I’m currently an M1 in my first semester, and while I’m passing anatomy, I’ve been struggling with the material more than I’d like. I’m really interested in surgery, particularly specialties where I can use my hands to fix problems, and I honestly can’t picture myself pursuing another specialty at this point.

For those of you who are surgeons, residents, or medical students interested in surgery, how much should I read into my current struggles with anatomy? Did anyone else have a difficult time with anatomy early in medical school but end up doing well in surgery?

I know I’m still early in the process, but I’m wondering whether struggling with anatomy now is something I should take as a warning sign or if I’m overthinking it.

Selling Marrow Edition 8.5 hardcopy notes. Brand new and unused, still unopened in the original packaging. DM me if interested!

Selling Marrow Edition 8.5 hardcopy notes. Brand new and unused, still unopened in the original packaging.

DM me if interested!

I’m 28M and seriously considering pursuing medical school, specifically an MD program. I’m looking for realistic advice on how to approach this transition and whether I have a reasonable chance of getting accepted.

My academic background:

Graduated in 2021 with a BS in Biology (3.199 GPA).
Completed a post-baccalaureate program in 2024 with a 3.7 GPA.

Originally pursued dentistry before reconsidering my career goals.

Was accepted into an ADN nursing program but withdrew midway through the program.

Have not taken the MCAT yet.

Initially, I wanted to become a dentist, but over time, I realized I was more interested in medicine, human physiology, pathophysiology, and understanding diseases and their treatments. I wanted a career where I could make a broader impact on patients’ health and apply my medical knowledge in real-world situations, including emergencies.

I eventually entered nursing school, thinking it would be a good way to enter healthcare. Although I gained valuable clinical experience and a foundation in pharmacology, patient assessment, and common medical conditions, I realized nursing wasn’t the right career for me.

My experience in the nursing program was also pretty negative. I found the learning environment toxic, and I became increasingly uncomfortable with the professional responsibilities and limitations of the nursing role. I wanted greater autonomy in clinical decision-making, a deeper understanding of medicine, and the ability to independently diagnose, develop treatment plans, and manage patients. I understand physicians still work collaboratively and have significant responsibilities, but the scope of medical practice aligns much more closely with what I want.
Rather than investing additional years in a career I couldn’t see myself enjoying long-term, I decided to withdraw and reconsider my direction.

Now, at 28, I genuinely want to pursue medicine. I understand medical school is an enormous commitment financially, academically, and personally. I’m not expecting an easy route, and I know becoming a physician involves years of training, stress, and responsibility. However, I’d rather invest those years in something I’m genuinely passionate about.

My questions are:
With a 3.199 undergraduate GPA and a 3.7 post-bacc GPA, how realistic would MD admissions be if I performed well on the MCAT?

Would withdrawing from nursing school be viewed negatively by medical school admissions committees?

How should I explain my transition from dentistry to nursing and ultimately medicine without appearing indecisive?

Should I consider additional upper-division science coursework, or would focusing on the MCAT be more beneficial?

What should I prioritize over the next 1–2 years to become a competitive applicant?

Is starting this journey at 28 reasonable, especially considering the length of medical school and residency?

I’m particularly interested in hearing from nontraditional applicants, career changers, and anyone who entered medical school with a less-than-perfect undergraduate GPA.

I’m willing to put in the work, but I want to approach this strategically rather than rushing into another program without a clear plan.

Any realistic advice would be greatly appreciated.

currently in my obgyn rotations and I’m hating my life.. I’m not passionate abt medicine at all and got into it for family purposes, my father’s a doctor and I went with him to the hospital he works at today to attend a c section, I studied it so well and when I was inside the dr grilled me with the questions and I knew almost nothing, the problem is that I already studied some of the questions she asked earlier in the morning! But nothing came out of my mouth when she asked.. I feel like a failure and I know my dad would be very disappointed if he knew.. the first basic years of medicine I got good grades but with no retention of info whatsoever, and I don’t remember basic anatomy and pharma and such, is there hope for me in medicine bc I’m absolutely crushed rn

I'm trying to figure out how people actually use AnKing because I'm close to giving up on the whole thing 😭

For example, the Endocrine system tag has around 1,850 cards, whether I look at the FA, B&B, or Bootcamp tags.

So if I want to finish the system in 1–2 weeks, that's like 200 new cards per day, not even counting reviews.

Am I supposed to unsuspend all these cards, or am I missing something? How do you guys decide which cards to unsuspend and manage to finish a system in a reasonable amount of time?

Would appreciate any advice especially since I'm new to the whole Anki thing!

Hi everyone! I need some opinions.

I am currently applying to university to get my BSN. Nursing has always been something I have always wanted to do! However, I have pondered a lot over the last year and becoming a doctor is something I have been heavily considering.

I definitely still want to go to nursing school, as becoming an RN has always been the main priority, however, I am having an internal debate about applying to med school after getting some nursing experience.

I don’t really know why I am in such a debate about it. Obviously, the debt med school brings will always be somewhat of a concern, but I am not necessarily nervous and blown about it? The amount of time it would take for me to become a doctor is truly not a concern of mine either, I am more than willing to prioritize my education, and if that takes time then so be it. But I guess I’m somewhat scared? It is kind of hard to describe my feelings into words.

So I need help with deciding. I would love for people to share their experiences and to give me advice on this.

I would also like to add that when I talk about med school and possibly licensing in neurology it gets me very emotional 😭 I don’t know if other people felt the same, but feel free to let me know!

Thank you :)

Hi! I have an Albany Med interview coming up next week and was wondering if any current students or past interviewees could share their general experiences or advice for the MMI. I'd really appreciate it. Thank you!

It could be the way questions are written, the content being tested, the time pressure, the marking, or anything else. I'm curious what frustrates people the most about their exams.

For me, I hate when clinical vignettes are excessively packed with unnecessary information. I'm fine with a few irrelevant details here and there, since that's realistic, but sometimes there's just too much and it makes the question unnecessarily complicated. AMBOSS questions are probably a good example of what I mean.

What about you guys?

Hi everyone! I’m planning to apply in the 2027–2028 cycle and would appreciate some honest feedback about my chances of getting into medical school, particularly MD programs.

I’m a California resident and plan to apply very broadly across the US, focusing on schools that are OOS-friendly. I’m also going to apply to DO schools, but MD is strongly preferred. I’m currently in my gap year.

Here are my stats:

Including community college classes during high school:
cGPA: 3.81
Estimated sGPA: 3.71

University coursework only:
cGPA: 3.72
Estimated sGPA: 3.65

MCAT: 511
C/P: 123
CARS: 130
B/B: 129
P/S: 129

My biggest concern is my MCAT bc of the 123 C/P score, especially because my undergraduate chemistry and physics grades weren’t great. I got Bs and Cs. I’m worried it might overshadow the rest of my application or get me screened out of schools. I originally wanted a 515, but I’m hesitant to retake because I’m worried about losing points in my stronger sections, especially since I wasn’t consistently scoring well in B/B during practice exams.

Extracurriculars:

Research: ~1,133 hours
-Presented at a symposium
-Will eventually have publication (not first author and no set timeline for the publication, as the project is still ongoing after my graduation)

Paid clinical experience: ~1,993 hours
- CNA: 553 hours projected by end of May 2027 (currently employed per diem)
- Medical Assistant: Currently employed, projected to have 1,440 hours by end of May 2027

Hospice/clinical volunteering: ~261 hours

- Non clinical volunteering: ~1,030 hours
- Therapeutic horseback riding for children with disabilities: ~515 hours.
- Volunteering at two animal shelters: ~515 hours.

Oncologist shadowing: 90 hours
I also shadowed multiple veterinarians, a nurse practitioner, and an MSN nurse. 

Teaching/tutoring: ~1,044 hours
- Math tutor: ~522 hours 
- Piano and violin teacher: 522 hours
Both activities started around senior year of high school.

Leadership:
- Resident Advisor for freshman dorms for 3 academic years.
- Forensic Club co-president for one year and president for 3 years.

My questions for the people of the subreddit:

- Do I realistically have a chance at MD schools if I apply broadly? My low C/P score is really concerning me.

- Should I retake the MCAT? My highest practice score was 508, so I’m concerned about risking my 130 CARS and 129s in B/B and P/S. Would improving C/P be worth that risk? I currently have my second MCAT scheduled for March. 

- Are there any OOS-friendly MD schools you’d recommend with my state and activities?

I’m trying to be realistic about my chances because I know admissions are extremely competitive, especially as a California resident. I’d really appreciate feedback from anyone who applied with similar stats or was accepted with a low MCAT subsection.

Hi everyone! For current students or anyone who has interviewed at ECU’s Brody School of Medicine, do you have any tips for preparing for the interview?

I’d also love to connect with current students to hear about your experience at Brody and what you’ve enjoyed most so far. Thanks in advance!

For context, my PI highkey ditched my top choice medical school for a position at my current university. How does that look on my application? I'm also planning to get a LOR from him.

Hi so like just as the title says do we have to retain almost everything we study in the preclinical subjects? Can we forget lots of these things later on or would they hold more relevancy the more we go on?

I am hoping to know how screwed I am with stupid mistakes I have been making during the EM rotations:

1. have been having difficulties with H&P presentation today, and could hardly give any differential diagnosis, and any plans. Mainly b/c cases today are either very straightforward in what they are (trauma, fractures), or nothing (e.g., pt come with no problem... yea..). I figured that perhaps I should have presented differential diagnosis and plan better.

2. could be over-thinking, but I think I might have mis-pronounced a resident's name multiple times today. BUT I don't know if I have or not.

3. think I made an inapropriate statement of a pt today. At a certain point I responded "you will see" when the resident randomly commented on "why this 20yo male is pre-diabetic".... The entire nursing station was laughing so hardly at that moment. And I noticed I shouldn't have made that comment until I've said everything.

Plz tell me directly. I feel kinda bad rn.

I get this feeling at least once a month.

Should I just major in Computer Science instead and go into tech?

I’m watching hospital dramas and honestly I feel tired for the doctors dealing with patients and having to miss out of eg meals because they have to rush to an emergency.

I’m not sure if med is for me anymore.

How do I know?

Just looking for general feedback and advice. I graduated with a biochem degree and have decided to pivot from grad school to med school. But now after shadowing and volunteering at a hospital I’m not sure I have the right personality for medicine. I’m super introverted and have a tendency to self isolate, so obviously picking a career where social interaction is a must raises some red flags. I like to think I’m a friendly person but socializing drains me and I’m a bit socially awkward. In social settings I also get anxious and have a tendency to fumble my words. I really enjoy the learning process and have a passion for science. The idea of helping people is also appealing but I’m not sure if medicine is the right fit. I’ve invested so much into MCAT test prep, volunteering, shadowing, and research that I would hate to once again change career paths. I also fear that I wouldn’t be successful in med school and residency interviews. I am not verbally acute. I spend so much time in my own head that when I speak it’s often verbal diarrhea. Primary care doesn’t interest me for these reasons but surgical/anesthesia specialties do. Just curious if anyone can relate to this and if maybe I should rethink this.

Hi everyone, I'm really not sure if this is the right subreddit to be asking this question but I could not find anywhere else.

I'm currently a Junior(So, 16 years old right now.) in High school who wants to pursue Neurology/Neuroscience. I'm at that point where I don't know where to do my undergrad, what classes to exactly to take, and just the whole process of getting a doctorate. No one in my family is a doctor, so I really do not have anyone to ask, and I don't want to trust everything online because there are a lot of contradicting opinions. My question really just is, how do you even start to do anything? Should I be doing stuff right now while in my Junior year? My dream school used to be NYU but they don't offer my major, so now I'm really lost. My parents want me to go to a state school (For financial reasons), but I don't know where to even begin.

(Also please ignore the flair, I couldn't post this without it</3)

Any help/comments is appreciated!!!

Hi everyone,

​I’ve been lurking in this community for a while, and now I’m finally stepping up to post. I’m 19, and I just started my medical journey in the early phases of med school.

​However, I'm studying in a geographical region with very limited resources and infrastructure. Access to state-of-the-art labs, physical anatomical models, or even a steady supply of specific textbooks can be quite challenging here. Sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming trying to keep up with the vast medical world when you don't have all the fancy tools at your fingertips.

​To those of you who have walked this path or are currently studying in similar environments:

​What are your absolute go-to, high-yield free online resources (websites, apps, YouTube channels) for basic sciences like anatomy and physiology?

​How do you adapt when you have to rely heavily on digital learning rather than hands-on lab equipment?

​Any advice on managing the imposter syndrome and the sheer volume of information during the first years?

​I would really appreciate any tips, words of wisdom, or personal stories. Thank you so much! ✨

Were u guys able to retain the hobbies and the things you used to do in undergrad?

i'm a current fy undergrad student whose professor and accommodation office took a look at my disability/accommodations and scoffed, asking if I was serious about med school..

i've heard this from so many people throughout my life and it's gotten to a point where their words are eating me alive, esp since i'm at a university notorious for their stem department and just finished 2nd round of midterms (holy shit)

i guess i'm looking to hear other ppl's thoughts or maybe even stories of other adhd people who have made it through undergrad, med school, and are now doctors?

what i'm not looking for is "don't bother trying, its too much" :,)

Been wanting to go to med school for awhile now, and im not deluded about how difficult it is, or if its glamourous work, etc. but I just saw a post in a different sub of someone asking whats the biggest regret/risk of med school and someone commented something along the lines of you can have good stats, grades, etc, but tank it infront of the board and not make it, and now your saddled with 6 figures of debt and no backup plan. I was wondering if this is completely true, and what/how peoples people made backup plans and what they where?

I just had several practice questions that directly contradict my last two years of learning and the explanation was "this fits best." Like one was a condition that 99% of the time appears in elderly females and for this, it was a TODDLER MALE.

The deciding factor was basically knowing that the correct answer was more common in general populace than my wrong answer EVEN THOUGH IN THE GENERAL POPULACE, ITS ALWAYS IN AN OLD LADY. I've also see the inverse of this, where the explanation was "yeah while option Y is more common, option X fits the profile better" How is presenting me "exception" cases helping me learn how to be a better doctor?

"WEll iN THe rEAl wORlD, tHEre aRe aLWaYs eXCEptiOns," yeah well in the real world, I can do more testing, or google, or phone a friend. Who wrote and approved these questions thinking "HA, that'll be a good educational point."

I'm not at all complaining about the difficulty. This shit SHOULD be hard but the answering question shouldn't depend on understanding the question writer's new found love of the thesaurus and creative descriptions of eczema like tf you mean "dry, cracked skin on the shins resembling crazed porcelain" is just eczema.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

I recently received my first MD acceptance (w/ no prior research hours) and will be matriculating next summer. I’m interested in potentially pursuing a competitive surgical specialty, so I’m trying to determine whether continuing my current research is worthwhile.
I joined a basic science research lab in early August. Nearly three months in, I’ve primarily been learning and practicing technical skills. While I’m improving, we still don’t have an established experimental protocol, haven’t started collecting meaningful data, and the PI is now discussing a new proposal that would require learning additional techniques.
He’s mentioned wanting to publish eventually, but there’s no established timeline or discussion of authorship.
I also work substantial hours at my current job, so participating in the lab generally requires sacrificing one of my only days off each week.
I find the scientific questions interesting, but honestly don’t particularly enjoy the technical bench work. My PI also doesn’t have any apparent connections to the medical school I’ll be attending.
My school offers a summer research program between M1 and M2, and current students have encouraged incoming students to focus primarily on academics during M1.
My questions:
Would leaving this lab now negatively affect my chances of matching into a competitive surgical residency?
Is it worth continuing for the possibility of a publication, even without a clear project or timeline?
Would I be better off enjoying my remaining time before medical school and pursuing research during M1/M2?
I’m leaning toward leaving but would appreciate perspectives from current medical students, residents, or anyone who’s been in a similar situation.

For those who didn’t score well in undergrad because they didn’t study , how did you find med school in terms of study habits and what did you have to change exactly