50 Random Facts I've Learned About Med School Life

1- The meaning of the word gunner. A gunner is basically an overly ambitious and competitive medical student who is always ahead of everyone else. It's like your typical nerd times 1000.

2- The hardest studying you have ever done in your life is still not as hard as you will study in medical school.

3-Caffeine withdrawal gives you awful headaches.

4- Some people think women who go to medical school are actually nursing students.

5- Physical therapy students will be better at interviewing patients than medical students will.

6- Most doctor's have an unconscious tendency to be less friendly towards their obese patients because they cause their own diseases.

7- Cadaver lab is cool on the first day; then it gets old REALLY fast.

8- Having faculty members that truly care about their students makes a huge difference.

9- Most  gunners don't identify themselves as such.

10- The class' averages on tests will be ridiculously high.

11- Going to class is considered a study break.

12- You will never look or feel more badass than when you wear your white coat.

13- Showing cops your medical school ID (or white coat) can get you out of speeding tickets (unofficially).

14- Plexuses suck.

15- It's really hard for family and friends to understand how busy we really are.

16- Human flesh looks like steak.

17- Most patients will truly trust your advise as a student even though you are not an official doctor yet.

18- Speaking Spanish is a huge asset in the medical field.

19- You have the power to start making a difference as a student. Whether it is through a research project, a mission trip, saving a  life on your free time, or through an organization, making an impact starts now.

20- Two weeks in regular time equals a month in med school time.

21- You will have REALLY LONG DAYS every single day.

22- There will be a fair portion of your classmates that are already married or engaged.

25- Starting med school in your thirties and/or being pregnant during med school is not uncommon.

26- The alternate definition of "pimping": when a med student gets singled out to answer questions by a resident or attending. Depending on the extent of your knowledge you can excel or be humiliated.

27-Fourth year is the easiest one. It's kind of a scam for students to pay tuition to go interview for jobs around the country.

28- In a second year exam, you will be easily tested in at least 90 hours worth of material.

29- One-on-One teaching  is the best learning method.

30-Physician professors are the best lecturers.

31- Your one official free day will be the test day after the test is done.It's wonderful.

32- Comparing yourself to other people's grades and/or study methods is the best way to drive yourself crazy.

33- Third year students are like myths...everybody has heard of them but no one has actually seen one.

34-Neuro block is an entirely different language.

35- First Aid USMLE Step 1 is the medical school bible.

36- Whether you have a life or not in medical school, is actually your choice.

37- There is never a "best time" to get married or have kids in this career. Just go with life as it happens.

38- It will either be raining or really cold on your free days. Murfy's Law.

39-Your circle of friends will change as school progresses.

40-You will forget what it feels like to be normal.

41- 8 hours of studying is not as much as it sounds.

42-Pushing through being miserable is the hardest part.

43- Even though you constantly feel stupid, you actually know more than you give credit for.

44- There are plenty of people, and plenty of sources with tons of advice about board study prep. One size does not fit all for USMLE prep. Find what works for you.

45- Having a mentor you look up to helps you keep motivated.

46- Non-traditional students have a tough time adapting because they've actually had a life outside the library.

47- The lady at Starbucks will know you by name. She'll notice your hair cut when your friends don't.

48- Friends are high yield.

49-Good enough is good enough.

50-You are stronger than you think you are.

Time Management in Medical School

     It has been about 10 months since my last post to this blog. I intended to keep it going all year around, thinking I would make time to write about my first year of medical school; keeping my memories fresh for you guys to enjoy as I went along. However, here I am on the eve of my second year with memories going stale, forcing  words out of my mind, and wondering how I can enlighten you with my experience.
     You might be guessing the reason I have not written in 10 months because I was busy studying. Well, yes and no. The first year of medical school provided more free time than I thought I would have. I thought I would be studying day in and day out as part of a nerd herd that slowly becomes less human with every test. Don't get me wrong. you will find people like that in medical school. But becoming one of them is a choice. A choice I decided not to make.
    It is possible to have a life and do med school at the same time. It really depends on the kind of person you are, however. If studying day in and day out is not a problem for you, the keep doing what works for you. If you are the kind of person that needs to balance all aspects of your life: physical, mental, family, spiritual, love life, then time management will be golden for you.
        Set up a designated time to do the things that are important to you, and then accommodate your study schedule around them. Leave room for freedom and adaption in your schedule. Find out what works for you and organize yourself accordingly.
       I, for example, like to go running at around 5 or 6pm several times a week. So I fit my studying before working out, this way running came as a good decompressing break. Running tended to turn into a 3 hour break sometimes, considering I have to shower, cook, eat, and do dishes afterward. By 9pm I would be  too tired and/or unmotivated to study. Any studying I did after this time was unproductive. So I tried to change it up to see what worked best. I tried working out later at night. But then it felt like I was not enjoying daylight or it felt heavier because my stomach still had dinner inside ( I usually run before eating).
          Then I tried working out in the mornings before my 8am class. This meant waking up earlier and then by noon I already needed a nap. Where there's a will, there's a way. Running is important for both my mental and physical health. Not doing it because I had to study was simply not an option. So instead I decided to run whenever my mind needed a break the most, whenever that may be, so the benefits would outweigh the costs.
        I know some of my classmates have done similar things. For some of them, Church on Sunday is a sacred time in their week and will be prioritized regardless of whether there is a test on Monday or not. One of my married classmates never studies on Friday night, because that is her date night with her husband.Another fiend likes to study while tanning by the pool. Some of my friends skip class entirely (luxury due to recorded lectures) to do everything they have to do in their day before they start studying. Many people take several days off after a test day, to recover and re-balance. People also get involved in many organizations and clubs available in medical school and then dedicate their free time to meetings, events, and activities related to these clubs.
      You might be wondering, if there is such a thing as free time in med school, why did I not write? Well I was too mentally drained during this time and I wanted to use it to do something fun and relaxing, instead of exerting my brain some more. An advice that I recommend anyone in this field to do. It's important for me to feel like I am still a normal person and that I can still hold a conversation with someone that doesn't know what ptosis means. That is why this summer I have done nothing but chill by the pool, hang out with my friends, work on a research project, and enjoy myself. When second year begins the course load will be a lot heavier and the mental demand more taxing. But this just gives me more reason to prioritize balance.