What Not to Do in Medical School

Experience is the best teacher. All the advice in the world can’t quite prepare you for medical school until you’ve been there, done that. But having just finished my first semester, I wanted to paint you a realistic picture of what to expect and to help you avoid making some of the same mistakes. Here’s what not to do in medical school:

DO NOT pull unnecessary all-nighters
While some all-nighters will be inevitable and justifiable, many are more a result of poor time management. Sleep is a really important component of learning and general cognitive function, so it’s crucial you make it a priority. As medical students in our pre-clinical years, we don’t yet 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. This is especially true as an M1/M2, when our sole purpose is to learn. Not only do all-nighters mess with your ability to think clearly, your physical health will quickly start to decline.

DO NOT set your heart on a specialty too soon
By the end of my first semester of medical school, I have already considered going into anesthesiology, radiation oncology, clinical genetics and internal medicine. 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 sooner.

While it’s tempting to want to figure things out right away, I think it’s important to take your time and talk to the residents/attendings in those specialties. 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 to choose a specialty. Don’t rush a decision that will affect the rest of your medical career and overall life satisfaction.

DO NOT pile on extracurricular activities
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 information 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 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 keep up with their TV shows…but they aren’t the norm.

Thus, 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 a year in tuition money just to participate in flag football. Once you’ve gotten a feel for things, thenstart adding things…slowly.

DO NOT convince yourself that you’re alone

As daunting as medical school can seem, you’re not in this process alone. 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?

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. There is another human being just as stressed, anxious and scared as you feel. All it takes is one kindred spirit or advisor to significantly lighten the burden. So don’t hesitate to reach out!

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