Dos and Don’ts of Studying: First Year Medical School

Medical school is tough, the amount of information, the change in environment, and the type of material presented are all factors that play a role in how well we do. To be honest I didn’t start out as an A+ student. BUT, once I learned how to tackle the course work, both my test scores and class rank started to improve drastically! Since first year is still fresh in my mind, I thought I would share some of my studying Dos and Don’ts:

Dos:

1. Do find the right study environment for yourself. When I first moved in, I knew that I wanted my room to be my office, so I set it up to look like one. Yes, my queen sized bed with silky sheets was right next to my desk. However, I went in with the mentality of studying from 9-5 PM and relaxing in the evenings. So it worked out perfectly.
2. Do study smarter not harder. It took me a while to come to this realization. I would spend hours on a pathway and memorize every single enzyme for my biochemistry course. While that was important, I didn’t understand the overlying concept and come test day I wasn’t 100% sure of the answer.
3. Do take breaks. Some weekends, towards the beginning of the year I would spend 12+ hours studying without even getting out of my chair. But I decided to incorporate exercise into my days. My breaks would consist of going to the gym in the mornings or the evenings.

Don’ts:

1. Don’t compare yourself to others. All of your classmates as did mine will come from different walk of life both personally and academically. I had to recognize my strengths and how they could benefit my life goals.
2. Don’t get defeated by low scores. We are given an immense amount of information in a short period of time. There is a learning curve and it will come easier to some compared to others. What’s more important is learning from those mistakes!
3. Don’t forget to have fun!!!! Yes, medical school can be fun. Hang out with classmates, attend conferences, or find a hobby.

I hope that my first year life experiences can help calm some of your nerves prior to starting one of the most challenging but exciting chapters of your life!



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