There is no denying the fact that medical is a daunting and rigorous undertaking. A lot of assignments, courses and challenging demands of clinical rotations make it extremely hard for medical students to survive in medical school. But with the right preparation, hard work and dedication, you can successfully get through medical school.
If you are going to start your medical school in near future or planning to apply to a top Caribbean medical school, it is important to be aware of the challenging parts of the medical school and be mentally prepared to deal with all the challenges you might face in medical school.
Here is a list of a few difficult aspects of the medical school and a few tips on how to excel in medical school.
Time Management
In medical school, students are supposed to learn the sheer amount of information, complete a lot of assignments and perform lab work in a short period of time. In short, they have to do a lot of work to stay on top of things which makes it difficult for medical school students to set aside time for exercise, hobbies, and meet up with friends and extracurricular activities. Even you invest your best possible efforts, it is difficult to to keep up with your studies manage your assignment deadlines and other activities side by side. Managing your academic performance and life outside of school requires excellent time management skills.
Creating a schedule for study and other activities is indeed the most effective strategy that helps medical school students to set aside time for academic activities, preparing for quizzes, doing assignments, as well as personal hobbies and interests. Effective time management is critically important for medical school students that allow them to deal with the academic and clinical workload of medical school.
USMLE Exams
Being a medical student, one of the biggest challenges, students face is preparing for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2. Students are required to pass rigorous exams with flying colors to obtain the medical license to become a practicing physician. In addition, residency program directors give more importance to your USMLE scores when it comes to evaluating your residency application. So, it is important to prepare well and strategically for USMLE to get stellar scores.
You should set aside a considerable amount of time to study for USMLE. You can study different USMLLE materials and resources to learn all the important concepts and understand the important information. Testing yourself is an effective strategy that will allow your answer thousands of questions relevant to medical topics. There are many questions banks you can try to test your knowledge and identify your weak areas.
Clinical Rotations
After spending two years in the classroom and taking lectures, the third year is the time to face the most difficult part of medical school – clinical rotations. During the third and final year, students will finally get the opportunity to observe patients in clinical settings, learn about different medical specialties and apply their medical knowledge from the classroom to real-life medical situations. Succeeding in clinical rotations is important to get the residency program of your choice.
For many students, the transition from classrooms to wards can be a stressful time. They will work with physicians at different hospitals for the first time to get real-world experience in a variety of medical specialist such as surgery, internal medicine, gastroenterology, psychiatry and more. In order to succeed in your clinical rotations, it is advised to academically prepare for all the major disciplines of medicine you will rotate through. Carefully find the specific requirements for each rotation and look for the resources and materials you will need to start the experience.
Memorization
Whether quizzes, USMLE Step 1 and 2, presentations of patient cases, medical students are required to memorize a lot of anatomical terms, mechanisms of action, symptoms, and treatment of medical diseases. Many medical school students find it very difficult to memorize this sheer amount of information to complete their clinical training and pass their shelf exams with stellar grades.
Prospective medical school students can use different memorization tools and techniques for medical school success. Spaced repetition, interleaving, and self-testing products are a few easy techniques, students can use to recall information more frequently, and prepare for USMLE Step 1 and 2. Using these memorization techniques will help you to boost your memorization skills that will eventually help you pursue a lucrative career in the medical field.
In Closing
Medical school is a difficult journey. Performing well throughout a Caribbean medical school and becoming a competent physician is no easy feat. It takes hard work, determination, motivation, and energy to handle the rigors of medical school. If you want to fulfil your dream of becoming a doctor, stay determined and motivated throughout the medical school journey and set yourself up for success.
