Photo provided by Nabeeha N.
If you’re reading this, go hang out with your friends.
We all know medicine is a long road, but you don’t really feel the sacrifices until you live through them. Your life becomes exam to exam: “After this quiz, I’ll get to the chores. After this exam, I’ll see my best friend.” Meanwhile, you miss birthdays, holidays, hobbies, workouts, and eventually, the old you.
My first semester was the hardest. I was struggling to find study methods that worked while making time for everything that made me, me. I felt like I was falling short academically, socially, and mentally. Eventually, I asked myself: Was studying for two extra hours instead of seeing someone I loved really helping? Often, it wasn’t. Seeing my friends and family helped me reset. I came back more focused and motivated.
By the end of medical training, nearly a decade may have passed. I want to have lived those years, too. The ordinary dinners and conversations matter just as much as the milestones. You don’t have to wait until training is over to make memories worth keeping.
Nabeeha N., Fourth Year Medical Student
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received for maintaining your mental health?
A: “Happiness is a choice.” I don’t take that to mean we can choose to push away every difficult feeling, but I can sometimes choose how I respond. If I’m stuck in traffic on the way to clinicals, I can arrive frustrated or use that time to call someone or jam out to music. Maybe the delay even saved me from something down the road. A little unlikely optimism helps me flip the script.
Q: How did you manage the stress of preclinical training, such as learning high volumes of detailed information and increased levels of competition?
A: Honestly, it took months of trial and error. I tried flashcards, notes, PowerPoints, and videos before finding what worked for me. Once I did, learning became more enjoyable. My advice is to identify what’s causing the stress, then ask for help. Are you behind, confused, or overwhelmed by something outside school? Your peers and upperclassmen can help you navigate it. Your method doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s.
Q: How do you/did you manage the pressure of clinical training, such as frequently changing environments and balancing clinical performance with studying for shelf exams?
A: I try to be myself and focus on the excitement of meeting new people. Starting over just as I feel comfortable is hard, but each rotation helps me envision where and how I want to practice. Asking for guidance early helps me settle in, and studying in smaller blocks makes shelf preparation more manageable. We won’t have this opportunity to explore so many settings forever.
Q: How do you cope with the stressors of The Match?
A: All I can do is my best. I can pursue opportunities, prepare my application, and practice for interviews. I can’t control every part of the outcome. When worry creeps in, I remind myself that worrying won’t change the result. I try to put my energy into what I can do and leave room for hope.
Q: What advice would you give your younger self regarding coping and mental wellness?
A: It’s okay to let go a little. It’s even okay to be Type B! I used to make rigid schedules that were impossible to follow, then feel guilty for falling behind. I appreciate how driven I was, but an unfinished to-do list doesn’t mean I’m failing. Giving myself grace helps me keep going.
Q: What can readers do to help support medical student mental health?
A: Ask how we’re doing, then stay for the details. My favorite rotations are the ones where I feel comfortable talking to everyone, from residents to attendings. That ease helps me learn and thrive. Be welcoming, make questions feel safe, and check in. Sometimes a conversation or a simple smile can change someone’s whole day.
Several studies have revealed that medical students, physicians, and healthcare professionals experience mental health symptoms at rates significantly higher than the general population. Stethos[Cope] is a chapter of IfYoureReadingThis designed to help medical students and professionals cope with the unique stressors of medical training and change the narrative of mental health in medicine.
To read more letters and interviews from students, and to learn more about mental health in the medical community, visit the Stethos[Cope] home page.