Staying sane in medical school

by lucy doan

Do you remember your first day of medical school?

Most of us entered with wide, sparkling eyes and were filled with a passion to become the world’s best doctor.

Perhaps you were bursting with energy from the thought of being able to save lives, or feeling like you were going to be in a real-life episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

Yet as time went on, you found your studies becoming more and more demanding.

The sparkle in your eye dulled and you weary with what was originally your dream career.

You realise that you are burnt out and disillusioned with a career in medicine.

Talking to patients becomes a chore, patients just become numbers—medicine becomes too much.

How do we keep our sanity in such a demanding, fast-paced career such as medicine?

Be sure to give yourself breaks

You might not feel like you deserve a break but we all need to step back every so often.

If you have been working non-stop, give yourself a bit of time to take a breather. It can be ten minutes every hour, or one day a week.

Taking a break gives you time to recharge, gives you a quick energy booster, and allows you to mentally catch up on everything that is going on around you.

Develop healthy eating habits

The temptation to buy a chocolate bar as a quick snack during ward rounds is overpowering. On top of that, long placement hours make it easier for you to just buy takeaway food for lunch every day.

However, it has been proven that eating healthier can improve your mood and your sense of self-care. Try to carry around a healthy snack, such as a piece of fruit.

Bring a pre-made lunch from home—not only will this save you money, but it will also save you from worrying about the impending weight gain and your skyrocketing cholesterol levels. You will be telling your patients to eat healthy—so why not start with eating healthier yourself?

Engage with exercise and mindfulness

Exercise has been shown to help relieve stress, improve wellbeing and your overall health.

Try going to the gym once a week or try taking a ten minute walk once a day.

Activities such as yoga and meditation are also powerful stress-relieving techniques.

These activities promote mindfulness—aiding to reduce stress, improve concentration and productivity, as well as general enjoyment of life.

We all struggle sometimes. But often doctors and medical students spend too much time helping others and neglect their own health.

Free, confidential crisis and non-urgent mental health support and resources are available that may assist you.

Find out more about support

Have a good support network

At times when you are struggling to get through a long day or when you find it difficult to remember why you wanted to become a doctor, it can be helpful to turn to your support network.

Debriefing with family and friends outside of medicine can keep you grounded and help you reorientate yourself when you are feeling lost.

Furthermore, remember that you are not alone in what you are going through. Do not forget to turn to your fellow medical students who are, more than likely, having the same thoughts, emotions and experiences.

Reaching out to others and having a strong support network is crucial to your mental health.

Do not be afraid to seek help

If you think that you are struggling, do not be afraid to seek help. There are lots of support networks out there for medical students and doctors—from your own university’s counsellor, to your medical school lecturers, to helplines for doctors—there is a plethora of aids to help you stay focussed on what is important.

Most of these resources are free and easily accessible. Initially, it may be daunting to seek help, however, remember that these supports are there for you and there to help you along your journey.

Last but not least, remind yourself of the reason why you decided to choose this career in the first place—hang onto this reason.

Keep your head up and look after yourself. Hopefully, we will see you soon on the other side.

By Lucy Doan

Lucy Doan was the 2020 GPSN National Vice Chair and a medical student at Bond University. She was involved in her local GPSN club as Local Events Officer and Club Chair, before being elected as the 2019 National Events Officer. She was awarded the 2019 GPSN Above and Beyond award for her work on the GPSN National Executive. Outside of medicine, she enjoys reading, volunteering and making new exciting memories.