Transitioning to Medical School

Everyone knows that medical school is hard. It is renowned for requiring endless hours of studying and frequent, challenging exams. One of the biggest hurdles is starting medical school. Like a large portion of those who matriculate into medical school, I had done exceptionally well in college, but still, the first few weeks of medical school were daunting and difficult. As someone who took a year off between college and medical school, getting accustomed to the rigorous curriculum was not easy, and I hope to share my experience to ease your transition.

For the majority of those starting medical school, they will have to relocate to another city or possibly state. I was fortunate to get accepted to my top choice school, UC Irvine, which was only about two hours from my hometown. This made it simple for me to move my things and get accustomed to a new area but what I didn’t do was fully evaluate the place I chose to live. Trying to save money, I rented a room from an upperclassman but the arrangement was not conducive for studying. I didn’t want to spend every minute studying on campus or at a coffee shop, so it was challenging that my home was not a place where I could focus and have a restful recovery from school. So in the haste of moving and beginning medical school, make sure you find a comfortable place to live that is close to campus and provides a quiet, calm environment for studying.

Moving to a new area most likely requires you to find new friends as well. During the orientation week, I made every effort to meet my classmates and find common interests (besides medicine). I even ended up meeting and talking with my now-husband on the first day of orientation! Instead of only asking someone where they went to undergrad or what they majored in, I tried to find out what their hobbies were and how they spent their free time. This way, I found it easy to discover connections with classmates through mutual interests.

Most schools will offer class outings or retreats and I recommend attending as many of these that you can. I found that I could really get to know the faculty and my peers at these events. The friends I made in medical school not only were the center of my support during stressful times, but we established lifelong relationships. You will be spending almost all of your time with your classmates as you work for hours in the anatomy lab or sit in seemingly endless lectures. Find people you can rely on and who have similar study habits to you. When your weekends consist of pouring over textbooks and lectures, being with friends can make the time much more enjoyable.

Make sure to also have a social life with your friends and family. Find a balance between studying and time for yourself that works for you. In the first few weeks of medical school you will devote every waking minute to studying, but you will soon discover the need to have something outside of medical school. Establishing this balance was very important to me and my friends shared the same desire to relax and unwind from studying when we were able to. Our medical school was only about 15 minutes from Disneyland, and after a test, we would spend the afternoon walking around Disneyland or go to the beach to relax. Taking this time to be with others or even enjoy time by yourself will be critical for you to have enough stamina to continue through all four years!

Most importantly, remember to enjoy medical school! It is tough, but you are tough too. You got accepted! Medical students are so privileged to be able to gain the knowledge they do and work with so many amazing colleagues and patients. I fondly remember the years of medical school that have now seem to have gone by so quickly. Be appreciative of the opportunities at your fingertips and the remarkable experience of becoming a physician!