7 Surefire Ways to Stay Ahead in a Caribbean Medical School

by Dinesh Taylor ·
Published February 6, 2019
· Updated February 6, 2019

So, you have finally got the place in a top medical school.  Congratulations!  What’s next? 

It’s time to prepare for the medical school workload and gear up for all the topics you will be covering in order to get a jumpstart on lectures.  Many medical schools focus on teaching you concepts and topics that you will need to practice medicine.  Whether it is an intricate anatomical term, a mechanism of action of drugs, or how the body produces FSH and LH, there are a lot of topics that you are supposed to learn in order to succeed in medical school. 

Medical school is a challenge.  With hard work, dedication and the right preparation, you can successfully achieve it.  If you are preparing for medical school and wondering what studying medicine is really like, or how to survive in a Caribbean medical school, here are a few easy tips and tricks that will help become a successful medical school student. 

Take Very Good Care of Yourself

There is no denying the fact that you will have to complete a lot of assignments, clinical work, and fulfill the rigorous course requirements in order to secure stellar grades in medical school.  But it is essential to stay healthy, sleep well, eat a balanced diet and hang out with friends to stay mentally fresh and physically recharged.  Set aside time for exercise, as it can help you mentally and physically healthy which is important for your medical school success.  Schedule your free time for the activities you like most and take a break from the routine life. 

Take Control of Your Nerves

In medical school, there will come a time come when you will doubt your competence to become a great doctor.  Don’t be dishearten or question your abilities if you secure a bad grade in a class quiz or not perform well in a lab.  Mistakes are inevitable.  Learn from your mistakes, take them as a learning opportunity and try to improve yourself.  Stay calm and learn how to take control of your nerves in medical school.  Keep in mind that studying medicine is no easy feat.  You have gained admission to a top Caribbean medical school because you have skills, abilities, passion, and determination required to become a great physician.  So, belief in yourself, study hard, learn some effective test-taking strategies and do your best to secure impressive grades in all quizzes and exams. 

Follow a Schedule and Stick to it

In medical school, you have to learn the sheer volume of information.  From complex anatomical terms that your lecturers will casually use during the class, to a lot of body mechanisms, intricate disease names, their symptoms, and treatment, students are supposed to learn the complicated science behind the mechanisms of the human body.  In order to learn a lot of information and medical concepts, it is important to create a schedule that allows you to manage your time effectively.  Creating a study schedule is a smart time management strategy that will create a positive impact on your overall performance. 

Take Breaks

In order to balance your physical and mental health in medical school, it is advised to plan breaks in your schedule.  It is the most effective way to set aside time for things you like most.  Set aside time for the gym, meet up with a friend, your favorite TV show, or anything that you think is important for your life.  Taking breaks is indeed the best way to stay physically, and emotionally fit that will eventually help you more focused on your studies, complete all your assignments and better prepare for your exams. 

Build Relationships with Mentors

If you want to succeed in medical school, it is recommended to build strong relationships with mentors as they can guide you on how to survive in medical school, choose the medical specialty, prepare for residency interview and deal with medical school stress.  If truth be told, he is the one who can help you pursue a successful medical career. 

Explore Your Career Options

It is a sensbile idea to use your winter and summer breaks to explore your career opportunities and gain some experience in clinical settings, community service, old age home, research, and laboratories.  Participate in career-advising conferences and internship programs is another great idea that helps you decide the right specialty. 

Create Study Groups

Study groups are the perfect learning strategy for medical school students to understand confusing concepts, share unique insights and learn from each other.  Study groups provide students to compare notes and fill in any important medical concept that you may have missed during lectures.  It is the best strategy to keep yourself motivated to learn new things as group members are supposed to research, study and then present the topic to the group.  It allows you to learn a lot of information in a short period of time than if you were to study the same topic on your own. 

Key Takeaways

Becoming a physician is an honor and a challenging undertaking that you have to achieve.  If you want to make the most of a Caribbean medical university, balance the demands of it by creating a study schedule, learning time management skills, and setting limits.  Put your extra effort and motivation to fulfill the heavy academic load and set yourself up for success.