5 Things You Inevitably Learn When You Date A Med Student
By Delaney Lake
1. Medical students are a rare breed.
I met my boyfriend at a strange time in my life when I was debating going to medical school. After listening to hours upon hours of medical jargon, factoids, and anomalies, let’s just say I’ll go the Ph.D. route. Most medical students study somewhere around 30-40 hours per week, excluding lectures and all the other school-related things they do. Sometimes I regret my decision, but a late-night text about ovarian follicles or skin flaps quickly erases those doubts.
2. He/She will know your body better than you do.
His or her knowledge about the human body is simply amazing. I often wondered how he managed to squeeze all of that information in his head and remember it in minute detail on command. While having your personal WebMD may sound fun at first, when he or she discusses the specifics of your ENTIRE menstrual cycle with you, things get uncomfortable — fast.
3. Medicine is his or her first love.
When you get in a relationship with a medical student, you have to quickly come to terms with the fact that you will always be the “side bae.” This is not meant to undermine his or her commitment or feelings towards you, but to illustrate his or her passion and dedication to his or her soon-to-be profession. While seeing him or her no more than once a week (or sometimes once a month) can be frustrating at times, his or her diligence and devotion are inspiring. Not seeing your significant other every day makes you truly appreciate the time you do get to spend together, while still allowing both of you to maintain a degree of independence.
4. Every day is a learning opportunity.
As I mentioned before, medical students spend the majority of their time studying and when they’re not studying, they’re talking about what they’re studying. This means that you will basically get a second-hand education from them. And, if you’re like me, you’ll be trying to figure out what they’re talking about the entire time so Wikipedia will become your best friend. You’ll never watch “Grey’s Anatomy” the same way again.
5. It’s worth it.
Despite seeing him or her infrequently and medical jokes that get lost in translation, your relationship with a medical student might just be your most meaningful one yet. Medical school means hard work and dedication, both of which will carry through into your relationship.