As an aspiring medical student, it often feels as though there’s no end to the tasks we need to accomplish to get ahead of the mass. Whether that means spending your summer volunteering at the hospital, working a stressful lab job, devoting your time overseas in an impoverished country, or studying hard core for your MCAT. The list goes on. And on.
I have to admit, I am one of those students. I am spending my summer doing research work under a pathologist (a wonderful one, I might add). I also volunteer at the hospital and try and spend my free time studying for my upcoming MCAT test in September. There is also the factor of maintaining a social life and keeping my family happy. I understand why many of us may feel bogged down and lack the capacity to feel emotions sometimes. I think I was just fortunate enough to end up with an amazing supervisor for my research job and posses some perspective about the long run.
I had recently finished a major portion of my summer research project and went to visit my supervisor to go over it what I had accomplished so far. After a while we decided to grab a coffee and got to talking about how my summer was carrying on. I told him a bit about my activities and eventually got to the point that I was fully enjoying this summer. His response was surprising. He told be that I just told him all that he needed to hear. This wonderful supervisor told me that if there was one thing I should take away from this mentorship, it would be that I should allow myself to enjoy my time here while I still have that time to spend. And he is absolutely right.
Of course it is very important to do some activities in the summer to get ahead for the coming school year, but students should remind themselves to pace it all out. There is no use trying to cram in all the volunteering, working, summer courses and the like into one summer where you only get to devote one day to each activity. It is much more effective to focus your efforts more fully to only one or two activities in a day and spend the rest of the time focusing on your wellbeing.
I have been spending a lot of time this summer doing my work outside on the beautiful hospital campus here. The fresh air and sun really helps me enjoy myself while I get through my more monotonous tasks. I feel that is super important. The minute you stop enjoying what you are doing is there really a point in doing it? Yes. But it just doesn’t feel very good.
You may feel that I am crazy and may not agree with this at all, but I assure you the mentality of modern medicine is evolving. Wellness committees are popping up in hospitals and medical schools everywhere. People are starting to realize that doctors are fragile human beings themselves and the work can get to be beyond stressful sometimes. It is crucial that they maintain some sense of sanity and wholeness in their lives in order to provide optimal care and spend some time enjoying their lives as well.
If the word gets out that this field dooms you to a life of immense responsibility and of being chained to your pager, and of time away from your friends and families, will anyone ever really want to give themselves up for it? Of course it is a noble profession - maybe the most noble of them all. However, there is a degree of nobility in treating yourself with the care that you feel others deserve.
All I am trying to say is that as much as I understand the importance of hard work, I hope that everyone can afford themselves a little time for themselves in the summer. Do some work outside. Organize a themed party with some friends. Go on a family trip. Start a blog. Whatever makes YOU happy. (A little cheesy, I know).
Anika 8) <---- That's me wearing sunglasses.
I have to admit, I am one of those students. I am spending my summer doing research work under a pathologist (a wonderful one, I might add). I also volunteer at the hospital and try and spend my free time studying for my upcoming MCAT test in September. There is also the factor of maintaining a social life and keeping my family happy. I understand why many of us may feel bogged down and lack the capacity to feel emotions sometimes. I think I was just fortunate enough to end up with an amazing supervisor for my research job and posses some perspective about the long run.
I had recently finished a major portion of my summer research project and went to visit my supervisor to go over it what I had accomplished so far. After a while we decided to grab a coffee and got to talking about how my summer was carrying on. I told him a bit about my activities and eventually got to the point that I was fully enjoying this summer. His response was surprising. He told be that I just told him all that he needed to hear. This wonderful supervisor told me that if there was one thing I should take away from this mentorship, it would be that I should allow myself to enjoy my time here while I still have that time to spend. And he is absolutely right.
Of course it is very important to do some activities in the summer to get ahead for the coming school year, but students should remind themselves to pace it all out. There is no use trying to cram in all the volunteering, working, summer courses and the like into one summer where you only get to devote one day to each activity. It is much more effective to focus your efforts more fully to only one or two activities in a day and spend the rest of the time focusing on your wellbeing.
I have been spending a lot of time this summer doing my work outside on the beautiful hospital campus here. The fresh air and sun really helps me enjoy myself while I get through my more monotonous tasks. I feel that is super important. The minute you stop enjoying what you are doing is there really a point in doing it? Yes. But it just doesn’t feel very good.
You may feel that I am crazy and may not agree with this at all, but I assure you the mentality of modern medicine is evolving. Wellness committees are popping up in hospitals and medical schools everywhere. People are starting to realize that doctors are fragile human beings themselves and the work can get to be beyond stressful sometimes. It is crucial that they maintain some sense of sanity and wholeness in their lives in order to provide optimal care and spend some time enjoying their lives as well.
If the word gets out that this field dooms you to a life of immense responsibility and of being chained to your pager, and of time away from your friends and families, will anyone ever really want to give themselves up for it? Of course it is a noble profession - maybe the most noble of them all. However, there is a degree of nobility in treating yourself with the care that you feel others deserve.
All I am trying to say is that as much as I understand the importance of hard work, I hope that everyone can afford themselves a little time for themselves in the summer. Do some work outside. Organize a themed party with some friends. Go on a family trip. Start a blog. Whatever makes YOU happy. (A little cheesy, I know).
Anika 8) <---- That's me wearing sunglasses.