How To Survive Med School?

Congratulations on getting into med school! It was a rigorous process but you made it. It only means that you are now one step closer to becoming a doctor. You will face a different kind of animal because I`m sure you know that your premed is definitely different from med school. The competition is going to be tougher, your study and workload are going to be more, and you will have less social interaction. You will miss out on a lot of events and will miss sleeping, as well. But I know you are already well aware of that. Now, what can you do to come out still sane from med school?

How to Study

This is something that a lot of us need to know but was not taught to us. Our teachers have imparted a lot of lessons to us, the quadratic formula, integrals, all these complicated stuff but never how to study efficiently and effectively. But now that you are more mature and living in an era where information is literally a search bar away, you have a chance to improve yourself by actually knowing how to study.

Spaced Repetition

This is what a lot of medical students are using now to study. Spaced repetition is using flashcards to study. You have to repeatedly get exposed to that particular topic to encode it in your brain. There is a theory that says that we have a forgetting curve and before we get to the point where we forget the information, we should be exposed to that body of knowledge again so that we can convert it to a long-term memory. But passive reading is still essential before reviewing your flashcards. Memorizing something without understanding it is just a waste of time.

An application that a lot of medical students use now is Anki. It is free on your Windows laptop or MacBook but you need to purchase it for a few dollars if you want to access it through your iPhone. You can go to the AnKing channel on YouTube so that you can maximize what you can get through the application.

Pomodoro Technique

With TikTok dominating the social media space and our attention span getting shorter and shorter, the Pomodoro technique helps us focus on what we are studying. Instead of studying for 4 hours without breaks, all you have to do is study for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break and then study again for 25 minutes and take a break again for 5 minutes. You can do this as long as you want.

Feynman Technique

This is a kind of technique where you simplify complex ideas by using simple analogies that you are familiar with. Neuroscientists have explained that the way our brain works to store information does not involve creating space for that new information. It works in a way that makes new connections. By using analogies, you strengthen your prior knowledge, and in that way, you will also be able to remember the new knowledge that you have acquired.

Mind Maps

Creating a mind map will help you highlight the important facts and assess whether you have really understood what you have been learning. Having a proper structure for the topic you are learning that you created on your own will help you remember your lessons.

Know What Type of Learner You Are

There are various learners. You may be a visual, auditory, read-and-write, or kinesthetic learner. It is a fact that a lot of people learn differently and you have to take advantage of that. You may be wasting your time taking a lot of notes when in fact, you learn more effectively through visualization. Knowing who you are as a learner will save you time and effort through med school.

Have a Study Group

Studies have found that a study group is more effective if you work with people who are not close to you. Studying with a really close friend might welcome a lot of distractions and you do not want that. If you are already feeling tired and demotivated, seeing other people study may motivate you to study again.

Take your Breaks Seriously

Your breaks are as important as your study sessions. This will ultimately save your mental health. When you have a study break, take time to close your eyes or even meditate. Going through your phone will only distract you. During summer breaks, take a vacation. Get away from the library or from your dorm room. Take this opportunity to really get away. A change in your environment will take away your worries and frustrations.

Creating a system

This is the most high-yield advice that I can give you. Businesses succeed because of a working system and so can you. This involves time management, a schedule, and study habits. Create a system in your med school life it will allow you to be on top of your grades, still have social interactions, and prioritize your mental health.

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