what do you wish you knew before starting medical school?

and what did you struggle with in particular? :smile:

if you were to do it all again or advise someone starting in a few months, what would you suggest they do considering they have a lot of free time?

Reply 1

polldoll

Make the most of your free time, enjoy yourself and earn lots of money, so you dont need to worry about extra jobs during first year.
No matter how tempting it may be DO NOT get a student overdraft or use it, similarly stay clear of credit cards!! Once you start, its a slippery slope.. And yes, at some point you will earn a good salary, but its a long way off!!

As for reading, it really wont do you any favours. The whole point of first year, is to bring everyone up to the same level. So if you have been extra geeky and done lots of advance reading, then you will be bored as they go through everything. You also gain nothing from being the one person in the year that has all the answers. No one likes a show off!!

So relax!!

Reply 2

Dr. Cool

When you start, get to grips with how things work asap i.e. figure out what you need to know (i.e. what the core material is) and prioritize it. Don't think you need to know every little detail to do well.

I wouldn't do anything too hardcore right now, esp if you're an A level entrant with chem and biol - that's more than enough. If you have an Android/iPhone, play some speed anatomy maybe, that can't hurt.

Reply 3

tpxvs

Original post by polldoll

hey thanks for your input :smile:

what medschool you at btw? :smile:

Original post by Dr. Cool

Ah thing is i havent done any biol since GCSE! and even then only got B's in both my biology modules :/ (everything else at GCSE and As/A2s were A*s or As but still..) so i dont really even know what cells are like or things like that lol. do you suggest i do some reading? will they go over stuff like this? i feel compared to the average 1st year med student il probably need to put more effort in cause not only this but iv also taken a gap year and done nothing academic through it! I'd like to not make this any harder for myself.. if i did want to make it slightly smoother how would you recommend i go about it? (I dont own a smart phone..) But anything like website links or books or general advice would be very much appreciated!! :smile:

Reply 4

-Someone-Like-You-

Lectures are on LectureCast. Get some sleep in the mornings.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

vertigo.0012

Original post by polldoll

I would disagree and say definitely get an overdraft - it's the only time you'll be able to get one without interest, and you might need it; I definitely couldn't get by without one! As long as you're careful it's fine. Agree with the credit card point though.

If you haven't done bio since GCSE grab an A level textbook and go through the human-y stuff, so you're up to speed with everyone else. Otherwise, enjoy your holiday!

Reply 6

coconut2456

If you dose off during lectures or your mind just drifts off during the important points, which to be honest will happen most of the time, then make sure you go over the notes at home, makes things so much easier. Also, if you have dissection, actually go over the anatomy beforehand otherwise the sessions are mostly just you having no idea what you're cutting which isn't great if the demonstrators ask you questions.

Reply 7

Dr. Cool

Original post by tpxvs

They started from virtually complete scratch with my course, but it's grad-entry for students with pretty much any background - so they have to. I'd imagine if A level biol isn't a requirement - they will treat students as if they don't have it.. Obviously don't quote me on that.

If you must do some work before hand, as others have said, just get a Human Biology A level textbook or something along those lines and skim over some basic cell biol.

Reply 8

Beska

Original post by polldoll

No matter how tempting it may be DO NOT get a student overdraft or use it, similarly stay clear of credit cards!! Once you start, its a slippery slope.. And yes, at some point you will earn a good salary, but its a long way off!!

That is bad advice. Debt isn't a huge scary monster that needs to be avoided - especially considering the overdraft is interest-free. As long as you're responsible you might as well start getting used to being in it... You'll graduate after 5 years in a bubble, want to start adult life and get a loan for a car/mortgage/wedding or whatever and be declined because your credit rating will be crap. I tend to agree with you about credit cards, but they are useful for slowly building up credit (and/or needing to eat the few weeks before the loan comes in).

Reply 9

-steph-

That I needed to work hard in order to get good grades, its a different system of learning in medschool compared to alevels.

Also make sure that when it comes to housemate, choose people who you are similar to as a I found it annoying that my flatmates would blast their music all the time while I was trying to study.

Reply 10

polldoll

I only said about the overdraft because I went got my first student overdraft in 1996, and have never been in positive figures since! The OP asked what you would do differently if you could do it again, well that is what I would do differently, because even will full time job etc, I never managed to pay off my overdraft!

So by all means get an overdraft, its just something I wouldnt do again!

Reply 11

Renal

Original post by polldoll

Thoroughly disagree. As a student, you should be studying and enjoying being a student, if you're putting that off by working or worrying about money you're wasting those four or five years of your life.

A decent salary is not a long way off, my other half an I are both doctors with a combined gross income over £70,000 - we've been out of medical school for two and three years.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 12

polldoll

Original post by Renal

See above post

Reply 13

FiniteMr

I wish I had learnt the muscles and bones before coming. I hate anatomy.

Oh yea, and I wish I knew how much fun physiology would be comparatively, the kidney is damn awesome!