Wednesday, April 11, 2007

All of the things that sit at the top of my to-do list are things that I really don't have any motivation to do. I have found myself reading physiology just to procrastinate stuff I find even more distasteful. So I have started setting things up so that I am forced into deadlines. Like scheduling meetings I need to complete things for or setting up equipment to make myself do experiments in the lab. This has just led to another problem. After even a short time doing only things that I really have to do, I am starting to get resentful and even more unmotivated. In an attempt to prop up my waning enthusiasm for medical school I have made another push to schedule some shadowing. I always feel more hopeful about my new career in medicine after spending a few hours actually talking to patients. While a good idea in theory, scheduling all these extra things is just going to lead to a huge pressure on what little time I have left to finish all those other things I need to do.

So should I buckle down and put real effort into the things I need to do at the expense of my good mood? Or should I do the things I really like to do at the expense of my academics?

When I put it that way it really isn't even a question. I am going to go and call a couple more doctors right now.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Physiology the lesser of two evils? O dear. That's defintiely not fun. Striking a balance between book work, practical stuff and having a life is the hardest thing about medicine. I always get it utterly wrong all term and then have to drop everything in the last couple of weeks before exams to cram. Not fun!

I have not even a single pearl of wisdom to offer. Which makes me realise I have definitely been wasting the last 4 years of medical school. Surely I should have worked this out by now?!

Miette said...

Oh, I totally agree with you. I still recall things I learned in shadowing way more easily than things I learned in lecture/text. I don't regret the time I spent shadowing at all.

Feeling better after talking to patients is a sign that you made the right career choice (at least that's what I like to think!).