10 things you hear when your husband is a medical student.
Let me start off by saying that I love being a med-school wife. I love it because being married to someone who is doing what they absolutely love is really just the best thing in the world. Yesterday, Chris delivered a baby, so we celebrated with champagne. I mean, that’s just fun.
Of course, not everyone understands that, and sometimes that lack of understanding comes across in the form of terrible hilarious rude interesting comments. Some people are legitimately interested and ask normal questions or make encouraging comments. On the occasion that I meet a doctor’s wife, I’ll get something like a salute. And maybe a cookie and a whisper that it gets better soon. But most people say a variation of the same ten things. Every time I hear them, I think, “One day, I will write a blog post about the words coming out of your mouth.” Today is that day, my friends.
1. But it’s like a job, right? He gets paid to go to school? Did you get paid to go to school?
2. Wait…so he doesn’t make any money? Crazy thing, with the 80+ hours a week my husband works at the hospital and studies, he doesn’t have a second job. I know, I know, what a bum he is.
3. Loans are such a bad idea. So is giving unsolicited financial advice.
4. How do you even live like that? <– WHAT IS THIS QUESTION?! Why do I hear it so much?!
5. “So are you like, poor?” There can only be two outcomes to this. Either we are, and it’s offensive that you would comment on it, or we aren’t, and it’s offensive that you would think so. You should just always skip this question.
6. You guys must have so much free time since he doesn’t have a job.
7. Oh! So it’s like Grey’s Anatomy? I can’t even tell you how many people say this after I explain something like residency. I’ve never actually seen Grey’s Anatomy, but I usually just say yes anyway.
8. Why didn’t you just wait until after med school to get married? I don’t know…love, maybe? Let’s just go ahead and say that if someone is already married, you should probably never, ever ask them why they got married.
9. It must be so nice to never have to go to the doctor! On the days I’m feeling feisty (ahem, every day), I’ll ask them if they’ve ever seen anything on TV about someone who was not a doctor, but kept a full stash of prescription drugs in their house…they say yes, and it’s almost always a 60 Minutes or a documentary on a serial killer their talking about. So there’s that.
10. So do you like, make tons of money?
Honorable mention: I had already written this post, but I was just in the elevator and someone asked me: “So do you just sit at home and wait for med school to be over, for like four years? You just sit there?”
. . . .
Thank you, kind stranger. I now have the perfect ending for my blog post.
Do you ever get “interesting” comments about what your significant other does?
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Yikes. This is ridiculous hahahha. I do, however, get paid to go to graduate school so maybe people aren't trying to be rude with that one haha
I so wanna know how to get paid going to graduate school! I've been racking my brain over the take on more student loan debt to go to graduate school decision for over a year now!
I'm no angel and I definitely put in my foot in my mouth but I would never even THINK to ask any of these. People are crazy.
no but seriously, how do you live like that?! lol these things are hilarious! people say the stupidest things! i have a similar but completely opposite post in my drafts about stupid things people have said to me about being australian. some people just dont think!
My husband works in a university library and people assume he just puts books away where they're supposed to go and then sits around on the internet or reading.
Um. Considering that I can't even get hold of him if I need to chat I'm pretty sure he's not just sitting around or that his job is easy!
It's amazing the things that people ask! It's like they have no idea how nosey/disrespectful they are being! I'm sure I've asked some pretty bad things too though.
People always ask me and Kevin stupid questions because we moved in really quickly. His family kept asking him, "Are you sure you love this girl?"
This just made me laugh so hard in my office. I can totally relate! Not about the husband being in med school, but about getting married so young while I'm still in school. I LOVE the videos! 🙂
My fiance isn't a medical student, but I have friends who are, so this made me laugh! People really surprise you sometimes with their obnoxious comments…
Oh my gosh, some of these are incredibly offensive! People should keep the comments to themselves! I'm a social worker and people usually have NO clue what my job is which makes for interesting comments as well.
-Sharon
The Tiny Heart
Some people should just think before they ask, I swear!
Too funny!!! I think similar questions probably are asked of those who are in Law School. There is definitely a lot of pre conceived notions surrounding both fields. Bottom line is I think you have to be either really crazy or really passionate and maybe a little bit of both to do either. Either way I think it's awesome that someone wants to put in all that time, effort and energy to do it. Plus, I pretty much think it's amazing that people are smart enough to handle it all. : )
HAHA. Some people just open their mouth and stupid comes out!
People are so weird, right? Assumptions are so hard to overcome and I'm always blown away by how clueless folks are sometimes! 😉
ha ha ha. Hilarious! My husband is a medical recruiter, so he recruits ER Doctors to work temporary positions at hospitals. No one ever understands that concept so I normally say he's a head hunter and just awkwardly leave it there.
bahaha i'm a new reader and so glad it was this post i read. hilarious. "Why didn't you just wait until after med school to get married? I don't know…love, maybe? Let's just go ahead and say that if someone is already married, you should probably never, ever ask them why they got married." SO TRUE!
my husband is a professional/motivational speaker and ask me all the time "oh it must be so amazing to have him constantly motivate you to live a better life! you're so lucky!" yes sometimes…but he's just a normal guy and sometimes a little less motivation in the morning would be greeeeeaaaaat.
People can be so rude!! Geesh
This is hilariously sad. #9 had me rolling. My dad is a doctor and I've listened to him share some pretty similar stories when he first started, even back in the day. One time when I was high school, I went to an event with him because my mom was out of town and let me just tell you- LOTS of whispers about who I was, but the "best" was when one of the other doctor's wives came up to me and said, "It's smart of you to marry him now that he's established." I shot a look back at her and said, "Well, as his DAUGHTER, I'd have to refer you to my MOM, who married him before his career."
Oh man…the things people say sometimes. The other day I went to have blood drawn at the hospital and an old lady in the waiting room asked me what I was being tested for. I had to resist the urge to make something horrible up. Sometimes things should be private!
Haha, people can be so ignorant! Med school is kind of a secret dream on mine! It is a lot of super hard work though, and I commend you for supporting your husband while he works to have an amazing career helping others. And I dont mean finically, because the emotional supprot he requires is quite enough. He is so lucky to have you!! xoxo
Omg haha. I don't have a med school husband, but I have wondered some of these questions! I've always been wise enough to obviously never ask but it is hard for me to understand how a married couple can afford to be married and have their own place with obviously not having the time to work a job that actually pays. It might be rude to think, but it's a natural thought process. At least I keep the thought/question to myself though haha
All the time.
especially when my husband was deployed – it was always "Do you miss him?"
I rolled my eyes so hard, I saw my brain.
but these are hilarious. I'm glad to see the real side of med school.
everyone always makes it seem once they make it to med school they start rollin' in the Benjamins.
haha i bet!! i have a lot of nurse friends.. and one happens to be married to a doctor… but man those were some tough times during school, interning and residency.
Oh man, I totally hear you! I am guilty of asking the Grey's question to lots of my med school friends–oops 🙂 It's just because I love the show so much!
Oh my gosh, ha! Wow!
Laughing out loud, also the Michael Scott reference video is flawless.
Oh this is great. People are ridiculous.
those are funny. and probabaly quite annoying after awhile! i picture hospitals to be like grey's anatomy although I kind of hope they are not 🙂
our wedding photographers turned friends told us when her husband was considering applying to med school said one of her friends gave her the stats on how many couples survive med school still married…
Your answers are hilarious and damn true. You actually have to quite selfless when it comes to be dating — let alone being married to a medical student. Being a medial student is like working 2 full-time jobs between studying, classes, and the hospital. Best part? ALL WITHOUT PAY. My best friend's husband lives through this right now so I see first hand what it's like. Those people who make comments like that have noooooo idea!
omg that last one is just too much! haha….my husband is freelance graphic designer and I had friends ask me when he was going to get a real job. umm he has a job and a business license and pays taxes. it's a real job, folks! ha!
is a* freelance graphic designer
This is too funny! My hubby is in his fourth year of med school (and we've been together since high school!) so we make it work on my tiny salary, haha. The hours are the worst part, but when they have a great day (like delivering a baby) its so much fun to celebrate!
xx Lexi, Glitter, Inc.
oh my goodness, I love this post so much. My husband is a screenwriter for TV and Film so it's a constant slew of "what's it like working with so and so" "is he really friends with blank" "has he met blank and blank." I've stopped telling people outside of LA what he does. lol. Fabulous post, love. If you get a moment, I'd love to hear your thoughts on my latest. xx
http://www.fashboulevard.com
My dad is a police officer and I get to hear all sorts of things from my friends, because of it. & don't even get me started on cop haters. GRR.
Haha! You crack me up. Just came across your blog through a friend of mine and I love it! I was going to go to med-school (ahem…back in the day) so this little take on comments you get is awesome! Love to know what it WOULD have been like haha! Now I get a lot of interesting comments being a mom of 3 under 2 😉
SO FUNNY!!! Especially the Grey's part! ha
I just got married and my husband is in his 3rd year of med school and all of this is true. You forgot that people assume you won't have a career in the future because you are "married to a future doctor!" Yes, because his almost half a million dollars worth of student loan debt can wait until we are nearing retirement to be paid off.