Important Disciplines to Develop Before Going to Medical School
Hey Future Physicians,
This newsletter is dedicated to some important disciplines that you should learn before going to medical school. These can help you while you are currently in high school, during your undergraduate studies, in medical school, and into your future medical profession. Medical school (and being an undergraduate student) can be rigorous. Beginning to build some of these habits can help to make sure that you set yourself up for success. If you begin to develop these disciplines during high school, they will become habits by the time you get to your undergraduate studies; they will become second nature and far more natural by the time you get to medical school and into your medical career.
Networking: Networking is a valuable skill that can open up a variety of opportunities for you in the future. Networking is being able to talk to and pitch yourself and who you are to others. The people you talk to may be able to offer advice to you or even connect you to someone that they know that can help you get to where you want to be. The ability to communicate your goals to others can allow some doors to open for you. Being connected with Future Physicians can allow you to start networking with doctors and others in the medical field. When you accept shadowing opportunities and/or other chances for learning in medicine, talk to the doctors you work with. Ask them about the things they went through to get to where they are. Ask them about other opportunities that they know about. Networking can serve as a catalyst that propels you further towards your future. When I participated in a medicine-related summer program, I heard of the term “gatekeepers.” Gatekeepers are who are currently in a position that you want to be in, and they often can lead you to opportunities and “open the door (gate)” for you. Networking is a vital because you have to be able to communicate who you are and what your interests are so that those that know of steps and opportunities to help get you to that point can effectively assist you. In your undergraduate studies and medical school, there will more than likely be professors and other professionals at your disposal. Learn to leverage your connections well. Ask family and friends if they know of people that can help you get to where you want to be.
Time Management: Having excellent time management skills in medical school will be crucial. In medical school, there will be many things that are begging for your time- assignments, tests, jobs, family, friends, and more. It is important to have a healthy school-life balance, but it is also vitally important to do well academically. Making deadlines and being on time is extremely important as well. If you need to, create a calendar or spreadsheet with all of your commitments and deadlines. Set reminders for things you are likely to forget. Make a schedule that allots ample time for you to thoroughly complete all of your tasks. Learn how long it takes for you to learn and retain new information since you will be required to learn a lot of new material in medical school. For some, taking a small amount of time to study the material that was covered in class that day may be beneficial. For other, it may be studying material from multiple class sessions every couple of days. Develop a plan that works for you and take the necessary steps to execute it. You can even use AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to create a sample schedule for you if that helps. Be good stewards of your time. Try not to overbook yourself if you can help it. Making a schedule can help create some order and structure to your busyness, and it can sometimes help reduce stress. Managing your time well can even lead to academic success and a healthy balance between work, school, relationships, and more. Despite the rigor of medical school, it is important to be able to take some time for yourself and building friendships and relationships every now and then.
Passion for Growth: Being open to learn and grow is an important skill for medical school. Be willing to grow the extra mile. Medical school will be full of intelligent, qualified individuals; try and find ways to stand out from others. Be willing to take advantage of opportunities to grow and enhance your medical knowledge. Do not be afraid to ask questions, and do not be afraid to try new things. Trying new things can lead to growth, and you will find out if you like the thing that you tried or not. If you never try it, you may miss out on something special. Try and find opportunities to talk with your professors; most often, they are eager to help you. They are experienced in their field and may have some wisdom and knowledge to impart to you. Be willing to seek out medical opportunities for your personal growth. Utilize your resources. There are many search engines, such as LinkedIn and Future Physicians, that can lead you to a wide array of medical internships, shadowing opportunities, and more. Be willing to learn from your mistakes. In medical school, you will strive for perfection, but at the end of the day, you unfortunately will not be able to do everything perfectly. However, each mistake that you make presents an opportunity for growth and learning. Facing challenges can also lead to growth and can teach you that you can do things that you never thought you were capable of.
Communication Skills: Communication skills are extremely important in keeping everyone on the same page. Effective communication can reduce the risk of great confusion. If you want to become a doctor in the future, you will have to be able to communicate with your patients on their level. For those who have a very limited medical background, medical terminology can be confusing. For patients, understanding the things that affect them medically is very important. Ensuring that they understand a diagnosis can allow a doctor and a patient to be on the same page. Effective communication can also be a tool that is useful for networking. In medical school, you will likely have to work in groups and do group projects. Sometimes, it can be difficult to work with people of different personalities, backgrounds, and work styles, but that is part of being in the medical field. You will encounter people with different cultures and different levels of understanding. Other doctors visit doctors for medical concerns of their own, and they would understand what is going on better than someone who may be going to the doctor for the first time in a while. You will be tasks with being able to relay a message to both types of people. Sometimes, the message may be similar or the same, but from case to case, the way that you relay the message may be different. You also will have to be able to listen to the concerns of your patients and properly address them.
How does all of this relate to Future Physicians?
Being a part of a program like this is a great step toward reaching a broad network of medical professionals. This organization connects aspiring medical students with resources such as job shadowing opportunities. Participating in opportunities can allow you to put some of these skills and disciplines into practice.
Keep moving forward!
The Future Physicians Newsletter Team