There is no doubt that medical school is a steep and sometimes tedious climb. But if you are serious, committed, and determined to follow your dream of becoming a physician, this article Cmspulse.org will help show you the way up and over the obstacles. And through it all it is YOUR ambition, YOUR goal that will carry you to the pinnacle of academic success.
How To Eliminate Your Fears And Doubts About Medical School :
1. The fear about doing poorly in classes.
This is an easy one. Many students are initially very concerned about doing well in their classes. I want to be clear that there is nothing to worry about here. First of all, you cannot worry about this anyway, because it has no bearing on the outcome.
If a student works diligently and intelligently, they will do well in medical school classes so long as they are passionate and driven to succeed. And second of all, if you do not do so well right away, you have plenty of time over the 3 years to improve your performance on a class by class basis until you do reach an acceptable level of performance in all your classes.
2. The fear about learning about medicine in a classroom environment.
One of the greatest fears for medical students is not understanding what it is all about on a fundamental level. Many medical schools have invested considerable time and resources in preparing their faculty to teach medicine, but more than anything, these professors are genuinely curious about what it is like to be a patient and learn from patients.
Although the student may be interested in learning medicine from their professor, the question of whether or not the student truly understands what happens in a doctor’s office is one that many students do not know how to answer. The best way to address this fear is to work hard, work smart, and use opportunities to go out into the community or even into the exam room with a patient.
3. The fear that medical school will have a negative impact on your social life.
As a student in medical school, you are in an environment that is very unique in many ways. Luckily you will be surrounded by friends throughout medical school who have your best interests at heart, but this can also be overwhelming at times if it feels like everyone around you is so concerned about preparing for exams and becoming a doctor that they never stop and talk about anything else anyway.
The key is to find a balance between your social life and your studies. This will be something you will have to work out during the first year of medical school, but once you get the hang of it, it will become much easier.
4. The fear that your lack of experience in clinical medicine will hurt you.
Time has shown us that students who have spent more time as a patient are better able to understand what patients are thinking during an appointment than students who have not had much exposure to clinical medicine. But more than anything else, there can be no substitute for hands-on clinical experience with patients.
Although you can’t expect to be a physician right away, it is vitally important to do so in order to develop the necessary hands-on knowledge required for success in medical school and beyond.
5. The fear of feeling lost and at a loss as you begin your academic journey in medical school.
One of the great concerns that most first-year students have is their lack of familiarity with their medical school. They know what they are getting into, but they aren’t sure how any of it works. The best cure for this is to do whatever you can do for the first 3 years to become familiar with the various aspects of your medical school experience.
Get involved in clubs and activities, because there is a lot more to medical school than just sitting in lectures. Join the student government, take part in study groups, and do whatever you can to polish your clinical skills.
6. The fear of not having any friends in medical school.
One of the most common concerns for medical students is feeling isolated and alone during the first year of medical school. This is especially true for those who are coming from an undergraduate institution that does not offer a fast-paced lecture environment like medical schools do. But if you know what to expect before going into medical school, you shouldn’t have this as an issue at all. So do your research before you begin and make sure to find others who are also worried about feeling isolated.
7. The fear of not having enough time to study for your classes and be successful in your clinical rotations.
Although this is certainly a legitimate concern, it should not hold back anyone who is determined to become a doctor. While there will certainly be many obstacles along the way, if you are smart and dedicate the time necessary to learn all that you need to learn, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to make it through medical school without experiencing any degree of academic failure.
