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Bored Panda

Lifestyle

Dominyka

80 Hilarious Memes Shared By Medical Students

Medical School

With 761,000 members, the subreddit r/MedicalSchool offers more than mere study tips. It's also packed with memes. And it doesn't matter if you're pursuing a degree in healthcare or simply want to learn about the lives of those who do, the content here is both insightful and relatable.

From meltdowns over brutal anatomy exams to awkward confessions of making fools of themselves in front of their first patients, and prayers for caffeine that keep them going, nobody's pretending it's easy.

#1 Yet We Are Always Told To Be As Conservative As Possible In This Whole Process

Image credits: asstogas

#2 The First Two Years Of Medical School.. [shitpost]

Image credits: Dysdiadochokinesiass

We got in touch with Iris Gorfinkel, M.D. who is a general practitioner, medical researcher, and the founder of PrimeHealth Family Practice and Clinical Research, and asked her to share memories of her own time in medical school.

"The thing I remember the most is having the perpetual feeling that no matter how much I studied, it would never be enough," she told Bored Panda.

"At the time, the exams at McGill Medical School, Canada, were essay questions and felt like they were hit or miss. And I really had no idea that a lot of the other students had the advantage of having copies of the old exam."

#3 Wear A Mask

Image credits: dremilyportermd

#4 The University Hospital You Rotate At??

Image credits: bakwas12

#5 Wise Words From Dr. Drake Ramoray

Image credits: rosereprise

Gorfinkel herself didn't have such luck. "Unlike many fall students, I wasn't living at home like they were as well. Yet the stakes were super high because if a student failed more than two exams, they were thrown out of school."

"I actually did fail two exams and had to retake them knowing that if I failed even one of them the second time around, I'd be thrown out," the doctor said.

#6 This Is The Last Pikachu [meme] I Promise

Image credits: BinaryPeach

#7 Every Old Guy In The Hospital

Image credits: lionfan2081

#8 Friendly Reminder

Image credits: hyrulescout

"Luckily, I passed, but for years I had recurrent nightmares about not passing," Gorfinkel recalled.

"In those dreams I'd come late to the exam, or I was already taking the exam and knew nothing ... Fortunately, these nightmares finally stopped, but it actually took about 10 years."

#9 Welp

Image credits: YugoTheWolf17

#10 R/Wholesomemedschoolmemes When?

Image credits: JahanFahimi

#11 First Day On A Paeds Rotation

Image credits: DGlaucomflecken

Echoing Gorfinkel's experience, one study involving students from nine geographically diverse medical schools in the UK found that 54% of them had symptoms of insomnia, 38% showed signs of anxiety and depression, and 19% exhibited symptoms of paranoia.

19% also said that they considered dropping out from medical school due to their mental health.

#12 The Longest Con

Image credits: shirleneobuobi

#13 I Will Never Forget This

Image credits: MrMassador

#14 My Frontal Lobe: I Don't Fell So Good

Image credits: expatdoctor

Another survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) showed that 43% of local medical students have considered leaving or pausing their course due to financial pressures. The researchers also discovered that:

62% of respondents spent less on essentials, such as food or heating;
Nearly three quarters asked their parents or family for additional financial support;
Over two fifths used their overdraft to cover living costs;
About 15% accessed hardship or emergency university funds.
One in ten took out a credit card or loan to cover living costs.

#15 From The Humblest Of Beginnings

Image credits: Ali_Seiple

#16 Make Sure To Ration Your Crying Time

Image credits: HealthBarbarian

#17 Nephro #6 Tho?

Image credits: Cak130

The study authors added that medical students leaving school had important implications for the health workforce, globally estimated to have a deficit of 6.4 million doctors.

In Europe, there have long been concerns about health worker shortages as the population ages.

Some estimates suggest that in EU countries and the UK, there could be a shortage of 4.1 million health workers including doctors, nurses, and other professionals by 2030.

#18 Em Attendings Should Be The Ones Who Teach First Years

Image credits: foreveraloann

#19 Me Trying To Find The Ortho Resident I Worked With

Image credits: shizadi

#20 Hello World!

Image credits: ichmusspinkle

Gorfinkel thinks the number one, two, and three rule for those med students who want to succeed is to not sell your soul. "Stay with a good diet, exercise regularly, and do not sacrifice sleep. A minimum of seven hours, hopefully non-negotiable, whenever possible."

She said, "Remember that memories — and that includes what we want to study and learn — require sleep in order to get consolidated."

"Another good suggestion is to try to maintain social connections and don't try to isolate yourself."

#21 Me: Why Not Both?

Image credits: kindofsquishy

#22 Can Anybody Help Me Understand Why The Answer Isn’t E?

Image credits: yikeswhatshappening

#23 This Chiropractic Student Cracks Me Up

Image credits: Byakugan360

When it comes to learning itself, there aren't any quick fixes. "It's hard, so take notes, test yourself. Flashcards are helpful because that's active learning, not passive," the doctor said.

An idea worth considering is interleaving, which can also help with retention. It's a technique that involves mixing together different topics. For example, "instead of studying only biochemistry the whole night or in one sitting, it's better to mix it up. So, you might do some biochemistry, and then physiology, and later, anatomy," Gorfinkel said.