When we are kids, parents often encourage us to become doctors. Unsurprisingly, they never talk about the heavy academic lifting that’s involved. So how long is medical school?
The journey starts with the first year. It’s a time of excitement and motivation. You just got into medical school! Probably a good time to celebrate, right? Wrong! This is the time for new students to learn how to use their time and make sure they have a structured daily life.
Year two is no time for slouching either. During this period, students ought to be polishing their clinical skills. The studying load increases, as preparation for the USMLE should now be in full force.
Third year students are busy with clinical rotations and gathering application materials. Another crucial part at this point is, you guessed it, studying! Top off the busy year with lots of difficult tests. Exciting!
As the final year begins, med students can start worrying about where they will be a resident. Although a stressful period, it may be a good idea thank the people that helped along the way.
The medical field is constantly evolving. We’ve come a long way from using leeches for therapy, and we still have a ways to go. So if studying hard for four years wasn’t enough, be prepared to be doing it for the rest of your career. Good luck!