Main lessons of Med school

The med school journey is like walking on a road with multiple potholes—you can fall at any time if you don't know how to balance yourself.
5.5 years is a long time to learn a whole lot, and a few main lessons most of us end up learning are:

• Learning to prioritize ourselves:
  The initial days of med school revolve around making friends, bonding with different sets of people, and adjusting to various things, even if it hurts, just to fit in and not be the odd one out. But as time passes, some of us begin to reflect on those moments when we felt like we weren’t being true to ourselves. Despite all that, we often find ourselves standing alone, with both our mental and physical health feeling like trash. That’s when we realize that prioritizing ourselves is essential.

• Understanding what’s important for our future:
  All of us join MBBS for a reason, but ultimately, what we do during these 5.5 years matters the most. Many of us prioritize marks above everything else, but the truth is that, along with academics, we need to develop a variety of skills—including co-curriculars, sports, extra academic activities, and attending events.

• Building connections:
  Life is all about building connections—meeting new people from different places. Some become friends, some acquaintances, and some remain strangers. But by the end, we will have met many people and built networks across universities. These connections are definitely helpful when attending events, CMEs, and other opportunities.

• Understanding ourselves:
  Many of us start out thinking we know who we are and what we want. But over time, after dealing with self-doubt, insecurities, judgment, and criticism, we begin to truly understand ourselves. We realize we don’t owe anyone an explanation. We remember why we joined MBBS and what really matters.

• Developing strong bonds:
  University is a place where we meet a variety of people—batchmates, seniors, juniors, and professors. Some people become so close that they stop feeling like strangers and start feeling like family. At the end of 5.5 years, the future may be uncertain, but why worry about that when we can use the present to make beautiful memories? It’s hard to get through med school alone. We need people who will support us and stand by us when we’re in trouble.

• Learning the meaning of true love and helplessness:
  Dealing with patients and their families doesn’t just grow our medical knowledge—it teaches us about love, attachment, and helplessness. It’s heartbreaking to see people crying in front of you, hoping you can help their loved ones. You see helplessness in their eyes—some longing for more time, some feeling guilty for not being there, and some hoping that you can still make a difference.

Ultimately, I'd like to say that med school is not just academics, but it is a transformative journey filled with reflections and learning.