Med Students Can Find Work-Life Balance: Here Are Key Tips

Work-life balance is the number one source of stress for US medical students, according to a recent Medscape survey. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

“There is this myth in medicine that you have to sacrifice your health, your relationships, and your overall well-being for the cause or your career,” said Graves Fromang, DO, an emergency room physician in Vero Beach, Florida.

“If you don’t take care of yourself, then you can’t take care of patients, and you don’t create an environment that sets you up for success.” 

Caring for yourself can be seeking out a primary care physician, and if necessary, a specialty provider or mental health professional.

“There’s nothing as important as your health — both physical and mental — for you and for your future patients,” said Katherine Chretien, MD, associate dean for medical student affairs and director of medical student wellness at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Depression and anxiety are common among medical students, Chretien said, and seeking help early can make a huge difference in your overall well-being and functioning.

“Remember that you are not alone, and there are many resources available to you as a student to optimize your health,” she said. “Save these to your phone or bookmark the sites so you don’t have to spend time looking for them when you need them.”

Note: For third- and fourth-year medical students, self-care is even more imperative, Fromang said.

“When you reach your third year of medical school, you are thrown into a whole new world,” he said. “You have to take all the knowledge that you learned in the first 2 years of medical school and figure out how to translate that into a concise interview that gets you to the answer to the patients’ problems. This is daunting and overwhelming for a lot of students because they must think differently and learn differently, which leads to a lot of stress, fear, and doubt. Students have to learn quickly how to overcome those fears and doubts in order to succeed.”

Keep reading for more work-life balance tips for medical students.

Be OK With Average 

Many students who make it into medical school are highly motivated, driven individuals who have excelled with impressive grades throughout their academic careers. So, getting Bs and Cs in medical school could be distressing for some, said David Lenihan, PhD, CEO of Ponce Health Sciences University, a medical school with campuses in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and St. Louis. Don’t let it shake you. Instead, accept the grade and move on.

“Passing your classes and preparing for the medical board exams are the big pictures that should be kept in mind,” said Lenihan. “Learning to embrace deviations from the top spot, and trust me, they will happen, will allow a more peaceful and productive journey.”

On a similar note, control your reactions and emotions when good or bad news comes your way. Do this by maintaining evenness and stability of mind that can help in balancing the day-to-day highs and lows of being a medical student, said Lenihan.

“For instance, you’ll probably forget to wash your hands on your first physical exam, and you’ll get an F,” he said. “Every single med student who I’ve ever met goes through this. Being able to control how you react to these kinds of obstacles will allow you to progress productively through your day, your week, and the rest of the semester.”

Be [Physically] Present

Even with technological advancements making educational content more widely accessible, don’t isolate yourself at home or in the corner of a library with your laptop.

“Shun the temptation to prioritize Anki and UWorld for the sake of chasing test scores that will not, for even a second, truly prepare you for your life as a physician,” said Joseph J. Maleszewski, MD, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. “Those tests are necessary, but constantly remind yourself — they are not sufficient. Physician-training necessarily comes from the lived experience of being at the bedside.”

“For instance, you’ll probably forget to wash your hands on your first physical exam, and you’ll get an F,” David Lenihan, PhD.

Immerse yourself in your medical school experience: Being physically present with faculty will help you both acquire knowledge and guide your mindset, said Maleszewski.

“Faculty can provide important context and tips for the struggles that you encounter throughout school and beyond,” he said. “Seeing how faculty carry themselves will offer you important lessons in behaviors you should emulate — and sometimes those you should not.”

Prioritize Sleep

Oftentimes when school demands rise, sleep is sacrificed.

“A well-rested brain is an effective brain,” said Jason Lambrese, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. “Staying up that extra hour to study is usually ineffective studying, and you lose an hour of sleep, so it’s a lose-lose situation.” 

Lambrese suggested having a consistent night routine, sleeping in a dark and quiet room, and not studying while in bed.

This might sound good in theory, but harder in practice, amid exam schedules, clinical rotations, and factoring in “me time.” But sleep does indeed help improve academic performance, attention, memory, and mood, said Chretien, author of I Wish I Read This Book Before Medical School. “Prioritize getting quality sleep when you can, and sneak in 10- to 20-minute power naps during study session breaks or even 40- to 60-minute memory consolidating breaks as needed without guilt,” she said.

Plan Your Meals

Planning ahead is one of the best ways to ensure proper self-care, said Fromang. This includes planning for nutritious meals. Food delivery can be costly and unhealthy, but as a busy medical student, you may not have time to cook dinner each night.

“Your brain needs healthy nutrients to operate, and missed or unhealthy meals don’t do the trick,” said Lambrese. “Good meals take good planning: What can be prepped ahead of time, which nights are looking busy enough that they need to be leftover nights, and how can roommates take turns making meals?”

Focus on the Why

Keep in mind that the medical field is ultimately a service profession and “service to others is a very high calling,” according to Leon Moores, MD, a pediatric neurosurgeon and author of All Physicians Lead.

“As you make it less about you and more about others, you will be better able to accept the difficulties of the path you’ve chosen,” Moores said. “The reward of being able to care for others in some of their most vulnerable moments is worth it.”

Another perseverance tip is to keep your eyes on the long-term goal, Moores added.

“Between undergraduate, medical school, residency, fellowship, and the years of learning after fellowship until you become a master in your profession, delayed gratification is fundamental to medical training.”

Think of your medical school training as a marathon, not a sprint, said Christine Warren, MD, associate dean of admissions and student affairs at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland.

“Set manageable goals and expectations for yourself so you feel like you are thriving rather than just surviving,” Warren said. “Advanced planning and preparation can help you feel more balanced as you approach a high stakes exam, large project, or when transitioning to different phases of the curriculum.”

Exercise

There is a growing body of literature that shows getting active, especially outside, has ample physical and emotional benefits and can help lower anxiety, promote faster thinking, and boost creativity, said Maleszewski.

“I routinely tell students to get outside,” Maleszewski said. “Being in Minnesota, I sometimes get awkward looks with questions such as ‘Even in the winter?’ My answer is emphatic: ‘Yes, especially in winter!’ Dress warmly and get out there. Walking in a gentle snowfall is a sure way to combat the winter blues and turn your day around.”

Whether you’re hitting the gym or going on a bike ride, aim to incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day, as studies have shown this aids in stress relief and mental clarity, according to Rehan Aziz, MD, director of the psychiatry residency program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, New Jersey.

Prioritize Key Relationships

When in medical school, make the time — and effort — to connect with those who mean the most to you.

“These social connections — whether it be an old friendship, new friendship, close family members or partners — can provide you essential support as you navigate the demands of medical school, while also contributing to your personal fulfillment,” said Chretien.

Put time in your schedule for catch-up calls with family and friends and “ensure clear, honest, and open communication to minimize misunderstanding and conflict.”

In addition to chatting with loved ones, create space for “decompression” activities outside of school, such as listening to music, taking a walk, or watching a video, suggested Aziz.

“Regular mindfulness exercises such as deep breathing or guided meditation can help lower anxiety and improve focus,” he said. “Apps like Headspace or YouTube are a great resource for guided meditations and other videos.”