Balance & Time Management In Medical School

The thing that I found to be the most challenging for me was time management. As you can tell, I haven’t posted on my blog in a while. If I had to give myself a grade for time management, I would get…hmmm is there anything lower than failing?! Maybe F-.

Prior to starting school, I worked a full-time job, exercised 2-3 times per week, and studied to take the MCAT. So, where did all the time go once school started? School became one of my top priorities. I devoted most of my time to studying, but still felt like I struggled just to keep up. I think I had this belief that if I didn’t study every minute of every day, I would not do well.

Throughout the year I would see my classmates participating in multiple student organizations, volunteering, shadowing, and more. I always wondered how they managed to do so much and keep up. Seriously, HOW DID THEY DO IT?! There were so many times I wanted to participate in things but didn’t because I felt behind on my school work. 

My schedule consisted of lectures, anatomy labs, small group learning sessions, histology labs, physiology labs, and the list goes on and on. Trying to balance all these things plus studying meant less time for the things that I previously liked doing. I thought a good solution was to make to-do lists, but then I would spend way too much time on one item. This meant that I would push most of the items on my list until the next day. It was a never-ending cycle! My mentor, family members and classmates would remind me to take breaks. It just seemed like the only time I could take a break was after exams or on a weekend when we didn’t have exams. 

So, what helped me change? CORONAVIRUS ***Cardi B voice***

When the pandemic hit, my school switched to a virtual format. Zoom University College of Medicine! This meant watching lectures online and participating in zoom-based anatomy labs. At first it was a difficult transition, but towards the end I finally understood why so many students skipped lectures to study at home. Surprisingly, studying at home freed up extra time in my schedule. Though there were way too many technical difficulties, I found online classes more convenient. I no longer lost time traveling to school, walking between classes, changing for anatomy lab, or looking for a study spot. Being in quarantine mostly made me realize that time wasn’t the problem. The time was always there, I just wasn’t managing it well. I began to see that I needed to work on time management so that I can balance school with other responsibilities.

If you are like me and you struggle with balance and time management, here are some tips that help me with time management:

1. Create a detailed schedule: I recently started using Google calendar to plan my weekly schedule. I am two months into my second year, and I find it very helpful for setting goals and accomplishing tasks. I linked my Google calendar to my phone so that I can get reminders (perfect if you are absent minded like me). Planners also work well. On Sunday, I try to plan out my week with the lectures and the resources I need to review. I set specific time blocks for what I want to complete and when that time is up, I move on to another task. This keeps me from getting stuck on a certain item. Of course, some days don’t go as planned. If I don’t finish an item, then I adjust the rest of the week to fit it in. If it’s a low priority item, I shift it to the weekend. No schedule is perfect, but I’m finding that having a template keeps me on task.
2. Stick to a routine: When my school switched to a virtual format, it was very difficult to keep up at first because I would sleep later than I should and study at random times. Now I try to stick to a routine. I wake up, get breakfast, attend class, and then my day is free to do whatever else I have planned. I try to keep the same schedule every day for consistency.
3. Pick 1-2 things outside of school to add: This can be volunteering, exercise, getting your nails done or watching TV. Basically, anything that gets your mind off school.
4. Find an accountability partner: If there are things you want to add in your day, like exercise, finding a partner can be very encouraging. Trust me, I have three!
5. Have your family and friends check in on you: Anytime I talk to one of my aunts, she asks me if I did anything fun or relaxing recently. It always feels nice when I can say yes. If the answer is no, then that would remind me to plan time for myself.

Time management was way more vital than I realized it would be. Reflecting on my first year, I realize now that I put way too much pressure on myself. I learned that while school is important, I can’t continue to forget about doing other things that make me happy.