Summer Edition Admission #6: Dating

debbestintown, you caught me!

As someone who’s tried and decided it wasn’t for me, here’s my two cents on the matter for incoming 1st years, pre-meds, and even med students who are thinking about it.

5 PROS TO DATING A CLASSMATE:

1. Someone who understands EXACTLY what you’re going through. 

2. Automatic study buddy

3. Pre-screened for similar personalities: Med school selects for very similar people. So if you prescribe to ‘like attracts like’, well you are in heaven, my friend.

4. Often tend to be long-term commitment…at least in the years or the type with a ring. When these couples work, they are in it for the long run. Those doctor couples don’t exist for nothing. Boys know the clock is ticking and they have to find a girl who’s going to stick by them for the rough years ahead. Same thing for girls. So…we’re all looking for the same thing! 

5. Automatic physical exam partner. Take that comment as you will ;)

5 CONS OF MEDCEST:

1. You have a small pool to choose from= chance of finding someone is small. Let’s do a little probability. Most people come into med school married, engaged, in a relationship…in my class it was about 70% in a relationship, 30% not. About 50% of committed folks are going to break things off and become single. Now, weed out:

• gunners
• socially awkward library or lab rats
• guys/gals who never show up 
• guys/gals still getting over an ex or working out personal problems 
• People you just don’t jive with

This leaves…that’s right, not that many people.

2. The break-up can be awkward…and gossip will go into overdrive. You are going to be seeing this person for at LEAST two years until rotations, and classmates may get caught in the middle. So handle your breakup like a grown up or don’t do it at all.

3. It can be distracting if you’re the type of person whose life goes into a tailspin because of romance. Medical school is pretty rough on both already. 

4. The best part about seeing someone outside of medicine is the reminder that there is more to life than medical school.

5. After awhile, all your classmates will feel like brothers and sisters. And that’s why we call it classcest or medcest. It will feel kinda weird. You’ll know far too much about each of them. It erases a lot of the mystery and glamour involved in attraction. 

In short, life is long and full of surprises. Weigh out the options the best you can through the cloud of oxytocin and endorphins. And if things don’t work out? It’s part of life, too. :)

Love,

md-admissions