{"id":2782,"date":"2017-07-28T03:00:36","date_gmt":"2017-07-28T03:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.picmonic.com\/?p=2782"},"modified":"2024-01-25T15:39:58","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T15:39:58","slug":"how-to-succeed-in-medical-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.picmonic.com\/pages\/how-to-succeed-in-medical-school\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Succeed in Medical School \u2013 The Ultimate Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\"HowNo matter where you are in your medical career, you\u2019re very aware of the possibility of failing medical school. We compiled this article based on the observations of a career counselor for struggling and failing medical students, and what we found may surprise you.\n\nRead on to find out how to succeed in medical school and become a top physician.\n

Choose Wisely<\/h2>\n\"TheFirst of all, be sure you want to be in medical school. Isn\u2019t it a little late for that<\/em>, you ask? No, it\u2019s not.\n\nSome students find that their chosen career path doesn\u2019t parallel their developing interests, abilities, sensitivities or their maturing understanding of the world-of-work, according to Dr. Caven S. Mcloughlin<\/a>.\n\nThe real failure is ignoring this until you\u2019ve graduated with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and are working in a field you don\u2019t love. Instead, whether you are a first year medical student, a second year medical student or you\u2019ve already passed the USMLE exam, really analyze whether the medical field is right for you. Don\u2019t let outside pressures choose for you either.\n\nLikewise, if you\u2019re not yet in medical school and are considering it, go for it! More and more nontraditional students are transitioning out of current careers and attending medical school. In recent years, about 9% of medical school applicants were over age 29, according to CNN<\/a>.\n

Focus on the End Result<\/h2>\n\"TheDr. Mcloughlin made another interesting observation during his years of interviewing, tutoring and counseling students in severe academic difficulty at a Midwestern medical school. He noted that students who struggled academically, while appearing to be as committed as successful students, did not think farther ahead than graduation.\n\nThat is, the less successful medical students thought of themselves as medical students, rather than visualizing themselves as medical providers<\/em>.\n\nRather than just \u201cgetting through\u201d the next exam or placing all your emphasis on your coursework, consider\u00a0what kind of doctor you want to be. This mentality will not only pull you through the emotionally draining all-night USMLE study sessions, it will also help you maintain focus, stay passionate and pay attention to the parts of your education that will make you the best medical provider.\n\n
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Don\u2019t Just Count on Your Brains<\/h2>\n\"TheBoth the CNN article and Dr. Mcloughlin\u2019s analysis denoted the importance of emotional intelligence, as well as the danger of relying too much on IQ.\n\nOne reason Dr. Suzanne Miller, a medical school admissions consultant, suggests for nontraditional students\u2019 success is because \u201cemotional intelligence is just as or more important than IQ.\u201d Nontraditional students are more likely to have real-life experiences like dealing with death or taking care of sick people and might be able to better relate with patients. They may also have already learned a better work-life balance.\n\nThis doesn\u2019t mean that if you are fresh out of undergrad, you\u2019re destined to fail. Instead, you can do things to increase your emotional IQ such as taking personal development courses, volunteering your time where you can interact with others, and following the next two tips very carefully.\n

Organize, Organize, Organize!<\/h2>\n\"TheWere you\u00a0an excellent test taker in your undergrad career? Are you\u00a0highly adept at retaining massive amounts of information? Neither of those two skills alone<\/em> will guarantee your success in medical school.\n\nYou must also form important habits such as organization.\n\nFinding the best way to organize your medical school and USMLE study materials is crucial. That\u2019s why Picmonic, a study tool proven to help medical students retain more information for longer, allows you to organize your study cards by topic, sort by corresponding First Aid number, search for an exact card by keyword, and create a custom playlist of topics you want to focus on.\n\n
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Don\u2019t Treat Med School Like Undergrad<\/h2>\n\"TheYou may have been able to study last-minute for a test in undergrad and crush it, but a this ain\u2019t my first rodeo <\/em>attitude will not help you here.\n\nThis is your first rodeo!\n\nMeaning, nothing you did in undergrad can prepare you for the intensity and magnitude of materials in medical school. You must take it seriously and study regularly from the onset.\n\nKnow that you may have to re-learn your study strategies. According to Dr. Mcloughlin, many students who fail medical school were not academically challenged prior to medical school. Consequently, they approach their medical school studies the same way they approached previous studies. Don\u2019t be surprised if this does not work. Learn\u00a0about different study methods<\/a> from professors, your fellow students and by researching what does and doesn’t work.\n

Ask for Help<\/h2>\n\"TheMost medical students have enjoyed highly successful academic careers. The first sign of failure can be emotionally shocking and even devastating to them. Combine this with the rigors of ongoing coursework, pressures from family, and the financial risk of medical school, and it\u2019s not hard to see why one failed exam can be the tipping point for a student.\n\nUnfortunately, many also fail to ask for help. Mr. Mcloughlin says failing students generally have a\u00a0reluctance to approach academic personnel for advisement. Without getting help right away, the feeling of abandonment (brought on by their own unwillingness to ask for help) can exacerbate the problem and lead them further into failure.\n\nIf you find yourself struggling, speak to a professor or academic adviser immediately. You may be able to pull yourself out on your own, but why risk it?\n\nTo find out if Picmonic’s evidence based study tool is right for you, try it for free!\n\n
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