10 Things

Here is a list of 10 things I wish I had known upon entering medical school:

10. Eat, sleep, shower, and poop when you can. Cuz you never know when the next time you can is.

9. It IS possible to have a life during medical school. Many of my friends were able to get married, have babies, adopt a dog....BUT...

8. Realize that medical school will not always allow you to spend time with them, or even to live with them.

7. Patients die. It's (probably) not your fault.

6. Sleep is not necessary to live; nor is it required to make life and death decisions.

5. You'll learn to study all the time. Examples include, but are not limited to: notes wrapped in a baggie in the shower, EKG book while at summit of ten mile hike, flash cards while at the DMV/hair salon/post office/public transit/red lights/bathroom/other "unavoidable delay."

4. Shoe requirements: 1) Really, really comfortable. 2) Blood/other body fluids wipe off easily.

3. You'll get sick. A lot.

2. Many days you'll wonder why you went into medicine. And then you meet a patient that reminds you that...

1. Medicine= love. Love your patients. Love yourself.