In medical school, it is easily assumed, maybe even imposed that all your focus should be primarily on acquiring stuff and conquering the next end-of-posting-test (EOPT) or Board exams. You are allowed to actively or passively volunteer, as you will need the bulk in your curriculum vitae. Besides these, what more is there for you to do, I mean you were sent to school to study.
However the stubborn souls of this college groan for more, most people want to breathe a different air than the sometimes suffocating hospital atmosphere. It gladdens my heart to announce the obvious- people have hobbies, people have interests, people have their attentions cheerfully divided, because more than one thing can make your blood rush, in fact in some people’s case the Faculty of Clinical Science might not make the list.
Some of these endeavours are for leisure, for monetary benefits, for community contribution, or for charting another direction for your future career to sandwich alongside with medical science or to uproot yourself completely from it; some an assortment of all of these.
Whether the activities are for fun or a means for more, things become stale when they don’t get better, so you sure need these tips to create a fostering atmosphere for your interests. Here are some concise strategies to fan the flames of your sense of fulfillment.
1. BE PART OF A COMMUNITY: Belonging to a set up of people with close to similar goals, encountering related obstacles, with access to helpful solutions is underestimated. Attend their functions and meetings; take advantage of the resources provided; the networking and connections. As much as your talent or interest is seeded within, it definitely blooms in the appropriate environment. Being a part of associations, clubs, groups-large or small-keeps you inspired by hearing the stories of others and also keeps you driven by others’ drive. It helps you know what to expect and how to handle the different stages of your endeavour. It shouldn’t be restated that a sense of camaraderie created by alikeness in mindset, fears and interests is very influential in one’s growth.
2. ASK QUESTIONS: There is someone, somewhere near, that knows someone that just gets what your hurdles are; keep them closer. Approach them with all rawness as they have been there; ask the whys, the whats, and the hows. Know the right people, respect their time, appreciate their aid, ask more people, rinse and repeat. Some things get faster when you get out of your head and ask another human.
3. BEING SELF-TAUGHT IS NOT A MYTH: The schedule of our academics barely leaves space for extra formal training. Thankfully, the internet can be exceedingly generous in providing resources- from YouTube, to free courses online, to books, to articles, and to our beloved A.I. Take advantage of the littles and the majors-no knowledge is wasted. Maybe now is the time put in the “self-directed learning” instruction into something where it actually works.
4. THE WINDOW OF SOCIAL MEDIA: There are some people far away in person or in geography that social media bring to your widow view. They sometimes dedicate their timelines to creating an ambience thick with what they do. Through these, you can get access to them, their past, their thought process, their resources, their style, their inspiration, their habits and patterns, and their goals to stoke the flames of yours too. These in low times can lift you up; in confusion can shed clarity, excite you to dream bigger, and give you hope.
5. PRACTICE CONSISTENTLY: Put yourself in positions where practicing is easier such as volunteering, joining an online challenge, getting an accountability partner, or documenting on the internet or social media as a means of accountability. Be realistic with how many hours you can put in, then regularly put in the hours no matter how small. Most times it’s not the few big chunks of time but the little multiple bits that make the difference. To practice, set out clear goals you want to hit, and don’t just wander aimlessly, because documentable goals can help you when you feel stuck.
In all things, stay inspired and don’t stop there; reach as far as you can for your dreams. IT IS YOURS FOR THE TAKING.
