Habit 1: Learn how you learn. Then just do it.

Medical school can be a bit of a shock. We all know it will be hard, requiring long hours, but the
sheer enormity of knowledge we need to master (or at least make a passing acquaintance with)
can be overwhelming. You will need to figure out how you learn best, and most efficiently. Is it
taking copious notes in class? Drawing pictures of dissections? Re-listening to lectures on your
iPhone while out for a run? I was a solitary studier all through college, poring over all the required
reading and taking notes. I tried to continue this pattern in medical school. This worked fine
during the first term, which was largely a review of basic science principles I knew well already.
However, after getting my results back on the first anatomy exam at the start of our second term,
I realized something had to change. My response was to join a study group. While I might have
avoided my areas of weakness when studying alone, in a group, wed be sure to go over all those
annoying branches of the brachial plexus. This is a habit that will help you beyond medical
school. The field of medicine is one of life-long learning. We will constantly need to update our
knowledge of our field by reading journals, attending conferences, and discussing interesting
cases with our colleagues.
Habit 2: Look beyond your books.
You may feel like you need to study 24/7, but if you never leave the library, you will miss out on a
lot your medical school has to offer. Join clubs, get involved with student government, sign up for
a committee. Not only will you contribute to the culture of your medical school and help make it a
more enriching place for other medical students, you never know what connections you might
make. One of my peers who joined the student government found herself rubbing shoulders with
many faculty, including department chairs. When she decided she was interested in radiology,
she was able to set up a time to have an informal chat with the department chairman, as she
already knew him. By being involved, you will be learning how to network and establish
connections that will serve you throughout your career.
Habit 3: Give back.
We all spent time in our pre-med years scurrying amongst volunteer experiences in an attempt to
become a better applicant, er, and to give back to the community, of course. Dont stop with that
acceptance letter. Medical school provides lots of opportunities; you have a chance to contribute
to the community, make connections, develop new skills and, yes, they can go on your residency
application. I served as a co-director of our student-run free clinic. It not only gave me a chance
to work on my leadership skills, but also helped me discover that I enjoy the administrative aspect
of medicine as well, something that impacted my career decisions.
Habit 4: Be adventurous, both professionally and personally you never know where it
may lead you.
What you may not realize at the beginning of medical school is how quickly the time goes by and
how soon you will need to be making decisions about your specialty. Early exploration can be
invaluable in helping you make your decision. The summer between first and second year,
another of my colleagues had the opportunity to do a research project with the ophthalmology
department. Although it wasnt a specialty she was particularly familiar with, she liked the people
she was working with and threw herself into the project. She found her passion and is now
starting her ophthalmology residency. Many medical schools offer opportunities to go abroad.

Even (especially!) if youre not an international traveler, these can be great experiences, exposing
you to other medical cultures.
Habit 5: Recognize your own strengths (and weaknesses).
To get into medical school, youve likely been at the top of your class most of your life. The thing
about medical school is that all of your classmates have as well. And, when grades come out, not
everyone can be at the top of the class. For me, this moment was rather sobering and
demoralizing. Allow yourself not to be really good at everything. Work on your weaknesses so
they dont become your Achilles heel, but dont dwell on them. Instead, feed your strengths.
Nowhere in my Deans letter does it say, And she is not so great at anatomy.
Habit 6: Establish a circle of mentors.
Some schools have formal mentoring programs, connecting students with faculty or senior
medical students with junior medical students. Take advantage of these. If your school doesnt
have one (and even if it does), be on the lookout for others who may serve this role youll meet
many if you follow Habit 2. For me, my mentors come from various backgrounds and fields a
radiologist, a pediatrician, a psychiatrist, a bench scientist and a number of more senior medical
students, to name a few. Other medical students can provide invaluable advice on issues they
recently dealt with, ranging from how to study for boards (Make a schedule!) or how to survive
surgery (Always eat breakfast!). Faculty mentors help to provide perspective; theyve seen
many students go through the ups and downs of medical school and can give a broader view, or
at least assure you that how youre feeling is not unique. That time back in first year when I did
poorly on my first anatomy exam? It was one of my faculty mentors who encouraged me to join a
study group. Now, sorting through residency programs, my mentors have helped me weigh my
options and look at my priorities.
Habit 7: Take time for you.
You are more than medical school you were before and you will be after. Take time to nurture
your relationships, with friends, family and significant others. You may feel all that you are up for
after a week of courses is studying in your pajamas interspersed with watching cat videos online,
but take a real break and go grab coffee with friends. Take care of yourself. Go to the gym, cook
a real meal on occasion, take a walk. Your life should not go completely on hold while you are in
medical school. Finding that balance is critical for your career. A friend who graduated last year
was weighing his options for residency, including going to his dream institution. In the end,
though, he realized he would be happier going to another institution that would keep him close to
his family and friends. Now, as he slogs through intern year, he is buoyed by his support system.
Give yourself the chance to flourish and your career will as well.