Hey Rach, thanks for being open to hear us vent lol. I’m about to start my first year at a DO school this summer. And honestly I am terrified. What if I fail the first test? What if I can’t handle the material? What if I’m drowning? Did you feel this way too? The imposter syndrome is REAL
I wasn’t healthy during undergrad and my GPA is shit. My MCAT practice scores indicate that the MCAT is not going to make up for my bad GPA. I’m 29 this year. I feel like medical schools won’t even look at me and my eggs are going to dry up and my whole life will be a waste.
It’s interesting how those in the healthcare field are often putting so much energy into helping others or training to help others that they don’t take the time to take care of themselves.
Med school is rough, and sometimes I find it hard to stay motivated to get everything done. I'm a first year at an MD school and your videos are always so real and genuine, and often reflect the same experiences that I've been having right along with you. Thank you for always being your true self and showing me that I'm not the only one who has had ups and downs throughout this experience. Love you
Engineering is rough. I sometimes feel incredibly outclassed and that I don't belong. Everyone I know has the tendency to learn things so quickly, while I have to go through the material 3 or 4 times before I really understand it. Even when I study for certain classes, I still don't get the marks I want and I put in a lot of time. I know I need to be more efficient, but it can be a discouraging when you try so incredibly hard and your friends still do better than you when they put in half to 3/4 of the effort.
Hey Alvin! I understand what you are going through, and it is tough. Especially, when you try to hard and still manage to not do as well as you thought, or that it takes awhile to understand concepts. But, this is YOUR life. Don't worry how others are doing "better" than you, because as long as YOU understand and that YOU are trying your best, then everything will work itself out. Right now, we are learning how we study and operate on our terms, but this goes along with us taking out time and actually learning the material. Careers do not want people who do not try, they want people who can keep working at a solution! I believe in you Alvin, you do you because YOU are incredible! I hope you the very best in your studies!
What separates a future doctor from the rest of the population, is we continue to dig deep and fail over and over until eventually we succeed. We measure our success with the amount of failures we've gone through. This path is no joke, and I have moments where I want to throw in the towel but I always end up pushing through. This arduous journey is not for everyone, and I have so much admiration for those that have made it through.
Let’s talk guys haha. I feel sooo overwhelmed. I’m a nursing student and school is ROUGH right now. Depression and anxiety are kicking in hard ): I feel like I have no time for family or my boyfriend. I also want to be at the gym and work and run errands and it’s so hard to balance it with school. I feel like all I do is work and school. I know it’ll be worth it later on. But when I’m working I so badly want to take a mental health break but I can’t because I have bills to pay.. it’s rough. The gym has always helped alleviate my depression but now I don’t have time for it and I feel sooo shitty about it. Sometimes I just want to stay home and relax, and take a breather but feel like I can’t. Ughh )): whew it felt good to vent lol. Thank you Rachel for giving us the comment section for this!
Savannah, thank you for coming on here to talk about how you're feeling. I completely get what youre going through. It's easier said than done, but listen to your body. I've definitely been trying to work on this. You know when you're hungry or thirsty, you go to eat or drink water. When you're drained or sad or tired and you just need to go on a walk or stop what you're doing and listen to music, then do that. Listen to your body. There's a reason it bugs you and tries to tell you something. Keep working hard.We'll make it through.
Savannah Gonzalez I’m on the nursing school boat too 😭 the hours of the day just fly by and I’m always craving those breather days. My depression is has been hitting me hard lately too, but we have to not let it get the best of us 💕
Ok so “mini” vent: I’m studying for the MCAT right now and it’s so unbelievably overwhelming. I’ve been blessed with so many people supporting me and though I love the support it also makes me nervous as to what if I don’t do well and I let them all down. I feel like a big part of getting over this hump of doing bad on my practice exams is trying to get out of that “I’m stupid mindset”. I haven’t always been smart and there’s definitely people throughout my life that never let me live down my mistakes but I’m different now and I know I’m smart and I know I know the material because when I go over my practice exams I’m like.... 🙃🙃🙃🙃 I knew this, but I feel like when I take the exams there’s that voice that’s like “no you don’t know, you’re wrong” and I talk myself out of the answer. So here’s to a vent about a season of learning to forget the past and my failures and knowing I’m not that same person and I will do great on my exam and will become an amazing doctor
You can do it!!!! You got this! Trust your gut instinct you studied this hard and got this far which means you’re definitely smart enough and have strong work ethic do it for yourself and screw what other people think let us know how you did I’m rooting for you
I definitely understand the overwhelmed feeling. I feel so behind in studying and it just gets tougher everyday. I've had to overcome the mindset that I shouldn't do question banks because I felt discouraged when I got them wrong. Good luck to you! It's nice to know other people feel the same way I do!
Hey Herd, I am currently an undergrad, and wanted to share my story on how I lost myself and found myself. So, I am usually a happy and carefree person who always tries to find make situations just a bit better. But, in the last few weeks I don't even know what happened, I just kind of lost myself. I felt as if I was in a dark tunnel and just couldn't find the light. I didn't know I was in too deep, until it was too late and I just felt as if I couldn't succeed no matter what I do. I just lost myself. It wasn't depression or anything very serious, it was just more of myself drifting away from my actual self. For a while, I just couldn't get myself to focus on school so I spent hours at the library but was getting nothing done. I personally like to get through situations myself, but I just didn't know what to do. I then tried meditating (this sounds cheesy) with motivational music. Not lying, it took awhile but I finally managed to find the light! Of course, I still need to work on myself and it is going to take awhile, but I can finally breathe again! It is rough, wherever you may be in life because it is sooooo easy to lose yourself. Thank you Rachel for creating a community for all of us to be able to uplift each other. You guys got this! Just breathe!
We all go through periods in life where we don't know why we're sad or we're just too stressed. I know the added pressure of medical school is making things a lot harder for you. Please stay healthy and just know you have a support system. We love you! You don't need to always show us a perfect Rachel. You are human with real emotions.
I go to med highschool and i cry at least once a week and i feel so much better when i see that im not the only one that feels like this. *thank you for sharing your feelings*
@@flanagamer its like highschool for nursing. In some countries mostly in europe I think you can specialise for a certian field in high school. For example I go to vet tech high school(4th year) and im going to veterinary university next year.
@@flanagamer Its a highschool with different specialities i guess, we have a couple classes that we can choose like nursing, lab tech, dentist tech, pediatric tech, physical therapy tech, pharmaceutical tech... We have normal subjects like math, science, and english and other subjects depending on which class we choose. For example if you choose to be a nursing tech you have anatomy, pathology, nursing, internal medicine, if you choose dental tech you have paradontology, physical therapy tech massage, pharmaceutical tech biochemistry and pharmacology etc. And then when you graduate you can go to uni or you can get a job you studied for in highschool. Sorry for the really long explanation haha
@@flanagamer It is cool i guess but its very tiring because third and fourth year we go to hospitals in the morning for practical learning and working with patients and hospital staff and in the afternoon we go to school so its a bit stressful but if you choose a class you love its really amazing and rewarding :)
Im a first year of medical uni and so overwhelmed by everything. Currently on exams and honestly i feel like im not smart enough for this.. also struggling with depression generally, its really hard to study and memorise and stay motivated. Hopefully it passes..
It's so exciting to hear you're looking at OB/GYN!! I'm a second year medical student and that's the specialty I'm feeling really drawn towards and have for years. I think you would make an amazing OB/GYN, you are so comforting and understanding and I think you would be an amazing women's health physician. Medical school is brutal and even though you're on the other side of the country, it feels like we're going through it together. Thank you for using this platform to inspire and motivate everyone around you!
You got me through some of my toughest times in my final year of med school and thanks to you i made it through my exams and now i can say that I’m a doctor! Thank you Rachel! Lots of love from Pakistan
A lot of personal shit has happened last year that really messed me up and affected my schoolwork. I’ve failed like 4 classes last semester and now I don’t know how I’m going to get into medical school. I get really bad panic attacks because I don’t want my dream to be a doctor to come to an end.
Obstacles happen to those that can handle it. You have this semester to turn your grades around, you still have the MCAT, you still can do extra curricular activities to boost up your application. There are post-baccs, master programs, etc. There are options. Your dream doesn't have to end. Just keep working hard for what you want. Thank you for sharing what you're going through. Our Herd is here for you.
I was waiting for a video like this. It's crazy how student pursuing medicine, at any given stage, feel this. A state of extreme confusion, frustration, exhaustion... and there's literally nothing to do besides, get through it. Your videos motivate me to study harder but yet credit myself for how much I do. Thank you for sharing your triumphs AND hardships. You don't know how much it helps me and fellow students. Sending you lots of love and luck! You're gonna kill those finals :)
I started grad school and I don’t feel like myself lately. I’m emotionally and physically tired due to stress but your videos help me a lot. I feel like I am not alone.
Rachel I love you omg. I just started pharmacy school this year and man it is tough. I also recently moved in with my boyfriend in September, right around when school started and he's even noticed how different I've been acting!! I literally cry all the time lol, so you're not alone!! Your vlogs make me feel so much better.
I love how real you are Rachel! Definitely going to be trying to binge your videos a ton now that I started med school. I haven't been catching up because I moved from Canada to New Zealand for med school and I'm having Herd withdrawals!! Thank you also for opening up this comment section for other students to come for support
I enjoy ur videos so much. It lifts my spirits to see someone starting out with all the enthusiasm and love of life that u display. U say to post an issue well..... I've spent 34 years devoting myself to helping people. Being a nurse has been the most fulfilling thing I've had in my life. Every emotion possible has been experienced. However, officially today I am retired and I'm feeling sad. I always looked forward to this day but now it's here and I feel like I've lost something major in my life. Anyway ur videos make me smile and reflect on what's possible. Looking forward to everything that's to come. Ur really a blessing to so many people Rachel. Thank u 🙂
Melissa, thank you. And thank you for all of the lives you've touched as a nurse. That's incredible. Congratulations on your retirement although it's bittersweet for you. Maybe you can volunteer at a hospital every now and then if that makes you feel more complete
I’m a nursing student and I love your channel because it shows how truly motivated and amazing med students are! It makes me so excited to work along such amazing people in the near future. Keep doing what you’re doing! You are so awesome! 💕💕
I'm starting over (career wise) and I'm on the undergrad journey to become a Dentist. I took a long hiatus in college to pursue other passions and now I'm kicking myself in the butt over it. I'm struggling in this Bio class and it's the first one for goodness sakes. I mean the teacher I have is extremely hard (according to ratings he has failed half the class of about 100+ students) but this unnecessarily hard. I currently have a C 😖. I NEED WIGGLE ROOM because I can't advance to other Bio's with a C- and below. But I'm going to stay positive because I refuse to drop this class because I have bigger fish to fry. On the journey I go!
I completely understand where you're coming from I started over to get an engineering degree then failed my first calculus class twice before I passed, but I just wanted you to know it gets better! Sending positive energy your way!!
I love your positivity! I totally understand how you are feeling. I feel like there's absolutely no need to kick yourself over for taking the time to pursue other passions. At the end of the day, they are all a collective of your experiences and will overall be what makes you a great doctor in the end! Undergrad is tough, but we are going through or have been through the same thing and things managed to turn out alright when you put in the work. We are all here for you! Best of luck!
The other day I asked myself "Why do I watch Rachel's channel?" It can't just be for the med school advice and tribulations, cause I can get that from other med student channels and my med school experience is different from hers. Perhaps one reasons is I get more of an 'artist' vibe from her. Her videos are self-expressions which feel genuine, unique and revealing. And the students I'm drawn to the most in my class are artists - one's an active musician, writer another was a professional animator. Get a 'Canadian' vibe as well too considering she seems to like POUTINE!! (6:05). Not sure, but I think down times have a tendency to afflict artists at higher rates. Though the med school life at times feels incongruent with art/self-expression, hopefully practicing medicine will afford more opportunity for the artist inside to flourish. Like Tchaikovsky would put it, there are plenty of thorns in medicine, but there are roses too. And similar to Camus, the winter of med school has me learning there is an invincible summer within me. Also, I don't got the six pack (yet) nor the photoshop skills to be fiddling on Instagram so I have to keep coming back to RUclips to see Rachel's art. Damn, all those years of eating poutine up in Canada have me packing an admirable gut or a hungry ass baby messing with my AFP levels.
All I am is grateful to have other people chronicle their journey. So many moments in my life have been so much easier because someone out their shared their experience. Keep going you already have it!
Rachel!!! I just wanted to say THANK YOU !!! For making these video weekly of your REAL journey. I thought, when going into nursing school that I wouldn’t experience the things you experience in medical school but because it’s also an accelerated program, 5 weeks in, I found myself relating to you with the breakdowns. I never thought that would be me but u showed me it was normal and I was able to get back up and continue on thanks to God and your vlogs and your attitudes. Also, you inspired me to workout while studying. When I went to sign up for a membership, the guy asked what was my motivation and I literally told him it was u- to study while working out so now I do practice questions while doing cardio instead of just sitting at my desk all day! Keep going, red ant 💪🏼💪🏼
Even though I’m not in MED school yet but I definetely can understand how challenging it can be and I feel like it’s okay to let it be known , I feel like I’m very expressive on how I feel about situations and I’m happy that we relate in some way, you’re one of the reasons why I also decided to document my journey on my channel ! :)
I feel the same. I haven’t been feeling myself lately and am not sure why. Between full time work and part time/full time education I don’t have a lot of time to just hang out. I appreciate your videos cause they remind me to take care of myself and I love reading the comments for all the positivity. Thanks guys.
I've been having a really sucky week and my add has really been screwing up my schoolwork. I'm always so happy to see your videos and they always cheer me up and feel more motivated. I definitely needed this today ❤
I just graduated with my Bachelor's degree, and I never thought I would be so sad about it. I loved college and have such good memories that I am so thankful for but I can't get over how sad I am that it is over. I also just got accepted to a Doctorate program for occupational therapy, and I am so so excited. BUT I am so scared. I'm scared to move somewhere new, to have to make all new friends. I have never felt so lost, and uneasy, and sad about the general state of my life. And the fact that on paper things appear to be going well for me makes me annoyed that I am wasting my time being sad!! I found your channel when I first started feeling down about all this, and your openness and willingness to share the good and the bad is so helpful. Thanks for the videos Rachel (:
You are so real. I’m a second year med student and I feel like I’m preparing/studying to past exams rather than preparing to be a doctor and I don’t know how to change my attitude.
I feel like a proud mom, I know it’s so hard but girl something about you really makes me believe you can do this. You’re also incredibly beautiful 💕💕💕love from Vancouver,Canada(also I play your vids on the tv my 8month old loves the sound of you’re voice lol)
I’m doing online grad school for biology as my goals are to be a wildlife biologist (very underpaid and competitive) field. Yet I can never not be reminded by my loved one’s that that’s the case. as if I’m not nervous enough about living in a dream world and never completing my career goals it hurts to get it thrown in your face by those closes to you. I just keep telling them that as long as I can make a decent living for a future family of my own and I’m happy with what I’m doing it will all be worth it. I’d rather live comfortably and be happy then rich and miserable... just gets stressful sometimes!
Emily Robertson Hi Emily, I just wanted to let you know I completely relate with what you’re feeling. However, I always think back on what my mom always tells me, “It doesn’t matter what profession you choose for YOU. If it is your passion you will be the best in that field. Always do what makes you happy and that will push you to always excel in everything that you do.” Bottom line, if you do what makes you happy you will be doing a better job than doing a job you don’t like and just getting things done. You will be able to make so much more money because you have the potential to be one of the best in your field because of the passion you have. Hope this helps you keep pushing ❤️
I feel like you’re little speech at the beginning was so perfect for what I’m going through right now. So I’ve been in college since the fall of 2018 working on my BHSH with a concentration in sonography. I finally got into the program and it started in January. The college I go to is new in my state but they have other campus in surrounding states. The sonography program is off to a very rough start. I don’t feel like the medical (like A&P and medical term) classes I had before the program prepared me for what I’m learning now. I started going to clinical 3 weeks after the program started. I know absolutely nothing and it shows. The techs I work with get frustrated with the lack of knowledge. My weeks are totally backed since I drive 4 hours round trip to my clinical site. The other weekdays I’m in classes all day and get very little scan time. We have 2 instructors for our program and one quit last week. The 1 we are left with isn’t that great at teaching. We are on our own and left in the dark a lot of the time. I am 98% sure I am going to need to drop the program and just continue with a general BSHS degree. I am almost 31 and don’t have the luxury of time to wait out the current program I’m in and see how it goes in months to come or try to switch to another college/program. Transferring could take multiple applications and there aren’t that many colleges at off sonography. I am on a very strict time line since I am so much older than a lot of people in college (my biological clock is tickinggggg). I have this weekend to fully decide what to do. I have a very good gpa so I could probably transfer easily to another (better) college for my BSHS degree. Also, I think a BSHS would give me more flexibility with what jobs I could get when I’m finished or if I want to continue on with a masters degree. I think I made a mistake with the college I chose for sonography and I don’t want make that mistake again. I’m struggling! It’s such a huge decision to make.
Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time. I feel the same way about my OT program. I have very similar experiences with great professors retiring/leaving, burnt out from entire weeks of commuting to fieldwork and long days of lectures, and feeling like I have no idea what I'm doing til now. I started in Fall 2018 and am around the same age too. I wonder since the program is new if there are ways to provide feedback while you're still in the program. I know my program is adaptable and open to hearing student feedback so that was the most helpful thing. My cohort all had similar feelings and rode it out until it improved in our current (second) year. Whatever decision you end up with, I hope it works out for you because you sound like someone who is dedicated and a great student. Good luck with everything!
waitin2bfound sadly, our instructors didn’t retire or anything. She was only there a month and a half. Since the school is small and understaffed they lied to her about the job description. It’s happened time after time. The program director is our other instructor and she’s not that good. No one has been able to pass a quiz yet (I’m usually a straight A student). Also, I feel like she is super disrespectful to us. She speaks to us very condescending. She’s is majorly unorganized and now she’s trying to “teach” us physics on top of everything else. I think it’s best for me to get out now before I waste more time. I was actually thinking of OT school, but still not totally sure. I’m going a lot of research this weekend. It’s so stressful! Thanks for your message, it does make me feel better that it’s not just my school. I’m sorry you went through that.
I started college as a business major, and just recently switched to biology (pre-med). Since switching majors, I’ve had so many comments from friends and family saying this isn’t what they envisioned for me. I try to block them out of my mind, as I know this path is what I’m meant to do. However, I’ve always feared I would fail at being a doctor, which is one of the reasons I started as a business major. I just never felt I could do it. I already have this doubt in my mind, and now any time I do something silly or make a mistake, the first comment that comes out of people’s mouths is, “and you think you can be a doctor?” I’ve heard that saying so many times and I’m starting to become discouraged. Does anyone have any advice? Like I said, I know this is what I’m meant to do, but it’s still hard to hear friends and family make comments that doubt my intelligence and ability to become a doctor.
I don't think I have the right to give you advice you should absolutely follow. However, what I would suggest is that you just do the best that you can and try to optimize the systems you've set in place. Implement study strategies, working out, volunteering and maybe researching are things you can do to beef up the resume if that's what you want to do soon. Also, if you're making little mistakes here and there that doesn't say much about you're intelligence imo. Just need to be careful. Besides, people who become doctors are of course bright, but also work smart and work hard. So if you're doing what you perceive to be poor, don't beat yourself up and think you're stupid. If you're in STEM chances are you have the critical thinking skills necessary to do what you want :)
How people think they’re entitled to say such things is beyond me. But many times it reflects their own insecurities rather than their perception of you. They don’t think they would be able to become doctors, I am sure a doctor wouldn’t doubt your ability to do it or ask those questions, someone that has gone through it knows that it’s possible. All you need to know is that you want it and go for it.
Heeey Rachel.I'm a lot of older than you, have nothing to do with meds (i am a psychologist) but studying again and watching a lot of your videos to motivate me to go on. You will get this, you will do this en you will be fine.every friday i think, its Racheltime. You will do this Rachel👊
i am trying to get into my top program for MSN and i have been calling them harassing them lol bc i was wait listed but I WILL get into this program..i am fighting and holding out and keeping faith alive!
Mannn....I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH. You have become such a big influence in my life and I love you for it. I think your doing an amazing job and all your hard work really shows.
I’m in nursing school right now and it’s completely kicking my butt. I’ve been working so hard and it’s paying off with the grades I’m receiving but I’m emotionally and mentally exhausted. I have a retail job where I’m a manager and that’s been kicking my butt too lately. I can’t quit because I have bills to pay and I’m paying for school. Just been very stressed and overwhelmed lately but this video really helped. Good luck with your finals! You’ll kill it for sure 💪🏼
I'm a second year medical student. Since the quarantine started, I have been having a difficult time concentrating and finishing my reading materials. I am way behind schedule. I've been getting panic attacks thinking about our schedule once classes resume this May. It's crazy. We missed 12 exams during quarantine, and they want to reschedule all those exams during our last two months of med school and thats just crazy! May already has 13 exams scheduled without counting the 12 make-up exams they plan to add and June is basically purely exams, semestrals and finals.... soooooo I've been getting alot of anxiety. Mostly because it feels impossible and it's crazy they're doing this. It's not fair. Our schedule wasn't even supposed to be like this. There should be a law on how many exams are allowed in a month! and its just frustrating because I want to study I do, but its just so hard to concentrate during this pandemic. aghhhhhh. Moreover, they plan to continue my country's version of USMLE step 1 this mid June.... No post-poning or no time for anyone to catch their breath at all. We will literally be the walking dead......Anyway, I just wanted to vent this out. Hopefully, the other medical students and I will be able to appeal to our school. Anyway, I'm glad I found your channel. Good luck with everything!! You got this!!
This was the sweetest video 😭😭😭 we love you!!!!!!! I’m so happy you’ve created such a positive, kind space in the medical community. Changing lives my friend!!!!!!❤️❤️
Being a full-time student and trying to balance that with studying for the MCAT is so overwhelming. Having to take multiple days off just to study for exams for your classes and having to put off MCAT studying which makes me more behind. Have had to move my date twice since I haven’t been able to balance school with MCAT studying. MCAT studying is no joke and I honestly can’t imagine how it is studying for the Step. How I persevere every single day is by realizing how far I have I gotten to get to this point and how many people have supported me on my premed journey from family, friends, and to even strangers. I take everything day by day and just tell myself to Win The Day!
I’m still in my undergrad and my anxiety got really really bad last quarter. I failed a class for the first time because I would get into a test and I would panic. I finally got help and went on anxiety medication and this quarter is going SO much better!! it’s amazing what you can do when you put your mental health and well being first. we all love you and believe in you Rachel, you can do this!!!!!💗
I also started anxiety meds last semester and i am doing so much better! I take my exams and quizzes in a testing Center. I hope you have a great semester ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rachel!!! There is a podcast on Spotify called Dr. Death and it is the CRAZIEST medical story I’ve ever heard. Thought you would enjoy as a lil escape from studying, maybe as u work out or something! So nuts and super addicting. I’m not a medical professional by any means and it still captivated me! I’m sure you would enjoy it even more!
This is amazing. I love it when people reach out to each other. Here is what I am dealing with: I haven't seen my family for 3 years. My parents are getting older. I can't afford to go see them because they live thousand miles away. I'm going to school for nursing and I would like to go to medical school one day, but I'm not sure if I can do that. Thanks for considering to read. Any suggestions or advice will be appreciated.
You’re beautifully proportional Rachel. I was telling my boyfriend how I’m going to watch my ‘friends vlog,’ meaning you lol. This was shortly after breaking down and crying about how I’ve always felt that I am slow to learning and that I’m stupid. I hate to write it or even say it out loud, but it’s literally how I’ve always felt. I’m ADHD, I had a really bad high school career. I’m currently not even doing the hottest at the university now after learning how to learn at the community college. But you remind me to take care of myself, to love and to be kind to myself and to continue to work hard and it makes me so happy to see you happy. I think I’ll make a vlog one day.
Rachel, I really hope and believe you will one day make an excellent physician. In case you do not hear this enough from people, you are doing great, and I am proud of you! Keep it up! If I make it to PA school, I hope to possibly host a vlog similar to you, so long as you have no hard feelings against that. Best to you and yours!!!
I’m trying to get into nursing school, but I didn’t score that high on the teas, and I have to wait a full year to take them again. I also hate my retail job, and I’m trying to get a position at a hospital but it’s impossible when you have no experience. I’ve been eating really bad and haven’t had time for the gym. But it’s all going to be okay. With downs, they’re ups and we are going to make it through this!
Honestly, as a non-med student I get so much out of watching you when it comes to my fear of doctors. I feel a little less anxious around them now. Oh, and you are indeed a great study inspo 💕😂
I am feeling super overwhelmed about undergrad tbh. I took my first two exams for the semester a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t do so hot and I’m feeling so discouraged with the next set of exams coming up. I don’t know if I’ve been procrastinating because I’m feeling defeated from the first exams or because I’m scared to study the material feel confident to then feel defeated yet again. I’ve been trying to keep my head up and try new study methods while trying to balance a life and get enough sleep. Just hurts when you are really trying and it’s not showing in the end :( but I am still pushing and trying !
have a great day every day Rachel and every one ................... i have been through finals you can do this finish it and then medical school will be easy trust your self always
thanks for your videos. i'm in year 2 of a phd program and even though we are doing different things, i can relate to the stress and it helps me! i'm still not sure how you vlog through all of the demands of school, but i'm grateful you do! keep going!
I’m just sooooo stressed out I just left a horrible job, but I needed to protect my nsg license, Studying as much as I can hopefully have my Rn next year, then we will see, one step at a time. You help motivate me when I see how hard you work!
Doing your best is all you can do. When my sister was in med school, she had the same issues. She has always said that there are days where you are going to be frustrated with yourself because the information you're trying to learn isn't going in. Rather than banging your head against the wall, use that otherwise aggravating, unproductive time to do something for you (like yoga, a walk, or some video games). Then, get back into it after you took that time for yourself because studying while angry/upset doesn't help. On cram days before an exam, she also said that if you study 50 things and only 5 go in, it's still better than if you didn't study and nothing went in. You're not a machine even if you try to be. Breathe, hydrate, and take a moment for yourself everyday to maintain your sanity.
This isn’t anything sad or something that I’m struggling with, in fact it’s the opposite. I felt like I should tell some people so I’m telling all of you random strangers on the internet. I got accepted into the University of Iowa today as a Pre-Med Major! This is a huge deal for me because up until a couple weeks before I applied, I was going to be a Music Major. I just felt like I needed to tell some people and if anywhere is an appropriate place for it, it’s in the comments of a med student’s RUclips Channel. Thanks guys!
Rachel you are such a sweet and special human being. I love watching your videos and I'm not even a med student, I'm a nursing student.... anywho, I work for LA County and we have Med school residents from CDU. I admire you all for the hard work and dedication. Too bad you can't come and do your residency here! It would have been awesome to meet you.
I just wanna tell you that u r amazing U seem so fragile yet so strong A perfect balance !! I am a medical student not in the USA or Canada But I plan to take the usmle I hope that I can meet you in person as a fellow doctor someday I have many problems of time management And arranging my sleep , I spend so much time planning for the perfect way to study or the perfect time but I end up not doing anything I am in a vicious circle of hating myself even more cause I see so many others who are so disciplined !!! Iam so stuck in wanting perfection but achieving absolutely nothing !!! I need some advice 😔😔
I watched one of your videos just when I was loosing my mind from studying and it made me laugh cause I saw I wasn't alone and everything will be okey... Thank you for that and I hope that you have a good support system like friends and family especially medical friends who know what are you going through. So good luck to you and everyone who is studying or working very hard ☺️
Just here catching up on your videos :) I’m in undergrad, trying to get into the medical laboratory science program at my university. I struggle SO much to stay motivated to study. I think a lot of it has to do with anxiety and depression. I’m already 24 and I beat myself up all the time for the fact that I don’t have a career yet. I have to push getting into my program another year because I dropped Orgo, and can’t take classes in the spring Due to no financial aid, so I won’t graduate until I’m almost 28, and who KNOWS how hard this program is going to be :/ I wish I could be positive most of the time and believe In myself, but I really struggle. Thanks for letting me vent!
awe this vlog was amazing!! im so glad you talked about the struggles you go through, and sometimes having to take a step back and your own advice! I’m dealing with that myself right now as I head into midterms week, with a full load of classes, and I am just getting over the flu ((even though I got my flu shot)) so I had to take a bunch of time off of school / work. Ugh. So many comments on here of people going through similar situations, just know that the #Herd is here for you! We got this!! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 #RedAnts
Not in med school, actually working as a primate keeper and am studying non human primates. But i love this channel and somehow it calms me down! Mini “vent” I guess: my boyfriend for over a year has asked for a break (not seeing other people) to figure out what he wants. I’m having a tough time as most of my life is family, him, work and school, but I’m leaning on my family. Send some motivation if possible. ❤️
I am a second year med student from India. I have my exams coming up, I have to prepare for step-1. Since, nobody from my college is preparing for the USMLE, I have to go out of the way to prepare for this and it gets really tough to find the motivation for it. Rachel's videos always motivate me to push myself and study well but with this pandemic, my productivity has gone really low and I hate that. I am a library person, I love studying in library, I can live in a library but the campus is closed and things have been a little rough in my personal life. Things look very uncertain in a few aspects and I am the kind of person who gets really uncomfortable with uncertainty, I have always been someone with a plan. I am not studying enough, at all, and that just adds to the stress. I am constantly worried about not studying and even if I do study, my brain is just not being able to process that information and digest it, my subjects are not holding my attention and it is crazy. I feel frustrated about how my days are just going so slow and basically wasteful. Moreover, Rachel has also stopped posting such weekly vlogs and I can't find the motivation anywhere 😩😩😩😩
Don't get into the illusion that you're going through "depression" (like I did). And even if you were initially said to have "depression"; say OK. Try life modifications to see if things change and become better. Acknowledge that it sucks, cut yourself some slack, and do what you can do (don't set the standard too high; then lash yourself out every single moment). I used to read psychology, was thinking I had depression (I was just stressed out a little bit; and a bit OCD). But giving my self breaks [watching a movie, and eating, then just sleeeeeep] used to give me a break. But I decided to take antidepressants instead and I might've had meningitis during that time; but was told it might be withdrawal (because I stopped my antidepressants for 5 days; and started to feel like I was having a stroke), so I went home and took my meds and didn't go to ER and slept, so it got messed up from there because I might've had a brain infection; which might've lead to cerebral edema (I was feeling lethargic for a whole week). And ever since I had issues with reading & comprehension, my IQ took a nose dive, and overall thinking process feels like swimming in a very thick viscus fluid. So, from my point of view, If I could go back in time, I would sleep the "depression" off for a couple of days (so it's more of being "burned out" than depressed). Then get back step by step into life [cough, cough, medical school, cough, cough]. I'm not the best in class; I almost never study well, and yet I pass with Bs in blocks. I don't do the hard work, and yet I can understand things and get a "high pass". It's like; "use some of your brain cells and you could maybe get an A- in a block". Ranted out too much here. Hope you have good luck in your studies. Edit: I mean "clinical depression"; where you just feel bad from the inside and nothing ( *NOTHING* ) brings joy [no dopamine at all]. If you can feel good even if things suck (studies) then It might not be clinical depression.
This is the hardest semester course load I’ve taken during undergrad. I’m taking all upper division classes in both my major and minor. I have 3 exams and 2 papers due and I’ve been feeling really anxious at night when I try to sleep. On top of that my allergies have hit me like a ton of bricks and I’ve started getting dehydrated from blowing my nose so many times 🤧 My body finally hit a wall today and I haven’t been able to study as much as I wanted to
I am nervous because I am doing a post-bacc which is going well but my undergrad was very inconsistent in grades. I am worried that no matter what I do, it will not be enough to recover to get into any program. I’d hate to think the mistakes I made at 19 (when I was on the other side of the country) are going to ruin my chances at becoming a healthcare provider. The competition in the post-bacc is also tough. It’s hard to balance between staying focused on yourself and not letting things get to your head. I am also injured right now and cannot exercise so my anxiety is through the roof (no outlet)
Idk what’s going on, but I’ve also been in like a rut for the past few weeks. Trying to balance school and work and just keeping my energy up has been getting more difficult than the norm these days. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one though.
I'm an undergraduate pre-med but because I'm in the honors college, I have to take graduate level classes. I also have two part time jobs. I study all day every day including weekends and when I'm not studying, I'm working. A couple graduate students I work with keep telling me that graduate school is gonna be so much harder than everything I'm doing right now but I find that hard to believe. What do you guys think?
i have been watching u a while and u are inspiring me so much i am so thankful for being able to watch ur videos pls keep going always looking forward to ur videos
I have just completed my final year. Yes it’s tough ..actually it’s the toughest but seeing you stressed all the time reminds me of my best friend who like you was obsessed with completing the course . She had major anxiety and panic attacks and when the real time came she was diagnosed with anxiety neurosis. I am in no way saying that you are incapable of handling the stress but I really want to suggest meditation 🧘♀️ for you. I hope I wasn’t harsh. Love and luck to you.🤘🏻
Use this comment section to vent about anything that you need to talk about :) Our Herd is here for you.
Hey Rach, thanks for being open to hear us vent lol. I’m about to start my first year at a DO school this summer. And honestly I am terrified. What if I fail the first test? What if I can’t handle the material? What if I’m drowning? Did you feel this way too? The imposter syndrome is REAL
Rachel Southard what’s your Instagram?
I'm scared to take Orgo and Biochem and Physiology is not as easy as I thought it would be.
I am always fearing failure and am terrified to take the MCAT!!!!
I wasn’t healthy during undergrad and my GPA is shit. My MCAT practice scores indicate that the MCAT is not going to make up for my bad GPA. I’m 29 this year. I feel like medical schools won’t even look at me and my eggs are going to dry up and my whole life will be a waste.
Good luck Rachel! The red ant herd is here for you 🐜💪🏼
It’s interesting how those in the healthcare field are often putting so much energy into helping others or training to help others that they don’t take the time to take care of themselves.
Med school is rough, and sometimes I find it hard to stay motivated to get everything done. I'm a first year at an MD school and your videos are always so real and genuine, and often reflect the same experiences that I've been having right along with you. Thank you for always being your true self and showing me that I'm not the only one who has had ups and downs throughout this experience. Love you
I hope your schooling has gone well, and that you feel so much love and support from those around you.
Engineering is rough. I sometimes feel incredibly outclassed and that I don't belong. Everyone I know has the tendency to learn things so quickly, while I have to go through the material 3 or 4 times before I really understand it. Even when I study for certain classes, I still don't get the marks I want and I put in a lot of time. I know I need to be more efficient, but it can be a discouraging when you try so incredibly hard and your friends still do better than you when they put in half to 3/4 of the effort.
Hey Alvin! I understand what you are going through, and it is tough. Especially, when you try to hard and still manage to not do as well as you thought, or that it takes awhile to understand concepts. But, this is YOUR life. Don't worry how others are doing "better" than you, because as long as YOU understand and that YOU are trying your best, then everything will work itself out. Right now, we are learning how we study and operate on our terms, but this goes along with us taking out time and actually learning the material. Careers do not want people who do not try, they want people who can keep working at a solution! I believe in you Alvin, you do you because YOU are incredible! I hope you the very best in your studies!
What separates a future doctor from the rest of the population, is we continue to dig deep and fail over and over until eventually we succeed. We measure our success with the amount of failures we've gone through. This path is no joke, and I have moments where I want to throw in the towel but I always end up pushing through. This arduous journey is not for everyone, and I have so much admiration for those that have made it through.
Let’s talk guys haha. I feel sooo overwhelmed. I’m a nursing student and school is ROUGH right now. Depression and anxiety are kicking in hard ): I feel like I have no time for family or my boyfriend. I also want to be at the gym and work and run errands and it’s so hard to balance it with school. I feel like all I do is work and school. I know it’ll be worth it later on. But when I’m working I so badly want to take a mental health break but I can’t because I have bills to pay.. it’s rough. The gym has always helped alleviate my depression but now I don’t have time for it and I feel sooo shitty about it. Sometimes I just want to stay home and relax, and take a breather but feel like I can’t. Ughh )): whew it felt good to vent lol. Thank you Rachel for giving us the comment section for this!
Savannah, thank you for coming on here to talk about how you're feeling. I completely get what youre going through. It's easier said than done, but listen to your body. I've definitely been trying to work on this. You know when you're hungry or thirsty, you go to eat or drink water. When you're drained or sad or tired and you just need to go on a walk or stop what you're doing and listen to music, then do that. Listen to your body. There's a reason it bugs you and tries to tell you something. Keep working hard.We'll make it through.
I know right nursing school is always kicking you, it shall pass and you can maybe do study dates or go running and test yourself in the meanwhile
As a fellow nursing student I feel you! 😭
Savannah Gonzalez I’m on the nursing school boat too 😭 the hours of the day just fly by and I’m always craving those breather days. My depression is has been hitting me hard lately too, but we have to not let it get the best of us 💕
Fellow nursing student here. I feel you. It's rough, but try and enjoy the little wins along the way and love yourself!
Ok so “mini” vent: I’m studying for the MCAT right now and it’s so unbelievably overwhelming. I’ve been blessed with so many people supporting me and though I love the support it also makes me nervous as to what if I don’t do well and I let them all down. I feel like a big part of getting over this hump of doing bad on my practice exams is trying to get out of that “I’m stupid mindset”. I haven’t always been smart and there’s definitely people throughout my life that never let me live down my mistakes but I’m different now and I know I’m smart and I know I know the material because when I go over my practice exams I’m like.... 🙃🙃🙃🙃 I knew this, but I feel like when I take the exams there’s that voice that’s like “no you don’t know, you’re wrong” and I talk myself out of the answer. So here’s to a vent about a season of learning to forget the past and my failures and knowing I’m not that same person and I will do great on my exam and will become an amazing doctor
You can do it!!!! You got this! Trust your gut instinct you studied this hard and got this far which means you’re definitely smart enough and have strong work ethic do it for yourself and screw what other people think let us know how you did I’m rooting for you
Hi! I'm in the same boat! Subscribe to MCAT mastery (its freee), they send you positivity emails every day and it helps your mental health so much!
zemog 37 thank you so much! It means a lot and I’m taking the exam pretty soon so I’ll be sure to come back to let you know! ❤️
Shivani Desai thank you! I’m going to check them out now
I definitely understand the overwhelmed feeling. I feel so behind in studying and it just gets tougher everyday. I've had to overcome the mindset that I shouldn't do question banks because I felt discouraged when I got them wrong. Good luck to you! It's nice to know other people feel the same way I do!
I hope everyone watching this video and reading the comments has all the support and love they need.xx
Hey Herd,
I am currently an undergrad, and wanted to share my story on how I lost myself and found myself.
So, I am usually a happy and carefree person who always tries to find make situations just a bit better. But, in the last few weeks I don't even know what happened, I just kind of lost myself. I felt as if I was in a dark tunnel and just couldn't find the light. I didn't know I was in too deep, until it was too late and I just felt as if I couldn't succeed no matter what I do. I just lost myself. It wasn't depression or anything very serious, it was just more of myself drifting away from my actual self. For a while, I just couldn't get myself to focus on school so I spent hours at the library but was getting nothing done. I personally like to get through situations myself, but I just didn't know what to do. I then tried meditating (this sounds cheesy) with motivational music. Not lying, it took awhile but I finally managed to find the light! Of course, I still need to work on myself and it is going to take awhile, but I can finally breathe again! It is rough, wherever you may be in life because it is sooooo easy to lose yourself. Thank you Rachel for creating a community for all of us to be able to uplift each other. You guys got this! Just breathe!
We all go through periods in life where we don't know why we're sad or we're just too stressed. I know the added pressure of medical school is making things a lot harder for you. Please stay healthy and just know you have a support system. We love you! You don't need to always show us a perfect Rachel. You are human with real emotions.
I go to med highschool and i cry at least once a week and i feel so much better when i see that im not the only one that feels like this. *thank you for sharing your feelings*
@@flanagamer its like highschool for nursing. In some countries mostly in europe I think you can specialise for a certian field in high school. For example I go to vet tech high school(4th year) and im going to veterinary university next year.
I go to a health science high school. It’s for anyone who wants specialize in the health/medicine field
@@flanagamer Its a highschool with different specialities i guess, we have a couple classes that we can choose like nursing, lab tech, dentist tech, pediatric tech, physical therapy tech, pharmaceutical tech... We have normal subjects like math, science, and english and other subjects depending on which class we choose. For example if you choose to be a nursing tech you have anatomy, pathology, nursing, internal medicine, if you choose dental tech you have paradontology, physical therapy tech massage, pharmaceutical tech biochemistry and pharmacology etc. And then when you graduate you can go to uni or you can get a job you studied for in highschool. Sorry for the really long explanation haha
MarineBeast_86 I live in the state’s to. Most often people have career center rather then specialized high schools.
@@flanagamer It is cool i guess but its very tiring because third and fourth year we go to hospitals in the morning for practical learning and working with patients and hospital staff and in the afternoon we go to school so its a bit stressful but if you choose a class you love its really amazing and rewarding :)
Im a first year of medical uni and so overwhelmed by everything. Currently on exams and honestly i feel like im not smart enough for this.. also struggling with depression generally, its really hard to study and memorise and stay motivated. Hopefully it passes..
It's so exciting to hear you're looking at OB/GYN!! I'm a second year medical student and that's the specialty I'm feeling really drawn towards and have for years. I think you would make an amazing OB/GYN, you are so comforting and understanding and I think you would be an amazing women's health physician. Medical school is brutal and even though you're on the other side of the country, it feels like we're going through it together. Thank you for using this platform to inspire and motivate everyone around you!
You got me through some of my toughest times in my final year of med school and thanks to you i made it through my exams and now i can say that I’m a doctor! Thank you Rachel! Lots of love from Pakistan
It’s so nice to see I’m not the only one who gets emotional and cry’s when I’m super stressed 😭
A lot of personal shit has happened last year that really messed me up and affected my schoolwork. I’ve failed like 4 classes last semester and now I don’t know how I’m going to get into medical school. I get really bad panic attacks because I don’t want my dream to be a doctor to come to an end.
Obstacles happen to those that can handle it. You have this semester to turn your grades around, you still have the MCAT, you still can do extra curricular activities to boost up your application. There are post-baccs, master programs, etc. There are options. Your dream doesn't have to end. Just keep working hard for what you want.
Thank you for sharing what you're going through. Our Herd is here for you.
I was waiting for a video like this. It's crazy how student pursuing medicine, at any given stage, feel this. A state of extreme confusion, frustration, exhaustion... and there's literally nothing to do besides, get through it. Your videos motivate me to study harder but yet credit myself for how much I do. Thank you for sharing your triumphs AND hardships. You don't know how much it helps me and fellow students. Sending you lots of love and luck! You're gonna kill those finals :)
I started grad school and I don’t feel like myself lately. I’m emotionally and physically tired due to stress but your videos help me a lot. I feel like I am not alone.
you definitely are not alone. We are here for you.
@@flanagamer psychology
@@RachelSouthard thank youuu!💙
Daraliz Marrero I’m in graduate school for psychology too!! Very rough times right now, but I know you’re doing amazing💕 just keep pushing through
@@daijajackson8009 thank you! I wish for you success in all your endeavors. We got this!
Rachel I love you omg. I just started pharmacy school this year and man it is tough. I also recently moved in with my boyfriend in September, right around when school started and he's even noticed how different I've been acting!! I literally cry all the time lol, so you're not alone!! Your vlogs make me feel so much better.
I love how real you are Rachel! Definitely going to be trying to binge your videos a ton now that I started med school. I haven't been catching up because I moved from Canada to New Zealand for med school and I'm having Herd withdrawals!! Thank you also for opening up this comment section for other students to come for support
The red ant is back in action baby! This community has so much positivity and potential, love you all 💚
Woohoo!
Aweh It’s so easy to tell how genuine and kind you are, I wish I could meet you too!!
I enjoy ur videos so much. It lifts my spirits to see someone starting out with all the enthusiasm and love of life that u display. U say to post an issue well..... I've spent 34 years devoting myself to helping people. Being a nurse has been the most fulfilling thing I've had in my life. Every emotion possible has been experienced. However, officially today I am retired and I'm feeling sad. I always looked forward to this day but now it's here and I feel like I've lost something major in my life. Anyway ur videos make me smile and reflect on what's possible. Looking forward to everything that's to come. Ur really a blessing to so many people Rachel. Thank u 🙂
Melissa, thank you. And thank you for all of the lives you've touched as a nurse. That's incredible. Congratulations on your retirement although it's bittersweet for you. Maybe you can volunteer at a hospital every now and then if that makes you feel more complete
I’m a nursing student and I love your channel because it shows how truly motivated and amazing med students are! It makes me so excited to work along such amazing people in the near future. Keep doing what you’re doing! You are so awesome! 💕💕
I'm starting over (career wise) and I'm on the undergrad journey to become a Dentist. I took a long hiatus in college to pursue other passions and now I'm kicking myself in the butt over it. I'm struggling in this Bio class and it's the first one for goodness sakes. I mean the teacher I have is extremely hard (according to ratings he has failed half the class of about 100+ students) but this unnecessarily hard. I currently have a C 😖. I NEED WIGGLE ROOM because I can't advance to other Bio's with a C- and below. But I'm going to stay positive because I refuse to drop this class because I have bigger fish to fry. On the journey I go!
I completely understand where you're coming from I started over to get an engineering degree then failed my first calculus class twice before I passed, but I just wanted you to know it gets better! Sending positive energy your way!!
I love your positivity! I totally understand how you are feeling. I feel like there's absolutely no need to kick yourself over for taking the time to pursue other passions. At the end of the day, they are all a collective of your experiences and will overall be what makes you a great doctor in the end! Undergrad is tough, but we are going through or have been through the same thing and things managed to turn out alright when you put in the work. We are all here for you! Best of luck!
Thank you for being a source of encouragement and support. The Herd is strong and glowing!
The other day I asked myself "Why do I watch Rachel's channel?" It can't just be for the med school advice and tribulations, cause I can get that from other med student channels and my med school experience is different from hers. Perhaps one reasons is I get more of an 'artist' vibe from her. Her videos are self-expressions which feel genuine, unique and revealing. And the students I'm drawn to the most in my class are artists - one's an active musician, writer another was a professional animator. Get a 'Canadian' vibe as well too considering she seems to like POUTINE!! (6:05). Not sure, but I think down times have a tendency to afflict artists at higher rates.
Though the med school life at times feels incongruent with art/self-expression, hopefully practicing medicine will afford more opportunity for the artist inside to flourish.
Like Tchaikovsky would put it, there are plenty of thorns in medicine, but there are roses too. And similar to Camus, the winter of med school has me learning there is an invincible summer within me.
Also, I don't got the six pack (yet) nor the photoshop skills to be fiddling on Instagram so I have to keep coming back to RUclips to see Rachel's art.
Damn, all those years of eating poutine up in Canada have me packing an admirable gut or a hungry ass baby messing with my AFP levels.
This is the most beautiful comment. Thank you so much for all of the kind words.
All I am is grateful to have other people chronicle their journey. So many moments in my life have been so much easier because someone out their shared their experience. Keep going you already have it!
Rachel!!! I just wanted to say THANK YOU !!! For making these video weekly of your REAL journey. I thought, when going into nursing school that I wouldn’t experience the things you experience in medical school but because it’s also an accelerated program, 5 weeks in, I found myself relating to you with the breakdowns. I never thought that would be me but u showed me it was normal and I was able to get back up and continue on thanks to God and your vlogs and your attitudes. Also, you inspired me to workout while studying. When I went to sign up for a membership, the guy asked what was my motivation and I literally told him it was u- to study while working out so now I do practice questions while doing cardio instead of just sitting at my desk all day! Keep going, red ant 💪🏼💪🏼
Even though I’m not in MED school yet but I definetely can understand how challenging it can be and I feel like it’s okay to let it be known , I feel like I’m very expressive on how I feel about situations and I’m happy that we relate in some way, you’re one of the reasons why I also decided to document my journey on my channel ! :)
I feel the same. I haven’t been feeling myself lately and am not sure why. Between full time work and part time/full time education I don’t have a lot of time to just hang out. I appreciate your videos cause they remind me to take care of myself and I love reading the comments for all the positivity.
Thanks guys.
Thank you for being so kind and authentic in every video
I've been having a really sucky week and my add has really been screwing up my schoolwork. I'm always so happy to see your videos and they always cheer me up and feel more motivated. I definitely needed this today ❤
I just graduated with my Bachelor's degree, and I never thought I would be so sad about it. I loved college and have such good memories that I am so thankful for but I can't get over how sad I am that it is over. I also just got accepted to a Doctorate program for occupational therapy, and I am so so excited. BUT I am so scared. I'm scared to move somewhere new, to have to make all new friends. I have never felt so lost, and uneasy, and sad about the general state of my life. And the fact that on paper things appear to be going well for me makes me annoyed that I am wasting my time being sad!! I found your channel when I first started feeling down about all this, and your openness and willingness to share the good and the bad is so helpful. Thanks for the videos Rachel (:
You are so real. I’m a second year med student and I feel like I’m preparing/studying to past exams rather than preparing to be a doctor and I don’t know how to change my attitude.
Thank you so much Rachel for being real...so grateful for your channel, helps me a lot 💗
I feel like a proud mom, I know it’s so hard but girl something about you really makes me believe you can do this. You’re also incredibly beautiful 💕💕💕love from Vancouver,Canada(also I play your vids on the tv my 8month old loves the sound of you’re voice lol)
I’m doing online grad school for biology as my goals are to be a wildlife biologist (very underpaid and competitive) field. Yet I can never not be reminded by my loved one’s that that’s the case. as if I’m not nervous enough about living in a dream world and never completing my career goals it hurts to get it thrown in your face by those closes to you. I just keep telling them that as long as I can make a decent living for a future family of my own and I’m happy with what I’m doing it will all be worth it. I’d rather live comfortably and be happy then rich and miserable... just gets stressful sometimes!
Emily Robertson Hi Emily, I just wanted to let you know I completely relate with what you’re feeling. However, I always think back on what my mom always tells me, “It doesn’t matter what profession you choose for YOU. If it is your passion you will be the best in that field. Always do what makes you happy and that will push you to always excel in everything that you do.” Bottom line, if you do what makes you happy you will be doing a better job than doing a job you don’t like and just getting things done. You will be able to make so much more money because you have the potential to be one of the best in your field because of the passion you have. Hope this helps you keep pushing ❤️
I feel like you’re little speech at the beginning was so perfect for what I’m going through right now. So I’ve been in college since the fall of 2018 working on my BHSH with a concentration in sonography. I finally got into the program and it started in January. The college I go to is new in my state but they have other campus in surrounding states. The sonography program is off to a very rough start. I don’t feel like the medical (like A&P and medical term) classes I had before the program prepared me for what I’m learning now. I started going to clinical 3 weeks after the program started. I know absolutely nothing and it shows. The techs I work with get frustrated with the lack of knowledge. My weeks are totally backed since I drive 4 hours round trip to my clinical site. The other weekdays I’m in classes all day and get very little scan time. We have 2 instructors for our program and one quit last week. The 1 we are left with isn’t that great at teaching. We are on our own and left in the dark a lot of the time. I am 98% sure I am going to need to drop the program and just continue with a general BSHS degree. I am almost 31 and don’t have the luxury of time to wait out the current program I’m in and see how it goes in months to come or try to switch to another college/program. Transferring could take multiple applications and there aren’t that many colleges at off sonography. I am on a very strict time line since I am so much older than a lot of people in college (my biological clock is tickinggggg). I have this weekend to fully decide what to do. I have a very good gpa so I could probably transfer easily to another (better) college for my BSHS degree. Also, I think a BSHS would give me more flexibility with what jobs I could get when I’m finished or if I want to continue on with a masters degree. I think I made a mistake with the college I chose for sonography and I don’t want make that mistake again. I’m struggling! It’s such a huge decision to make.
Sorry to hear you're having such a rough time. I feel the same way about my OT program. I have very similar experiences with great professors retiring/leaving, burnt out from entire weeks of commuting to fieldwork and long days of lectures, and feeling like I have no idea what I'm doing til now. I started in Fall 2018 and am around the same age too. I wonder since the program is new if there are ways to provide feedback while you're still in the program. I know my program is adaptable and open to hearing student feedback so that was the most helpful thing. My cohort all had similar feelings and rode it out until it improved in our current (second) year. Whatever decision you end up with, I hope it works out for you because you sound like someone who is dedicated and a great student. Good luck with everything!
waitin2bfound sadly, our instructors didn’t retire or anything. She was only there a month and a half. Since the school is small and understaffed they lied to her about the job description. It’s happened time after time. The program director is our other instructor and she’s not that good. No one has been able to pass a quiz yet (I’m usually a straight A student). Also, I feel like she is super disrespectful to us. She speaks to us very condescending. She’s is majorly unorganized and now she’s trying to “teach” us physics on top of everything else. I think it’s best for me to get out now before I waste more time. I was actually thinking of OT school, but still not totally sure. I’m going a lot of research this weekend. It’s so stressful! Thanks for your message, it does make me feel better that it’s not just my school. I’m sorry you went through that.
Ive been feeling the same exact way. Being around my friends in college is making it feel better ❤️ but we’re here for you too 🥺
I started college as a business major, and just recently switched to biology (pre-med). Since switching majors, I’ve had so many comments from friends and family saying this isn’t what they envisioned for me. I try to block them out of my mind, as I know this path is what I’m meant to do. However, I’ve always feared I would fail at being a doctor, which is one of the reasons I started as a business major. I just never felt I could do it. I already have this doubt in my mind, and now any time I do something silly or make a mistake, the first comment that comes out of people’s mouths is, “and you think you can be a doctor?” I’ve heard that saying so many times and I’m starting to become discouraged. Does anyone have any advice? Like I said, I know this is what I’m meant to do, but it’s still hard to hear friends and family make comments that doubt my intelligence and ability to become a doctor.
I don't think I have the right to give you advice you should absolutely follow. However, what I would suggest is that you just do the best that you can and try to optimize the systems you've set in place. Implement study strategies, working out, volunteering and maybe researching are things you can do to beef up the resume if that's what you want to do soon. Also, if you're making little mistakes here and there that doesn't say much about you're intelligence imo. Just need to be careful. Besides, people who become doctors are of course bright, but also work smart and work hard. So if you're doing what you perceive to be poor, don't beat yourself up and think you're stupid. If you're in STEM chances are you have the critical thinking skills necessary to do what you want :)
How people think they’re entitled to say such things is beyond me. But many times it reflects their own insecurities rather than their perception of you. They don’t think they would be able to become doctors, I am sure a doctor wouldn’t doubt your ability to do it or ask those questions, someone that has gone through it knows that it’s possible. All you need to know is that you want it and go for it.
Heeey Rachel.I'm a lot of older than you, have nothing to do with meds (i am a psychologist) but studying again and watching a lot of your videos to motivate me to go on. You will get this, you will do this en you will be fine.every friday i think, its Racheltime. You will do this Rachel👊
i am trying to get into my top program for MSN and i have been calling them harassing them lol bc i was wait listed but I WILL get into this program..i am fighting and holding out and keeping faith alive!
Mannn....I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH. You have become such a big influence in my life and I love you for it. I think your doing an amazing job and all your hard work really shows.
I’m in nursing school right now and it’s completely kicking my butt. I’ve been working so hard and it’s paying off with the grades I’m receiving but I’m emotionally and mentally exhausted. I have a retail job where I’m a manager and that’s been kicking my butt too lately. I can’t quit because I have bills to pay and I’m paying for school. Just been very stressed and overwhelmed lately but this video really helped. Good luck with your finals! You’ll kill it for sure 💪🏼
I'm a second year medical student. Since the quarantine started, I have been having a difficult time concentrating and finishing my reading materials. I am way behind schedule. I've been getting panic attacks thinking about our schedule once classes resume this May. It's crazy. We missed 12 exams during quarantine, and they want to reschedule all those exams during our last two months of med school and thats just crazy! May already has 13 exams scheduled without counting the 12 make-up exams they plan to add and June is basically purely exams, semestrals and finals.... soooooo I've been getting alot of anxiety. Mostly because it feels impossible and it's crazy they're doing this. It's not fair. Our schedule wasn't even supposed to be like this. There should be a law on how many exams are allowed in a month! and its just frustrating because I want to study I do, but its just so hard to concentrate during this pandemic. aghhhhhh. Moreover, they plan to continue my country's version of USMLE step 1 this mid June.... No post-poning or no time for anyone to catch their breath at all. We will literally be the walking dead......Anyway, I just wanted to vent this out. Hopefully, the other medical students and I will be able to appeal to our school. Anyway, I'm glad I found your channel. Good luck with everything!! You got this!!
This was the sweetest video 😭😭😭 we love you!!!!!!! I’m so happy you’ve created such a positive, kind space in the medical community. Changing lives my friend!!!!!!❤️❤️
Being a full-time student and trying to balance that with studying for the MCAT is so overwhelming. Having to take multiple days off just to study for exams for your classes and having to put off MCAT studying which makes me more behind. Have had to move my date twice since I haven’t been able to balance school with MCAT studying. MCAT studying is no joke and I honestly can’t imagine how it is studying for the Step. How I persevere every single day is by realizing how far I have I gotten to get to this point and how many people have supported me on my premed journey from family, friends, and to even strangers. I take everything day by day and just tell myself to Win The Day!
Thank you for being so raw and honest with us 💕 it makes me realize I’m not alone
You are the sweetest human! you are going to be the BEST doctor, so excited for you!
i love how u show that not every day is the best day or that the world of studying is much harder than it looks like. i just love your channel😘
I’m still in my undergrad and my anxiety got really really bad last quarter. I failed a class for the first time because I would get into a test and I would panic. I finally got help and went on anxiety medication and this quarter is going SO much better!! it’s amazing what you can do when you put your mental health and well being first. we all love you and believe in you Rachel, you can do this!!!!!💗
Absolutely Maya! I'm happy that you listened to your body and got the help that you need. That's something that I've been trying to work on
I also started anxiety meds last semester and i am doing so much better! I take my exams and quizzes in a testing Center. I hope you have a great semester ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Rachel!!! There is a podcast on Spotify called Dr. Death and it is the CRAZIEST medical story I’ve ever heard. Thought you would enjoy as a lil escape from studying, maybe as u work out or something! So nuts and super addicting. I’m not a medical professional by any means and it still captivated me! I’m sure you would enjoy it even more!
when she said “ i don’t really have time to have pain” i felt that
This is amazing. I love it when people reach out to each other.
Here is what I am dealing with: I haven't seen my family for 3 years. My parents are getting older. I can't afford to go see them because they live thousand miles away. I'm going to school for nursing and I would like to go to medical school one day, but I'm not sure if I can do that.
Thanks for considering to read. Any suggestions or advice will be appreciated.
it’s amazing the affect that this channel can have on my life and others as well. thank you so much
You’re beautifully proportional Rachel. I was telling my boyfriend how I’m going to watch my ‘friends vlog,’ meaning you lol. This was shortly after breaking down and crying about how I’ve always felt that I am slow to learning and that I’m stupid. I hate to write it or even say it out loud, but it’s literally how I’ve always felt. I’m ADHD, I had a really bad high school career. I’m currently not even doing the hottest at the university now after learning how to learn at the community college. But you remind me to take care of myself, to love and to be kind to myself and to continue to work hard and it makes me so happy to see you happy. I think I’ll make a vlog one day.
Just finished my hem/onc/micro/immuno courses this week! You're doing great, Rachel!
I'm gonna support you through everything ❤
Yes!!! I love your vlogs so much. Thank you so much for that! I hope you all have an amazing week❤️❤️❤️
Rachel, I really hope and believe you will one day make an excellent physician. In case you do not hear this enough from people, you are doing great, and I am proud of you! Keep it up! If I make it to PA school, I hope to possibly host a vlog similar to you, so long as you have no hard feelings against that. Best to you and yours!!!
I’m trying to get into nursing school, but I didn’t score that high on the teas, and I have to wait a full year to take them again. I also hate my retail job, and I’m trying to get a position at a hospital but it’s impossible when you have no experience. I’ve been eating really bad and haven’t had time for the gym. But it’s all going to be okay. With downs, they’re ups and we are going to make it through this!
Honestly, as a non-med student I get so much out of watching you when it comes to my fear of doctors. I feel a little less anxious around them now. Oh, and you are indeed a great study inspo 💕😂
You are Strong, Worthy and will continue to be an amazing doctor! Thank for all your videos, God bless you 🌼❤️ You got this 🙌🏽Don’t give up!!
I am feeling super overwhelmed about undergrad tbh. I took my first two exams for the semester a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t do so hot and I’m feeling so discouraged with the next set of exams coming up. I don’t know if I’ve been procrastinating because I’m feeling defeated from the first exams or because I’m scared to study the material feel confident to then feel defeated yet again. I’ve been trying to keep my head up and try new study methods while trying to balance a life and get enough sleep. Just hurts when you are really trying and it’s not showing in the end :( but I am still pushing and trying !
Also I have a great role model like Rachel to keep me going !!!! Hahah
Like your content and grateful for the amazing new days you shoot for us ❤️🌹 keep going girl 😘
have a great day every day Rachel and every one ................... i have been through finals you can do this finish it and then medical school will be easy trust your self always
thanks for your videos. i'm in year 2 of a phd program and even though we are doing different things, i can relate to the stress and it helps me! i'm still not sure how you vlog through all of the demands of school, but i'm grateful you do! keep going!
I’m just sooooo stressed out I just left a horrible job, but I needed to protect my nsg license, Studying as much as I can hopefully have my Rn next year, then we will see, one step at a time. You help motivate me when I see how hard you work!
Ahhhh I missed you and your motivational videos. You've got this girl💪, glad you're feeling better💜💜
Yaaay my giggles helped you! I love your videos on a Friday. Love you and remember you are doing amazing!!! Sending all the love from the UK!
I just found out I got into my dream neuroscience program for undergrad!!!! I’m so happy. Love the videos Rachel ❤️❤️❤️
Last time I was this early Rachel was not in med school yet
Ly Rachel😂❤️❤️
LMAOOO
Good Luck for your exams! And remember: Always look on the bright side of life!
Love you girl! You GOT THIS! ❤️❤️❤️ sending all the positive vibes your way
Doing your best is all you can do. When my sister was in med school, she had the same issues. She has always said that there are days where you are going to be frustrated with yourself because the information you're trying to learn isn't going in. Rather than banging your head against the wall, use that otherwise aggravating, unproductive time to do something for you (like yoga, a walk, or some video games). Then, get back into it after you took that time for yourself because studying while angry/upset doesn't help. On cram days before an exam, she also said that if you study 50 things and only 5 go in, it's still better than if you didn't study and nothing went in. You're not a machine even if you try to be.
Breathe, hydrate, and take a moment for yourself everyday to maintain your sanity.
absolutely. I've been listening to my body more and more. I definitely stop studying when my body says stop.
@@RachelSouthardI'm really glad to hear that. We're all rooting for you and are super proud of everything you're doing:)
irrelevant but you are soo pretty. your bone structure is incredible!
omg wow thank you
This isn’t anything sad or something that I’m struggling with, in fact it’s the opposite. I felt like I should tell some people so I’m telling all of you random strangers on the internet. I got accepted into the University of Iowa today as a Pre-Med Major! This is a huge deal for me because up until a couple weeks before I applied, I was going to be a Music Major. I just felt like I needed to tell some people and if anywhere is an appropriate place for it, it’s in the comments of a med student’s RUclips Channel. Thanks guys!
Gage Manges Congratulations 🎉 so exciting!
Keep going. You’re gonna get where you want to be, you’ve got this!
Rachel you are such a sweet and special human being. I love watching your videos and I'm not even a med student, I'm a nursing student.... anywho, I work for LA County and we have Med school residents from CDU. I admire you all for the hard work and dedication. Too bad you can't come and do your residency here! It would have been awesome to meet you.
I just wanna tell you that u r amazing
U seem so fragile yet so strong
A perfect balance !!
I am a medical student not in the USA or Canada
But I plan to take the usmle
I hope that I can meet you in person as a fellow doctor someday
I have many problems of time management
And arranging my sleep , I spend so much time planning for the perfect way to study or the perfect time but I end up not doing anything
I am in a vicious circle of hating myself even more cause I see so many others who are so disciplined !!!
Iam so stuck in wanting perfection but achieving absolutely nothing !!!
I need some advice 😔😔
OMG i love you Rachel. Like seriously. You're so down to earth and relateable! Love from danish medstudent
genuine is what makes you unique
you support and love everyone on here more than you know!!! sending you infinite love and support too
I watched one of your videos just when I was loosing my mind from studying and it made me laugh cause I saw I wasn't alone and everything will be okey... Thank you for that and I hope that you have a good support system like friends and family especially medical friends who know what are you going through. So good luck to you and everyone who is studying or working very hard ☺️
Just here catching up on your videos :)
I’m in undergrad, trying to get into the medical laboratory science program at my university. I struggle SO much to stay motivated to study. I think a lot of it has to do with anxiety and depression. I’m already 24 and I beat myself up all the time for the fact that I don’t have a career yet. I have to push getting into my program another year because I dropped Orgo, and can’t take classes in the spring Due to no financial aid, so I won’t graduate until I’m almost 28, and who KNOWS how hard this program is going to be :/ I wish I could be positive most of the time and believe In myself, but I really struggle.
Thanks for letting me vent!
love you so much! you are so genuine and amazing
awe this vlog was amazing!! im so glad you talked about the struggles you go through, and sometimes having to take a step back and your own advice! I’m dealing with that myself right now as I head into midterms week, with a full load of classes, and I am just getting over the flu ((even though I got my flu shot)) so I had to take a bunch of time off of school / work. Ugh. So many comments on here of people going through similar situations, just know that the #Herd is here for you! We got this!! 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 #RedAnts
Not in med school, actually working as a primate keeper and am studying non human primates. But i love this channel and somehow it calms me down! Mini “vent” I guess: my boyfriend for over a year has asked for a break (not seeing other people) to figure out what he wants. I’m having a tough time as most of my life is family, him, work and school, but I’m leaning on my family. Send some motivation if possible. ❤️
I always watch your videos before I study because it gives me motivation!
AHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE YOU SO MUCH MY HEART IS GOING TO EXPLODE
I am a second year med student from India. I have my exams coming up, I have to prepare for step-1. Since, nobody from my college is preparing for the USMLE, I have to go out of the way to prepare for this and it gets really tough to find the motivation for it. Rachel's videos always motivate me to push myself and study well but with this pandemic, my productivity has gone really low and I hate that. I am a library person, I love studying in library, I can live in a library but the campus is closed and things have been a little rough in my personal life. Things look very uncertain in a few aspects and I am the kind of person who gets really uncomfortable with uncertainty, I have always been someone with a plan. I am not studying enough, at all, and that just adds to the stress. I am constantly worried about not studying and even if I do study, my brain is just not being able to process that information and digest it, my subjects are not holding my attention and it is crazy. I feel frustrated about how my days are just going so slow and basically wasteful. Moreover, Rachel has also stopped posting such weekly vlogs and I can't find the motivation anywhere 😩😩😩😩
Don't get into the illusion that you're going through "depression" (like I did). And even if you were initially said to have "depression"; say OK. Try life modifications to see if things change and become better. Acknowledge that it sucks, cut yourself some slack, and do what you can do (don't set the standard too high; then lash yourself out every single moment).
I used to read psychology, was thinking I had depression (I was just stressed out a little bit; and a bit OCD). But giving my self breaks [watching a movie, and eating, then just sleeeeeep] used to give me a break. But I decided to take antidepressants instead and I might've had meningitis during that time; but was told it might be withdrawal (because I stopped my antidepressants for 5 days; and started to feel like I was having a stroke), so I went home and took my meds and didn't go to ER and slept, so it got messed up from there because I might've had a brain infection; which might've lead to cerebral edema (I was feeling lethargic for a whole week). And ever since I had issues with reading & comprehension, my IQ took a nose dive, and overall thinking process feels like swimming in a very thick viscus fluid.
So, from my point of view, If I could go back in time, I would sleep the "depression" off for a couple of days (so it's more of being "burned out" than depressed). Then get back step by step into life [cough, cough, medical school, cough, cough].
I'm not the best in class; I almost never study well, and yet I pass with Bs in blocks. I don't do the hard work, and yet I can understand things and get a "high pass". It's like; "use some of your brain cells and you could maybe get an A- in a block".
Ranted out too much here. Hope you have good luck in your studies.
Edit: I mean "clinical depression"; where you just feel bad from the inside and nothing ( *NOTHING* ) brings joy [no dopamine at all].
If you can feel good even if things suck (studies) then It might not be clinical depression.
This is the hardest semester course load I’ve taken during undergrad. I’m taking all upper division classes in both my major and minor. I have 3 exams and 2 papers due and I’ve been feeling really anxious at night when I try to sleep. On top of that my allergies have hit me like a ton of bricks and I’ve started getting dehydrated from blowing my nose so many times 🤧 My body finally hit a wall today and I haven’t been able to study as much as I wanted to
I am nervous because I am doing a post-bacc which is going well but my undergrad was very inconsistent in grades. I am worried that no matter what I do, it will not be enough to recover to get into any program. I’d hate to think the mistakes I made at 19 (when I was on the other side of the country) are going to ruin my chances at becoming a healthcare provider. The competition in the post-bacc is also tough. It’s hard to balance between staying focused on yourself and not letting things get to your head. I am also injured right now and cannot exercise so my anxiety is through the roof (no outlet)
Idk what’s going on, but I’ve also been in like a rut for the past few weeks. Trying to balance school and work and just keeping my energy up has been getting more difficult than the norm these days. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one though.
I'm an undergraduate pre-med but because I'm in the honors college, I have to take graduate level classes. I also have two part time jobs. I study all day every day including weekends and when I'm not studying, I'm working. A couple graduate students I work with keep telling me that graduate school is gonna be so much harder than everything I'm doing right now but I find that hard to believe. What do you guys think?
i have been watching u a while and u are inspiring me so much i am so thankful for being able to watch ur videos pls keep going always looking forward to ur videos
I have just completed my final year. Yes it’s tough ..actually it’s the toughest but seeing you stressed all the time reminds me of my best friend who like you was obsessed with completing the course . She had major anxiety and panic attacks and when the real time came she was diagnosed with anxiety neurosis. I am in no way saying that you are incapable of handling the stress but I really want to suggest meditation 🧘♀️ for you. I hope I wasn’t harsh. Love and luck to you.🤘🏻