Advise For Incoming Medical Students

June 28, 2023 • 3 minutes • 596 words

Don’t Buy Any Books Yet

Wait to hear from upperclassmen to find out what you will actually need to purchase. Your school may provide resources once you start and/or some items you may not need. Listen to the MS2s, they’ve been there, did it, and will share what truly helps!

This is important because, as soon-to-be students, we are broke! To be smart about where your money goes:

Wait to hear from the MS2. If your school requires items day 1, then that is different.
Suppose they don’t, be patient or start asking around.
If you have a class chat already, post the question and see what feedback you get.

Also, your school may provide all your textbooks electronically on their library website! So even if you need the book, you’ll never have to buy it. Lastly, if you are a hard copy type, wait to hear what you will use so you spend wisely!

Having a dedicated MS2 buddy will build an incredible relationship with someone you can trust and ask questions to when you are in the midst of the storm your first semester! They are so generous and willing to help, so if your school provides the buddy program, do it! If not, don’t be afraid to seek out those connections!

They will also be helpful as exams approach because they can guide you on what to focus on, how to practice, and help you keep calm through all the stress. They are also helpful with getting situated in a new city and your overall new life now.

Socialize

Attend the summer socials that are put together by your school or your classmates. These are great opportunities to meet future classmates, upper classmates, faculty, and staff.

These events also allow you to search for your potential friend and study group. It’s also nice to have someone you know on day one of classes! Get involved early and make some new friends!

Relax

This is your last summer without significant demands and the opportunity to relax. Medical school will appropriately prepare you for each semester/block, so don’t fret. But, if you feel that you must prepare somehow, don’t purchase anything. There are a lot of free resources you can use to review whatever subject you feel weak in. Review what the curriculum is at your school and use that to assess.

Organization

Use a calendar to stay organized. I use Google Calendars to input essential components that I would like to be reminded of. Things like date nights, birthdays, anniversaries, trips, events, and exams. I set multiple reminders because I am bound to miss a few. The reminders help me keep what I consider vital at the forefront of my mind. Even while using a calendar, I forgot a few things during my first year. I definitely did not forget as many as I would have forgotten if I didn’t use a calendar.

Meal Prep

Meal prep during the weekends. This takes the extra work out of the week a. You will: save time because you won’t have to wonder/try to come up with what to eat reduce stress because you won’t be worrying about having to make breakfast, lunch, & dinner save money because you won’t have to eat out/DoorDash/UberEats increased productivity during the week because you won’t spend time figuring out what to eat instead of doing class work or taking care of yourself.

And don’t worry, you will have opportunities to eat out because it doesn’t work out every day but will help you most days.