5 Things I Never Learned in Med School

After hours of studying and taking various standardized tests, by the time you are ready to graduate medical school, you likely will have accumulated the medical knowledge that you need as a foundation. However, there are a few additional things that I wish I had known before starting residency. Here are five tips you probably weren't taught in medical school that may help you succeed in residency.

1. How to Multitask

As a resident, you will soon learn that the best way to be successful is to learn how to multitask. Between all of the responsibilities that will be given to you as a resident, you will realize that you are bound to forget something! The best way to multitask is to make notes and lists of items left to complete, checking off each task from the list as it is completed. This way, when multiple tasks are thrown your way at the same time, you will be able to complete them all in a reasonable fashion without forgetting any of them. Also, try to get into a routine regarding the order in which you complete these tasks, as that will leave less room for error.

In addition to all of the items on your checklist to complete during the day, you will have various other responsibilities to finish outside of the workday, such as grand rounds or journal club presentations, research projects to complete, and reading to finish. It is important to plan for these ahead of time so that you are able to manage your time wisely and so you don't find yourself rushed to beat deadlines.

2. How to Develop Career Goals

It's important to determine during residency your long-term goal regarding where you see your career going. What is the next step after you are done with your residency? Is fellowship on the horizon? Take advantage of the different opportunities given to you during residency to help you determine the trajectory you want your career to take once you are done with your training. Use your time in residency to figure out whether you'd prefer to stay in an academic setting or would rather be in a private or group practice. Do you want to be in a position where you work with residents and medical students, or do you prefer to focus heavily on research? Talk with your mentors and attendings to suss out the advantages and disadvantages of each and to figure out which would be the right option for you.

3. How to Take Ownership of Your Own Learning

One of the differences between medical school and residency is that your learning is monitored while you are in medical school. You are given an exam every few weeks to ensure that you have gained a mastery of the material taught to you. In residency, nobody is monitoring what you study or how much you have studied; nobody tests you in periodic intervals to ensure that you have not fallen behind. Rather, residency provides you with the opportunities to learn and excel, but it is up to you to seize these opportunities.

To succeed in residency, you must be responsible for your own learning. Be determined to make—and stick to—your own study schedule. Take advantage of the opportunities given to you: Apply for scholarships and grants, go to conferences and network, and give talks and presentations whenever the chance arises.

4. How to Turn Challenges Into Opportunities

You will face many challenges during residency, whether it's a difficult patient, getting along with coworkers, or merely balancing the burden of a rigorous schedule and workload. During these times, it is often hard to see the silver lining. But remember that each of these opportunities allows you to become a better resident, coworker, and physician.

When you are dealing with a patient who has a challenging diagnosis that requires a lot of attention and management, take close notice of the pathology that you are seeing. Understand that it may be something rare, so read up and also learn from the patient. Use this as an opportunity to write up a case report. During those times when you are really feeling the weight of your schedule, remember that it is helping you become a more efficient and competent physician, and that by the time you are done with your training, you will be ready to handle whatever comes your way when you are practicing without supervision as an attending. Every challenge you come across now will only help you become stronger in the future!

5. How to Leave Work Behind

Last but not least, remember to maintain a separation between residency and the other aspects of your life. This does not mean that there can be no overlap between the two; in fact, there will be overlap—it's okay to hang out with your friends from residency during the weekend! What I mean by this is that it is very easy to become so enveloped by work that you allow your role as a resident to permeate every part of your life. It's important for your own sanity to make time for your hobbies and do the things that you enjoy. Just because you are a resident doesn't mean that family, friends, and other things that are important to you need to be forgotten.

It is also important to develop the skills needed to cope with challenging and emotional situations (such as stress, mistreatment by staff, the death of a patient you had gotten close to) so that you are able to deal appropriately. You cannot control everything, and some things need to be let go.

The transition from medical school to residency can be tough, but it is definitely rewarding. It is the culmination of everything that you learned in medical school being put into practice. Hopefully, these five lessons I wish I had learned will help you succeed during your residency.

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