‘Tis the season to review your notes

~ Rahul Mody.

Are you suffering from the holiday blues? While your friends and family are out enjoying the upcoming Christmas and New Year festivities, are you left to sit at home to revise previous notes or prepare for the upcoming examinations? Well, look no further as we dive deep into a problem you’re not suffering in alone. Of course, ultimately, this is one of the greatest problems med students and individuals in medical professions must bear the brunt of each year. As we dedicate our lives and careers to protecting human life, understanding that human health doesn’t take a “day off” becomes a harsh reality that we must face.

While the winter break might be a “well deserved” break for everyone, we medical students and professionals don’t exactly get to enjoy the fruits of this break. The mountain of workload ahead of us seems quite vast and if we decide to leave it for later then you might end up submerged under the avalanche. Thus comes the concept of time management. A concept everyone knows but very few actually understand and apply in their daily lives. A concept age old that becomes the pinnacle of maintaining mental stability for medical students and professionals. In order to truly master the ideal work-life balance we must first learn to master understanding our own capabilities. How much work do I have left to cover and review? How long does it take me to read one topic? How long does it take me to make notes/flash cards/ other reviewers? Being able to understand that the answers to these questions vary among every individual becomes the core of creating a well balanced time table. Once we understand our abilities we can move on to actually creating a hyper realistic time table that accounts for days offs and time for family and friends especially during this holiday season.

Neglecting your notes and studies is not an option no matter how badly you want to go to that Christmas party. All medical students know that last minute preparation for examinations can only take you so far. And so, actually preparing in advance goes a long way in maintaining mental and physical health as well. As you break up your preparation into smaller chunks, it gives you ample time to cover portion while also reducing the mental stress/load of reading things for the first time right before the examination. Of course, this article is not aimed at telling you to sit home and study. If anything, we encourage you to go out with your friends and family on Christmas. Go and countdown at the top of your lungs this New Years. Medical students and professionals are human too. Don’t we all deserve to have some time off and have a good time?

Now for some light hearted motivation that I know all medical students and professionals feed off of. Don’t think of these holidays as a punishment that only we must bear the brunt of. At the end of the day, we all knew what we were getting into before we chose medicine related streams. We may be sacrificing holidays and special times with friends and family but it’s all for a purpose. As Said before, “human health does not take a day off.” And as medical students and professionals it is our duty to maintain those standards throughout. Life may seem unfair and hard sometimes but it’s always okay to take a step back and take a deep breath. You’re not in this alone. In the end, keep your goal in mind. Let it drive you throughout your journey. Finding thecorrect work-life balance is not an easy task. However, despite all the hardships, we must enjoy the process. For it is the life we chose to live. And if you’re not enjoying the process then what’s the point? As someone once said, “Studying medicine is like drinking out of a fire-hose” so let the winter cold lighten the flame a bit. Happy holidays readers. Or should I say… happy reading?