Hooray! You got into medical school! Now what?

Your 5-Minute Guide to Starting Medical School

By Nektaria Riso

Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you’ve achieved your life-long dream: getting into medical school! I’m sure you’re experiencing a lot of different emotions right now. When I received my acceptance, I was in disbelief – a feeling which quickly turned into excitement, and once that had worn off, I was oddly…anxious. I had spent so much time focusing on getting into medical school that I had barely spared a thought to what I would do if I got in. I mean, how do I prepare for this new chapter of my life? Was my undergrad studying enough? Will I make any friends? Is there an orientation? Are my immunizations up to date?

Well, have no fear! I have compiled a few tips for how to start medical school off on the best foot possible and keep those first-day jitters at bay! 

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​Tip #1: Pay attention to the details

My first tip is quite an obvious one, but it is worth mentioning! Please read the entire acceptance letter! Oftentimes, the admissions committee will offer you a conditional acceptance and detail the conditions towards the end. The conditions can include ensuring that you are CPR certified before the start of the program, for example. 

Acceptance letters may also urge you to immediately set up your school email because this is how they will communicate with you going forward. From my experience, your school email is your lifeline before starting medical school. This is how you’ll receive important information such as when to attend your orientation! 

Tip #2: Don’t skip out on orientation

This brings me to my second tip: attend your orientation, even if it is optional! Orientation provides you with the opportunity to learn more about the program structure and the resources on campus for learning and wellness and get to know your peers and your medical student body. Trust me, the latter will encourage you to subscribe to their newsletters to receive super useful things like discounts on learning platforms (Osmosis, AMBOSS, etc.), medical equipment and scrub sales, and much more!

Attending orientation will also help you immensely in understanding the program structure, its procedures, e.g., who you should contact if you need to miss out on a mandatory learning activity, and all resources available to you as a medical student (career advising, peer tutoring, mental health support, etc.). 

Tip #3: Get organized

My next slightly unconventional tip is to get organized, but perhaps not in the way you’d think. Medical school is a huge transition and can have a significant impact on your mental and physical health. It is very important to practice self-care and to prioritize time for your own well-being, your hobbies, your friends, and, well, your life outside of school! Get into the habit now of scheduling downtime during your week and learning to let go of a stressful week. Your future self will thank you! 

Also, medical school is expensive, so sorting out your financial situation is something to put on your to-do list before the fall. Will you be dipping into your savings? Opening a credit line? Applying for a government loan or a bursary? Getting a part-time job? Your own medical school may have financing options for you! 

Tip #4: Adapt and grow

Finally, a last and perhaps an obvious tip, is to keep an open mind about your studying habits and accept that you may need to switch them up during medical school. With an overwhelming amount of learning strategies, tools, websites, and subscriptions out there, all targeted towards medical students, it can be super challenging to find one that works for you. Reflect on your own learning style. Are you a visual learner? Do you like to take your notes by hand? Is your laptop up to date to support all the new learning you’ll be doing? Do you want to buy a white board? How about cue cards? Back-to-school shopping may be in order!

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And that’s a wrap! Remember, this is an exciting time - you’re going to learn about your interests and share those experiences with new friends. I hope you feel even a bit better about starting this new adventure. I’m wishing you a great medical school journey! You’ve got this!    

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Nektaria Riso

Nektaria Riso is a current medical student at McGill University with prior degrees in physiology and in child studies. Associate editor at Scientista, she is passionate about highlighting the exploits of women in STEM, whose work often goes unnoticed, through her articles. In her free time, she can be found in a bookstore or in child's pose at her favourite yoga studio.