5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE MEDICAL SCHOOL! 

Don’t ever stop making these videos. You have helped so many students including me through my undergraduate years. How you have time to record, edit, study, eat, and sleep is beyond me. Keep being an inspiration!

Hearing you say the opener, “Hi I’m Jamie and I’m a first year EM resident” AHHHHH yes that’s so crazy!!!! This is the energy that I want, I’ve followed you for about 3 years and Im rooting for you girl!!

My greatest concern is probably the impostor syndrome. Some of my high school friends are also in other med school, and all the time I have the feeling that their school is better than mine, that they are better than me and that one day, everyone will see that there's no way I deserve to be where I am. I'm faking it till I make it, but sometimes, that insecurity strikes me hard.

Medical school gave me free depression. 4th & 5th year in medical school nearly killed me. i atleast cried 2-3 times a week. and then i discovered bts and i became less hard on myself. i have accepted my fate with medical school. i used to say if i would ever go back in time i would give anything not study medicine. Now my view has chaged, because AMOR FATI. Honestly thank you bts. i am graduating next year spring

Aww it's so different in the Philippines.. we have to go to class because attendance is graded, and a lot of times we have surprise quizzes and recitations like we're back in high school. So honestly there's not a lot of time for other hobbies. :( (I only started my channel after med school during internship)

In the Philippines, we are required to attend class everyday because we have to sign our attendance. Taking notes every single day, going home then studying again. I can’t agree more, I’ve realized that you’ll be the one teaching yourself! Keep inspiring us, Jamie! God bless you on your residency journey. 😊♥️

I wish I knew how much those who claimed they "never study" actually studied :/

I'm starting my 3rd year of pharmacy school Monday and I wish I knew about Time management skills! Our first semester we had 18 credit hours and it was a lot to juggle. I gave myself 2 weeks to get on a schedule and stick to it. Now I say groundhog's day is good in my house. Wake up at the same time every day, sit in the same place in the library every day and study what I need to. Your time is so valuable in graduate school. You must know how to use it to your advantage!

I'm so thankful to hear you can have a life outside of medical school. Being an older, non-traditional pre-med student, I'm already involved in things outside of school. I was afraid I would have to give that up. Thanks for these videos!

Thanks Jamie! Hearing a lot of the things you said really gives me comfort. Thank you!

tbh I am a high school student who chose to study medicine, and I am currently studying it and tbh the amount of stress I need to deal with is just so hard to handle but I am encouraging myself and pushing myself through it since its my dream, plus don't stop making these videos honestly they are sooooo helpful and thank you for making time to do these great videos!!

So good to hear you went through everything I'm going now! The self studying is definitely something I'm working on improving this semester :)

Hi Jamie just wanted to say thank you for these videos. I really want to be a doctor but as a first gen and with no one in my family in the field it’s so hard to get a grip of what I’m going into (besides the generic, it’ll be hard and long). You have given so much more clarity to me with your advice and vlogs! Thank you and keep up the good work!!

As soon as I saw your channel I just... cried. Thank you so much for your videos, you're honestly helping me out so much with my decisions.

Hi Jamie. It's been a year since I found your videos and they inspire me a lot. I just graduated from medschool in Mexico and sometimes there's a feeling of "what I'm doing here, I can't do this". I wish I knew that in Medicine the rule is that you're going to study for the rest of your life. There's always something knew , a patient that prove your knowledge , even Doctors with a lot experience have to deal with cases that intimidate. Thanks for sharing your journey and I wish you the best!

Your content is incredible! I have always worried about having time to focus on health, wellness and overall growth while being in medical school and it’s so nice to know that you do have time to do those things.

Your voice is so soothing! I am starting medical school in the summer and this really was helpful. Thank you!

Just finished nursing school, just like you i found a lot of hobbies even i had to work full time. I wish i knew that im going to get my first clinical depression and how hard is to hide it and trying to study anyway. But now i know how strong i am and really happy about the decision to go to school.

I’m thinking on going to med school but I just feel like I will sacrifice so much (relationships, my own family) and I don’t think I’ll be happy doing that. But I don’t know what else to do if I don’t study medicine

I'm a first year premed student in undergrad and although I still have a few years I've been terrified for medical school, but hearing you say you had time to develop new hobbies and stuff outside of your studies made me feel a lot less worried for it. All this time I thought it was entirely studies with no time for much of anything for four years but knowing that's not the case helps a lot

I have some trouble with confidence etc. and was leisurely reading about a comparison of confidence/ feelings of competence in men and women the other day. The article suggested Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, which I purchased online and it arrived today. I was just watching this video in prep for the upcoming year at med school, what a coincidence you mention something from the book. Anyway, love your videos!

Hi Jamie, I'm studying medicine in Egypt it's actually my first year . You have definitely inspired me a lot, I learned from you how to organize my time and put short-term goals. Love you so much and wish you all the best ❤❤

Being a doctor is a very rewarding job. Helping people and putting a smile on there faces is what makes a doctors day. Being a neurosurgeon is also rewarding because I get to experience things first hand

I really appreciate how your videos have such substance. They're always factual 🌌

random, but I always love the lighting in your videos!!! it's so calming and helps me focus ❣️

I’m only 12 but I really want to be a doctor I want to help people. So watching this video made me very happy. I really want to be a emergency doctor. I want to work in a ER and be in action.

I want to be a doctor since kid. Like a surgeon or anesthesiologist. I'm now 9th grade in highschool. Jamie helps a lot of this and it's inspire me a lot. I'm glad I found you.

Here’s hoping I pass the admissions exam next March! Thanks for all your videos, Jamie, you’re a huge inspiration ☺️

thank you so much for saying that i will still have time for hobbies while i am in med school! such a relief i always thought that going into med school means that i have to get rid of all my side activities because in med school there’s no time but to study

These are great tips I never knew that. Imposter Syndrome can happen to all of us all the hard work you put in can always shock you and give you doubts. Keep up the great work and good luck

Ahh I'm starting medical school soon, and so excited!! Thank you for your helpful tips... especially during this stressful time during COVID 19

Thanks a ton Jamie. Those are some great tips!

I do not plan on going to med school. I just like your content and your message in your videos. I think that it is good info for college and other fields you want to explore. This is good information and advice on thinking things through about what school to choose!

I'm half way through my 1st year of medical school in Australia and this advice was very helpful! Thank you for sharing

Supportive partner is definitely helpful. It has been a rough journey with having a spouse and lots of children. Imposter syndrome is definitely a hard thing to get through especially when some around me do not think that I am even a medical student or that I can't do it. Fake it till you make it is key.

love your videos! so motivational!

‘Fake it until you make it’, nice reference to The Other Woman film!

I found you such an incredible beautiful human being, I love your hard work and ambitious personality 😊😊🙌🙌 I love how you challenge yourself and let us know about your progresses and new tips, love youu !!❤❤😍😍

I am a dental student but your videos are so enjoyable and motivational.

Thank you, Jamie !

all the tips were great,,, specially the first one thank you!!!👏🙏

Your RU-vid channel is truly amazing and I think it will really help me reach my goals of becoming a doctor :). Keep doing what your doing!

Thanks so much for your videos Jamie. You've been such a role model and source of motivation for me throughout my pre-med journey :) Recently, I've been hearing a lot about the hardships/challenges of med school/working in medicine with my friends who are currently in school/residency.... And while I'm super grateful to hear these things so I'm not blindsided later, I've been feeling a little discouraged lately. I was wondering if you might be able to make a video in the future with you and your friends/colleagues about the rewarding/positive aspects of the work you all do and the practical ways you all have managed your time or made career decisions to have balanced lives outside of medicine. (Also I know you are super busy right now - so if and when possible^^. Thanks for all you do!)

This video is amazing! Thank you for posting. So much great info in here.

Thank you for sharing these tips! ❤️

Im starting my BS in Biology and I’m married and 7weeks pregnant...So happy we’re starting a family now and not when I’m in residency. I will be done with med school in 8 years when my bachelors and med school is over, and we are definitely going to be done having kids by then because I don’t want to be so overwhelmed in surgical residency and coming home depleted to my needy newborn. I want them to get my attention when they are most dependent on me.

You are a true blessing. Thanks

After a month I'll start my med school studying ❤ you and your videos realy inspired me and helped me to get there and make my biggest dream come true 😍 thank you sooooo much😘

Fitness, medicine and RU-vid became my hobbies in medical school too.

We share the same name! Very trippy when I clicked play! I loved this video and I feel slightly more confident in myself now to head into nursing school next year

i'm not even a med student , I got my bachelor's degree this year in applied microbiology and the thing that helped me get thru all of that was your inspiring videos , ,thank you soo much jamie , so much love !!

Your videos are so helpful thx Jamie , Ilysm❤

Great vid 💕

This was soo good Jamie! Thanks for sharing :)

thanks Jammie really needed this at this point as I am going to student exchange programme soon , thanks xx

Superb video!

In Brazil, there are private med schools but also public ones that are totally free, even though they are really really hard to get in. I graduated high school two years ago and this is my third attempt to get into a public med school. I love watching your videos because they are always motivating me in following this path that I chose several years ago. Thank you!

Something i learnt the hard way was that summarizing big texts is the key to memorizing stuff. You cant go through a piece of text without making notes.

Omg i love your videos Jamie!

Starting medical school this fall! excited!

This video puts me at ease

This video is amazing. Thank you.

thank u jamie ♥ love u

Great tips, very helpful. Thanks! 😸

Very helpful video ☺️

Can you do a gym/workout routine?

that's an awesome video!! thank you and all the best 🤗😉💞👏👏

Takes a while to settle into Medical school and find your way of learning, especially in Europe where a lot of people have no University experience previously!

Amy tell us how you manage to live in one of the most expensive cities in the country and still have your own apartment and off course med-school. Any advice when it comes to cost and academics and how to balance it all? Thanks ❤️ love your videos!

Top tips, thank you.

Thank you so much I am joining soon you have been a great encouragement

I have had a interest in the medical field for a while now. Medical school, Pa school, and less likely, nursing, are some of the areas I’m looking into. I can see myself in all of these pathways-especially medical school, but being in debt to the degree of six figures just scares me.

My daughter will start medical school(Ukraine) in September 2018, I will tell her about your videos..... Hello from Jamaica.

In Romania medschool is super different. You can study for free if your grades are good enough( comparing to your colleagues'), but this can change from a year to another. If you have a bad year and your grades are not good enough, the next year you have to pay around €2000. They are quite strict about attendance. We are not allowed to miss more than one or two mandatory lectures per semester.

I always tell myself to become a doctor, you have to be determined, study really hard, pray and also don’t care about social life like going to clubs and stuff

can you make a video comparing US vs caribbean med schools and what your experience has been with each type of student?

I feel really sorry for people passionate about medicine in the US. You're basically required to give your life away in exchange for education. I've always taken for granted that after school, I can apply to med school just like any other degree and the only thing in my way is the application process. Money shouldn't be a hurdle to jump to get an education.

I really like you so much Jamie you are an amazing person

My side hobby is music, art, and language. I love to read and I love challenging new languages. I'm starting on Spanish right now but plan to learn three more. I love piano and guitar but I'm interested in the violin. I also draw in my free time and want to be able to paint. I was gonna make one of these things my career, but I'm certain this is the proffession for me for I want to be in something life changing.

Thankyou for being my inspiration Jamie! 💖 #FutureMD

Nice video you are very inspiring

*medical school is EXPENSIVE* me : 🙂

Hello! I’d just like to say I love your videos and your whole channel! I’m inspired by your dedication and organisation. I’m aspiring to be a surgeon and was wondering how did you develop your decision making skills. I would be intrigued also to find out how you stay positive! You have a great mindset and I would love to drive my thinking forwards!

Becoming a good doctor has nothing to do with grades. You can be a topper and the worst human and vice versa. Here are tips to be both a good doctor and get top grades. Google the topics mentioned. 1. a) Study. b) Sleep. c) Exercise. d) Eat healthy e) Have fun. f) Manage your time. Skip one item and your grades will fall. Study, but smartly. Find your style of studying. Some students are auditory, some visual, some like to touch and feel... Mix and match. Experiment what works for you. Each person is unique. 2. Focus on learning concepts, not rote learning as new exams test these, unlike earlier ones,which only tested memorization. Focus on clinical applications in every topic. Build strong foundation in preclinical and esp. paraclinical subjects. Only then can skyscraper come up. Make brief, illustrated mind map/spider diagram/pointwise notes of important topics throughout MBBS course. Will help in final revision and PG/USMLE exams. Students ignore this and start making notes only during PG preparation with online/offline coaching, which charge a lot. Writing notes throughout med school is a better technique. Scan regularly. Revise previous years' subjects too. Spend 80% of study on current year's subjects, 20% revising earlier years' material (do it in weekends). Don't wait till last year! Reading books is passive (recognition). Instead, ask yourself questions, do exams, teach someone (active recall). In real life, you must extract stuff from your brain. Take notes of how profs do procedures and dissections. Make checklists. They save lives, time and money. Make checklists for everything, esp. procedures. Share with others (read Dr. Atul Gawande's "Checklist Manifesto"). 3. The night before class, watch RU-vid videos on the subject, such as Dr Najeeb Lectures, Ninja Nerd, Medcram, Osmosis, Lecturio. In morning, review at 2x or 3x speed. Then scan textbook’s chapter heads, subheads and bold-type points, pictures, tables, captions, questions. Then attend lecture. 4. In class, don't take notes. Instead write in mind maps (Tony Buzan's videos and books). 5. Back in your room, don’t read. First, recall & write lecture points. Then, read book, asking why, what, how, etc. With another colour pen, write points you missed. Watch more RU-vid videos, such as Sam Webster, Pathoma, to reinforce ideas. 6. Make up questions. Think like an examiner. Load onto both ANKI and Excel/Google spreadsheet. Add photos, drawings, cartoons (Picmonic/Sketchy medical), vulgar mnemonics (Google), bizarre stories to remember them, songs, audio in the answer decks. Use mind maps, memory palaces, BMJ medical, Geeky Medics, Marrow, Prepladder. Revise daily (Anki has edge here with spaced repetition as it automatically asks when retention curve dips, but disadvantage is you have to go through huge stacks of cards unlike the spreadsheet, where you can mark difficult ones in red and read only them. Best is to use both). Use Anki DAILY, even while walking to class or while waiting for professor or next patient. A minute here, a minute there add up. 7. Colour code syllabus in Google Spreadsheet or Excel. Focus on "must know". Mark each review (recalling, not reading books). Mark date after each revision and difficulty in 3-5 colours (easy green, medium orange, hard red. Focus on red). Write in one column why you found it difficult or if just guess. Find solution to problem. 8. The more you draw, the more you will remember. Use colour. 9. Read standard books, such as Guyton, Big Robbins/Medium Robbins, and Gray's Anatomy for Students rather than exam-oriented point-wise guides. These may help you pass exams but will not build concepts. Most books, including Pathoma, are available free on Library Genesis; most videos on RU-vid or BitTorrent. Look around instead of investing money. 10. Focus on what professors teach. They have read the important books. Concentrate in class, don't let your mind wander. Never skip practicals and clinics. 11. Spend maximum time in practicals and clinics. Dissect as much as possible. Volunteer to do procedures. See how to use knowledge for practical problems. Eg: videos of "Athlean-X" and "Ask Dr Jo" or quick memorisation techniques of Dr.James Preddy. Make up questions needing info from many subjects. Most people have neck ache, backache, knee problems. Can you solve them with exercises and therapeutic yoga even as a student? Incorporate alternative medicine, plant-based whole foods. Learn tips from them. Don't automatically debunk them. 12. If you want to remember something really well, write down key points and read it 15 times immediately before going to bed and 15 times within first five minutes of waking up. 13. Google the topic “medical punch words”. Questions contain these words. Load in ANKI and revise daily. 14. Use Pomodoro technique to study. Buy a small alarm clock, not phone alarm. Study in 25-min blocks, then do anything else for five minutes. Do it again. After two hours, take a 30-min break. Reward yourself. Do NOT look at phone, saying "only one minute". In final year, delete social media. Study with a friend (More than 4 people gets disruptive). In groups, tap on desk to start, tap again to indicate break, tap to resume. Study in library rather than in hostel to reduce distractions. 15. Teaching someone without using notes is the best form of recall. Else, lecture to empty bedroom. 16. Write very brief points, drawings on Post-It Notes above your desk for every topic (Anas Nuur Ali "how to memorize"). Scan 15 min daily. By the end of the year, you would have seen them hundreds of times. Unlike ANKI, it jumps at you if you stand there. 17. Don't study sequentially. Do topic 1&2, then test yourself by recalling topic 1. After studying topic 3, test on topic two. Do same with the rest. While studying several subjects, study a little here, a little there rather than sequentially. 18. Before sleeping, write out plan for tomorrow. Mentally review what did you studied today and what you want to do tomorrow. The brain will focus on these when sleeping. Sleep 7-9 hours daily. Sleep by 10 pm and wake up at 5. Immediately exercise vigorously. Then study. Most students stay awake all night, sleep for 4-5 hours, wake up 15 min before class and run there unbathed! Tests showed that they retained only 30% of what they had studied all night. Studying in the morning after a good sleep helps in better retention. 19. Studying daily for one hour over a week is better than studying the whole thing in seven hours in one day. Before exam, study and recall weak areas. Read red chapters. The night before exams, sleep rather than study all night. If you study without sleeping, you will not remember what you studied. Else, sleep, wake up early and study. During exams, every 30 minutes take three breaths of 4 sec inhalation, 7-sec hold and 8-sec exhalation. Sure, you could have answered a few questions in those 57 seconds but did you get them right? This boosts oxygen to tackle questions correctly. 20. Watch Marty Lobdell, Ali Abdaal, Kharma Medic, MDprospect, Dirty Medicine, Anuj Pachchel for tips. 21. Spend weekends, holidays and whenever possible helping people in cancer wards, old-age homes, schools for children with special needs, physically and mentally handicapped people. Be empathetic. Never be arrogant. Everyone is a teacher. Nurses have a lot of experience as they spend more time with patients unlike doctors. Be extra courteous to them. Involve them in treatment decisions. Get 2nd, 3rd,4th opinion from various doctors. (Read Dr Lisa Sanders "Diagnosis" about rare cases that doctors couldn't identify but solved by the public using common sense). Ask seniors and professors for tips, their memorable experiences. Listen to patients without interrupting them or getting impatient. If you listen long enough, you will know the problem. Rely on brains, not costly diagnostic tests. Imagine you are in a forest or desert without them. What would you do? (Cuba does this because of sanctions, and now has some of the best health indices in the world.) 22. Don't focus on money in life. Don't be greedy and seek commissions or do unethical things even if others are doing it. Prescribe cheaper drugs. Read inspirational articles about doctors who went out of the way to serve people, often getting no money. 23. Improve your handwriting. Nearly all doctors have terrible handwriting! Many drugs have similar names with only one letter different. 24. Read fiction, humanities. Will widen your horizon. See esp. Michael Sandel's Harvard lectures on Justice--What is the right thing to do. Watch Shelly Kagan's lectures on Death at Yale. You will encounter these situations in life. 25. Be punctual. It will help you in life. See how many minutes it takes to go from room to classroom desk. Learn self defense during college. Will make you fit and will make you safe in life. Extra: Study of 1,000 world leaders, CEOs found that they all sleep well, and wake up early, often at 4 a.m. They do not look at phone on waking up. Instead they immediately exercise vigorously, do pranayama, meditate and write a daily journal (mentioning three things they are grateful for that day and why). Only then they touch their phone. They all focus intensely on the job on hand. They work like crazy during the week and party like crazy in the weekend! They all have a hobby that they actively pursue. They network a lot. By helping people, they also get help eventually. They read a variety of books lifelong. Their aim: be happy, healthy and helpful to all.

Thanks for making this. I'm 16 and junior year is that deciding year you know.

starting med school next year...nice video..i hope it will help me😊

Thank you

Hey! I would love to see a video on the medical books that you recommend for various subjects...I don't see many videos on this topic and I still have 2 years to go with surgery, internal medicine, gyn/obs, pediatrics etc.

Can you please make a video about finance and student loans debt after graduating med school?

Could u make a video about someone doing a surgical residency and theim having time for relationships and personal interests or maybe being a surgeon while also being a RU-vidr or something along the same lines?

I want to be o doctor and all of this is encouraging me more

Hey Jamie.I love your videos. Keep up the good work. Is residency in the US also expensive?

Nice information. Thanks ^___^

When you are pursuing your dreams and trying to accomplish your goals, your focus shouldn’t be in the adversities of it! Just do it ! Because the mind is a really powerful tool, it only depends the way you use it. Best, Saul S

Don't stop making these videos! :)))

"lets jump right into it" *likes video!

that helped me alot, im in my last year of highschool and im confused on what i should do to prepare myself for pre med

I definitely have imposter syndrome! I din't even know it was a thing until you just mentioned it lol

really my hope is to be medical student and thanks your video it help me very well

I think NYU recently made medical school tuition free. You can look it up I think they announced this really recently.