Summer Before Med School

I am excited to share that I will starting medical school next month! When I got the acceptance email at 4 am, I thought I was dreaming. I was pleased that the email was not a dream when I woke up again a few hours later! I am so excited about all that I’m going to learn, and the people that I’ll meet as my classmates and mentors, and the privilege to  positively impact people’s lives in a few more years. I am excited to learn anatomy, to shadow in different fields of medicine, and so much more! It still feels a little surreal that things I dreamed about are really happening!

I’ve  finished all our orientation activities such as applying for a BC College of Physicians and Surgeons student license, purchasing a stethoscope, and completing hospital orientation modules. I find each of these steps super exciting.

I have many people to thank for supporting me all my journey.  I’m grateful to the mentors who have given me advice or taken time out of their busy schedules to give me a mock interview. I am paying my thanks forward by helping the next generation of med hopefuls.   I’m grateful to my friends and family who have unwaveringly given me their love. Knowing I have all their support comforted me when I was nervous and worried. I am very lucky to have such great people in my life.

My summer has so far consisted of:

• Trying to avoid being a Type-A as much as possible.   After I got my acceptance, I started reading up on how to best tackle medical school and think about what field I want to pursue after medical school. All my mentors then said to thoroughly enjoy this summer as a fun break and go travel and spent time relaxing, and worry about school later. I have no regrets about following this advice.
• Travel. I went to Japan and Taiwan, and now I’m in China. I always  promised that the summer before medical school, I would visit the city that one of my role models trained in so here I am right now! I’ve also been soaking in local cultures, eating delicious food, meeting new people, trying to refine my Chinese, people-watching, and enjoying beautiful sights .
• a balance between spending time with family and friends, and getting some relaxing alone time. We just discuss all sorts of topics in great depth, crack jokes and tell stories while trying new food or taking a walk. It feels like such a treat to catch up with my favourite people. I’m also thankful that my friends are very kind about respecting each other’s needs for recuperating alone too.
• Mentoring . I am mentoring a summer research student and premeds. Medicine is built on mentorship so always feel free to seek out mentorship and to offer mentorship when you can.
• Working on some research at a relaxed pace because I think it’s fun and meaningful. We’re strongly encouraged to just relax this summer. Those of us doing research, working or volunteering are just doing it for fun. So if you’re reading thinking about what to do the summer before med, you do not need to feel obligated to any of those. Just do whatever you want.
• Trying to expand my knowledge. Mostly learning from elders but also reading books and articles and watching videos. The book I am currently reading is, “First, We Make the Beast Beautiful”  by Sarah Wilson.

What have you all been up to this summer?