I took my final exam as a first-year medical student last Friday. It was an NBME shelf exam on micro and immunology, so that means that my score won't be released for another week or so. That's fine by me, as I'm certain I passed the course.
This past year has been a little like manageable insanity. Yeah. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean either. It wasn't easy. It wasn't unbearable. It kind of sucked. It was kind of cool, too. As I think about one more year of the "basic sciences" before I take USMLE Step 1, I get this sinking sensation in my gut. Really? More of this? Dang. I thought I signed up for a marathon, and somehow I ended up on a freaky 100-mile "ultra."
But, wait....there's more!
While 135 of my classmates are enjoying 8 weeks of summer break, I'm sitting in a meeting room with 14 other individuals who have opted to participate in a family medicine prep course. The downside is obvious: 4-hours of daily lecture plus additional clinical commitments, just like the regular school year. The upside is the opportunity to begin clerkships this fall instead of at the start of third year. Getting a head start on clerkships means that fourth year doesn't have to happen for us. All we have to do is give up our summers and add extra classes and clinical time to second year. Oh, yes, and commit to going into primary care. Some how, all of this struck me as much more reasonable 12 months ago. Twelve, long, pre-medical school, pre-burn-out months ago.
As tired as I am today, I'm not despairing. Mark my words. I will find time to hang out at the pool at least once a week. And I will consume my fair share of ice cream. Summer school might not be fun, but I'll do my best to make sure that summer is.
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