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Do you dream of becoming a doctor or specialist in medicine? Are you thinking of signing up to med school to make that dream a reality? If so, it’s important that you’re prepared for what lays ahead of you on your journey to graduation.
Yes, we’re talking about sleepless nights, hard work, dedication, and a lot of stress. But it’s not all doom and gloom because, if you look after yourself and achieve a healthy study/life balance, you will walk out those college doors with a qualification that will give you your dream career. That will make all the stress and late nights worth it. Here we’re going to focus on some of the steps that you should take to achieve a healthy life/study balance.
Eliminate Financial Stress
With the rising costs of education, it’s no surprise that financial stress is one of the most difficult hurdles for students to overcome. How can you afford the tuition fees? What about living costs? Will inflation have an impact on the cost of living? What about accommodation prices? These are all valid concerns and you’re not alone as millions of other students are facing the same dilemmas and feeling the same way.
When embarking on your med school journey, eliminating financial stress can help to keep you more focused on your academic goals and less focused on your bank balance. The truth is that there are always options out there when it comes to funding so don’t be afraid to explore. Check out Earnest student loan cosigner requirements as you may be able to get help securing a loan. Look into government grants and you may even be eligible to apply for a scholarship. So whatever course you’re interested in signing up to, remember that there are options out there, regardless of how hopeless you may feel right now.
Focus on Your Physical Health
It is known that childhood activity leads to adult activity and fitness so take yourself back to the times when you were young and being active was a high priority. Maintaining physical health is an essential priority for everyone, but especially for medical school students striving to become future healthcare professionals. There is no doubt that the mental and physical health of medical students is closely linked; if one is neglected, it can lead to more serious issues in both areas. Therefore, as a med school student, it’s important for you to take proactive steps towards ensuring your physical well-being so you can stay on top of your studies and excel in your chosen field.
You can start by making sure you’re getting enough sleep each night. College life can be chaotic and staying up late studying or partying can (and will) take its toll over time. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night as this will help recharge your batteries so you can stay energized and focused. Eating meals made with fresh healthy ingredients is essential if you want your brain to operate at top capacity and, if possible, try to cut back on processed foods as they’ll make you feel drowsy. Lastly, exercise is essential if you want to stay physically healthy. The good news is you don’t have to spend hours lifting weights in the gym; something as simple as a 30-minute brisk walk or cycle will do wonders for your body and mind.
Network & Make Connections
Networking is an important part of the medical school experience, as it helps students stay connected to peers and develop professional relationships with industry professionals. Networking offers a variety of benefits, such as access to new job opportunities and mentorship from experienced physicians. It can also provide valuable support during the challenging times of medical school. Developing relationships with fellow med students is also essential for success in medical school.
Students who network are able to collaborate on projects, share resources and discuss topics related to medicine. Furthermore, networking provides access to faculty members who can offer advice and guidance throughout the academic journey. Lastly, putting yourself out there will open up possibilities for future career or research opportunities that might not be available if you don’t have the right contacts in your network. Think you’re too shy to network? Don’t hold back as this is what will give you the competitive edge when it comes to landing your dream job after graduation.
Perfect Your Study Techniques
Studying effectively is essential for any student, but it’s especially important for med school students as they must master a large amount of complex material in a relatively short period of time. Being efficient when studying involves having an organized plan that best utilizes your study time, as well as using various strategies and resources such as practice questions or memorization techniques that help you quickly learn and retain information. Knowing how to stay focused on the task at hand is also important so you can avoid wasting time on distractions like checking emails or scrolling through social media feeds.
Organization is Key
Organization is key for every medical school student as, without it, it’s impossible to manage studies, assignments, and clinical rotations on top of any extra-curricular activities. With effective organization strategies such as using calendars, making lists, and prioritizing tasks, you will be able to stay focused on important goals while still maintaining balance in other aspects of your life. In addition, having an organized workspace or study area helps keep the mind clear and encourages productivity.
Does that sound like something you would benefit from? Some additional tips include creating a study schedule and a to-do list for both college and personal tasks. You should also learn how to use productivity tools like Google Calendar to keep on top of alerts and deadlines. It’s also important to maintain an organized file system for documents, notes and assignments so everything is in one place when you need to reference something. There are other tools like Trello and Dropbox that will help to make your life so much easier when it comes to keeping organized in both your personal and college life as a med student.