Superman32 0 #1 February 4, 2005 I was wondering if any of you who is or have been in Med School/residency were able to jump regularly or at least stay current? I'm stuck in the appl. process, soooo , I'm not sure if I should spend the money and buy gear now or just wait until I have more time. I actually debated going through AFF, but I just can't get rid of the itch Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #2 February 4, 2005 Lesson one: You will be por as hell living off loans. Skydiving will not help. Point #2. I started jumping halfway through 1st year. Racked up 250 jumps in the past two years. That includes 5 months off for knee surgery and Step 1 of the USMLE boards. - Third year, you will be up to your ass in hospital time, and you should prolly be using that free time to study. I can say that my initial obsession that we all have with the sport caused my grades to fall off slightly, but I have since made up for that. Would I change a thing? Not a chance in hell. I also had some disposable cash to pay off AFF and a rig right off the bat. I love being able to get away and go jump when I need to, but remember where your priorities are, and that jumping will always be there, as will piss poor grades if you don't give school your total effort. Good luck, drop me a line if you have any questions. /back to studying surg onc..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottMcC 0 #3 February 4, 2005 being a third year is great, I don't know what you're talking about. there's all kinds of free time and no studying at all. wait. let me start that one over. there's plenty of time to have a life, provided you are disciplined with what little time you have as a med student. 80 hour work weeks are only the beginning. I only made about 50 jumps last year, but that was largely secondary to lack of funding and bad weather on the few days I had off. but really, med school is a big commitment in terms of time and effort--you should be more worried about whether it's the right thing to do than whether you'll have time to jump once you're in (provided you get accepted--lots of awesome candidates don't make it, as there's less than 1% of the number of slots as there are qualified applicants). ps the cool kids don't study for surg onc (but I'm on psych now so what do I care) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,297 #4 February 4, 2005 You'll have plenty of opportunities to skydive. You'll only have one opportunity to go to med school.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lindsey 0 #5 February 4, 2005 This is my senior year in medical school, and I finally have time to jump. No money, but time. I'm also a mom, so when I would've had time in the first 3 years to jump, I usually spent it with my child. Medical school takes a lot of work, but you can still have a life.... I usually studied one day on the weekends during the first 2 years and took the other day completely off. I usually studied anywhere from 3-6 hours/day. The time commitment during your third year if HIGHLY dependent on where you go to school. Good luck!-- A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #6 February 4, 2005 One of the guys at my DZ who was in the Top 5 for jump numbers last year is a med student. But,... he has the benifit of having gear as well as aff and tandem ratings.~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpdoc 0 #7 February 4, 2005 I started jumping my third year...and jumped pretty much every weekend. Also racked up about 300 jumps during my internship working over a hundred hours a week and jumping every weekend. Since then I've slacked off, but that's because I had a baby...I say go for it! You may not be able to jump as much as you would like, but it is the BEST stress relief ever. Then again, I got paid to go to medical school so it wasn't such a financial stress. Good luck! (and I am completing a 4 year residency this year) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbordson 8 #8 February 4, 2005 I'm a third year resident in OB/GYN (4yr program). I did my first jump right at graduation from medical school, so I can't really tell you much about jumping while in medical school. And then I had NO time during my intern year to jump (this was prior to federal regulations - no 80 hr work week restrictions at that time) Most of my jumps have been in the last year and a half, and part of the reason they are low is cuz of hours at the hospital, and partly cuz I live in KC. Just learn to enjoy each and every one!! Remember though... if you are going to try to do both- you need to concentrate!! Boards are important! So that means study hard especially in the first two years. The residency programs do look at them at interview time. I know they're just numbers, but they are important numbers. Also good letters of recommendations are important (which means you have to put in extra time and committment during your 3rd and 4th year rotations). But on the other hand... skydiving is important too. You need to learn the emergency procedures, need to know what to do and when... no thinking about the kreb cycle when you have a mal.... you have to be able to let the school go during that time. If you can't, then don't risk it. Skydiving is worth it to me. You have to figure that out for yourself and balance it. There is time for both, but you just have to be smart about when. You will have some months that KICK your tail!!! and others are quite a bit nicer (like this one for me....). but it all goes fast. Good Luck! edit to add that I was also taught by one of my best friends and one of the best skydivers that I have known (Paul Rafferty, God rest his soul). He was very helpful in arranging for me to have a concise and more focused opportunity to learn the info and complete the requirements (cuz of needing to take vacation to do that and to go some place to get the jumps necessary) I had a unique opportunity and realize that the same situation isn't available to everyone. If you have difficulty getting the time needed... (depending on where you get accepted and work hours and ..) try to make arrangements with one of the larger dz's to do your aff there.... (if that's at all possible) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #9 February 4, 2005 One of our jumpers started med school about 18 months ago. He brought his rig in for a repack, called us 6 mos later and said to have it repacked again, then he showed up 6 mos after that to pick it up AFTER it had been repacked a third time. Said he would be back the next weekend to jump. That was almost 6 weeks ago... Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darrenspooner 0 #10 February 5, 2005 I did 4 jumps in 8 years of ungerdrad and postgrad clinical training. Now I got the money to jump as much as I like, but I got two little nippers that prevent me from going! There's always something. But hey, makes it extra special when I do get to go. My advice, just jump when you have the opportunity, but focus on getting through the course. It will fund the rest of your life skydiving.***Die with your boots on Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superman32 0 #11 February 5, 2005 Obviously, school is my priority above all else. I just want to get an idea of how often people get to jump. If it's something that can be done a few times a year, or if I'm looking at a 10 year hiatus (thinking about surgery)? If you don't get that much time to jump then maybe I should hold off on getting gear. Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superman32 0 #12 February 5, 2005 What would I have to do to get back in the air, if I only get a chance to jump during breaks? Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbordson 8 #13 February 5, 2005 Contact your local DZ or the DZs near where the med schools to which you have applied. Find out if there's some way to do a concise program. If not, then contact the bigger dz's.. I don't know if Z-Hill, Elsinore, SDC, or Crosskeys might have a way to do an AFF course in the limited vacation that you would be getting. Once you have your A, then you still have to do the jumps to stay current. If not, then you would have to do a recurrency jump. (which might mean a little extra money) In this situation, I probalby wouldn't buy gear yet, until you know that you can get your A and jump more regularly. You don't know what canopy you will be ready for, need, want, ect.... But remember, I am a newbie. I only have a little over a hundred jumps. I know what I had to do to get my A, but I was blessed with good friends. With the info on the limited ability to jump, do any of the AFF instructors or bigger names than me have anything more to add.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
docjohn 0 #14 February 6, 2005 To answer your question, don't buy gear now. I tried to squeeze in one weekend of skydiving each year of med school and that was difficult - financially and time-wise. Residency: depends and your call schedule. In Family Practice, I jumped regularly during residency. Sometimes in scrubs, but I was there. So reward yourself for graduating med school with a cool new rig. Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superman32 0 #15 February 6, 2005 I'm going to try to get my A this summer b/f school starts. As a matter of fact, I'm going to get a couple of jumps in tomorrow at XKeys Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tustinr 1 #16 February 7, 2005 Life is all about balance. I got through 12 yrs of undergraduate medical training and postgraduate studying and very rarely studied on weekends. Weekends were my own time - there is plenty of time during the week to study - the odd hour here and there add up to a considerable number per week. Of course this takes self discipline and control however its your decision as to whether or not you want to study on weekends and NOT have a life. Life is about living. You don't want to look back in 10 years time and think you haven't had a life. If you have the bucks, make the time. Go for it. Rich --------------------------------------- Everything that happens to you in life is your teacher. The secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your life and be taught. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maggotry 0 #17 February 7, 2005 QuoteI was wondering if any of you who is or have been in Med School/residency were able to jump regularly or at least stay current? I'm stuck in the appl. process, soooo , I'm not sure if I should spend the money and buy gear now or just wait until I have more time. I actually debated going through AFF, but I just can't get rid of the itch My sis did it. Think she averaged 200 jumps a year, but she started skydiving after a couple of years in med school and could work as well as study. Now that she's done, she's averaging around 500 a year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Belgian_Skygirl 0 #18 February 7, 2005 If I were you, I would do 1 thing at the time: - concentrate on what you are doing now. I want to say... to buy your own gear... isn't that better when you have more experience and know what is good for you? - look at the costs for you study and skydiving as a hobby, as both are expensive - look if you have the time to do lots of skyiving, so that the costs for your own ear are worth the expenses The fact that you post your question here makes clear that you know that combining both will not be easy. Just don't make your studies suffer from a hobby... because than you will be throwing away lots of money. As I understood, you are taking your AFF course now? It is too soon to decide on the right gear to my opinion. I don't have lots of jumps et and I am just taking from my own limited experience. Maybe other more experienced skydivers will think differently, but I can only say how I feel. Good luck with yous studies and skydiving :) ...------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superman32 0 #19 February 8, 2005 Thank you for all the great replies. I'm doing my AFF now and will hopefully get the A before school starts. Depending on how much cash I'll get back from my taxes, I might end up buying gear right b/f going to school, so I'll have the most jumps as possible and be able to make a more educated decision. The gear might make it cheaper to jump while in school, if the cash is not enough, I won't be stressing either, specially since I can't see jumping that much for the first two years -- but hopefully enough to stay current Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydivingNurse 0 #20 February 8, 2005 Bah, who needs med school. Be a nurse! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maggotry 0 #21 February 8, 2005 Nurses are cuter too. At least the female ones Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #22 February 8, 2005 I did not do med school - but my studies were pretty tough on my personal life... My average school day started at 7 AM and ended at midnight - 7 days a week... Then my first job in the industry I worked 90 hours a week.... But, I was into snowboarding at the time and made sure I got at least one weekend a month to snowboard - even if it took an act of god and planning ahead of time. If skydiving is your thing, and you can get out at least one weekend a month (and stay current), do it. I cherished my snowboarding time as my time where I could decompress and have fun. (This goes along the line that I force our employees to take vacation time instead of take the money - because you need to step away from the daily grind at least once a month.) My two cents... T Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydivingNurse 0 #23 February 9, 2005 QuoteNurses are cuter too. At least the female ones I'm cute, too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadowplay 0 #24 February 9, 2005 My girlfriend is a third year right now. We practically killed each other during her surgery rotation but since then i've noticed that her hours have been a lot more friendly. She still studies a lot but has time to do stuff on the weekends which is mostly when you would be jumping anyways. I'm in school as well and it helps that a lot of DZs seem to be going to WIFI access so people can be productive when they are waiting to plummet towards the earth. The only thing I worry about is if I'm worrying about my school at the dz, am I going to miss stuff that I need to learn to make me a better jumper. I guess it depends on if you can divide your time correctly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superman32 0 #25 February 10, 2005 Quote Bah, who needs med school. Be a nurse! I don't want tp be a nurse, but I want to date a nurse, then another one, then another, then another, then..... Nurses are hot Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
