Is law or med school more stressful?

Asked by: Beaulah Kemmer  |  Last update: April 25, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (32 votes)

Although both law and medical schools present their unique challenges, it's generally accepted that medical school demands a higher level of intense coursework and thorough training.

Is law school more stressful than medical school?

If you're at a lower ranked law school and you are set on market paying big law, it's going to be more stressful. However, it all depends on your goals. Elite medical schools are almost as stressful as “average” medical schools, unless you end up at one of the few unranked pass/fail medical schools.

Is law school really that stressful?

Law school classes and other life activities can be stressful, so it is a good idea to maintain healthy habits because people tend to neglect self-care. Getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly in your free time are all important to making it through the process.

Is law school the hardest degree?

The law school coursework is diverse and vast, which means you can't afford to slack off. You need to put in the necessary work throughout the program if you want to succeed. In summary, law school is hard. Harder than regular college or universities, in terms of stress, workload, and required commitment.

Is medical school really that stressful?

A meta-analysis in the American journal JAMA suggested depressive symptoms in 21% to 43% of all medical students. The students make an effort to counteract the impact of stressful situations with various coping skills.

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43 related questions found

What is the hardest year of medical school?

What Makes 3rd Year the Hardest Year of Med School? 3rd year is the hardest year of med school because you're beginning your clinical rotations. All that knowledge you've frantically absorbed from the previous 2 years, will be presented physically in the form of patients.

What is the most stressful medical career?

Here are the top 10 most stressful jobs in healthcare according to the Occupational Information Network.
  • 8 | Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses. ...
  • 7 | Patient Representatives. ...
  • 6 | Nurse Midwife. ...
  • 5 | Nurse Anesthetists. ...
  • 4 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ...
  • 3 | Acute Care Nurses. ...
  • 2 | Anesthesiologist Assistants. ...
  • 1 | Urologists.

How many people drop out of law school?

The decision to attend law school shouldn't just be financially driven. You'll also want to consider the high dropout rates of law school, particularly among minorities. Overall, dropout rates are over 6% for first-year students. For American Indian, Hawaiian native, and Black students, the dropout rate is 11% to 13%.

How many hours a day do law students study?

All in all, however, law students typically spend around 30 – 40 hours per week studying. That may sound like a lot, but a good rule of thumb is that you should be studying at least two hours for every one hour of class time per week.

How hard is law school realistically?

Law school is very hard—harder than college or university. This is due to a heavy course load, a high-stress environment, and difficult course material. But completing law school is not impossible; over 40,000 law students make it to graduation each year.

How exhausting is law school?

The combination of long hours, competing with peers, and pressure to perform at a high level can lead to law student burnout. Stress is also a key contributor. Unmanaged stress leads to burnout in any industry, and most law students report significant stress—even when compared to other graduate students.

What percent of law students are depressed?

What percentage of law students are depressed? 40% of law students are depressed after 3 years. According to the Dave Nee Foundation, law school depression rates increase progressively over the course of law school. Prior to entering law school, depression rates among law students are 8-9%.

Can you be happy in law school?

Happiness will come in time if you stay on track with yourself, your relationships, and the meaning in your work.

How hard is the bar exam?

The bar exam is hard. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult challenges you ever embark on. You must memorize numerous laws and consume a lot of knowledge to answer questions correctly. For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it.

Which year of law school is the hardest?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

What is the hardest field in medical school?

What is the most difficult type of doctor specialty? Neurosurgery is known to be particularly challenging because of the intricate nature of the nervous system and the significant risks involved in surgical procedures.

How hard is law school vs med school?

Each path demands extensive education and a commitment to rigorous training before becoming a qualified professional. Although both law and medical schools present their unique challenges, it's generally accepted that medical school demands a higher level of intense coursework and thorough training.

Can you have a life while in law school?

During exams, this won't be true. But during the semester, you can and need to have a life, for the sake of your sanity. I even went as far as getting a giant German Shepherd in law school. And somehow finding time to go to playgrounds.

Can I finish law school in 2 years?

Accelerated law school programs

Although you'll typically complete the same amount of credits, you'll take advantage of summer terms to graduate within two years instead of three. An accelerated JD may benefit those who have the time to devote to studying full-time and wish to start practicing as soon as possible.

Is being a lawyer worth it financially?

Lawyers have the opportunity to earn a lucrative income. The average annual income for an attorney in the United States is $127,990 per year as of 2021 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor.

What is the average debt for law students?

The average law school graduate owes $130,000 in student loan debt. 71% of law school students graduate in debt. $119,292 is the average amount students borrow just to attend law school. $92,267 is the average amount borrowed to attend one of the top 10 law schools in terms of salary-to-debt ratio.

What is the happiest medical career?

According to studies, family medicine is considered the happiest medical specialty. While happiness is subjective and varies from individual to individual, family medicine doctors generally report high levels of job satisfaction and work-life balance.

Which medical field has the highest burnout?

Emergency Medicine‍

Emergency medicine is the primary physician specialty with highest burnout. This field reports one of the highest stress levels due to its high-paced, high-acuity environment.

What major is the most stressful?

MEDICINE MOST STRESSFUL MAJOR

1 place as the most stressful major? Students studying in medicine-related fields led the pack. Right behind them were the law, social work, and engineering majors.