What would you do differently if you could start M1 over again?

[swiftimpetuous]

I'm sure there are some of you that would say that you wouldn't do it at all but I'm starting classes in a week so that's out of the question

I would love to hear from people at different stages in their training, from incoming M2s, to students in rotations/interviewing for residencies, to even residents and attendings. Anything from how/what to study, to seeking out research and personal mentors, or anything at all really.

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[Dro133]

M4 here. I'd study less and go out more, have more experiences. Life is too short to have your head in the books all the time. Although, I was the type of person who didn't have a lot of life experience before med school, so people with more life experience may not feel like they're missing out as much.

 

[Thesimplelifeofamyloid]

I wish I started Zanki/lightyear from the start instead of halfway through the first semester. There were a lot of things within the first few months that I could of covered. Now I don't mean go crazy covering every little thing, but at the very least cover some of it

 

[DTX_1212]

Would’ve stopped going to lecture day 1 and enjoyed the extra free time before things really picked up

 

[Sandy4321]

Would’ve stopped going to lecture day 1 and enjoyed the extra free time before things really picked up

Don't mean to hijack this thread but out of curiosity, what made you realize that going to lecture wasn't worth it?

 

[deleted966837]

Anything you would do differently during the summers? ie, how to best spend them?

 

[DTX_1212]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but out of curiosity, what made you realize that going to lecture wasn't worth it?

I realized that a lot of learning in medical school was self directed anyway, and found myself not gaining much by attending lectures in person vs staying home and streaming at 2X speed.

 

[iforget2]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but out of curiosity, what made you realize that going to lecture wasn't worth it?

Say you have 4 hours worth of class one day. In those 4 hours, time will be spent on figuring out technical difficulties, waiting minutes for all the iclicker answers to get put in, and breaks that you might not need. If you listen to it double speed you could cut the 4 hours to less than 2!

 

[libertyyne]

build some sort of contraption so i could anki with my feet. Never go to class. Just zanki everyday , all day, everyday. Get more meaningful research in summer.

 

[stickgirl390]

I would have listened to the masses and tried Anki sooner. I spent the first 4 months of med school without it and idk how I passed...

 

[kopftonmd]

I feel like I did a lot of things right: I did anki, I dumped lecture for Boards and pathoma (all praise Drs. Ryan and Sattar), I found research that was meaningful to me and I made friends (which I was particularly nervous about, going in).

That being said, I wish I had spent more time with said friends, and I particularly wish that I hadn't let anyone (including myself) drag me down. It's easy to be hard on yourself (especially if you're failing for the first time in your life), and it's easy for the negativity of others to drag you down, too. Seek out help if you need it, and trust the new friends you make.

As a side note, I've come to realize that other students (grad students in the arts and humanities, particularly) are a lot more chill and fun to be around. If that's your crowd, seek them out. Med students can be boring!

 

[deleted978973]

I'd go to PA school.

 

[swiftimpetuous]

I'd go to PA school.

I'm sure there are some of you that would say that you wouldn't do it at all but I'm starting classes in a week so that's out of the question

 

[rukia013]

Current M4 here! Looking back, I didn't realize just how much time you actually have during M1 year--even though the transition into med school can be incredibly overwhelming and you feel like you need to study 24/7, that is most definitely not the case! One of the best pieces of advice I got when I was an M1 is that med school is all about managing how far behind you are--you will never be able to understand/master every fact thrown at you so with that knowledge, definitely make time for extracurriculars/non-academic related activities! Med school is a marathon, not a sprint, and if you try to spend all your days studying and reading everything you possibly can, you WILL burn out and you will be miserable. Make time for friends and definitely develop a good network of support because medical school can feel like a very lonely journey at times (unless someone has gone through the process or is in the midst of it, it is very difficult to find people who can completely empathize with you and understand that you are 'busy').

Also, learn to recognize what the early signs of burnout look like for YOU. When you start experiencing these feelings, it is 100% ok to step back and just take a complete break from studying. Trying to fight through burn out will only prolong the suffering and inevitable so if you need a mental break, TAKE IT. One or two days of no studying is not going to kill you in the long run but getting burnout that wipes you out for weeks will be tortuous. It's also 100% ok to seek help from friends, family, and professionals if you start feeling overwhelmed. Just keep in mind your reasons for going into medicine and realize that many many people have gone through the exact same process as you, so YOU CAN DO IT!

Best of luck! <3