Pre-Med Success: Balancing Books and Beyond
Hi everyone! I’m Abby, a pre-med student at the University of Houston, majoring in Public Health with a minor in Biology. When I'm not buried in textbooks, I’m working as a Member Relations Officer for the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). Today, I want to talk about something that many pre-med students struggle with: balancing academics and extracurricular activities.
One of the biggest challenges we face as pre-med students is managing our time effectively. Between demanding coursework, volunteering, shadowing, and maintaining some semblance of a social life, it can feel overwhelming. Here are some tips that have helped me keep everything in balance.
1. Prioritize Your Commitments: Not all activities are created equal. It’s crucial to prioritize what’s most important to you and what will have the most significant impact on your medical school application. Academics should come first, but it’s also essential to engage in meaningful extracurriculars that align with your passions and career goals. For me, that means focusing on my role in AMWA and my work at school.
2. Use a Planner or Digital Calendar: Keeping track of your schedule can prevent last-minute surprises and missed deadlines. Whether you prefer a physical planner or a digital calendar, make sure to log all your classes, study sessions, work shifts, and extracurricular activities. Personally, I use an old-fashioned paper calendar, and I like to color-code my commitments to easily differentiate between them.
3. Set Realistic Goals: Break down your goals into manageable tasks. Instead of setting a vague goal like “study more,” try something specific like “study biochemistry for two hours every Tuesday and Thursday.” This makes your goals more achievable and less daunting.
4. Learn to Say No: It’s okay to turn down opportunities that don’t align with your priorities. Focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to be deeply involved in a few activities than to spread yourself too thin.
5. Take Care of Yourself: Don’t forget to prioritize self-care. Exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. Burnout is real, and taking care of your physical and mental health will help you stay focused and motivated.
6. Seek Support: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s study groups, tutoring, or talking to a mentor, support systems are crucial. For example, the AMWA has been a fantastic resource for me in finding mentors and shadowing opportunities.
7. Reflect and Adjust: Regularly take time to reflect on what’s working and what’s not. If something isn’t helping you reach your goals, don’t be afraid to make adjustments. After each semester, I try to review what worked well for me and what I can do better next semester.
Balancing academics and extracurriculars is a skill that takes time to develop. Remember that it's about finding what works best for you and being adaptable. What are some strategies that have helped you manage your time effectively? Share your tips in the comments!
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Comments
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Awesome tips, Abby!
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Hi Abby!
I couldn't agree more about using a planner or digital calendar. I can't leave the house without my trusty planner! It's been so helpful in setting and tracking my goals, managing my time effectively and staying organized.
I can't emphasize how important it is to set SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This approach helps break down big objectives into smaller, more attainable ones.
Self-care looks different for everyone- whether it's going for a walk, doing a detox or practicing mindfulness. Nonetheless, we need to make time for ourselves in order to avoid burn-out and live a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Balancing everything can be challenging, but with these tips, it feels much more manageable. Let’s keep this conversation going and support each other on our paths to med school!
Cheers!
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Hey Abby,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! I must admit that I suffer from over-prioritizing things which bleeds into time management because I am not able to focus on one task. I have also implemented a planner to aid me with creating and following agenda, so that I am not forced to multitask. I also want to thank you for bringing up "saying no" as this aligns with lack of prioritization since as pre-medical students, our temper compells us to take on more tasks than we should.
I wanted to add onto your list one more advice which interconnects closely: welcome rejection. Alongside with being able to reject things, it is also essential for us to seek opportunities without the fear of rejection. I always follow the mindset of "the worst that they can say is no" and this motto has gotten me wonderful opportunites I treasure. For an instance, my past job as a medical assistant started out as a volunteering experience where I have continuously shown initiative and sought ways to help. As I have shown myself a valuable member, the management has offered me a job. Similarly, I sought out a position in a summer camp without much experience but without fearing rejection - I got one!
It is crucial to balance life and career goals, so thank you once more for sharing tips on how to navigate throughout this confusing journey of pursuit of medical school.
Have a beautiful summer :)
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