The Not Quite Doctor

How to handle boring classes

Hi. How are you doing today? How are you suppose to get interested in a subject that you don’t even like? For example, in school you have to take require classes, but then it bores you to death. And you don’t know how to get interested. Thank you. Hope you have a great week. :)

Hey there. I think we all have had a few boring classes in our day (or even several). As pre-meds we often don’t understand why we need such classes. I don’t know a single doctor who has ever used organic chemistry. Even now, in medical school, there is whining and moaning about subject matter. When will I ever really need to know the chromosomal abnormalities that lead to cystic fibrosis?

This question is a tough one to answer, because when you get to the end you see all the things that should have been more interesting in the beginning For example, now that I have really tried to understand physics for the MCAT and then for various physiological processes in med school I find it really fascinating I was just telling a friend the other day that I kind of wish I could go back and relive my physics classes. I would have put much more into them.

And though no one finds organic that interesting I am absolutely positive it has helped me in medical school. Have I ever done an organic synthesis in medical school? Absolutely not. But just today we were talking about properties of drugs and the chemical groups they add to make them lipid soluble. Though I don’t directly use organic chemistry, the knowledge that it gave me helps me to understand what I am learning now. In my mind the premed classes are a foundation.

Think of it as the Mr. Miyagi curriculum. In the karate kid Daniel (I think that is his name) went through a bunch of boring tasks before he could be allowed to learn Karate. He painted a fence, sanded a deck and washed a car. None of that has anything to do with karate and eventually Daniel loses interest and gives up. But guess what? That tedious process wasn’t for naught. Want to do a high block? Well the motion comes much easier to your muscles after painting a fence all day. That is how I see classes in medical school. Do I use my physics equations on a daily basis? No. But how could I truly understand muscle insertions and lever actions on bones without having those concepts already instilled in me? My muscles (brain) new what to do before I knew how to do it.

So naturally the next question is: But TNQD, I am in a class that has nothing to do with pre-med! It has nothing to do with science.

To thee I say, “think again!” Knowledge is never wasted. Ever. Period. You can always find a way to apply it. English is boring? Think again, I write emails, letters, essays and blog posts all the time. I wish now I had spent more time understanding english and literature. Does history seem like it doesn’t matter? Well then you have missed the boat. I love seeing how things compare to current times and then realizing past generations have essentially struggled with the same problems we face.

You can be interested in anything if you just cultivate an attitude of curiosity. I have learned to love learning, and you can too. It just takes some practice. Find ways to tie what you are learning into things you already know and love. Find ways to make those subjects applicable to medical school.

The next time you find a class being boring actively choose to be interested. Because in all honesty learning is never boring, you just haven’t learned the right way to see the subject material.

That isn’t what you wanted I am sure. But I hope it helps.

Best of luck,

TNQD