Getting into medical school is a milestone. You’re right to feel that sense of accomplishment and personal achievement. However, this is only the beginning of your journey. Here, we list nine things most people wish they knew before starting med school. Learn from these tips to make your life easier for the next few years.
Make Friends with Medics
Some people think everything in life is a competition, but it isn’t, and that mindset is damaging to your mental health. Make friends instead of enemies. Find your people. A little competition can help, but focusing on that will only impair your growth. You’ll have a better experience in school if you set out to actively build relationships and lasting friendships instead. Remember that before starting as a new student at New Anglia University.
Make Friends with Non-Medics
Talking to someone with the same major means your conversations will often involve patients, work, and research. That’s fun, but sometimes, you’ll need a break from all that. So, befriend people who aren’t in your immediate circle or class. Someone majoring in Literature or Economics will have a different take on things and can help you get a better perspective.
Learn Balance
Manage your time wisely. You’ll soon learn how essential it is to get enough time for studying, assignments, reading, and sleep. Find ways to help you stay on track. If you’re not disciplined or organized, you’ll find it challenging to get through school. That’s why learning those skills beforehand can serve you well once you start classes atNew Anglia University.
Create a Routine
Make your study sessions a part of your daily schedule. Block out hours for your class readings, projects, and assignments. Turning that into a habit will help you retain the information better. Having a study routine allows you to get through portions of what you need to study. That way, by the time the first round of exams comes, you’ll have retained enough information to get excellent grades. If you want to start your school year at the New Anglia University right, make studying a habit you can’t break.
Get Enough Sleep
Too many students think they can sacrifice sleep to study and learn. But you’re less likely to retain information when you’re sleep-deprived. If you have enough rest, you’re more alert, responsive, and have better thinking skills. If you want to do your best, give yourself enough time to rest. Don’t skimp on sleep. You might think you’re doing more by reducing your sleep hours, but you’re only hurting your productivity in the long run. Besides, you’re more irritable when you haven’t got enough rest. Snapping at your classmates isn’t the best way to make friends.
You’re Not House
Many students who want to be doctors have their favourite medical dramas. However, your first year will be spent studying. You might not even see the inside of a hospital yet, so don’t be disappointed. It’ll happen soon enough. And when it does, don’t expect things to go like the cases you watch on those medical dramas. It won’t be like House, Grey’s Anatomy, or New Amsterdam.
Welcome the Struggle
You’re fresh-eyed and ready to take on the challenge of surviving med school. But you hadn’t counted on struggling this hard, especially when most things came quickly. You’re not alone. All students have those moments when they think it’s too much and they’ve failed at life. But think of it as another training ground. You won’t start as the best. You might not even improve at the pace you imagine. However, with enough study and practice, you’ll see yourself turning from a rookie to an experienced med school student. It will take time, like most things in life. But if you’re ready to put in the work and effort, you’re bound to see results. So, the next time you find yourself thinking you’re a failure, remember that you’ll improve and get better, too.
Stay Positive
It can be hard to stay positive when’re drowning in deadlines, have to study for another test, and only slept three hours for three nights in a row. However, learning how to navigate these situations teaches you valuable skills. You need to juggle multiple things at once when you treat patients. You might be consulting with a patient one moment, and rush to an emergency surgery in the next. Staying calm and positive in the face of these situations will help you provide better patient care in the future.
Get Experience
Find a way to get more experience. Look for learning programs. Ask the professors if you can volunteer for tasks or projects. Enrichment exercises can make a difference and help introduce you to what you can expect once you’re in your second, third, or last year of medical school. With enough experience, your skill grows. Practical experience helps build confidence and knowledge, allowing students to better handle and care for patients.