"Med Student" syndrome

Nurses General Nursing

Published

For nurses or nursing students...While in the process of learning about all of the different diseases and symptoms of diseases in school, did you find yourself being overly concerned with your own health, thinking every little pain was something terrible? I did this in my Abnormal Psych class and I was just wondering if it is common! If you did have this, did you grown out of this yet or is it still plaguing you?

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I hated abnormal psych. I diagnosed all kinds of personality/mental disorders in myself. LOL

Otherwise I was o.k.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I got a little 'funny' while taking Microbiology. I think it was the section on parasites that got to me. I'd touch a door knob or some common fomite and think..."What if someone left their microscopic worms and eggs on here...I'll touch the door knob, touch something else...before I know it...I'll have a worm growing in my brain...!"

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I got a little 'funny' while taking Microbiology. I think it was the section on parasites that got to me. I'd touch a door knob or some common fomite and think..."What if someone left their microscopic worms and eggs on here...I'll touch the door knob, touch something else...before I know it...I'll have a worm growing in my brain...!"

:rotfl:

at least you're consistent, re: the 50 million bottles of cleaner you have at home.

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in B.S. Psychology.

It's funny in retrospect, isn't it? :lol2: As for me, I've had all sorts of cancers, rare diseases and psychological disorders... (all in my mind of course)! I don't think I'll ever quite grow out of it as I think it's just my personality to freak out about anything that can potentially kill me!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
:rotfl:

at least you're consistent, re: the 50 million bottles of cleaner you have at home.

leslie

Make that 60 million bottles of cleaner, leslie! :rotfl: I recently happened across a sale on Mrs. Meyers, Method, and Caldrea cleaners.

That, and Bath and Body Works just had a sale on their liquid hand soaps. So I purchased 34 bottles. (I just went and counted) Help me, I need help...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, office.

I had myself convinced I was in renal failure during school. :rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Seriously though, I can see how med student syndrome happens. I just got my nursing textbooks for next semester, and I've been reading about all things neuro. Last night I had myself convinced that I have or will get MS.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

The funniest thing I've ever seen (this is on a non-medical person, though. keep that in mind.) was when my stepfather (in his 80s at the time) heard about Klinefelter's Syndrome on TV. He did a little 'puter research & for several months afterward was absolutely convinced he had it. I don't know how many of us it took to finally convince him that if he'd had it, he'd have found out many decades prior. He finally listened, and is still doing fine at 91. People can be so funny with a little knowledge, as EG said! :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The funniest thing I've ever seen (this is on a non-medical person, though. keep that in mind.) was when my stepfather (in his 80s at the time) heard about Klinefelter's Syndrome on TV. He did a little 'puter research & for several months afterward was absolutely convinced he had it.
Sounds like someone I know :rolleyes:

https://allnurses.com/forums/2293592-post41.html

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

LOL, Emmanuel, sounds like we have similar kin. :cool:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Common and very normal. You will get over it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Occ health, Med/surg, ER.

Yup. I diagnosed myself with several things. Thank god Im all better now. LOL.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment