How to Realistically Get Through Med School Without Poking Your Eyeballs Out
Written by: Maria Berliant (she/her) M4
A note from a subscriber,
My name is Maria and I am a medical student in my last year of medical school. When I first started medical school, I struggled with finding a good work-life balance. I was studying until 2 am, regularly running on 4 hours of sleep, brushing off friends and family to focus on studying. I got burnout in my third year during my internal medicine rotation while also suddenly losing my housing. I felt awful both physically and mentally. I finally said screw it, I'm tired of putting myself under so much pressure and I don't want this to be my life. It took some time and a strong support system but I am happy to say that this is no longer my reality. Here is what helped me, and might help you too:
1. Taking time off- no REALLY taking time off. Use your sick days for mental health days. No one will bat an eye, I promise. Reach out for help even if you don’t think it's "bad enough". If it's affecting you on a regular basis- it's bad enough. You're not weak for needing a breather.
2. Forget about your "competition". Your classmates are not your competition. Everyone looks like they have it all figured out and are doing 5 research projects, impressing all their preceptors, getting engaged, buying a house, curing cancer, etc etc. In reality, they are probably doing a few things that matter to them and so are you. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is the past you - and past you would be really proud of.
3. Embrace your peers. Med school is survivable and dare I say it, enjoyable, but only with a strong support system. Your classmates are going to become your war-buddies. Some of my classmates are my closest friends; I met my partner (also a classmate) while studying for exams together. Your peers will understand your hectic schedule, your deadlines, and won't get grossed out by your anatomy lab stories. Keep them close.
4. But make sure to keep your non-medical friends close too. Sometimes medical school can get overwhelming and you want to talk to someone about anything BUT med school. Your non-medical friends are great for this! They will also help keep you grounded and give you perspective. No one will be more excited than your non-medical friends when you tell them about the first time you intubated someone. It reminds you that the day to day things in your career aren't just expectations, they're privileges.
5. Take it easy on the all-nighters. You need sleep way more than you think you do. You will be able to function on 4 hours of sleep for weeks. You will also become a shell of a person and have a cold for a month straight. It's not worth it. Get your 6-8h. Your textbook will be there in the morning.
6. Forget about knowing everything. It's not gonna happen, there's just way too much to know. This is why medicine has specialties. Study well enough to know the material on a general basis, and know the high yield topics for your exams. There will always be questions on your tests that you have NO CLUE what the answer is - it's ok! You can use osmosis, OnlineMedEd, teachmeobgyn, teachmesurgery, as well as upper-year notes. I never got into Anki, but I hear it works for others.
7. Do things exclusively for fun. You are a medical student- but you are also a million other things. Your hobbies, interests, personality, friends, and family make you unique and keep you grounded. Talk with your preceptors about your hobbies- remember they are people outside of the hospital too. All in all, regularly put your books away and unwind without the guilt of needing to study. Acknowledge the guilt when you feel it and remind yourself that you deserve a real break.
All in all, medical school is a marathon, not a sprint. Whatever lifestyle you create must be sustainable in the long run to enjoy the journey and prevent burning out. Best of luck to all of the current, future, and incoming medical students!
