5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Entering Medical School
Tuesday, February 19, 2019 |
| Photo by Ben White on Unsplash |
1. Lifelong Learning In Medicine.
I know I will probably get mocked for saying this but I only come to realisation that I still have to constantly study even after I have graduated from medical school and started working in the hospital in order to keep myself updated with the latest advancements in medical field. Having said that, the road to become a specialist and eventually a consultant requires more study and exam which could lead up to five years or even more than that depending on the type of specialties that we are choosing.
Reading medicine is certainly different from other subjects or fields in the university. While the latter can be equally stressful based on individuals, the former usually takes up about 85% of my days (classes, studying and extracurricular activities). By the time I am back to my hostel, I would have to spend more time on revising before I finally hit the bed. Even on some weekends are I would have to go to the hospitals for rotations. However all the times I that have spent will be worth it in the end because I will have equipped myself with sufficient knowledge to treat patients in the future.
2. Social Life Revolves Amongst Uni Mates.
I wish I would know that my social life would suffer tremendously after getting into medical school. I have missed out on numerous occasions, whether they are birthday celebrations, marriages, vacations or even simple meet-ups with friends. Never mind that my semester breaks are getting shorter and shorter as I advance through the undergraduate study years, I have sacrificed countless nights and weekends preparing for exams which made me skipped some of the social activities such as parties held by the university.
That being said, I am mostly spending time with my group of friends in the university as we are essentially stuck together under the same circumstances. I am glad that we bonded well and we had our backs on one another at all times. Fortunately my family members and childhood friends are forgiving enough each time I decline their invitations due to school commitments.
3.You Will Feel Discouraged On Daily Basis
At times (or perhaps everyday) I would feel disappointed by myself either after going through tough exams or unable to answer simple questions asked by the lecturers and consultants in the hospitals. All too often I feel as if I have learnt nothing throughout my times in medical school and I find it a complete waste of time to spent hours and hours revising on countless notes and books where I cannot recall a single thing the next day.
Medicine itself is filled with lots of discouragement because there are a cornucopia of knowledge to learn in medical field and yet your brain can only absorb that much of information at a time. Some minor setbacks be they scoring low marks in tests or not being able to grasp a topic does not simply define us as unfit to become medical practitioners. Yes you will feel sad while you are going through failures but the main thing is to be able to reflect on your mistakes and take them as lessons for you to become a more competent doctor.
4.The Lethargic Is Constant
I thought I know the meaning of exhaustion but I was absurdly wrong until I get into medical school. I am constantly being ridiculed by my working friends for lamenting on how tired I am while attending lectures and studying. Studying for hours really drains the soul out of you, and sitting in the lecture theatres listening to lessons all the day long is even more tiring. In addition, the struggle is worse when the exams are around the corner as I would burn the midnight oil cramming books after books into my fragile blob of brain.
Unfortunately this happens to be part and parcel of being medical students and doctors. The lethargy will only get much worse when you are working in the hospital and going through on-calls. Things however improve once you become a specialist and a consultant as your working time will be shorter compared to the trainees.
5.Strike a Balance Between School and Life
Last but not least is the importance of getting a balance between school and life. To be honest I have spent most of my non-clinical years (first and second year) in my hostel, constantly reading medical books for I am worried that I might underperform in the tests. Both anxiety and stress make me skip most of my social activities which are bad for both my physical and mental health.
I wish I would know that my social life would suffer tremendously after getting into medical school. I have missed out on numerous occasions, whether they are birthday celebrations, marriages, vacations or even simple meet-ups with friends. Never mind that my semester breaks are getting shorter and shorter as I advance through the undergraduate study years, I have sacrificed countless nights and weekends preparing for exams which made me skipped some of the social activities such as parties held by the university.
That being said, I am mostly spending time with my group of friends in the university as we are essentially stuck together under the same circumstances. I am glad that we bonded well and we had our backs on one another at all times. Fortunately my family members and childhood friends are forgiving enough each time I decline their invitations due to school commitments.
3.You Will Feel Discouraged On Daily Basis
At times (or perhaps everyday) I would feel disappointed by myself either after going through tough exams or unable to answer simple questions asked by the lecturers and consultants in the hospitals. All too often I feel as if I have learnt nothing throughout my times in medical school and I find it a complete waste of time to spent hours and hours revising on countless notes and books where I cannot recall a single thing the next day.
Medicine itself is filled with lots of discouragement because there are a cornucopia of knowledge to learn in medical field and yet your brain can only absorb that much of information at a time. Some minor setbacks be they scoring low marks in tests or not being able to grasp a topic does not simply define us as unfit to become medical practitioners. Yes you will feel sad while you are going through failures but the main thing is to be able to reflect on your mistakes and take them as lessons for you to become a more competent doctor.
4.The Lethargic Is Constant
I thought I know the meaning of exhaustion but I was absurdly wrong until I get into medical school. I am constantly being ridiculed by my working friends for lamenting on how tired I am while attending lectures and studying. Studying for hours really drains the soul out of you, and sitting in the lecture theatres listening to lessons all the day long is even more tiring. In addition, the struggle is worse when the exams are around the corner as I would burn the midnight oil cramming books after books into my fragile blob of brain.
Unfortunately this happens to be part and parcel of being medical students and doctors. The lethargy will only get much worse when you are working in the hospital and going through on-calls. Things however improve once you become a specialist and a consultant as your working time will be shorter compared to the trainees.
5.Strike a Balance Between School and Life
Last but not least is the importance of getting a balance between school and life. To be honest I have spent most of my non-clinical years (first and second year) in my hostel, constantly reading medical books for I am worried that I might underperform in the tests. Both anxiety and stress make me skip most of my social activities which are bad for both my physical and mental health.
Upon entering clinical years I realised that all works and no play did make me a dull and exhausted human. After all my wise lecturer once told me, Why spend all your time on job that can replace you in a week? Go out and have fun. Seek a balance between school and and life. Make sure you are spending at least one hour for yourself be it on simple things such as running, watching tv or even reading comics. Also make sure you are constantly taking care of your own health. Medical career is a marathon and not a sprint after all!"
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