Medical school provides many challenges and obstacles that an incoming student and
current students need to adapt to. A major personal skill a student needs to develop is time
management, which may be overwhelming at first, but definitely doable.

Something that students may overlook is the balance between studying, attending classes, and finding time to eat healthy.

To me, this especially applies to the first two didactic years when classes and
studying are a priority. Planning for having healthy meals is something that is never really talked
about and is often overlooked when developing a schedule. Numerous excuses can be made
that can sway a student to take the easier route and not eat the right foods.

Another component that is complementary to this is exercise, which can easily be the first activity students take away in times of stress.

Eating healthy and exercising are huge components of a successful student not only in the classroom, but being an all around elite student. I find that many students do not want to take time away to exercise or make the correct foods. However, having these scheduled into your day can help with managing the stresses of medical school along with maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
I personally have exercised my whole life through high school and college, times when the information load was not as heavy as medical school. It was easier to have free time dedicated towards eating right and exercising.

Working out and eating healthy are not aspects I plan on deleting from my daily life, so I had to strengthen my time management skills in order to keep that same regimen. A key component is setting a strict schedule which may include going to the grocery store at the same time on the same day of the week, exercising at the same time everyday, and being smart with the foods you buy.

There are quick healthy options that a student can get to optimize health and time efficiency. A huge barrier is class load, information load, and student exhaustion. These are main factors that prevent a student from accomplishing these goals.

When classes were taking off and I was bombarded with information, this is when time management was key.

Waking up as early as 4:30 to workout before class is a smart and efficient thing to do. This leaves the rest of the day to focus on school without having to worry about dedicating time to exercise.

I advise incoming students to implement this lifestyle before coming to school, so that is already something they are used to. Medical school is all about balance. Waking up early to get tasks done opens up doors to effective studying, exercising, and eating healthy.

The combination of these aspects will leave students feeling more confident and realizing they can push themselves ever further personally and professionally in a healthy way.

Chad Kleinsmith

Class of 2025