Stepping into medical school is a great challenge. But once you are in, how can you keep yourself afloat? What are the most effective study methods? Is there any way to prevent burnout? Questions like these might cross your mind now and then.
We all are aware of the saying, “There aren’t enough hours in the day.” And this couldn’t be more accurate for healthcare students. Time is one of the most essential and rarest assets in medical schools. The immense volume of medical information covered in schools is the same as drinking from the firehose. Even when you pour in hard work and effort to complete everyday tasks, you may find yourself short on time.
And at the end of the day, regrettably, it comes down to a mental breakdown and negative effect on your physical well-being. At times like these, you wish you had known the art of managing time effectively. While time management never increases the number of hours a day, it allows you to engage in various activities and vent out steam.
So without further ado, let’s dive into some of the study and time management tips that can help prospective healthcare students to become the all-rounder they wish to be:
Create a schedule
To stay on top of your deadline, prepare a schedule. A regimen can prove beneficial as it can help determine how much time academic activities can take and your time for personal activities.
For instance, if you are a nursing student and wish to make headway in your career trajectory, then make room for advanced education. But, if time is money or, in other words, you need to work alongside, consider an Online RN to BSN Program. It will help fulfil your academic pursuit, hone your skillset, and become eligible for leadership roles. E-learning allows aspiring healthcare professionals to juggle work and studies and enhance their expertise flexibly.
Remember, you don’t have to set your schedule in stone. You must stick to it; be sure to update it once your tasks are over.
Break down tasks into small chunks
Ask yourself whether you are a task-bound person or a time-bound person. There are various tasks in medicine in which time is of paramount importance. If you fail to accomplish them, you may find yourself lagging in your career.
Whenever you come across a project that seems a bit too tricky and overwhelming, it’s easy to get intimidated by the magnitude of the tasks. In turn, this reduces your morale and impedes you from making progress.
However, you can break such tasks into small chunks. Doing so will make these projects less daunting and build motivation. And once you get started, your impression of the specific project will change for the better.
Figure out the best study method
Unless you pour in all your effort and commitment, it’s next to impossible to develop the proper skill set and acquire knowledge to become a highly-skilled healthcare practitioner. Therefore, study smart and determine how you learn the best.
For instance, most students prefer to study in groups, while others find comfort in learning alone. The former allows students to collate information efficiently, exchange ideas, and learn new concepts. However, the latter enables students to study in peace with few distractions.
So, figure out which learning style suits you the best. And if you are unsure, don’t feel afraid to give new studying methods a try.
Fight procrastination
We all know for a fact that every one of us procrastinates. And there are a plethora of reasons to procrastinate on different occasions. After all, studying isn’t a piece of cake.
Therefore, anticipate this issue and develop strategies to evade the pull of procrastination. Try to avoid distractions and keep them to the bare minimum.
For instance, instead of surfing the internet and using a cellphone, curb access to these activities and consider them as rewards only. That way, you can also avoid the guilt of using these potential procrastination tools during study time.
Take breaks
Student life can be highly distressing and nerve-wracking, irrespective of the passion for medicine. And the constant juggle between studies and training rounds in healthcare facilities can drain your energy.
Sure, the daily grind of hospital shifts and your study routine can teach you a lot. However, you must also possess a healthy mind to process and absorb this staggering volume of medical information.
Therefore, whenever you feel stressed, call someone with no medical background and talk about daily life. Another best approach is to meditate and practice mindfulness to ground yourself and remain calm during stressful situations.
Final Words
Undoubtedly, being a healthcare students is a challenge in itself. You may struggle with getting accustomed to the pace of medical school and processing an enormous amount of information. However, before you throw in the towel, remind yourself of the reasons that made you pursue medicine in the first place.
Remember, you aren’t superhuman, so don’t expect yourself to give cent per cent all the time. While most people consider perfectionism a desirable quantity, you don’t always have to strive for it. Instead, do the best you can in your capacity. If you are getting too overwhelmed with your studies, consider meeting your friend or going for a casual stroll. The tips above can help you get through these stressful yet exciting years.
