It’s finally here – the moment I’ve been dreaming of and working towards for years. I’m officially in medical school! While initially, the excitement is palpable, now that I am only 8 weeks into my new adventure, I want to share my thoughts and experiences with you all.

The Initial Shock

Remember when I shared my joy about getting accepted into medical school? Well, now that the reality has set in, I’m experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. The sheer volume of information, the intensity of the curriculum, and the weight of responsibility are all hitting me like a ton of bricks. It’s like being thrown into the deep end of a pool – exhilarating yet terrifying.

Syllabus Overload

One look at the syllabus for each class, and I realized I’m in for a busy four years. The amount of material we’re expected to cover is staggering. It’s not just about memorizing facts; it’s about understanding complex concepts and applying them in real-world scenarios. The thought of mastering all this knowledge is daunting, to say the least. It really is true what I’ve heard that it is like drinking from a firehose and the material itself isn’t the problem – it’s the amount.

Time Management Struggles

Balancing studying, attending lectures, labs, and still maintaining some semblance of a personal life seems like an impossible task. I find myself constantly juggling priorities and feeling guilty when I take time for myself. It’s a challenging adjustment from my previous routines and has been an adjustment on friends and family who are more used to me being more accessible to them.

Strategies

Despite feeling overwhelmed, I’m determined to find ways to navigate this journey successfully. Here are some strategies I’m implementing:

  1. Organization is key: I’m using digital planners, schedules, and most of all – my pass tracker. I created a pass tracker to track assignments, and deadlines, and see which parts of the material for each block I’ve seen the most/least and rate how difficult I felt it was. More on this later.
  2. Seeking support: I’m connecting with classmates and developing close friends to study with and vent to. People who understand the stress I am under and why everything is so difficult.
  3. Self-care matters: I’m consciously trying to maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and get adequate sleep. I will not be pulling all-nighters. And I spend an hour at the gym a few days a week – if I studied that time instead, would it really make a difference in my grades? probably not.
  4. Embracing the learning process: I’m reminding myself that it’s okay not to know everything right away. Medical school is a journey, not a race.
  5. Utilizing resources: I’m familiarizing myself with campus resources as well as depending on third-party resources to learn material which is difficult (Ninja Nerd has SAVED me).

A Message to Fellow Medical Students

If you’re also starting medical school and feeling overwhelmed, know that you’re not alone. It’s normal to feel this way, and it doesn’t reflect on your capabilities or potential as a future doctor. Remember why you started this journey and take it one day at a time.

Looking Ahead

While the road ahead seems daunting, I’m trying to maintain a positive outlook. This overwhelming feeling is just a part of the process, a stepping stone towards achieving my dream of becoming a doctor. I’m reminding myself that thousands of students have walked this path before me and succeeded.

As I navigate through these challenging times, I’ll continue to share my experiences with you all. Here’s to embracing the overwhelm and growing through it!

Stay resilient, future colleagues!

XO Melmo