Tips to Remain Healthy While Getting Through Medical School

If you’re just entering medical school, congratulations on reaching this massive milestone, which you should be incredibly grateful for and proud of. Now, you need to get started on the work that’ll make you a doctor and do so while remaining mentally healthy. 

Prioritize Mental Health

Eat well, spend time with friends and family, meditate, and try to get enough sleep when possible. You can even meditate for as little as 2 minutes before or after a class. Cultivate a system of support at your institution. If you feel yourself beginning to struggle with depression or anxiety, get help immediately.

Learn How to Study

Whatever worked for you before may not be well-suited to the fast-paced and high volume of work in medical school. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the occupational therapy career path and want to find outstanding occupational therapy programs, or if you want to be a cardiac surgeon, learning what works the best for you right now will give your confidence a boost and assist you with creating a wealth of knowledge. The methods of studying can vary based on if you’re a kinesthetic, visual, or auditory learner.

You Can’t Compare

Keep in mind that the reason you’re where you’re at is because you’re the best at studying your way. Never compare yourself to other people. Those around you will try to share their study habits, show off the notes they’ve memorized, and more. That’s great for them. It’s ok to be happy for them, just don’t compare yourself to what they’ve done or are. Who you are is what makes you unique — that includes your study habits, ways of coping and much more. 

Make Time

It can be incredibly simple to fall down the rabbit hole doing nothing but studying. You can avoid losing yourself in the process of med school by making time to do the things you love whenever you can. If you’re into theater, make sure you get to watch a musical or play once each semester, not during breaks. If you love football, look into creating a fantasy team with your friends or even have a friendly competition between a couple of classes. 

Get to Know Staff

These people may have been around a bit longer than you might think, they know everything there is to know about the school and can teach you things you just can’t learn in a classroom. The staff can become your go-to people when you need someone to laugh with, cry, with, or even just confide in.

Seek Out Older Students

These people will be your best source of advice when it comes to specific professors, logistics to be expected on practicals, course systems, and where to go to celebrate after acing that first exam. They may even share a mistake or two they’ve made and tell you how to avoid the same one.

Type Everything

The amount of materials and lectures you’ll cover in the first couple of years will be mountainous, meaning that it’ll become harder and harder to keep track of all of your notes. This is especially true when it’s time to study for boards. You may come to find that the Ctrl+ F function is your best friend when you need to find something quickly. 

Finally, when in med school, dress to impress, (the sweats and t-shirts were for undergrads, not burgeoning doctors), be courteous and kind to everyone around you regardless of their status, watch your language, and be especially careful with social media posts – they don’t go away. Also, try to stay humble, remember, you’re becoming a doctor, and while it’s admirable, you’re still human.