My Top 5 Tips for Staying Positive in Medical School!

Lemonade. If I had to sum up my medical school experience with one word, it would definitely be ‘lemonade.’ I’ve had to make tons of it! A few of my classmates have commented on more than one occasion that I always seem so calm and without worry. Trust me, I definitely have my freak out moments. My family can surely attest to that. Failed exams, miscommunication with the higher-ups, exhaustion, feeling like I’m always racing against a clock. Full disclosure: I said I wanted to quit med school as recently as last week. Sometimes, it can all add up and truly take a toll, but my objective is to keep that from happening. Here are my top tips for keeping calm under fire:

iPray. Without God, I am nothing. Period. Through prayer, I’m truly able to cast my cares unto the Lord. There is something so sweet about knowing that I do not have to control and take care of everything. When life takes a turn or something does not turn out the way I thought it would, I’m comforted by the fact that God already knew what was going to happen and already has the perfect solution. Nothing surprises Him. Time with God always reminds me I’m “more than a conqueror” {Romans 8:37} and that, essentially, I really can do anything. Over the years, I have truly learned that casting my cares upon the Lord is a privilege, not a spiritual cliche. I still struggle with God coming through in His timing instead of mine, but I am a work in progress.

I have learned to “let go, let flow.” Any other “Waiting to Exhale” fans out there?! My Type A personality has NOT made this easy, but I am determined to keep reminding myself that life is not always going to go as I have planned. And that’s OK. Keep rolling with the punches. Revise the plan and keep it moving.

I allow myself to have ‘me time.’ Med student guilt is real. I used to feel like any time spent away from my studies was a disservice to me as well as my future patients. 2^nd Year taught me that I have to take time for myself. Well-roundedness is a gift and I am proud to own it. Yes, I am going to be a physician, but I have SO many other interests. It’s important to accommodate and engage them all; even if it’s only for a little while each week. My realization that I needed more balance (thanks for driving this home, Mom + Dad!) is what led me to create Surgery & The City. And I’m so glad I did!

I no longer try to reinvent the wheel. My first exam grade in med school was a low B. I’ll never forget it. For me, that was not good enough. So what did I do? I decided to completely overhaul everything that worked for me in my Masters of Science program and employ new study methods that some of my classmates used. WRONG ANSWER! To say that decision negatively impacted my grades is an understatement. Trying to reinvent the wheel was a major hindrance to me the first half of that year. As soon as I returned to my own methods (repetition is my jam!), I began to see vast improvement. In essence, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

I learned to run my Own race. In med school, it’s so easy to compare your progress to that of your classmates. It takes no time to feel like you’re behind. One of my mentors once said to me, “Behind?? What is that? You’re not behind. You’re simply on your own path. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re all going to the same place.” And she’s exactly right. I don’t ask my classmates to tell me their grades. Nor do I share my grades with them. I’ve only ever shared academic struggles with people I know will pray for instead of gossip about me. That’s where discernment comes in! Knowing exactly how everyone else is performing is of no benefit to me. That and a lot of people in med school blow smoke and try to keep up with the Joneses. Sometimes you just don’t know if someone is exaggerating about their performance just to make themselves feel better. Stay in your lane and know you’re more than good enough. More than a few numbers on a piece of paper.

Whether you’re under pressure as a result of med school, work, family, friends, or just life in general, I hope these tips are helpful! My exact top and skirt are from Zara! Unfortunately, my skirt is sold out, but shop the top here!

xoxo,

Anya

Photos by Tina Smith