Beginning your medical college journey is no easy feat. The schedule is quite hard, and the curriculum is both fast-paced and tough. Most students will have to acclimatize to a new setting in addition to lab work, assignments, exams, presentations, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. Many first-year medical students find it difficult to balance their heavy course load, lengthy hours in the lab, and many academic activities.
Basic physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, and histology are covered in the first year. They should also work in outpatient clinics, shadow a physician, or work in a lab to develop their clinical abilities. With a heavy course load, clinical learning, and exams, first-year medical students must maintain a high level of physical and mental fitness.
Here are a few things first-year medical students should avoid if they wish to meet the rigors of medical school and increase their academic and clinical expertise.
- Participating in Too Many Activities
Joining clubs, organizations, and groups might be attractive. Many first-year students make the blunder of overcommitting themselves. Choose one or two activities that you can fit in between your demanding course load, exam preparation, and acclimating to your new surroundings. It is not encouraged for first-year medical students to work or participate in any other activity that needs extra time commitment while in school. Focusing on your fundamental sciences curriculum and extracurricular activities that help you polish your clinical abilities, on the other hand, is a fantastic approach.
- Concentrating on Only One Subject
It’s wonderful to be passionate about a subject you enjoy, but dedicating oneself to a single medical specialization is not a good idea. If you do so, you will miss out on opportunities to learn about other fields of medicine that may be valuable to your career. Instead, devote some time to learning about different medical disciplines and improving your medical knowledge and clinical abilities.
- Avoiding Your Mental and Physical Health
To be in a medical college is very tough, and there is no denying the fact. Being a medical student entails learning anatomy, absorbing complicated pharmacological concepts, being exposed to many fields of medicine, meeting patients, working in hospitals, and much more. It’s a good idea to devote your time, energy, and effort to learning about various aspects of medicine, but you should also set aside time for yourself.
Get enough sleep, eat a healthy, balanced diet, and schedule time for exercise and other personal interests. Trust me when I say that reading a nonfiction book or doing 15 minutes of yoga and mindful meditation can help you relax and feel less anxious. As a medical student, you must establish a routine that emphasizes your physical and mental health, whether you are enrolled in a preclinical or clinical scientific program.
- Not Preparing Properly for Exams
It is among the most common errors made by first-year medical students. Students should be prepared for unexpected assessments, quizzes, and vivas at all times. Obviously, cramming a large amount of information the day before a test is impossible. Students that are most successful are always prepared for impending medical exams and quizzes. To avoid medical exam stress, they revise their lectures immediately after they are delivered and study the course material on a regular basis.
- Studying Alone
Several medical students dislike the idea of group study since it makes it difficult for them to concentrate on their studies, and they end up partying instead of learning. Students can learn complex topics and gain a thorough understanding of the material by studying alongside others. It allows you to study and absorb knowledge in new and creative ways. Your classmates may know some innovative learning techniques that will help you remember a lot of information.
Furthermore, regularly organized group study sessions might assist you in better understanding the information and learning the topic. You’ll increase your study skills, develop effective communication skills, and sharpen your critical thinking skills in addition to learning new study approaches. So, if you want to improve your medical knowledge and earn a decent GPA, join a study group.
- Skipping Lectures a Lot
It is now easier to record lectures and take notes from home thanks to the latest study tools and equipment. Some medical students find that watching recordings of their instructors and learning the course content from the comfort of their own homes is quite handy. Attending lectures is critical, particularly when you are just entering medical school and are overwhelmed with new names for viruses, anatomical terminologies, and mechanisms of action. For people who desire to become doctors and assist humanity, these lectures are given by experienced doctors and academics.
Conclusion
If you are a first-year medical student and you are making any of these mistakes repeatedly, you should stop immediately. By following the easy tactics outlined in this piece, you may make the most of your time in medical school and gain in-depth knowledge.