How Hard Is Medical School – Overview
Most medical students would say that medical school can be tough. It requires two more years of studies than an undergraduate degree. The MCAT, or Medical College Admission Test, is generally designed to ensure that the students applying for medical school are well prepared to accept the academic challenges they may face in med school.
Medical students are expected to complete a formidable workload during their coursework.
According to Dr. Aron Sousa, senior associate dean of academic affairs with the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, medical students are expected to work at least 60 to 80 hours per week.
Why is Medical School Hard?
The coursework itself is relatively easy. The difficulty level of the classes is quite similar to the college courses. However, the requirement to maintain consistency every day at medical school is actually challenging. To maintain consistency and to successfully deal with challenges, you can always follow different methods and try to maintain a balance without any stress.
How Much Do You Need to Study Every Day in Med School?
How Hard Is Medical School – How Much Do You Need to Study Every Day
There is no right or wrong answer to the question of how much time you actually need to study in a medical school. The answer can vary among different students. Some students can study for 18 long sleepless hours. However, it can cause fatigue and tiredness. Students who study only for 5 to 6 hours and can manage their time often have better learning.
Top 7 Challenging Things of the Medical School
Here are a few things about a medical school that are generally difficult.
1. Lack of Balance
Maintaining a balance is very difficult for medical school students. Maintaining the balance between good habits like proper diet, exercise, and studying can be hard. If your body does not get the necessary nutrients and sleep, it can affect your brain health.
2. Lack of Time Management
Time management is another factor that can be hard for med school students. Taking time for yourself, doing things that you actually like, managing your classes, and studying as much as you need together can be really tough. You need to find time for everything without affecting your studies
3. No Social Life
Your social life could be seriously impacted by attending medical school. Usually, you only get a little free time when you start going to med school. Your personal relationships may suffer during this phase of your life. You will need more time to go out with friends or attend multiple functions after getting admission to a med school. It can cause social isolation in your life.
4. Exams are Tough
The exams at a medical school are often more difficult than at regular colleges. To become a certified medical professional, you must pass them. The first board exam in a med school is one of the hardest. The other board exams are also difficult to pass. You have to study hard to pass all the exams.
5. Difficulty in Memorization
You need to memorize and learn a lot of things in medical school. Most classes have more than a thousand pages of study materials. You need to memorize and retain all of it to pass the exams. You can always download some mobile or web flashcard applications to help you learn faster and increase your knowledge.
6. Some Classes can be Tough
Some classes at your medical school can be extremely tough for you. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses in their academics. Certain subjects can be difficult for you to learn and understand. You can always take help from your friends and collaborate with them to learn and increase your knowledge. You can also join different study groups and learn something together.
7. Overwhelming Feeling
You can feel stressed and overwhelmed in different phases of your med school days. It can be challenging at times to get up from bed and hit the books. You can develop a social support network to make your experience better. A social support network is a group of friends you can always rely on. You can relate to these friends and talk about anything you want.
You can join different med school groups as per your interest. Students who always have something to look forward to are always motivated and energetic.
How to Deal with Med School Difficulties?
- Try to maintain a balance between your personal life, social life, and your studies.
- You must avoid tight study schedules. Do not let your studies affect your physical and mental health.
- Do not over-commit anything to yourself.
- Have some friends whom you can talk to
- Never let anything affect your sleep. Good sleep is necessary to keep your brain working.
Conclusion
Studying at medical school can be difficult and stressful for students. However, following certain strategies can help you get through it. There are no fixed study hours for med school students. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and the study hours they need to complete their course are different for everyone.
If you are a med student, you must always try to make a study schedule and not over-commit yourself. Hard work is very important to learn and memorize, but it should not affect your physical and mental health. Healthy habits are always important to keep your brain working.
See Also
Medical Billing and Coding Salary
How Many Medical Schools in the US?
How Many Volunteer Hours for Medical School?
I am a dedicated healthcare researcher and an enthusiast specializing in medical grants, medical education and research. Through my articles, I aim to empower healthcare professionals and researchers with valuable insights and resources to navigate these critical aspects effectively.
Follow us