Hi there,
As the other posts have already mentioned - you're incredibly driven. That's already half of the battle completed!
But, as with anything else in life, trying to get through text and forcing your way through reading for hours on end will not do you any good. Now, for my humble advice:
Take Breaks! If anyone deserves them, it's clearly you! Somedays, you'll be absolutely in the mood to do and understand all the work you have on hand - and that'll be great! Keep at it. But, if you find yourself struggling, rereading the text over and over, without stopping - then just get up after 20-30 mins and walk, breathe, drink - just get your mind off the task. Weirdly enough, by stopping for a bit, you'll be productive for longer.
Also, try and set realistic goals which are possible to you. Don't compare yourself and your progess to others - it literally does noone any good. Break up your work, into smaller, manageable tasks.
Sleep. This I can't stress enough. Get a nice routine going. If you want an advantage over others - this is unfortunately one of the best, easiest, and nicest ways of doing so (I say unfortunately since it's tragic how many students go to bed after midnight)! Try and limit your long nights - understand and be kind to yourself that you tried. From my humble opinon, you deserve to treat yourself well - and with sleep, it's well documented that it's nothing but the best for physical health, mental health, and for learning more intricately.
https://www.med.upenn.edu/csi/the-impact-of-sleep-on-learning-and-memory.htmlIf you only take away one thing from my advice - please let it be thisssss. Sleep!! Take care of yourselff!!
Talk to others. Cliche - but true. I love venting, it releases this weight that burdens you and ultimately gives you a clearer mind. By processing your thoughts, and talking it over, you can help yourself get insightful ways of improving your situation - or understanding if anything needs to change.
I completely understand that university can be challenging, so I'm incredibly happy to hear that you're staying focused on your goals. Remember that you are not alone and that there are many people who can support you along the way.
I wish you the best of luck in your studies and I can't wait to hear from you when you become a physician.
Warm regards,
David
University of Kent Representative