Typical day

[Sheon]

I would really appreciate if one of you medical students would kind of walk through a "day in the life of a medical school student".

This appears to be a difficult question to answer because everyone I've asked thus far seems unwilling to do it. But if you have a moment, just try an tell me what you did on any given day. You pick the day. Descriptions of a typical Saturday would be useful too.

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[peiyueng]

To Sheon,
A typical day for MSI (1st year med student) at Western U.:
--8:00am-12:00pm 4 classes, with 10 min break in between.
--12:00-1:00pm lunch break
--1:00pm-5:00pm 4 more classes or lab hours
--5:00 til 11:00pm dinner, studying, and a little work-out to get the stress out of the system.
This is Pei speaking from Western U, a typical day of a medical student vary between different individuals. I am a person who needs 8 hours of sleep a day, so fitting in 8 hours of sleep is my priority. I don't have a T.V.(no time for that), and I try to put in 3-4 hours of studying each night on weekday, and 12-14 hours on weekends. It may seems stressful to you (my crazy studying schedule), but I do get my 8 hours of sleep each night, am able to stay awake and concentrate in class, and still have some time for fun (choir (4 hrs/wk), computer games, spend time with husband...etc.) This is my schedule, and I am sure there are some very different ones out there.
Hope this is what you're looking for.

Pei
Western U.
MSII

 

[2bdoc]

Dear Sheon,

My typical day is much different than Pei's. I tend to skip classes in favor of sleeping. I do attend all of the mandatory classes and the labs, though. We have a scribe service that transcribes all of the lectures for us so, I get all of the notes. I go to classes when I feel I need to see the slides, though.

So, after a morning of sleeping in, I wake up about 10:30, and maybe, go to one or two classes. There's usually a noon lecture/lunch that I attend and go grab my scribes and head off to the nearest coffee shop. We have exams usually every week so, I just study for the exams rather than keeping up in everything else. For me, this is more efficient.

After a couple of hours at the coffee shop, I take a break with my classmates. We go swimming, or have a little party, or go to the movies. Then in the evening, we go to the nearest hospital's cafeteria and study until late.

My method is not the most routine. I hate routines!

There is no one way to be an efficient medical student. It takes time to get in the groove.

Good luck!

 

[MSIII]

Your question is difficult to answer because there is no one right answer.
You'll have to find the method that works best for you. Personally, my
habits were more like 2bdoc's than Pei's. If I had tried to do what Pei
does, I'd have had a nervous breakdown! By the way, I do have a TV and
make good use of it!!!!!!!