Prepare and Survive your First Year of Medical School

Starting medical school is an exciting time but this first year may very well be the toughest year.
Here are three reasons why and few tips to prepare you for medschool

1. You’re learning a new ‘language’

Medicine boasts some of the most complicated and difficult jargons to pronounce . To know that many of these terms originate from Greek, Latin, French and other languages, it is no wonder that medical students tend to stumble in their first year of medical school.

The first lectures are typically frustrating, especially if the lecturers use a lot of these jargons all at once! Taking down notes during lectures becomes cumbersome and difficult because these words are so tough to spell!!!. AND FOR SOME GOD-KNOWS-WHY REASONS THEY CANNOT BE FOUND IN YOUR LECTURE NOTES.

Take exophthalmos as an example. It is a medical term with greek origin. It describes the protrusion of the eyes; a classic physical presentation of Grave’s disease. For the uninitiated, this can be quite a challenge to understand. When it comes to ‘foreign’ words, an unaccustomed brain is slower in grasping their meaning and committing them to memory. To make things worse, there are other similarly worded words with completely different meanings e.g. exomphalos (a term synonymous to omphalochele – which describes a condition whereby a baby suffers from a herniating abdominal content through its umbilicus). Needless to say, this makes learning medicine (saving and retrieving new information) a mentally-demanding work for freshers.

Tips:

Just as learning a new language, one needs to understand that it is going to take some time.

Always look to learn the ‘alphabets’ of the language; it may not obvious when it comes to the language of medicine but do keep a look out.
i.e. osteo means bone, hepat means liver, itis means inflammation.

When interpreting a word, break it down to different parts
 i.e. hepatitis (hepat & itis) means inflammation of the liver.
       Osteoporosis (osteo & poro) literally means ‘porous’ bone; this refers to bone with low          bone mass density. 

In no time, you will be able to interpret subacute sclerosing panenchephalitis (SSPE)

Need more tips? Find out 5 creative ways to learn medical terminology 

2. I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH I NEED TO KNOW! THE LEARNING IS ENDLESS… literally

You will soon be familiar with the feeling of not knowing enough. ‘I don’t know enough’.Or the feeling of ‘How much do I need to know?!?’ Or ‘Do I really need to know this?’

According to GenBank (2004), there are over 22000 diseases. The number probably differs slightly from today. With clinical and scientific researches continually pouring information into our scientific pool of knowledge, there is certainly plenty to learn. 

But ... How much do I need to know?

Obviously, the more the better. After all, medical students do not study merely to pass exams but for that one day when they need to make life-and-death decision. This certainly makes it very daunting for a first year medical student.

Tips:

I personally do not advocate a first year to learn ‘everything’ there is. Step by step! Learn the basics and then go on to learn more and more every time you revisit the same topic.

Most importantly, be sure to enjoy the learning curve – no matter how steep this learning curve can be. If you enjoy what you’re learning, learning becomes automatic. And, you will be able to recall more information.

3. STRESS STRESS STRESS 

Getting accepted into the medical school is one hell of an achievement. It is not uncommon to find that most (if not, all) medical students are and have always been top academic performers. But, in medical school, the competition is relentless.

Chances are that you are no longer the best student in the class.                                      If you are still the best, good for you.                                                                                     But, if you are not, don’t beat yourself up over it.

Most of your classmates might still have the pre-med mentality, that is, to build a great CV. Most will try to top the board, lead student societies, and do sports/music/art. Your seniors will be telling you to “use your summer holiday wisely” and try to get your name published in reputable journals.

When exams are finally around the corner, you will be reminded of those who have dropped out or quit medical school. Then, you find yourself spending an increasing amount of time studying. You will also realise that you haven’t had a lot of time to spend with your friends and family. And that you are gradually getting accustomed to missing group outings to catch up on lectures (or even, missing lectures to study in the library). It is also uncommon to see medical students spending less time on their lifelong hobbies.

Somewhere along the way, you might hit the rock bottom and start doubting yourself. Some of you might start wondering if medicine is really for you. It is not going to be easy but remember why you started

Tips:

There is no denying that it’s going to be really stressful as you battle through exams. Believe in your capabilities. Be optimistic but not overly confident!

Check if you are having an unrealistic ambition e.g. publishing a ‘Nature’ paper in the first year of your medical school. Having a goal is essential but you will have to learn to manage the stress that comes with having this ambition.

Stop seeing your schoolmates as competitors! They are your friends; They are the people whom you will be talking to when you work and when you are off work

Have a clear study schedule and stick to it. Don’t panic when you see your friends ahead of you in their revision. Trust in your ‘game plan’. Be confident. 

~And have a great time in medical school ~