Balancing Medical School and Life: Strategies for Maintaining a Social Life

The transition from undergraduate to medical school can be a difficult one! You may be accustomed to having lots of time on your hands to study, exercise, hang out with friends, and work. As you get used to your medical student life, you may have less personal time on your hands. One of the transitions may include studying more and hanging out with friends less, BUT we also know that maintaining a social life is key to well-being. Soooo…. How can you do it all? Can you maintain a social life while also keeping up with medical school? This blog will explore how to maintain a social life (and your well-being!) while in medical school. 

Your first two years of medical school may have an identical schedule to everyone else. But as you transition to third or fourth year, you may realize that with varying schedules and different work hours, you don’t see your friends as often as you would like.

How can you maintain a balanced life as a medical student?

Unfortunately, this can be one of the trickiest parts of medical school. It’s easy to feel as though you can either have good grades or have a social life. But that is simply not true!!! You can maintain both your grades and a social life throughout medical school. Here’s how:

1. Focus on quality studying over time spent

Make sure that you are effectively and efficiently studying. I often tell my tutoring students, “I would rather have 2 good, focused hours of studying than 6 semi-focused hours. I prefer quality studying over quantity studying.” Using high-yield resources such as anki and UWorld can help ensure your study time is the highest yield it can be. This means that quality studying during the day might leave you a few extra hours for social time at the end of the day! A dedicated calendar/study schedule is also important to ensure efficient studying. Here are a few great resources to help keep you organized.

2. Don’t overload on resources

Choose a few specific resources over many resources. If you try to watch your medical school videos in addition to Pathoma and Boards and Beyond and Sketchy and Osmosis and who knows what else, you’ll never complete the tasks you need to. There are many good resources available, choose what works best for you and stick with it. It’s okay if you are doing something different than those in your class. 

3. Embrace time off with family and friends

Make time for your family and friends! Just as you make time to study daily, make time to go enjoy your family and friends. It’s okay to stop studying! It’s okay to take a break! This can actually lead to greater productivity while you are studying. Go ahead and schedule in your social life and follow through with your plans. Unfortunately, there will always be more to learn and more to do, sometimes you just have to stop studying! You will have to come to peace about the fact that you cannot learn it all. Even if you study for years or decades, you won’t feel adequately prepared. Go ahead and enjoy the time with your family and friends.

4. The comparison game is a losing battle

And finally, stop the comparison game! It can be easy to think everyone around you is studying more OR maybe you think they are all hanging out with their friends more than you. The reality is, they may not be telling the whole truth. But even if they are, it doesn’t matter. Stop worrying about it and do what you need to do to succeed while also balancing your personal life. Different people need different things to succeed. Search for the balance of studying, hanging with friends, and taking care of yourself in order to thrive in medical school. 

What are some tips on dealing with decreased mood in medical school?

Unfortunately, depression and burnout is rampant among medical students. Maintaining a positive social life can certainly help with depression rates, but by no means does it solve them. One study found that 27.2% of medical students report that they have depression and 11.1% report thoughts of suicide. These stats are scary and must not be taken lightly. Medical school is tough and the rigors of medical school often take a toll on our mental health. 

Before we jump into the tips and tricks, if you are struggling with depression reach out to someone you know and share your struggles. Many medical schools have mental health care in place for students. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, proceed to your nearest emergency department to be evaluated. You can also call 988 in the United States to speak with a mental health counselor.

1. Prioritize exercise!

Studies have shown time and time again that prioritizing exercise is helpful for our mental health and well-being. Exercise can also help protect the brain from aging and reduce the risk of neurologic diseases, and enhance mood and self-esteem while decreasing stress. I also believe it is important to practice what you teach. As we are teaching and encouraging our patients to exercise to help improve their health, we should also make that a priority in our lives. Grab a friend (or go it alone!) and find a way to get moving.

When I was in medical school, I cherished my 30-minute runs with my friends in between classes or at the end of a long day.

2. Hang out with friends!

As we discussed earlier, it is important to prioritize your friendships for your well-being. At times, this may come at the expense of your studying, and that is okay (within reason). Friendships are correlated with well-being.

It is important to have a solid support system to be there for you on the tough days. I remember gathering with my friends after we all had experienced some of our first patient deaths in medical school. We each shared our stories and how they impacted us and we processed these sad and difficult patient stories that intersected with our lives in small and large ways.

3. Eat well

Yeah, yeah, I know! I’m not your mother, but I am a first-year resident who is struggling to eat well myself! While it’s impossible to eat well all the time, once again, studies have shown that healthy eating patterns may be associated with improved mood. Personally, I try to follow the 80/20 rule. This means that I try to eat healthy 80% of the time. BUT it also means that I can enjoy a few slices of pizza when the team gets pizza for lunch. This balance helps me enjoy the classic junk foods while also prioritizing my health.

Final Thoughts: Staying Balanced

Overall, medical school is TOUGH. You are learning so much every day, you are facing new challenges and new experiences, and at times, it can feel as though you are navigating this all alone. Make sure to prioritize your family and friends throughout medical school. They will be your support system to help you celebrate the good days and mourn the bad ones. They will help you remember that you are not alone. Remember that it is HEALTHY to maintain a social life. Use your social plans to help you stay on task and motivated as you are studying. And most of all, try to enjoy the journey. Medical school is an exciting time of learning, asking questions, and growing as a human. Do your best to enjoy as much of it as you can!

If you need help in managing your social life and med school or helping create the best schedule, reach out to us at Elite Medical Prep to schedule your free consultation call or purchase a trial session. We would love to help you in this journey!