By EK Wills
After my post on medicine training received such a great response, and requests for guidance followed, I thought it would be helpful to put together a succinct guide for those embarking on the journey, particularly for those starting as mature age or with a family.
While this is not comprehensive, it is a start point since there is no guide book (a little like parenting) and we can all use a helping hand.
7 Steps plus One Important Point to Getting Through Medicine:
1. Be organized
· Have a study plan and stick to it
· Divide household chores into weekly shopping, meal plans, cleaning
· Everyone needs to muck in
2. If finance is tight as a student
· Have a tight budget
· Do home projects with kids eg craft presents and cards
· Holiday to parents’ and friends’ places or cheap options like camping
3. Networking:
· Find mentors to work out tips and for support eg people ahead of you in similar situations, get tips, resources and advice
· Try not to think of this as a second uni life – you have a clear purpose and other priorities
· Don’t feel obliged to do things for others you don’t need eg grunt work on research projects for supervisors unless you want it or need it
4. Study:
· Work out best study approach
eg do lectures help? If not, find a text book and read it. Don’t waste time going to lectures but make good notes even if you never look at them again
· Have one home study day so there are no distractions. Be ruthless with time management. Study when household is asleep.
· Find a study group or buddy that you work well with so it feels less lonely and helps motivate you to keep going
· Uni and supervisors will always try to get you to do it by the book: you need to streamline where possible and not waste time you could be with family or studying
· Always ask for special consideration- find a reason eg placements close to home, school holiday time off work.
· Have a strategy for placements
eg organise for maximize time and leave asap (mornings- follow patient, go to day surgery to practice cannulation, 4 instead of 5 days
5. Family time:
· Do activities with them they love like sport or baking or craft
· Study when the kids are asleep and your partner is watching TV
6. Work
· There is no time for extra work when at uni, you need a patron (or partner or parent)
· Once graduated and working as MO, take regular holidays
eg one week each school break and 2 at Xmas. You will still accrue enough leave
· Take study leave when on a specialist program (it is built into your pay)
eg Research your program and network you want: speak to people and get interview questions.
· Do the interview course with your medical indemnity company
eg MDA It is free and will help secure the boss job
7. Socialising:
· Keep up with close friends but recognize you will not have the luxury of time so limit social activities unless it includes family as well then it addresses both
· Try to also allow some time for you.
eg I had 15-20 mins of yoga stretching in the morning (even if up at 5 to do it) and then walked from station rather than PT to uni or
walk around the grounds at lunch to clear my head instead of working through (Concord has shoreline water views)
Important:
· Be ruthless with your time: it is your precious resource
· Where possible ask for forgiveness rather than permission (work out what works for you and do it)
· Be clear about your goals even if they change
· Stand up for what you believe, strategically.
eg as representative. You may not be thanked for it but you will feel better and stronger. Eventually you will be validated. And you definitely are justified.
Best of luck and remember to self care!
