Getting accepted into medical school is one of the best feelings. All the hard work that you have been putting into organic chemistry, the MCAT, research, and more finally come together! After I was accepted I had a few burning questions that I wanted to be answered before medical school started. I have answered a few below, but feel free to leave any other questions you may have in the comments.
- Do I have time to go home? This depends on many factors. The first and foremost is where is home? Home for me is 4 hours away, but home for some of my peers was 20 minutes or 18 hours. It is highly variable on where you live and your means of transportation. Also, keep in mind your grades and how much work you can actually accomplish at home. I usually go home after block exams or breaks when I know that I can enjoy my time at home without feeling stressed about schoolwork.
- How much do you study? This is a tough question to answer because it depends on how much prior knowledge I have about a topic and how many other activities I am involved in during that block. Some blocks are just busier than others due to scheduled events. I typically cover most of the subjects that I learn in class after I get home which typically takes 3-5 hours. Anything I don’t finish, I cover during the weekends. That being said this is also highly dependent on whether you attend class or not, which leads me to the next highly asked question…
- Is class mandatory? My first semester classes were mandatory, but my second-semester classes were not mandatory. I still attended the majority of my classes. I was not present at some due to previously scheduled meetings. Many of my friends did not attend class but still did extremely well in class. It is key to determine whether class is helpful to you or not. I enjoy waking up and obtaining a first pass of the lecture from my professors and then reviewing the notes after class is over. My peers would read the textbook and then create their own outline. Try out unique techniques throughout the blocks and figure out what works best for you.
- How do you stay on top of things? It is impossible to stay on top of everything. You can try to but you will find yourself burning out fast. Whatever method of scheduling is best for you, just continue to follow that. I am a planner, thus following a strict schedule helps me stay on track. Do what works best for you to help you keep track of everything.
