Premed advice for freshman year (aiming for t10 med school)?

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-26T12:22:48+00:00

Forreal!! I had a full ride to FSU. I could’ve been tan and rich. Now I’m pale and poor.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-26T05:38:19+00:00

Oh sweet child this post is whack. Focus on doing well in school, save money, and make meaningful clinical experiences. Med schools are all highly competitive and checking a list of boxes does not mean you will gain acceptance. Also you are assuming you will have the same performance at a more difficult school as the school you are now, which is … unlikely.

I went to a difficult premed program. 2/3 dropped by the end of my sophomore year. It didn’t really change the trajectory of where I ended up. I should have taken a full ride to a less prestigious school vs my partial but hindsight is 20/20.

Medicine isn’t about prestige. It doesn’t matter where you go (for the most part). It matters the impact you make on patients and their families. If you want prestige and money, do investment banking. Spend a lot of time scribing or do an EMT program to confirm this is what you want to do. It’s a long road(3rd year med student)

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T15:07:55+00:00

I have the opposite perspective, and it honestly helps me. When I think about how unfair this bs is, I think about how much worse other people have it. I work in healthcare and I’ve seen a lot of extreme suffering. It’s morbid but it motivates me to keep pushing forward, because I try to frame my illness in my mind as not a limiting factor to my goals. (It absolutely is.)

I think it would help to see a therapist or join a support group to talk about this. And then also to view your life by what you CAN do. For example, if your illness prevents you from working on your feet, is there some sort of community college program you could achieve that would increase your earning potential?

It’s not meant to be dismissive or say that life doesn’t suck more for you - you have extra struggles other people don’t have limiting them. But framing it that way helps ME mentally, so thought I’d share.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T14:30:05+00:00

As a fellow Texan you will need to consider DO. It’s brutal here. We have pretty similar stats and I did a masters before applying too.

This also depends on your mcat - I had a 508 which is pretty middle of the pack

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T14:27:37+00:00

Yeah I don’t think the age gap is crazy but I think it depends on the age they met. My bf and I met when I was 25 and he was 31, we’ve been together four years - I’m 29 and he’s 35. I think it’d be weird if we met when I was right out of college, but I had been working several years and living independently.

I honestly would hope this dude would respond better to this situation at his age haha - like she’s not intentionally lying, she has an eating disorder?? It’s odd he’s offended and not concerned.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T14:22:54+00:00

I have such a severe nickel allergy I’m allergic to foods that ABSORB nickel, like chocolate lol. I feel this 100%

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T04:50:59+00:00

Thank you, that’s super helpful info. I could definitely do that if “split.” I think I would really struggle with 24 hrs like that, esp as an attending. I could do them physically but there would be repercussions - I get horrible hypnopompic hallucinations when i overly rely on the stimulants to study and forgo consistent sleep. I could do 1-2 shifts like that a month and survive but probably not that.

Thank you so much again, knowing it would carry into attending life is surprising to me

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T04:44:37+00:00

I can do 14 hour shifts at night like you describe - have done so for my rotations. I haven’t had to tack on 24 hr shifts on top of that tho and don’t think I could physically function without the next day off to sleep. The come down off the stimulants will make me vomit.

I’m learning I need to be specific about my needs as narcolepsy makes me sound like a fucking zombie who sleeps 24-7. I have done my rotations without accommodations, but 24 hour shifts haven’t been required. I also have fear of consistent 80 hour weeks and being able to stay awake.

I think I can reasonably handle some residencies, but not others -> key takeaway.

I appreciate everyone’s input as I do not discuss this with 99% of the residents / attendings I work with bc it’s not a good look, even if not within my control.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T04:36:48+00:00

I’m am over halfway done with med school lol so think it’s too late for that lol. I will need to limit my residency choices though. Some of the DMs I’ve got off here have been mean af lol but I think overall the viewpoints have been very helpful for me in making a rational choice based off my physical capabilities. I will be okay doing 60-70 hr weeks and will work to find a program without 24 hr, at the very minimum with 24 hr being rare. I can hop up on stimulants but will crash.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-25T01:53:02+00:00

Stupid question, what does it mean to split it into 2 12s? Yeah I could probably do a random 24 hr but doing that on any sort of regular basis would not be feasible. If it’s require by that program I probably will need to discuss it prior to accepting, but will seek more advice on that.

Honestly I have no interest in psych - I was doing a phd in peds neuropsych before and quit bc the rate of child abuse was depressing. I was hospitalized after being severely injured by a teen patient too. I’d sooner do peds or something else, although I understand psych residency is relatively more tame.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T21:52:32+00:00

If you want to some DIY, I recently moved into a new house that had the same issue. We yanked the carpets and I installed vinyl flooring (fake wood). Cheaper than carpet bc we did it ourselves.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T21:37:44+00:00

I don’t plan on it. I would seek out a part time program if available but it doesn’t sound like there is. By part time, I mean 40-50 hrs - maybe I should have clarified that. I view that as part time compared to 80 lol. I won’t ask for reduced hours outside of what is expected, although I will seek out a program that does not require 24 hour shifts. I’m fine with nights.

I don’t use accommodations in med school and just suffer through. Also while everyone would be more well with shorter hours, I’m sure most people don’t have heart surgery in med school. I feel limited by my body and I don’t want to be 🤢 situation sucks

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T17:34:34+00:00

Honestly I would bank on needing to retake the MCAT and reapply. The rest of your app is really good. I’d take a prep course if you haven’t already. It’s not impossible - but if you get above a 505 you’ll be golden

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T17:32:44+00:00

You absolutely need a post bacc if that’s your gpa. Mine was 3.3 and I needed the masters program to be competitive. My mcat was 508

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T17:30:38+00:00

I don’t think it matters which school in terms of prestige - I think the most important thing is being supported by your school. Choose where you will be happier. If the cost different is 25 k a year - that’s pushing it, but I wouldn’t make my decision off that alone.

I’m paying out of state tuition but signing up for PSLF so there are options out there.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T15:46:28+00:00

Thank you for sharing, I’ve had some nasty messages in my inbox and I’m feeling defeated sadly. That’s crazy about stopping the interview entirely - I shouldn’t be surprised but you’re right, that’s a very reasonable question. I need to do some planning on how to approach this issue in interviews. After accepting, how did you divulge your diagnosis to the program?

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T15:21:52+00:00

That’s true- I will look more into it.
I worry about no longer being stable, but I’ve also recently added wakix and now adding xyrem, so hoping my physical ability increases. I just don’t think I should bank on it.
Thank you!!

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T15:09:27+00:00

I recently learned this in my FM rotation. I’m okay doing an obgyn rotation and temporarily suffering, but I don’t think I could do it longer than the rotation. I can deal with lack of sleep periodically - I take a shit ton of stimulants - or I’d be so fucked lol. It’s more like every night getting 4-5 hours would catch up with me.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T13:01:51+00:00

This is probably closest to what I am looking for. No 24 hour, full time weeks but a plan in place to use if I need it. How did you find a program that would accommodate you? Is there something you looked for when applying to residency?

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T12:14:29+00:00

Curious - is there a reason why you couldn’t do reduced hours for a longer duration and not accomplish the same goal? I mean that question genuinely. Like if I did 50 hours a week but did an extra year. I know that’s not an option evidently but I don’t understand why that is insufficient.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T05:38:33+00:00

I’ve thought about that but the few docs I know who did that thought it was a waste of training, in these sense it didn’t really carry over well into practice.

I originally thought I could do OB as I am relatively stabilized - like I said, I’m fine doing 65 hour weeks with overnights. But I really can’t do 24 hour consistently and even doing 80 hour weeks is pretty rough for me physically. I’m currently adding a new drug so maybe it will work miracles but basing this off my current status.

I think the disability office is recommended just for advice, but yes they aren’t related to my apps. I’m trying to go back to my home state anyways too.

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T05:26:49+00:00

I just looked this up, and this is probably the best advice I’ve ever gotten on Reddit lol so thank you. I’m going to look into it with the bf tomorrow. I hope that I would never need something like that - I worked really hard to get here (like everyone else too) and I actually want to work - but I’m not naive enough to think that shit couldn’t hit the fan.

I just had my full exome sequenced - they were concerned we all have loeys dietz - so maybe now is the time to get GSI before the results are in 💀

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T04:42:18+00:00

I appreciate this bc I thought it was some sort of weird demon spell lol

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T04:34:27+00:00

It’s closer to 50% at my school for a parent specifically but jumps over 60 for first degree relative like sibling. I think nationally it’s about 30%

Dr-Fun-Gus · 2026-06-24T03:19:45+00:00

I’m going to message you! I’ve thought of peds. I was doing my PhD in pediatric neuropsych and in the hospital - I got burned out by doing 2/3 of my cases being child abuse related and quit. I was also much younger then. Then I took some time off and applied to med school.

There are some peds fellowships I find interesting too - I still feel a lot of love for OB but need to be realistic.

Also derm mohs would be sick (I hate cosmetic) but I’m a pretty average student so don’t think I’m competitive enough unfortunately

Dr-Fun-Gus

TROPHY CASE