For many people, the new year is a time to make resolutions to improve ourselves over the next year. Here are some ideas of things that med students can work on to make 2017 the best year yet!
- Relax. Med school is extremely stressful, and relaxing is incredibly important for our mental health! Whether this means going for a walk, hanging out with friends, or playing some music, make sure you take a little bit of time each day to take care of yourself.
- Take things day by day. Or hour by hour. Or minute by minute. When faced with a daunting task, it’s scary to think of everything you have to get done. Take a deep breath and break down studying for your Neurology exam or writing your Bioethics paper into smaller chunks. And trust that you’ll get it done, just like you have so many other times before.
- Stop the comparison game. This is one of my biggest resolutions for the new year. Because our measure of success in med school is often based on grades on exams that are compared to everyone in the class, it’s easy to get down if we’re “below average” or become excited if we’re at the top of the class. I’m challenging myself to focus, instead, on how much I’m learning and how what I’m learning will make me a better physician rather than getting caught up in the numbers and how I am doing compared to my classmates.
- Call home more. I try to call my mom and dad a couple times a week to check in, but being home for vacation reminded me of how much they still want to be involved in my life. Remember who got you to where you are and be sure to reach out! Your loved ones love to hear from you!
- Keep perspective. When things get tough, remember why you wanted to become a doctor in the first place.
