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📆 SAVE THE DATE: Med School 101 - Live Q&A Panel Event✨
Did you just start med school? Or are you a pre-med student with questions about how to get there and succeed in medical school? Here's your chance to get all of your questions answered LIVE by former and current med students and Kaplan MCAT Prep Faculty! Join us on August 26th from 6-7 PM ET for our Med School 101 LIVE Q&A Panel Event!
This event is designed to give you the inside scoop on medical school, the application process, achieving a high MCAT score that will increase your chances of admission, and strategies for thriving once you're in!
Start dropping your questions in the comments below and register today!
Mental Health & Burnout Prevention
In preparing for the LSAT or Bar, we spend a lot of time meticulously learning the methods and strategies we need for the test. We focus intently on pacing, endurance, and complete mastery of the material. But one area that we often fail to focus on is Mental Health and Preventing Burnout, which is just as important for our overall success on the test. If we are not mentally prepared and are exhausted by the time we reach Test Day, our hard work learning core concepts is not going to pay off. It is very common for students to experience stress, anxiety, and burnout while studying for the test, and students should incorporate into their preparation ways to manage these feelings.
What are the signs and symptoms of burnout?
There are some common signs and symptoms that students may notice if they are approaching burnout when studying for this test. For instance:
1) They may have a hard time motivating to study and find themselves constantly pushing off studying for multiple days in a row.
2) They may feel physical signs of stress and anxiety like nausea.
3) They may find that they are constantly losing focus during their study sessions.
How can students craft a sustainable study schedule to limit the risk of burnout?
One way to prevent burnout and to help manage stress and anxiety is to have a sustainable study schedule. Study schedules vary widely among students, but there are some core concepts that all study plans should include:
1) Study plans should include rest days. It is common for students to take a day off from studying each week.
2) Study plans should include no more than three hours of studying at a time and should include long breaks between long study sessions.
3) Study plans should mix up the material so that students are constantly focusing on different question types and incorporating different types of drills to keep the learning interesting.
4) Study plans should be guided by the core concept that when it comes to studying, quality is much more important than quantity.
What are some stress management techniques and self-care strategies students can implement while studying?
Students should build into their study plan time to practice stress management techniques and to employ self-care strategies, including some of the following:
1) When you feel stressed or anxious, practice box breathing. This is a structured breathing pattern that involves inhaling, holding your breath, exhaling, and holding your breath.
2) Make sure you are allowing time for enough sleep and exercise.
3) Explore yoga, visualization, meditation, and other mindfulness techniques.
4) Celebrate your wins and view mistakes as learning opportunities instead of failures.
While studying for any major exam can be stressful at times, remember that the habits and techniques that we develop now to deal with stress, anxiety, and burnout will also benefit us in law school and in our future careers as lawyers.
Monika
What branch of healthcare are you currently in or looking to get into?
The healthcare field is vast and diverse, encompassing a wide range of professions and specialties. It's so much more than just doctors and nurses; it includes a complex network of experts who provide care, conduct research, and manage the systems that keep us healthy.
Here's a look at the major branches of healthcare.
- Medical and Surgical Specialties✅
This is the branch most people think of when they hear "healthcare." It focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases, conditions, or parts of the body.
Primary Care: The first point of contact for patients, handling general health and wellness. This includes Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Geriatrics.
Surgical Specialties: Use surgical procedures to treat conditions. Some examples are General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery (heart and chest), Neurosurgery (brain and nervous system), and Orthopedic Surgery (bones and joints).
Medical Specialties (non-surgical): Focus on medical diagnosis and treatment without surgery. Examples include Cardiology (heart), Dermatology (skin), Oncology (cancer), and Neurology (nervous system).
Other Specialties: Includes areas like Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, and Radiology (medical imaging).
- Allied Health Professions✅
These professionals provide essential diagnostic, therapeutic, and support services, often working alongside doctors and nurses.
Rehabilitative and Therapeutic Services: Help patients regain function and independence. This includes Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology.
Diagnostic and Technical Services: Focus on diagnosing conditions and operating specialized equipment. Examples are Medical Laboratory Science, Radiologic Technology, and Pharmacy.
Other Allied Health: Includes Dentistry, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Emergency Medical Services (EMTs and paramedics).
- Nursing and Midwifery✅
As the largest group of healthcare professionals, nurses play a crucial role in direct patient care, management, and research.
Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs/LVNs) provide hands-on care.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs): Hold advanced degrees and include Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs).
- Public Health and Community Health✅
This branch works on a broader scale, focusing on the health of entire populations and communities rather than individual patients.
Epidemiology: The study of disease patterns in populations.
Health Promotion and Education: Creating programs to improve community health.
Environmental Health: Protecting public health from environmental factors.
- Healthcare Administration and Support✅
This area handles the non-clinical side of healthcare, managing operations, technology, and finances.
Hospital and Healthcare Management: Overseeing the daily operations of healthcare facilities.
Health Informatics: Managing patient data and information systems.
Medical Billing and Coding: Handling the financial and administrative aspects of patient care.