Medical schools have a reputation for having a cutthroat environment. Long hours of studies, examinations, laboratories, and hospital rounds can be a lot to take in all at once. But it isn’t that bad, especially if you know how to deal with them and how to hustle your way through medical school.
That said, if you’re looking for tips on survival in medical school, then you’re in the right place. Here are some things you’ll be thankful that you already know before you go into medical school.
A Well-Planned Schedule Goes a Long Way
In college, cramming is practically a part of the culture, not to mention the fact that it does help some people. Even more, people get away with skimming their materials just the day before doing the assignments the hour before the deadline. However, that may prove to be useless in medical school. Being a medical student requires you to absorb a lot of information in a short amount of time.
With all that memorization, application, etc., cutting corners just won’t do it. That said, having an essential schedule that helps you create habits for diligent studying is not only helpful but essential for your life ahead as a med student. Having so much to do in med school is a part of a med student’s life, which is why having a well-planned schedule is crucial.
All Students Have Their Way of Learning
At the start of medical school, you might be a little out of your element, culture-shocked even, because of the business of the students you encounter.
As such, you inevitably try to copy your peers when adjusting to the med student life. While copying from their example might be good, you should also know that every student has their way of learning.
Some might take vitamins paired with energy drinks to be more attentive in class, or some might sacrifice some of their sleep to study. Fortunately, there are ways to save on these expenses, such as using discount coupons from Buzzrx and other discount sites. This means the students can save money and focus on studying without worrying too much about minor expenses.
In short, what might work for them won’t necessarily work for others. If it works for you as well, it’s all good, but if it doesn’t, there’s no point in dwelling on it. You should create your learning environment and determine how you work best. Doing so as soon as possible will do you a lot of good down the line.
It’s Not a Competition
Everyone has their own pace. This means that you might do well in gradually absorbing material or extremely fast in absorbing learning materials that only take a short amount of time.
You might even compare yourself to others and make it a competition. That’s a huge no-no. It might take away what’s more important, and that’s learning. Making learning a competition is a bad habit. Having some friendly competition from time to time is fun, but it should not take away from you learning efficiently.
You Don’t Have to Choose a Specialty Right Away
Some doctors started their med student journey with a specialty already in mind. While this works in some cases, it’s common for med students to pick a specialty amid learning. It’s not necessary to pick a specialty before starting your med student journey; there’s no requirement.
It’s recommended that students keep their options open while in their medical training since they will be encountering a lot of opportunities to learn about other specializations. The more you learn about medicine, the better you may find yourself more suited for other specializations. Eventually, you’ll want to pick a specialty that you think you’ll be good at and passionate about.
A Good Group of Friends Can Be Handy
We can’t emphasize more on the fact that a student must have a good circle of support in their med school in the form of friends. Yes, we know how it can be daunting to proceed to med school without the usual gang you had back in college, but it’s necessary to have a support system in med school.
With a good group of friends, you can create a study group that can help you learn much, especially if they want to take the same specialty as you. Not only that, the different strengths in learning that the group has can complement yours and others as well, making the group more efficient in learning much more efficiently. That said, don’t be scared to create new connections during your journey in med school.
Final Words
Med school can be daunting and scary, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With good time management, good study habits, and a great support group, you’ll be able to breeze through medical school just fine.
We’re not saying that with those, you’ll have an easy time in med school, but they can help you during your journey. It won’t be easy, but you don’t have to let that thought overcome you.