It's getting close to that time of year again. I am starting my second year of medical school in just a week and a half. And even more exciting, new first years will be starting in a few months. I remember being so nervous the summer before my first year of medical school so I wanted to share some things I wish I could've told myself back then. To all the incoming first years, congrats on your acceptance!! To all the premeds, keep this post in the back of your mind for later or for motivation.

What You Should Do Before Medical School Starts: 

1. ENJOY YOUR SUMMER. Get enough sleep, see your friends, spend time with your family, take your doggo on a ton of walks and spend time enjoying yourself. You deserve it. You've worked SO hard to get into medical school and you're going to work so hard during school. Use this time to relax and refresh.

2. If you want to feel productive, you can learn how to use Anki. Notice how I said learn how to use it, NOT start using it. There are some youtube videos and reels that you can look at just so you understand how it works. It can be confusing at first so downloading the app and getting a feel for it can be helpful.

3. Find ways to make your study space more enjoyable. You are going to spend a lot of time studying, either at home or on campus. Get ready for that by creating a study space that you love at home or buying things to make study days on campus more enjoyable.

4. Read posts made by older students at your school. There is likely a Facebook page with your classmates and older students, join it!

What you SHOULD NOT Do Before Medical School Starts.

1. Study. DON'T DO IT. There is nothing to study. Do not let anyone in your class or online tell you that you have to start Anki before school starts. You haven't learned anything. Why would you study...? Relax instead. There is plenty of time to study later, trust me.

2. Worry yourself to death. It will all be okay. When the time comes, you will figure everything out. Again, just relax and all will fall into place.

Welp, I hope that was helpful!!! I'm so proud of you for your acceptance and I hope you are enjoying your summer.

Xoxo and Happy Relaxing

Now that my first year of medical school is over, I wanted to sit down and reflect. This year was undoubtably different than I expected. I didn't expect to start medical school in the midst of a global pandemic... but I did.

I started school in a new city and I couldn't explore or even meet my classmates. It definitely wasn't ideal but I don't think I ever let myself realize how difficult of a year it really was for me. To be completely honest it wasn't the actual school part that was so difficult. I've always been good at school and studying is kind of my thing so exams weren't so bad. That was not everyone's experience and that is okay, but I am just being truthful about my own experiences. I spent most of my time studying, going on walks or going back home. I never really felt like my new home was home. I counted down the days until I could go back to my parents house. I was just generally unhappy in my new space. Over time, our class dynamics got shockingly bad, as everyone tried to cope with the stress of school and the world. We didn't know each other as humans, just as someone on the other side of the screen. The respect wasn't there and it showed. Our school switched systems in the middle of the year and we had no idea what was going on. To say it was kind of a mess is an understatement. I struggled a lot to find happiness in my new life for a while. I share all of this not because I want to scare incoming first years or make anyone feel sad for me... but to say that you can have a rough start and it can still turn out okay. Pro tip: Find a couple dog rescues in the area and help them out with dog transfers and short term fostering... it makes a HUGE difference for them and your mental health.

Though there are a lot of things about my first year that I am less than thrilled with, there were bright moments as well. I became co-president of our neurology student interest group, shadowed a few different pediatric neurologists (and LOVED every second of it) and eventually met people that are truly amazing. A year later and I can confidently say that next year will be better and I might even be looking forward to it. As this school year comes to a close, I have a lot of work to do on myself. This past year brought with it personal challenges that showed me that there are things about myself that I want to change. But it also showed me that I can go through some pretty awful times and come out okay. I'm proud that I did really well in school my first year despite these challenges. I say that because we should celebrate our wins instead of hiding them.

If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading. If you're going through a tough time with a new school or job just know that it will get better (cliche I know sorry). If you're going into your first year of medical school, be excited! But also be prepared for it to be less butterflies and rainbows than you might want. That's okay because you'll be okay.

Next block is Neurology and Psychiatry and I am SO excited. I know that is an unpopular opinion because it will be a difficult block. But, my passion is in neurology and psychiatry so I know that it'll be fun for me. I'm excited to see what the next year of school brings. I'm hoping for more substantial research experience, more shadowing opportunities and maybe even getting to know my classmates a bit better.

When Can I Start? - 

As early as you want! Some hospitals require you to be 18 years old but you can always start in clinic if that is the case. You should definitely start as soon as possible if you already know you are interested in medicine!

How Can I Shadow? How Do I ask?

Reach out to doctors you know, cold email doctors in your area or find shadowing programs online! Check out my instagram for an email template to ask for shadowing. 

What Do I Bring -

1. A small notebook and a pen so that you can take notes! Shadowing is a valuable experience and you should be taking some notes throughout the day.

2. If you have a name tag or ID badge, I would definitely wear it!

3. Water bottle and a snack! It might be a long day and you'll be on your feet a bunch.

What Do I Wear? - 

Dress business casual unless the doctor specifically tells you to wear scrubs! If you are shadowing in surgery they will usually give you hospital scrubs to change into but you can always pack a pair just in case! Wear comfortable but professional shoes! Ladies - I would seriously avoid wearing heels because you will be on your feet all day. Trust me, you need comfortable and supportive flats. If you are a medical student, you should wear your white coat!

How Long Should I Stay?

You can ask beforehand. The doctor might leave it up to you in which case you can leave at the lunch break or at the end of the day! Make sure to bring snacks either way though, just in case.

Is There Something I Should Have Prepared Besides Questions? What Should I Learn Beforehand?

Having questions in mind before you go in is great! You typically don't have to know much to shadow but if you want to be proactive you can do a little google search into the doctor and the specialty! 

What Should I Expect My First Time Shadowing?

It really depends on the doctor and the specialty. But, in general expect to follow the doctor around and just listen for the most part. You won't be expected to participate, especially if you aren't a medical student. Hopefully, the doctor will take time to teach you in between patients so be ready to take some notes!

How Do You Organize a Time to Shadow with a Busy Med School Schedule?

So far it hasn't been too difficult. It really depends on the doctor's schedule, especially because some doctors are only on inpatient service one week out of the month. I typically find a morning that doesn't have any required lectures and pick that day. If i miss other lectures I will watch the recordings later. Finding a full free day can be difficult but I consider a free day any day that doesn't have a specifically required session since I can always watch recorded lectures later on.

Any General Tips?

1. If you ever feel light-headed or like you are going to pass out, quietly excuse yourself and sit down immediately. You really don't want to pass out in the OR or in a patient room so it's best to excuse yourself and sit down! If this does happen, do not stress about it. Plenty of medical students end up having to excuse themselves on their surgery rotation. It happens and it's totally okay but just be honest with yourself if you need a break.

2. I will say it one more time...bring snacks, drink water and wear comfortable shoes!!!!!

As a first year medical student, I am so eager to make connections with pediatric neurologists both at my school and at other California schools. At first, I didn’t really know where to start or what to say but I knew I wanted to introduce myself.

It can be nerve-racking to cold-email someone who you aspire to be one day. So, here are some tips for reaching out, asking for shadowing or research ideas and finding a mentor!

1. Research the person you are emailing! If they have a specific area of research you are in, read the abstracts (or even better, whole papers) of their most recent publications. Mention specifics in your email or later meetings to show your interest and commitment.
2. Have a goal in mind! This one I learned recently because I was caught off guard with this question. If you are looking for research, what are you hoping to get out of it? Do you want to create your own project? Do you want to get to know the lab and what research is like? Etc. It doesn’t have to be super specific but have an idea of what your end goal is.
3. Respect their time but DO NOT be afraid to follow up! People are busy and sometimes they forget to respond to emails. I usually give it a week before I send a short and very respectful follow-up email. Anytime I’ve done this the person has always thanked me for reminding them that they forgot about my first email! Do not be afraid to follow up.
4. Have some questions ready for them if you do get a chance to meet in person or over the phone. This is especially important if you are looking for a mentor in general. You want to show interest and also learn something if you are going to be taking up their time!
5. Don’t be afraid to reach out! This is honestly the most important thing. Cold emailing is scary but can lead to so many exciting opportunities. The worst thing that can happen is they say no or don’t respond and you move on to the next opportunity.

I hope this was helpful! Be on the lookout for an email template on my instagram soon!

Much Love Always

MCAT test day is honestly so stressful. I made my parents drop me off and pick me up because I was too nervous to drive myself lol. I honestly don't remember much about that day because I think I just blacked it out of my memory. But, in the end I made it through and managed to get a great score! Because it can be such a stressful day, I wanted to share some tips on how to make it less awful.

Before Test Day:

- Drive to the testing site and walk around (as much as you can) to get a feel for the location/so you don't get lost on test day.

- Pack your snacks and get everything ready so you don't have to rush in the morning

- Start getting up on the earlier side so that you aren't exhausted when you have to get up at 6am the day of your exam

- Do not study the day before the exam!! Let your brain relax and believe in the preparation you've done up until that day.

Test Day:

- Bring chocolate kisses. Seems little and silly but honestly such a golden tip

- Leave with plenty of time. I'm talking accounting for all the freeways to shut down kinda time. No need to add the extra stress of traffic/running late to your day.

- Have someone else drive you to the exam. This is just a personal preference but I do not like driving and finding parking so I had my mom drop me off.

- Pack a lunch and plenty of snacks/water

- Have headphones and calming music while you wait to be let in to the exam. There's no need to focus on anyone else but yourself. 

- BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Confidence is so key on the MCAT. Take some deep breaths and think about how close you are to being done with the MCAT. 

xoxo and Happy New Year