Struggling to find balance

[Tappinfool66]

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Hi all,

I'm a first year struggling with finding balance between school and really anything else right now. We just started our biochem block a few weeks ago and we had our first exam on Friday. I ended up doing well on the exam and I'm doing well overall in the course right now, but I feel like I'm not doing much besides studying and that it's taking me a long time to get through all of the material. For the most part, I'm keeping on top of the lectures but I always feel like I'm behind and that I have so much to do. I started off the school year on the right foot (exercising almost every day, keeping on top of studying but not going overboard, watching more tv than I probably should have, seeing friends) and I was able to do really well in anatomy. Since we started biochem though, that's kind of gone down the tubes.

Maybe I was just more inclined toward anatomy? Or maybe I'm still just adjusting to biochem? Do things generally get more manageable after biochem, once physiology starts? But I feel like I'd heard from most people that things were a little less time consuming after anatomy ended and that's when you started to have time to volunteer, get involved in clubs, have a little bit more of a life, etc. It seems like the opposite's been happening for me. And if I'm spending this much time studying now, I can't imagine how second year would go with worrying about both school and step 1. Does anyone here have any tips for maintaining balance between school and other aspects of your life? I'm planning on talking to my student affairs Dean next week to see what she has to say but I figured I'd see what advice other med students on here might be able to offer. Thanks in advance!

 

[Goro]

Have a chat with all of your clinical faculty and your school's counseling service.

It can be done!

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

I'm kind of in the same boat. anatomy and histology came much more naturally to me, and now that I'm in biochem and physio I'm finding it a bit more of a struggle with time. admittedly I just started this block this week, but my background just isn't there for biochem, so it's got me working a bit harder. I'm hoping once I get into the swing of the new courses I can chill out a bit more.

I think we all have our natural strengths and weaknesses, you just have to decide for yourself when to stop studying and start enjoying more. you can never know everything and you kind of have to make the distinction for yourself what's worth it and what isn't.

 

[Gambler 101]

Believe it or not, you have more time first year than any other year. In a away, it's helpful because you learn how "you learn" and progressively become more efficient. Take this time to find new study strategies and figure out what is overkill. By the time you get to third year, you'll be able to work 12+ hour days and study for shelf exams ( sounds crazy but it's happening)!

 

[soccerman93]

I think that's perfectly normal. It was generally pretty clear what concepts would be tested on in anatomy, and more importantly I think a professor has to go out of their way to write a bad anatomy multiple choice question. I also felt that there was a fairly linear relationship of time put in to test scores in anatomy. Whereas in biochem I occasionally shake my head and laugh at some of the questions and how they are worded. I'd recommend going over your test results if your school allows, in order to determine where your mistakes/missed questions are coming from. If you find that you're missing points on trivia (highly specific details), maybe get into the habit of using anki or flashcards just so you have a way of compiling and reviewing those kinds of quick recall facts. Though if you feel like you are missing big picture concepts that's cause for concern. Otherwise, try to make time for yourself, I find that I work much more efficiently when I'm not spending every waking moment thinking about studying (and seeing my studying suffer for it).

 

[Entadus]

You can't find balance until you've swung the pendulum both ways first. Keep experimenting and know that what you're experiencing is 100% normal. Nobody said M1 year was going to be easy, right? But things do get better (in the sense that you adjust).

 

[Psai]

This is how medical school is. There's always too much to learn and you're always behind even if you spend all day trying to study. You get used to it and it will start to feel normal. Then third year starts and there's another learning curve as you try to read on your patients as well as for the shelf on top of going to your rotations every day for long hours

 

[LostinLift]

Yes, you will learn that you will NEVER feel totally on top of everything. Even if you are ahead on lectures and notes, there are always question banks and outside resources that you could have been going through also. Just keep at it and don't push yourself beyond your limits.

 

[Merely]

Hi all,

I'm a first year struggling with finding balance between school and really anything else right now. We just started our biochem block a few weeks ago and we had our first exam on Friday. I ended up doing well on the exam and I'm doing well overall in the course right now, but I feel like I'm not doing much besides studying and that it's taking me a long time to get through all of the material. For the most part, I'm keeping on top of the lectures but I always feel like I'm behind and that I have so much to do. I started off the school year on the right foot (exercising almost every day, keeping on top of studying but not going overboard, watching more tv than I probably should have, seeing friends) and I was able to do really well in anatomy. Since we started biochem though, that's kind of gone down the tubes.

Maybe I was just more inclined toward anatomy? Or maybe I'm still just adjusting to biochem? Do things generally get more manageable after biochem, once physiology starts? But I feel like I'd heard from most people that things were a little less time consuming after anatomy ended and that's when you started to have time to volunteer, get involved in clubs, have a little bit more of a life, etc. It seems like the opposite's been happening for me. And if I'm spending this much time studying now, I can't imagine how second year would go with worrying about both school and step 1. Does anyone here have any tips for maintaining balance between school and other aspects of your life? I'm planning on talking to my student affairs Dean next week to see what she has to say but I figured I'd see what advice other med students on here might be able to offer. Thanks in advance!

Welcome to medical school, be happy you're doing well.