Lina I commented before but I erased it. I think the best way would be to form a study group, this way you will eventually meet people with similar perspectives. I hope that helps.

wasalaams:) I was hoping for at least one other muslim classmate (there are a few here but have different priorities), it's a blessing to have someone there with you to get through those hard times in school. Alhamdulillah there is a strong MSA from the undergrads here, and I've been able to keep close ties with people from there. JAK for your contact, Amana :).
I absolutely LOVE that verse from the Quran: "Know that the life of the world is only play, and idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rain, whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw. And in the Hereafter there is grievous punishment, and (also) forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure, whereas the life of the world is but matter of illusion. " 57:20, SubhanAllah it sums up the many deen-draining experiences in medschool: "...idle talk, and pageantry, and boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children...", that's EXACTLy how it is, but the miracle of the Quran gives the perfect example of what happens- "whereof the growth is pleasing to the husbandman, but afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw"- you work and work and work to make that money, buy the cars, houses, clothes, but in the end, once you've lived your life and find yourself in the grave, none of that materialism mattered at all- "afterward it drieth up and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becometh straw".
So what's the solution? The following verse: "Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden whereof the breadth is as the breadth of the heavens and the earth, which is in store for those who believe in Allah and His messengers. Such is the bounty of Allah, which He bestoweth upon whom He will, and Allah is of Infinite Bounty." Alhamdulillah, Allah has blessed us with the heart and mind to pray for His forgiveness and thank Him with all He has blessed us with, moving from the intentions of boasting and showing off, to pleasing Allah for a better akhira.
JAK for your perspectives, it's motivational seeing others striving for a better akhira.
May Allah grant us all Jannah for everything we do for the medical profession, and all that we do outside of it.
wasalaams
Lina

:) salaams lina .. for me it was a tremendous help to have a strong muslim classmate; we kept each other in check alhamdulillah .. but aside from her, i did find a few others who were in medicine i think for the right reasons. anyway, bottom line .. keep good company in school if you can find it and nurture those relationships through study groups etc. maintain your relationships outside of medschool (on weekends?) with people who'll hear you out and listen and pray for/with you .. they'll keep you sane and keep things in perspective inshaAllah. finally, i think medschool is a wonderful opportunity to grow spiritually ... keep your fard prayers in check and read/contemplate on the quran regularly (i say this to myself first before anyone else). other things to keep you sane .. the hobbies that you had before medschool, continue them! you can still do all that you used to do, you just gotta manage your time right inshaAllah. if you need to just blow off steam, you can IM me on AIM at luqman80. peace!

Good point. It's a good first step to simply be aware of this problem. Another challenge is the issue of luxury. It is extremeley difficult to resist the temptation to build up material possessions like fancy cars and big houses. One thing that really helps is to try hard to read Quran, particularly the parts that talk about how this life is temporary. I mean, we all know it's temporary but we have such difficulty living as if it really is. I don't have any good answers for you but it's something that constantly bugs me. Everyone has their weakness and I think mine will be wasting money.