A Medical Student Who Can't Study Asks: "I Just Open The Books And Stare At Them, What Should I Do?"

I'm a medical student, but I don't feel like studying, everytime I start to study I just open the books and stare at them, what should I do?



This question was originally posted on Quora.com and was answered by Yollie Estrella, Doctor. Traveler. Student of Life


During my second year in medicine proper, we were having short quizzes every single day covering 60 to 100 pages of the 11 subjects we have for that semester.

A good 200 pages a night on average, that not only entails reading, memorizing and understanding terms which I had only encountered for the first time in my life. A 20 item quiz covering 200 pages of information. Talk about injustice .

Add to that tons of presentations of clinical cases for the group discussion.

At one point, I was physically and mentally exhausted to go on. I slept the whole night without studying . I showed up the following day for every single one of those exams and flunked them all. I went to see a movie right after and skipped the rest of my classes . I went on an out-of-town trip that weekend instead of being holed up in my room or the library as I usually do. I spent a whole good day lying in bed, staring at the ceiling for hours questioning the decisions I have made, making plans of what might probably lie ahead for me.

The next day was a Monday. The same four hour lectures and cycle of exams, which unfortunately I did not study for again because I was living a normal life for the last few days.

I needed a break and I was thankful I did. I felt inspired and energized to study again thereafter. Miraculously, I made up for all those exams I flunked and made it to 3rd year without a back subject.

I made it a point , from then on, no matter how busy my schedule is, that there should be a time to unwind. A break from the routine. To find time to do things I love outside of being a doctor. Because it is not only fun, it makes me more productive .

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