Surviving Nursing School and Family Medicine Residency

Written By: Casey Smith

Attending college and making the most of your education can be stressful and time consuming. Choosing medical school is likely to make the experience even more overwhelming. However, there are ways to eliminate some of the frustration that often accompanies excelling in this field.

Tips for Getting Through Medical School

  • Expect to spend much more time than most college students on studying and completing homework.
  • Be confident, but not overly confident. Thinking you know it all is not going to help you, especially when it comes to things that require a lot of memorization and practice.
  • Study with your classmates, as this will allow you to share thoughts and ideas, quiz one another, and learn to work efficiently as part of a team.
  • Do not focus solely on studying your notes. Instead, create flash cards, answer practice questions, etc. Learn which study methods work best for you, and use that to your advantage.
  • Try to create a balanced schedule. This does not necessarily have to be a strict schedule, but make sure you allot enough time to get everything done.
  • Keep an open mind as to what kind of medical career you wish to pursue. Through classes and experience, you just may fall in love with a field other than what you had originally planned.
  • Make friends within your field, as they will likely have a similar schedule and understand what you are going through.
  • Make time to relax or utilize stress relieving activities so that you do not become overwhelmed.
  • Do not neglect to take care of yourself. Make sure you are still getting enough rest and nourishment, as becoming run down will only make things more difficult.

After surviving years of intense learning and studying, it is time to gain real world experience in the field you have chosen. While it is extremely important to know and understand the terms and processes associated with your field, you will not fully understand the implications of such a career until you actually experience it hands-on. This can be accomplished through a family medicine residency, in which you will have the opportunity to put your new found skills to use. A family medicine residency program will help to take you one step closer to the career of your dreams.

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