Medical School - Preclinical

How to Prepare for Medical School

Congratulations to all who have recently been accepted into medical school. All your hard work have finally paid off and your one step closer to becoming a doctor. But what should you be doing now while you wait for medical school to start in the fall?

For those who have recently been accepted into medical school, a natural question arises: what should I do until I start in the fall? If you have obtained admissions into medical school, chances are you are used to staying busy. You are accustomed to sleepless nights and endless studies and your mind feels guilty when you are not spending your time wisely. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that successful pre-meds feel the need to do something productive at every moment of their lives. So what should you be doing? There really isn’t a rulebook on this topic but I have compiled a list of possible activities you can engage in. Obviously, the list is not comprehensive, but it is a good start.

Relax

You have spent four years studying to get into medical school. Now you are going to spend another four years in medical school. After that, you are going to spend the rest of your life working. There is no better time to rest than now. 

Get a Job

This might be a good time to gain some work experience and learn a new skill or two. Furthermore, working can help lessen the amount of debt you will have to pull out. Everyone knows that medical school can be financially daunting. 

Travel

If you like traveling, this is the time to do it. You probably won’t have much time to travel in medical school, or when you become a doctor. Get all the “travel-bug” out of you while you can.

Familiarize Yourself with the Area Surrounding Your Medical School

When you start medical school, there is not going to be a lot of time for you to freely roam around the city. Go to the best reviewed restaurants, find the best parks, and simply see what the city offers. You are going to be living here for at least four years so might as well get used to it.

Talk to Medical Students/Residents/Doctors

One of the best ways to prepare for medical school is to talk to people who have gone through it. They can give valuable advice on what to expect and how to be successful.

Pick Up a New Hobby

Was there ever a hobby you wish you picked up? Well, now would be a time to do it. I feel like I have said this many times already, but once you start medical school, your leisure time will greatly diminish… for the rest of your life.

Visit Family/Relatives

In my opinion, visiting family members and strengthening relationships is one of the best ways to spend your time. Tell them you love them and apologize in advance for being too busy to answer their calls while you are in medical school.

Learn a New Language

As a doctor, it is very plausible that you will come across patients whose primary language is not English. Learning another language can help you serve a wider range of patients.

Do Things on Your Bucket List

Are you the type to keep a bucket list? If so, try to wipe some off the list now. If you do not do them now, you probably will have to wait until you retire.

Learn About Different Specialties

Doctors say that you won’t know what specialty you are interested in until you have started clinical rotations. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t research into your possible options. As a medical student, it is a good idea to know all the types of specialties within medicine. Do you know what a perinatologist does?

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