The decision to become a doctor is taken early on by most as they are aware that is not just a hard path to traverse to their destination but even a long one. If one is not sure about whether they want to be a doctor, it is still recommended to take up science at the bachelor level, so that they are eligible to write the MCAT and get accepted into a med school program in the future. The time spent in the bachelor program is purposeful as it helps in clearing the minimum requirements to enter into a valid med school program. It even clarifies the perspective of a prospective aspirant if they want to give a good shot at it or not.
Once the student successfully gets into a good college for their medical education, they have to balance their time between lectures, clinical rotations, and USMLE Step 2 preparation which follows after Step 1. The routine is rigorous and tiresome and often students find themselves in a situation where they are in a constant race against time to finish their revision for the licensure exams. Instead of letting the stress of incomplete preparation seep in, an exam aspirant can follow tried and tested hacks of people who have taken this journey in the past and were successful in getting high scores in their USMLE exam. Here are five such time and med school program student-tested points that will help you regain your confidence:
- Groups Are Saviors
Find your pack early into your program where you can vibe with your tribe. There will be students who match your pace and energy. Others will bring in qualities that you can develop as they are just useful to become successful in any career. Overall, your group will get your back in crucial times with small generosity like sharing notes or reminding you about an extra lecture that covers a topic of your weak area.
- Optimize Time As Per Yield
There are topics in the content that are lengthy but the questioning pattern is low in these areas. Often students divide their time according to the length of a topic and fail to weigh their priorities as per the highest-yielding ones. You need to cover all the topics but the priority has to be as per the weightage in the exam.
- Use Active Learning Methods
In your group discussions, you can try active learning methods that will prod critical thinking and help everyone understand the concept of the content. Mere memorization back and forth will not help students recall answers during a stressful exam day. Using flashcards to quiz each other will help the group members to learn in a fun manner. You can combine this method with games and rewards.
Conclusion:
A med school program is a time-consuming and hard journey as it is without the extra punch from USMLE preparation. Often aspirants forget to relax and unwind so that they can de-stress. Remember eating healthy meals, exercising to stretch tired bodies, and social time is a necessary part of the routine.