Med School Lifehacks

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
rilte4

rilte4

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2015
Messages
423
Reaction score
647
Lately, I’ve gotten a couple nuggets o’ wisdom on how people got through their four years, from the well-known (lectures at double-speed) to the truly strange (I’d get banned). Any you guys are willing to share? A couple I’ve heard:

-Use a grocery delivery service
-Bulletproof coffee
-Pilot G2 pens
-Miniature whiteboards
Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
The most important "hack" I have learned is that you cannot neglect your physical health. Eating fast food frequently, not sleeping enough, and not making time for exercise will negatively impact your cognitive performance and will make you generally feel like **** all the time. I'm convinced that spending 3 hrs/week at the gym is much more beneficial for your exam scores than skipping it and spending those 3 hours studying more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 22 users
Members don't see this ad :)
Goro said:
Get a good night's sleep before each exam. No cramming!
Click to expand...
I pulled one all-nighter (have not done it since, and never will again!) before an exam and it was one of the worst academic decisions I had ever made. I was anxiety ridden and couldn't even think straight!
Sleep is so important.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Invest in a crock pot
Colored pencils/pens/crayons will likely prove useful
Save money whenever possible
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
1) Do your own shopping, laundry, etc. The real world is actually a great way to keep perspective.
2) Don't forget the things that make you happy. Do them. Frequently.
3) Take great notes. The things brought up in lecture are brought up for a reason.
4) Treat it like a job. A good job, one you want to keep and get promotions.
5) Realize that there are lots of people who work hard and make sacrifices to be who they are, in many professions. Avoid delusions of persecution.
6) Figure out how to study. You don't have to be smart, just perceptive.
7) Never fart in an elevator. You never know who will get on next.
8) Dress for yourself in years one and two. Dress for everyone else in years three and four. Don't get a neck tattoo.
9) Try to fall in love, if you can swing it.
10) Avoid conflating the concepts of "advice" and "hacking", only one of which pertains to gaining unauthorized access to data within a computer system. Buying a certain brand of pen may pertain to the former, but not the latter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 47 users
Make going to the gym part of your routine early so that when the going gets tough you stick with it.

Get out of the habit of cramming as early as you can.

Go do non-medical things with non-medical friends every so often.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
rilte4 said:
Lately, I’ve gotten a couple nuggets o’ wisdom on how people got through their four years, from the well-known (lectures at double-speed) to the truly strange (I’d get banned). Any you guys are willing to share? A couple I’ve heard:

-Use a grocery delivery service
-Bulletproof coffee
-Pilot G2 pens
-Miniature whiteboards
Click to expand...
The coffee is crap. I tried it, doesn't work any better than regular 'ol Joe.
G2s are aight.
All we use our whiteboards for is daily schedules- we've got ****loads of whiteboards all over campus we can use and take pictures of if we need to.
Cook large meals to save money and time- I would make two weeks worth of chili at a time, and that would be my food for the week. There's much more sane ways to do large batch cooking that I would strongly encourage you to try.

Stay healthy if you can by working out regularly and staying active.
Keep in touch with those you love and care about.
Make time for yourself.
Sleep regularly and for 7+ hours a night.
Minimize alcohol (and drugs, if that's your thing).
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Wait, what is bulletproof coffee?!? Is that a rhetorical expression? I've never heard of it
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Henry101 said:
I thought it was satire when I first read it.
Do med students actually use this?
Click to expand...

I would say an overwhelming majority of medical students do not use this, and it is not a "Lifehack" (whatever that is).
 
Learn to take a break once in a while and get your ass outside.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Water can be used to stretch alot of things : O Coffee, juice, etc.
photo_Chawanmushi-Steamed-Savoury-Egg-Custard.jpg

This needs 1 egg.
 
A friend of mine who is an M3 on Surgery rotation recommended getting a cup warmer and preparing a cup of coffee before bed and placing it on the warmer next to your bed. When you wake up for your 4am shift, there is a warm cup of coffee right next to you.
(Amazon product)

Also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because they are portable, filling, and cheap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Guys, thank you! I’ll definitely give a few of these a shot. I have yet to try the ones I listed in my original post, so thanks to the folks who weighed in on those. Some, I’ll admit, aren’t for me. The person who recommended the grocery delivery service also threw in that they hire someone to clean their apartment every two weeks. Both are not for me, though I get it’s how some people choose to manage things.

If anyone interpreted my question as an attempt to “win” at med school or adopt an unhealthy lifestyle to get by, that’s not where I was coming from (but I sincerely appreciate the good advice). Was just seeking out small tips that have helped people make it through. As a nontrad with years of experience in another field, I already know that the time crunch in med school will be more severe and just a different beast altogether. So, it makes it all seem a little less foreign when you hear how others do things. When I didn’t completely understand what Step 1 was, I asked around how people study for it, what resources they use, what their study schedules were like. It didn’t mean I went out and assaulted the first copy of First Aid I could find. Questions like these just help me wrap my brain around the unfamiliar.

As a sidenote, “lifehacks” is a common term referring to timesavers and productivity tips that simplify life. That’s all it means. Apologies if you deem that offensive.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
rilte4 said:
Lately, I’ve gotten a couple nuggets o’ wisdom on how people got through their four years, from the well-known (lectures at double-speed) to the truly strange (I’d get banned). Any you guys are willing to share? A couple I’ve heard:

-Use a grocery delivery service
-Bulletproof coffee
-Pilot G2 pens
-Miniature whiteboards
Click to expand...

You will not be that busy that you cannot physically go to the grocery store and save the subscription and/or delivery fee. Unless you don't have a car and don't have friends with cars.

Sharpie pens are the best to annotate First Aid and Pathoma books. Also pretty colors.

The Knife & Gun Club said:
A friend of mine who is an M3 on Surgery rotation recommended getting a cup warmer and preparing a cup of coffee before bed and placing it on the warmer next to your bed. When you wake up for your 4am shift, there is a warm cup of coffee right next to you.
Also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because they are portable, filling, and cheap.
Click to expand...

Or...you can just get a programmable coffee maker to brew coffee right before you get up, or take 2 minutes to brew coffee and then finish getting ready, rather than drinking coffee that has been sitting there for 5-7 hours. Ick. :coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee::coffee:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5 users
Ismet said:
You will not be that busy that you cannot physically go to the grocery store and save the subscription and/or delivery fee. Unless you don't have a car and don't have friends with cars.
Click to expand...

rilte4 said:
Some, I’ll admit, aren’t for me. The person who recommended the grocery delivery service also threw in that they hire someone to clean their apartment every two weeks. Both are not for me, though I get it’s how some people choose to manage things.
Click to expand...

:thumbup: Completely agree.
 
Great thread. Keep em coming! I'm not a medical student yet, but I'm always open to advice regarding cooking in bulk. Currently, I cook for 2-3 days, but never for weeks, as I don't really utilize the freezer.
 
Giovanotto said:
Great thread. Keep em coming! I'm not a medical student yet, but I'm always open to advice regarding cooking in bulk. Currently, I cook for 2-3 days, but never for weeks, as I don't really utilize the freezer.
Click to expand...

Start utilizing! :cold: You can freeze stuff in plastic containers (Ziploc, Gladware, Rubbermaid, etc) or freezer bags (Ziploc, etc). Either individual portions or 2-3 portions at a time. Thaw for 24 hours in fridge before reheating.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
LOL okay medical school is NOT as hard as you guys are making it out to be...for the premeds out there don't freak out..during years 1 and 2 you will certainly have enough time to go to the grocery store and hangout with friends as well as be in the top 10 percent. You just cant do those things as often as you did in undergrad thats all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
rilte4 said:
Lately, I’ve gotten a couple nuggets o’ wisdom on how people got through their four years, from the well-known (lectures at double-speed) to the truly strange (I’d get banned). Any you guys are willing to share? A couple I’ve heard:

-Use a grocery delivery service
-Bulletproof coffee
-Pilot G2 pens
-Miniature whiteboards
Click to expand...

I cant do any school work without G2 lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Mad Jack said:
The coffee is crap. I tried it, doesn't work any better than regular 'ol Joe.
G2s are aight.
All we use our whiteboards for is daily schedules- we've got ****loads of whiteboards all over campus we can use and take pictures of if we need to.
Cook large meals to save money and time- I would make two weeks worth of chili at a time, and that would be my food for the week. There's much more sane ways to do large batch cooking that I would strongly encourage you to try.

Stay healthy if you can by working out regularly and staying active.
Keep in touch with those you love and care about.
Make time for yourself.
Sleep regularly and for 7+ hours a night.
Minimize alcohol (and drugs, if that's your thing).
Click to expand...

But the chili will make it harder not to fart in the elevator
 
Meal prep!

Easier said than done. But once mastered, you can avoid those awful moments when you wanna keep studying but too hungry to focus. Sometimes, I get decision fatigue just trying to choose a place to get takeout food. So better to prep ahead of time ^_^ Healthy prepped food = sharper focus, more time saving, and less mental fatigue!

Amazon product
 
Last edited:
Goro said:
Get a good night's sleep before each exam. No cramming!
Click to expand...

I actually almost never got enough sleep the night before an exam. I never pulled an all-nighter, though. I don't necessarily recommend my approach to everyone, but I did well. I personally do OK if I limit sleep deprivation to a single night. Do try to take care of your own health during med school, though. Don't forget your hobbies and interests.
 
Last edited:
The Knife & Gun Club said:
A friend of mine who is an M3 on Surgery rotation recommended getting a cup warmer and preparing a cup of coffee before bed and placing it on the warmer next to your bed. When you wake up for your 4am shift, there is a warm cup of coffee right next to you.
(Amazon product)

Also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because they are portable, filling, and cheap.
Click to expand...

I am using the coffee idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Law2Doc said:
the opposite. You don't want to feel like your missing what's out there. What you can't see can't temp you. I like to believe it's raining whenever I am at work.
Click to expand...

You have the luxury of being done with work at some point of time. A student can study ad nauseum. A little dose of exercise/outdoorsy/fun times might make one less miserable and more productive.

However, as with most things... YMMV.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
The Knife & Gun Club said:
A friend of mine who is an M3 on Surgery rotation recommended getting a cup warmer and preparing a cup of coffee before bed and placing it on the warmer next to your bed. When you wake up for your 4am shift, there is a warm cup of coffee right next to you.
(Amazon product)

Also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because they are portable, filling, and cheap.
Click to expand...

Many coffee pots have timers.
 
ridethecliche said:
You have the luxury of being done with work at some point of time. A student can study ad nauseum...
Click to expand...
This isn't a career you get to shut off at the end of the day. You will continue to study and read ad nauseum throughout your career, do CME, look things up, daily and forever. It's a career of lifelong learning and frankly a lot of us actually had to step up, not down, our game once we started doing it for real. Believe me, it's you who has the luxury of time -- wait and see.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
ridethecliche said:
You have the luxury of being done with work at some point of time. A student can study ad nauseum. A little dose of exercise/outdoorsy/fun times might make one less miserable and more productive.

However, as with most things... YMMV.
Click to expand...

Lol in medicine you're never done with work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Annabell Lee said:
I am using the coffee idea.
Click to expand...

petyr_baelish said:
Many coffee pots have timers.
Click to expand...


I think I'd rather buy a smaller Keurig with a timer and have it bedside with an empty cup ready to go. Surgical rotation is coming up.

I have a parent who sleeps with a cold cup of coffee bedside that he chugs before getting up for work. eww..but he says it works.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
SOMBound13 said:
I think I'd rather buy a smaller Keurig with a timer and have it bedside with an empty cup ready to go. Surgical rotation is coming up.

I have a parent who sleeps with a cold cup of coffee bedside that he chugs before getting up for work. eww..but he says it works.
Click to expand...

People willingly drink that cold brew stuff that I think is just disgusting so I guess cold coffee doesn't bother everyone :p
 
Lucca said:
People willingly drink that cold brew stuff that I think is just disgusting so I guess cold coffee doesn't bother everyone :p
Click to expand...

Have you had/made good cold brew? Or is it just the cold factor that bothers you? In the summer I make cold brew for iced coffee. Cooling down hot-brewed coffee actually has more acidity than just steeping the grounds overnight and draining them.

Sorry. Coffee nerd. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Law2Doc said:
This isn't a career you get to shut off at the end of the day. You will continue to study and read ad nauseum throughout your career, do CME, look things up, daily and forever. It's a career of lifelong learning and frankly a lot of us actually had to step up, not down, our game once we started doing it for real. Believe me, it's you who has the luxury of time -- wait and see.
Click to expand...

I'll go tell the attendings that I'm friends with that they're doing it wrong when we go out and get drinks or train together.

Shockingly, they still manage to keep up with CME and study/review during the time they're not physically at work and/or not on call.

I never said anything about not having to do lifelong learning. There was a reason I took time off to work in the medical environment before getting here.

Regardless, the last thing you said actually helps bolster my recommendation for the OP to use their time wisely and get outside and moving. But given that this is SDN, it has to turn into a cycle of 'I'm more busy than you' ego stoking with an attending chipping in about how they'd rather imagine it was crappy outside when the OP was asking for recs in med school.

Not calling you out personally (kinda), because I've learned a lot from your posts over the last few years, but c'mon...

Ismet said:
Lol in medicine you're never done with work.
Click to expand...

There's a difference between having more to do and fitting in some time to stay sane. If you and law2doc are folks that function well without that, then props to you. Ever specialty/discipline has it's quirks/personalities attracted.

Ismet said:
Have you had/made good cold brew? Or is it just the cold factor that bothers you? In the summer I make cold brew for iced coffee. Cooling down hot-brewed coffee actually has more acidity than just steeping the grounds overnight and draining them.

Sorry. Coffee nerd. :)
Click to expand...

How do you make it? I started leaving a french press with a TON of coffee grounds in the fridge after using cool water to brew. That's my version of cold brew and it's super concentrated!

I've heard of people using stockings and giant containers haha.
 
Ismet said:
Have you had/made good cold brew? Or is it just the cold factor that bothers you? In the summer I make cold brew for iced coffee. Cooling down hot-brewed coffee actually has more acidity than just steeping the grounds overnight and draining them.

Sorry. Coffee nerd. :)
Click to expand...

I've tried it several times since some of my friends swear by the stuff but I think cold coffee just isn't for me, period. I prefer it hot and black and strong; maybe my Latin genes have something to do with it.
 
The best med school lifehack is a little program called Anki.

Anki is by far one of the most valuable assets IMO for a med student. It essentially is a free lightweight spaced repetition flashcard program.
 
Is anki popular among the majority of medstudents or is this just a popular thing amongst SDNers? (i see how it can be useful though)
 
asdf123g said:
Is anki popular among the majority of medstudents or is this just a popular thing amongst SDNers? (i see how it can be useful though)
Click to expand...

Not sure how many of my classmates use it (I'm just going to ballpark it at 20%), but I have a friend in my class who swears by it. Some of my friends at other schools have Anki sets the class will share for different units.

I tried Anki out for a few weeks – largely in part to its SDN praise – but I just didn't get that much out of it. Anki really depends on your learning style; I never was a flashcard learner, so I'm not surprised that it didn't click with me. I'd say it's important to give different study methods a fair shake, but know when to change methods if something isn't working.
 
SOMBound13 said:
I think I'd rather buy a smaller Keurig with a timer and have it bedside with an empty cup ready to go. Surgical rotation is coming up.

I have a parent who sleeps with a cold cup of coffee bedside that he chugs before getting up for work. eww..but he says it works.
Click to expand...
I like the Keurig idea better, that just sounded cheaper. Also I was really tired and my sleepy brain was like "awesome idea yessss"
 
The Knife & Gun Club said:
Also peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Click to expand...
Late comment, but be careful with peanut products. Lots of people are deathly allergic and you wouldn't know that someone in your vicinity might be affected. I still can't believe that they hand out butter fingers at my UG health dept. right next to the allergy clinic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
asdf123g said:
Is anki popular among the majority of medstudents or is this just a popular thing amongst SDNers? (i see how it can be useful though)
Click to expand...

I used anki through undergrad and the first few tests of med school, but I'm seriously considering shifting over to one of the other flashcard programs popular amongst my class. Anki is convenient if you're studying way in advance of a test, but not if you've only got a few days, which is usually where I'm at. I know people who swear by it in my class, though, so it seems to be reasonably popular.
 
if not anki, are there any other flash card services that are more popular/just as popular in medschool?? Back in college i used to print out the lecture slides and just study that. But i imagine in medschool that is no longer feasible with so much more material...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread
Top