Medical School Advice From My First Semester

DO NOT pull unnecessary all-nighters.

I’ve pulled a couple of all-nighters in my time and while some were definitely justified, most of them were not. Sleep is a really important component of learning and general cognitive function, so why cheat yourself of it? This is especially true as an M1/M2, when our sole purpose is to learn. Furthermore, as medical students in our pre-clinical years, we don’t have the excuse of being on-call or forced to work long shifts.

I personally would rather forego my favorite television shows and/or limit internet usage than a semi-good night’s rest. The plan is to get through at least M1/M2 without pulling an all-nighter. Not only do they mess with my ability to think clearly, my tummy hurts after being up for 20+ hours.

DO NOT set your heart on a specialty [yet].

By the end of my first semester of medical school, I have already considered going into anesthesiology, radiation oncology, clinical genetics and internal medicine. Even after talking to attendings and residents in these specialties, I don’t feel any closer to deciding on a specialty. Although I came into medical school knowing that I wouldn’t fall in love with a specialty until after I rotated through at least a few of them, I still wish I knew now. Plus, I think it’s important to ask questions of the residents/attendings I interact with. After all, they can offer yet another layer of knowledge that you likely wouldn’t get from shadowing or rotating as a medical student.

Basically, keep your eyes, ears and options open until it’s actually necessary (i.e. not first semester… or second semester… or even second year).

DO NOT pile on the extracurricular activities [yet].

As an undergraduate, you were a jack-of-all-trades. You started an organization or successfully headed a legacy. You volunteered at the hospital on a regular basis. You did research, attended conferences and maybe even got a publication. And you got stellar grades while doing all of that. But in medical school, all of that changes. It’s hard to put into words just how much stuff medical students need to cram into their brains within the first two years, but let’s just say it’s a lot. So much so that even just putting your sole focus on school may be just enough to pass.

Sure, there are definitely some geniuses in the mix that can somehow always do well AND get a full night’s rest AND do research AND know what happened on the latest episode of Grey’s…but they aren’t the norm. This being said, be careful about what you commit to within the first couple of weeks of classes. Definitely get out there and go to a couple meetings for various clubs/organizations, but set realistic goals for extracurricular activities. Also, make sure to remember that you are first and foremost a medical student. You don’t pay 5-figures/year in tuition money just to participate in extracurriculars! Once you’ve gotten a feel for things, then start adding things, slowly.

DO NOT convince yourself that you’re alone in this process.

One of the most important factors that I considered when selecting a medical school to attend was the community. Did it feel supportive? Did it feel conducive to success? Did I feel like I could connect with my future peers? These were questions I asked myself and the answers ultimately led me to select OUWB. By choosing a school I felt comfortable in, I knew that when I started to despair about how impossible it seems to cram all the material of a 2-inch binder into my head that I would have a great medical student support network built from my peers.

But even if you don’t feel like you have that support within your class, when you’re feeling overwhelmed or tired or frustrated, know that somewhere out there, there is another medical student that feels exactly the same way you do. Guaranteed. There is another human being just as stressed, anxious and scared as you feel. And I promise you that your thoughts had flitted through another medical student’s mind at some point in time. Basically, never forget that you are not alone. We all have our ups and downs, but we will make it.

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