Preparing My Mind For Medical School
When it comes to applying and attending medical school I find that there is a huge gap in people talking about what to do between getting accepted and attending medical school. No one talks as much as the scholarships, financial aid, and prepping for medical school. I hope to post more about these things as I get to them. For now check out my POST on some of the things you should and should not do (coming soon) before medical school. One of the things I am doing is trying to prepare myself mentally for medical school.
This is a huge commitment that I am undertaking. I will spend a lot of time studying and may have to make some sacrifices. Things will not always be easy and I may face difficulties. Of course, I won’t know the full extent until I have begun but these are things that I have heard from many mentors of mine who are in medical school. So, based on this, I am trying to seek ways to ready myself as much as possible. I know I will never be fully prepared but that does not mean I can’t take steps now. Here are 3 things I am doing to prepare my mind for medical school.
Refine my coping mechanisms - In the midst of medical school, family problems, financial concerns, and any other #Adulting topics do not just disappear. Life can be stressful without medical school so I have a feeling it’ll be heightened when I am just starting out. Learning how to de-escalate stressful periods seems like it’ll be important. When I am stressed I like to read, write, journal, or talk it out with someone. Rather than just wait for stress to arrive, I try to incorporate at least 1 of these things into my life each day. This gives me a chance of relax regardless of where my stress level is. I have had to re-introduce myself to my positive habits after many years without them and they are habits I plan to keep to keep my head level while in school.
Building my support system- The journey to medicine is a confusing one. Though I have many supporters, a lot of the people in my circle did not understand some of the things that I had to do or go through. I unfortunately had to say goodbye to a few toxic people and take the time to explain some of my journey to my support system. Going into medical school, I know my availability will be limited and my life is going to change. Having these conversations now with my support systems allows us to be on same page when I start school. Some of the things I have said is that I may not be at every get together anymore or I’ll need to know things a little earlier than a day or so so that I can plan my study schedule around it. I hope to prioritize my studying but also the people who are important to me and so talking about this early makes me feel like I am doing that.
See a therapist - I have never been to a therapist. I have always wanted to go but I feel like I would have nothing to say which is odd because I talk a lot. However, I am thinking of it as a checkup. Just like I have a physical every year to check my body, I should see a therapist to check my mind. Maybe they can help me see things I do not or provide extra coping mechanisms for my tool kit. I am not really sure how it will go but I’ll make sure I document the experience.
There are so many other ways to get yourself ready for medical school or any new phase in life. How are you preparing your mind for the new stage. I would love to hear some suggestions in the comments below!
