So you’ve gotten into medical school. Major congrats! Now what? What do you do to fill in the time between now and the start of the school term? (What would maximise the chances of a successful academic and social life in the next five years?)
First, we have to begin with a caveat that, obviously, whatever you do now is not going to determine your “success” or “fate” for the next few years or even months. While there are small steps you can take to get ready for the start of medical school (which we will talk about here), none of them are do-or-die. They are simply optimisations to ease your transition into medical school life.
1. Do not rush to buy textbooks
You may think that there might be a “booklist” and you’ll have to go book-buying one day and come back armed with all these thick volumes. The truth is that textbooks are not a requirement in medical school. And if they are, it’s usually select chapters set as readings, which will be made known to you by your professors as you cover the relevant content through the course. Most of these texts are accessible online and do not require you to fork out hundreds of dollars for the paperback versions.
It is also worth noting that textbooks will not be the main source of your study material. Rather, you will mostly be learning from your school’s lecture slides, notes and/or recordings. This is because the school has a predetermined curriculum (that doesn’t align with any one textbook). Learning in the order dictated by your school is not only systematic, but would also be of great benefit when you consider that your exams will test on precisely what is set out in your school’s particular syllabus.
Granted, some textbooks may be helpful along the way. These can be viewed more as reference materials and good resources to supplement your learning. Diagrams and images are helpful, and visuals from some of these textbooks will often be found in your lecture slides as well.
There are tons of different textbooks out there, many of them with overlapping content areas, some more in-depth than others, some with details far beyond the pre-clinical syllabus. It’s important to discern what are the best resources for each stage of your learning. Your school may well provide you with a list of “recommended textbooks”. In the spirit of minimalism, I have distilled and compiled a list of the most useful textbooks (the only ones you’ll ever need) for the pre-clinical years of medical school.
2. Discover useful resources
By “resources”, I mean everything that is not a textbook. As a medical student in this day and age, you’ll quickly realise that there’s a wealth of resources literally at your fingertips. You’ll realise that how you learn doesn’t have to be limited to reading and rereading the same few lines in a bulky textbook, trying to get your brain to process the words.
Think videos and apps, and even web articles that can elucidate a particular topic so well you’d feel instantly enlightened. There’s a strong “visual” aspect to medicine as well. And given that most of us are visual learners, and that our brains are wired for visual content, tapping on various multimedia resources can really enhance our learning.
I’ve put together curated lists of such resources, with a succinct breakdown of the utility of each. The key message? The best resources are ones that truly help your understanding. Trust me, in medical school, you’ll consult Google far more than you turn to any textbook.
3. Rethink your study methods
Forget what you’ve been doing for the past twelve years or so. Medical school “studying” follows a whole new set of rules, and the sooner you acquaint yourself with the most effective study methods, the more productive you’ll be in the long term.
There are many things I wish I’d known about “how to study” before starting medical school. Had I known these simple truths, it would have helped me tremendously. In a separate article, I discuss tried-and-tested study techniques for medical school.
The bottom line is that studying for medical school is very different from studying for the A Levels, IB, or any other subject. The crux of it is this: there is heavy content that you need to master—which is to say, memorise—before you can get anywhere near clinical decision-making, treating patients, and so on. Just think Biology, but blown up several times in terms of the amount of content—all crammed into a much shorter time period.
Memorising by “brute force” is certainly an option, but is it the best one out there? Probably not. That’s where you need to re-evaluate and think through how you want to approach “studying” in the next few years. One quick tip: use spaced repetition and active recall (e.g. Anki).
4. Find out your school’s course structure
You’ve probably already taken at least a glance at the school’s pedagogy as well as the curriculum overview while applying. Now’s the time to relook at the course structure. You can just focus on the pre-clinical years for now (Years 1 and 2 in Singapore i.e. NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine or NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine).
Get a brief overview, then zoom in on Year 1, particularly the first few topics or content areas.
NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Curriculum: Phase I and II
NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Curriculum: Years 1 & 2
This is just to give you an idea of what’s upcoming. Of course, if you happen to have ample time and absolutely nothing else to do for the remaining weeks of the holidays, you could start looking a bit into some of these topics (purely for fun!).
5. Dabble in anything that piques your interest
After getting some inkling of what you’ll be covering in your first year, you could start looking into some of the topics. Most courses do start with some form of “basic life science” (some A Level Biology-like content), which might not be the most intriguing thing to delve into.
Instead, you could just choose whatever topic or body system you’re interested in. Or you could find out more about anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Simply put:
- Anatomy = structure
- Physiology = function
- Pathology = disease
If you’re unsure, it’s always fun to just start with some anatomy. Important tip: do not attempt to memorise anything you’re learning now. It will only be counterproductive. This is because (1) you won’t know the exact level of detail you’re expected to memorise, (2) you won’t remember anything by the time the school gets to that topic, and (3) there’s time during the school term to schedule well and learn whatever needs to be learnt, in a systematic order.
Second tip: look for good multimedia resources. Don’t start poring over textbooks (unless you thoroughly enjoy it). Firstly, it’s not much fun. And besides, there are so many better ways to learn. There are tons of online courses out there, many of which you can audit for free. You can do this without the goal of retaining every bit of information long-term, but really just for a conceptual overview.
6. Get your “equipment” ready
This is a no-brainer, and applicable to any incoming university student. To allay your concerns, there is absolutely no need to purchase any medical equipment until the school instructs you to do so. There will often be certain requirements, not to mention student discounts if you order through your school. Therefore, just relax and await any instructions. You will be informed when and exactly how to get your white coat, lab coat, stethoscope, and so on.
The only thing you do need is a laptop (with a webcam). That’s really the only must-have. Note that both NUS YLL and NTU LKC will be issuing each student a free iPad, so do not rush to buy a new tablet. You can take the time to start discovering useful software like note-taking apps (e.g. GoodNotes, Notability, OneNote) and flashcards (e.g. Anki), and experiment to see which ones work best for you.
7. Talk to seniors and batchmates
If you do know seniors from your school, you can of course start chatting with them immediately. If you don’t (like me), know that it’s completely fine, and you’ll have plenty of time and opportunity during Orientation and beyond to get to know your seniors.
Both NUS YLL and NTU LKC have very strong support systems, and seniors will often go the extra mile to reach out to juniors, ensuring that you integrate well into the community. And certainly, no one is getting a “head start” just because they know more seniors or have “insider’s information”.
Nowadays, we’re hyper-connected and you can easily reach out to those in your cohort through Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, and so on. Often, there will be chat groups set up even before Orientation. If you already know some people who have gotten into the same school, it’s nice to strike up a conversation. Otherwise, if you find it difficult to connect (especially online), once again rest assured that everything will be taken care of during your Orientation and the subsequent weeks.
8. Enjoy the rest of your holidays
You can ignore everything on this list—but not this. Continue the pursuit of your passions! And do whatever you enjoy. Read those books that have been on your reading list since forever. Watch those shows that you’ve been dying to see. Spend quality time with family and friends. Bake or sing or do yoga. Whatever you can think of that is the most fun to you—do it.
This is probably the only “real” vacation you’ll have for many years to come. Cherish the time. Use the time in the best possible way by devoting it entirely to yourself, your passions, and the people who matter to you. (Not your obligations.) That will not only be the wisest and most meaningful use of your time, but will also enable you to start your medical school journey in the best state of mind.
Have a question or suggestion? Leave a comment below, or drop me a message anytime. I read and respond to every message and email.