Dd dropping out of med school

[Monica53]

Hi
On back of recent post - discussion with add , she’s speaking to well-being and friend who is a med student, she seems definitely to be edging towards leaving and taking a year out . Her health has been effected and Covid years haven’t helped motivation in any shape. She plans with help of Uni to look at alternative courses near home though work for a year first. Looking at employment options. Any advice would be so appreciated and helpful as per my last post . #Bekind

I stand corrected. Interestingly, subjects allied to medicine have quite a high drop out rate.

Just be aware how tough midwifery is. Not necessarily the academic side, if your Dd has got onto medicine she’s bright enough to cope with that. I’m thinking more about placements. Not sure how good her mental health, anxiety, resilience is but generally midwifery is a course which affects students mental health quite a bit. It’s got a bit of a reputation for bullying/high pressure/low staffing levels/over worked. If she can cope with that then it’s a great career but you’ve got to be fairly tough. I’m a midwifery lecturer and I have students ringing me weekly in tears. Yes, others do soldier through less affected.

For instance if my Dd wanted a career in health care because I know she’s mentally not in a good place there are other careers I’d suggest, more ones where the actual patient care is more likely to be 1-1 at the time of seeing the patient. Yes, I understand they’d have their own pressures. I’m thinking radiography, OT, physio, SALT. Just a suggestion.

I agree with covidcorvid. Midwifery is a high stakes specialty. I left acute medicine to a more chronic disease management specialty three years ago and the burden lifting of not having to worry about people dying was such a relief.

I think leaving medicine does sound like the right choice for your dd and it's a brave decision to make.

I also left medical school because of my mental health and although I have had moments of regret, I do believe that it was the right choice. And after watching This Is Going to Hurt, I feel that even more strongly!

If your dd still wants to work in healthcare there are HUGE number of options and if there is any possibility of being able to get some credit from her medical studies to get a BSc then this might be worth pursuing as it will open up doors to a number of postgraduate healthcare careers. I would agree that midwifery may not be the best choice - I did have a place on a degree course, but after working as a HCA in maternity for experience, I ended up doing something else entirely because I could see that I probably would have struggled mentally. I've now been working in a niche healthcare area for a few years and it is honestly my dream job and feels like my happy ending after leaving medicine. I'm sure your daughter will find her way too

@Reallybadidea
Thankyou for your reply, I think our Dd will be leaving - so sad for her however health is so
Important. She does hope she’ll get some recognition for time she’s been there abs did foundation year . Here’s hoping. Hope your doing wel😊

titchy
Fair enough if she hasn't yet passed the first year (after 2 years study) it is probrably better she transfers to another course.

Hi @titchy
Thankyou Dd is very likely leaving a she did foundation year and then first year which she had to resit, very little support from Uni for the group who failed 1st year which bearing in mind was in midst of covid! Best she leaves and does other things 😊

I wish I had dropped out. I didnt.. I kept on ploughing through. I have been doing the job for 25 years now and have NEVER come to terms with the fear and significant risk element of the job. I am good at it. No one knows how much I struggle and how every day makes me feel horrendous. But I have wasted so much of my life being miserable..

She will feel like this is huge - but really it’s just a bend in the road. There are many Other career / degree options - physio, chiropractor, optometrist, pharmacy , chemistry, physiology, radiologist (?).

I’m a medic. I’ve seen many struggle. There is much more to life and you really have to be tough/exceptional to genuinely enjoy the pressures of a medical career. Medical school is seriously very much the easy bit. I’m sure you know this, but please make it clear she’s not letting you down. Parental expectations shouldn’t be a factor.

I am sure it will be find and she can find something else. Foundation year and now 3 years in and not passed 1st year sounds best she picks something else. If her A level grades are very high law might be a good option. You can do that with science A levels

I'm sure this has been said before somewhere on one of the threads, but make sure that if the reason for abandoning the course is a worsening of her mental health, this is documented. At least then she should keep the year's right to funding (that is, be regarded as only having used up her entitlement for the foundation year and the initial first year), should she apply for funding for a future undergraduate degree.

I don't have any practical advice but just wanted to wish your DD all the very best. It is much braver to face up to Medicine not being the best option and switch to something better than to just keep going. And you sound like a fabulous mum.

@opoponax Thankyou for your reply . Yep her health is so important. Sad everything has transpired against her on the course - covid/other health issues which she is having treatment for . However she’s looking forward to other options and keeping open mind . Paramedic work / OT . We’ll see

Tell her to walk away. If she is failing first year modules and is this conflicted then it is not for her. She's young, she can take time out and decide what she really wants to do.

Yeah being a medic sounds fabulous and what an achievement when you do it, but is it the idea of it that she wants?

If it's affected her mental health then walk, it's not worth it.

Hi, my son is in the same boat. Totally understand how you are feeling. Has your daughter decided what she's going to do?

@mumtrying Thankyou for your response , I do hope your son is ok, our daughter is taking a year out, suspending studies , something to do with SFE and has extenuating circumstances so she will still get future funding. Now she has made the decision she is ok, has had support from her year tutor and they understand that the last two years has had a huge effect on studies /exams and MH. She is looking at paramedic work or some other medical field. When she goes back after Easter break she is going to speak to careers at Uni for some more advice and assistance with her CV as she plans to work for her year out, and also has some youth work over summer months . Good look to your son, they have to do what is best for their health in every way😊

statmedicaledu.com/
i wonder if this be of use