How I Wish I Coped with Academic Stress as a Medical Student
I graduated from medical school in 2020 full of regrets about how I handled the academic stress as a medical student. This article addresses what I wish I did in school. I won’t talk to you about healthy eating, sleeping, or exercising in this article because I know how little time medical students actually have and sometimes you just can’t do it all.
In short, you can cope with the academic stress of medical school by:
- Accepting your imperfections
- Setting a goal to enjoy the process
- Showing up everyday
- Caring less about what others think of you
- Strengthening your support system
- Participating in what you love
- Seeking medical attention when appropriate.
That is it. It’s simple, but easier said than done. And here is why.
Academic Stress Can Negatively Impact Mental Health
Academic stress is defined as a “student’s psychological state resulting from continuous social and self-imposed pressure in a school environment that depletes the student’s psychological reserves.” As the definition suggests, if academic stress exceeds a student’s psychological reserves, that student may then develop mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
While medical students initially begin their medical careers with a sense of accomplishment and happiness, the demands of medical school, i.e. heavy workload, frequent examinations, competition, time pressure and fear of failure, places them at risk for these conditions. Left untreated, these mental health challenges not only harm the student, but also may impact the quality of patient care.
Poor Coping Strategies aka What Not To Do as a Medical Student
Here is a little bit about my experience in medical school. I started off over the moon to have gotten into my dream school, Duke University School of Medicine. I felt honored to be there, but I was also intimidated. My colleagues came from extremely wealthy backgrounds and Ivy League universities. I knew I deserved to be there grades-wise, but I did not feel like belonged. So when my grades began to suffer, I did not know where to turn. In retrospect, I had friends I could have leaned on for support. However, I was too embarrassed to reach out because I had this fear of failure that heightened my feelings of not belonging. Under the intense academic stress and social isolation, my mental health was negatively impacted. I developed anxiety and depression. Honestly, I thought about quitting every day, but student loans kept me in school as I had no way of paying them off if I left. So I ate my feelings, studied all day, hardly slept, and rarely exercised my way to a medical degree. Yeah, like I said, this is a story of what not to do in medical school.
Great Coping Strategies for Academic Stress as a Medical Student
1. Accept Your Imperfections
Accepting your imperfections is the first step to coping with academic stress in medical school. There are bound to be subjects that you are just not good at, such as anatomy, embryology or pharmacology. There are also going to be skills you may lack, like how to present a history & physical. All of these things can be improved upon with effort, so there is no point in hiding your imperfections. Embrace them for what they are and set out to get better over time. It helps to realize that no one is perfect, even though we all try to cover up our imperfections from time to time.
2. Set a Goal to Enjoy the Process
Once you have accepted your imperfections, then it is much easier to focus on enjoying your four years in medical school. These are formative years that you cannot do over. Your first time in the cadaver lab. Going to a house party to celebrate the end of neuroanatomy with your classmates. Falling in love with a classmate who may just be the one. You never know what awaits you, so take the time everyday to do something you enjoy. Just because a process is difficult does not mean you have to be miserable.
3. Show Up Everyday
Show up everyday knowing that you have a lot to learn and that only by doing the work will you reach your goal. So don’t just go to class because it’s mandatory. Go to class because, today, you want to master the clotting cascade or memorize the antihypertensive drug classes. This one seems obvious, but seriously setting an intention to your day is a remarkably easy way to stay focused and motivated.
4. Care Less About What Others Think of You
Medical students are successful individuals who are used to getting positive feedback for their work. Medical school, for many, is the first time that the feedback is no longer so positive.
For example, every medical student has to do standardized patient scenarios. A medical student talks to a standardized patient addressing a certain prompt in front of a small class group and professor.
I remember having to sit in front of my class and listen to the constructive criticism regarding how I could have better handled my patient interaction. And it was one of the first times I ever had to hear negative feedback in such a public way, which was overwhelming for me because I cared what they thought of me.
Instead of caring so much about what others thought of me, I wish I could have focused on the task at hand and used it to grow. When you focus on what others think, what you look like, how you may embarrass yourself, then you are robbing yourself of the opportunity to improve. In the long run, what someone else thinks is not going to matter nearly as much as what you think about yourself.
5. Strengthen Your Support System
Because of this strong fear of failure, it is sometimes tempting to study all the time. But you have to remember that medical school lasts for a finite amount of time. Your relationships are way more important, so do not forget to invest in them. Spend time with family and friends. Go to that wedding. DO NOT miss a loved one’s funeral. Your support system, especially your fellow classmates, will carry you through the hard times, so do not forget about them.
6. Participate in What You Love as a Medical Student
Make sure you do what you love. It’s the only way to keep some form of your identity. Many times medical students let go of all of their hobbies in the pursuit of medicine. I wish I hadn’t done this. By the time I got to residency, I could vaguely remember the things I liked to do during my free time. I was uncomfortable having fun, which is sad to think about really. So pick one thing, and do not give it up.
7. Seek Medical Attention When Appropriate
If the stress of medical school becomes debilitating, you must reach out for help. Usually your school will have a counselor or psychiatrist that you can speak to about what’s happening in your life.
If you have a plan to harm yourself or others, then that is a medical emergency. You should call 9-1-1.
I do not want you or anyone else harmed due to anxiety, depression, or any other mental illness. If you are suffering, remember this is not your fault, and you can get better!
In Summary
It is of the utmost importance to establish healthy coping strategies for medical school. As a medical student, your boundaries will be pushed. No advice can prevent that because medical school is grueling by nature. The only thing you can do is set yourself up for success by following the recommendations that I wish I had received as a medical student.
Have you already tried these strategies, and you are miserable in medical school? If you are beginning to think medical school is just not for you anymore, check out these articles as well: So You Want to Quit Medicine NOW II and How to Make the Decision to Quit Medicine or Stay.
Already know you could use some professional, affordable help? But you are not interested in therapy or school counselors. Start here Indecisive Medical Students Need an Excellent Life Coach.