What advice would you give a prospective med student?
Have you ever had that deep burning sensation in your belly with bounding and rapid heart beats? Your first day of medical school could evoke this feeling and be one of the most stressful days so far in your life. If not, it will likely soon follow at some point during your medical education. I experienced this too many times when I began medical school, and I knew I must change my mindset if I was going to simultaneously excel and be happy. So, I changed the way I thought about stress. Stress pushed me through every exam, important conversation, sports competition, and many other monumental points in my life. Rather than view stress as a negative emotion, I began to view it as my body’s physiological response to help me rise to the occasion. I began to place stressful circumstances into the grand picture of my life to determine if they are worth stressing about. I began to prioritize my health and wellness so I can better counsel my future patients. I began to become happier. Stress in medical school is inevitable, but by learning to control it, you will take more control of your life. You will grow to prevent external events from weakening your emotional integrity, and you will ultimately become a more robust physician.
The past is gone, and the future is yet to be. You only get four inspiring and formative years at Long School of Medicine. Embrace every one of them.
-Evan Caston