please don't misconstrue me. I'm not saying medical school is easy. It isn't. But once I got over the fact that I can't know it all, and embraced my lack of desire to honor my classes, I entered my personal Zen-zone. It is a beautiful place to be. I'm learning, I'm growing, and I'm having a good time.