A student currently in their third year of training shares some golden tips for starting out at medical school.
When I look back at how far I’ve come I feel a sense of satisfaction. Overcoming the gruelling and nerve-wracking process of interviews and long hours of study to get into medical school, to sit among the 1% of the people in the country that made it, is a great feeling.
My workload
The workloads vary from one medical school to the next. Most universities are lecture based so the amount of self-directed learning required will be less than those doing problem-based learning (PBL). Compared to high school, there is a lot more to cover in your own time too.
There is also considerably more content in lectures than what you are used to, so there will be lectures that you walk out of and think “what just happened?” If things go over my head I go and see the lecturer afterwards.
My hours are long, so less party time, more exams and earlier term starts with shorter holidays. When the grind catches up with me, I try to remember why I got into medicine in the first place.
Lectures
I try to go to most lectures, although I do accept that even the most dedicated student will miss a lecture or two in a year. I have a lot more lectures than other courses and these lectures tend to be quite early in the morning – they may last up to three hours so the temptation to skip some is strong.
One of the main reasons people miss lectures is because they think they don’t get anything from them, which is not true. Even if you don’t actively take things in, you will have a better understanding of the material when it comes to revision at the end of the year – and that’s a fact.
I remind myself that every hour I miss is wasting my money. It’s also respectful and professional to attend because in most cases the people giving the lectures are doctors or clinicians who have taken time out from clinics to come and teach you.
Textbooks
I didn’t buy any textbooks before university. The biggest mistake new students make over and over again is trying to buy books before starting the course. Medical books are expensive, especially if you buy them from normal bookstores. For bookshop alternatives most medical libraries have all the books you will need. Moreover, older students tend to sell their old books at very low prices (just be aware that some may be old editions).
Revision
I’ve found that leaving enough time for revision is a great help. Older students will tell you that 2-4 weeks is enough, but everyone is different. While that may work for some, if you are aiming to get top marks you will have to invest more time than that.
A good revision method is one that is time efficient, simplifies the most complex of concepts, and helps you remember things easily and in a logical manner.
Some of the best methods include:
• mind maps
• making up your own questions
• tables
• ACRONYMS (these will be your best friend during anatomy revision).
Revising with friends is also a lot more useful than you think. Other people will always know something you don’t, so you cover more ground when you share knowledge. Moreover, it’s more relaxing and more fun when you talk things through.
The HPCSA
The Health Professions Council Of South Africa (HPCSA) is the regulatory body that all doctors have to register with in order to practise in South Africa and they also provide guidance about how healthcare professionals should conduct themselves.
Here’s my advice for adhering to their guidelines:
• During clinics / ward rounds and in the medical school, don’t do or dress in anything your grandmother wouldn’t approve of. No one wants to see their doctor dressed in revealing clothes or breaking the law.
• Attendance at teaching sessions and clinics falls under professionalism guidelines.
• Medics are known for throwing the best parties, but always remember, you are not like any other students. Drinking and ending up in the emergency department will not go down well, especially if you happen to make it onto the front cover of a newspaper – this has happened before.
• Be careful of what you post on social media.
• Always be aware of patient confidentiality. You will have access to a lot of private information regarding patients and talking about it or who/what you saw in the clinic while you’re in public is NOT OKAY. People have got into trouble for doing this.
Clinics
At clinics I always felt at the bottom of the food chain, but I was reassured when a senior reminded me that everyone has been there before, even consultants. Usually it is not personal; it’s just part of the training. I prepared by reading up on the topics/departments I was visiting.
My advice for students is to never turn up hungover or without having had enough sleep, especially to secondary care clinics because, trust me, it will show. The last thing you want is to be given a patient to take a history from and you can’t even form a coherent question. It doesn’t look good to the patient or your supervising doctor either.
We asked medical students to offer up their top tips about how to survive medical school. Find out what they said here!