Guide to a Healthier Experience: Medical School

Felipe Barreras Galindo, MS2

Firstly, I am finding the need to introduce myself to the readers out there. My name is Felipe Barreras Galindo, and I’m currently in my second year of medical school in Puerto Rico. These first two years have been something out of this world. I have experienced good and bad moments and even some where I was automatically living my daily life as a medical student. It has been a difficult process but one most worthwhile. Throughout this process, I have been asked many things; some are medical, and some are not. As a second-year student, it is appropriate to say that some of the medical questions asked are out of my scope of knowledge, nonetheless, I try my best to give a correct answer given my intellectual limitation in the vast world of medicine. It might come as a surprise to some, but the most recent questions I get asked are, “How do you do it?” “How do you keep going?” At first, I didn’t know how to respond to that, aside from the occasional “Well, I have to, it’s my passion.” Not even I had the answer to that simple question, it’s only normal when you’re starting something new. But now that I have gained some experience, with many more to come, I feel I can answer with a more detailed response.

Before diving into it, I don’t intend to be right or wrong about this, but to simply give my opinion on what worked for me. I hope to provide answers and guidance to those up-and-coming students who are about to start this chapter of their lives.

1. Be excited, but don’t depend on it. Although excitement and motivation are at their peak when starting a semester, those energies get drained little by little. Mainly depend on discipline, it will never let you down.

2. Surround yourself with good people that will encourage you to strive forward and keep on going. In general, one should always be surrounded by people that make the journey a good one, regardless of all the obstacles and challenges this career puts in front of you. Family, friends, a partner… basically anyone you can count on when your day isn’t going as smoothly as one would want. When you find yourself in a sea full of doubt - and I guarantee you, there are going to be plenty of doubtful days - whom do you count on? The people around you.

3. Find friends- within the medical environment- that serve as a healthy challenge and make you give that extra mile. My dear mother has this saying that always hits on the bullseye, “Encuentra tu par más capáz.” It means finding the people that will help you reach your full potential as a professional and as a person. I truly believe self-motivation and self-demand are just as good when received from somebody else.

4. Maintain your head clear. It doesn’t matter how you do it, just be sure you figure out what works for you. From exercising to just taking a short break and getting fresh air, it all works. In my opinion, the best way to clear the mind is through exercise. I have always lived by this and always with positive results, immediately and down the line. Another thing that can be useful is to find time for your loved ones, friends, family, etc. It can be an occasional get-together or even a simple visit, I can guarantee it will freshen all that lost energy.

5. Organization is key. Being a student in this field and having so much on your plate can be tiring and sometimes feel overwhelming. Nonetheless, by organizing your day and complying with it, I can assure you it will make the process a whole lot easier.

These five things, I believe, are essential to know and live by to have a more comfortable experience in a challenging career. It may seem like a lot, but if you find the things that ground you as a person, you are one step closer to achieving your goal. Always remember, this career is our passion and requires many sacrifices along the way, but never allow yourself to lose touch with your other duties as a human being.

About the Author:

My name is Felipe Barreras Galindo, from Puerto Rico and i’m currently on my second year of medical school here in the island. I love the outdoors, but helping others is my passion. I am aspiring to be a physician here in PR and hope to put the island’s healthcare system back on an elite level.

About the Work:

I chose to write about the things that helped get through the first years of medical school. I wrote this piece to advise all my fellow med students and those who are aspiring to enter medschool in the following years.