Many of you may be considering how to best spend your time this summer. To provide some insight, our student co-contributors asked some of their fellow classmates how they spent, or how they wish they had spent, their summer before medical school.
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“During my summer, I spent a good bit of time in Montreal for my sister’s wedding and made sure to indulge in several of the area's finest poutine places and cafes. I also went back and forth to DC to finalize my work commitments and bid farewell to my friends. My advice, aside from spending time with family and friends, is to pursue a hobby that you genuinely enjoy and continue honing this interest into the school year!” - Jenna Alkhatib
“I traveled to Belgium to visit some old friends, and then spent two weeks volunteering at an art camp in Birmingham! In between that, went to some local concerts and scoped out the thrift stores.” - Tanvi Bhadkamkar
“I made a visit to Birmingham after I committed to UAB and got my physical/health clearance at the student health center, which I think made that whole process a lot easier and it was nice to get a sample of the city.” - Nicholas Kummer
“During my summer, I worked on forming a realistic routine. I think it’s important to determine when you are most productive throughout the day, hobbies you want to prioritize, and your daily, nonnegotiable activities. For example, I am most productive in the afternoon and early evening, so that is when I try to study the most! Reflecting on yourself before medical school begins can save you a lot of trial-and-error time during the first couple months!” - Renee Abernathy
“I quit my job and went on a road trip to see all of my friends.” - Troy Shirley
“I got a puppy.” - Kristoffer Hinton
“I traveled to see friends and family! Had fun/went to concerts - stuff I knew I would have limited time for once med school started.” - Alexandra Savage
“Traveled Europe before I moved from London and visited family around the US before the end of July when my life changed forever.” - Rachel Stinson
“I did the Kickstart Fundamentals program, and I think it was the best thing I could have done as a non-traditional student to gauge where I was in terms of my study habits. I also read ‘Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning,’ which was a great resource to improve my learning style.” - Leo Nkengbeza
“I was doing research in Peru and traveled to Colombia. I really enjoyed taking time to breathe and destress before med school.” - Derek Dang
“I took trips to Italy and Canada which was a lot of fun. When I got back home, I relaxed, played video games, and did a lot of projects around my apartment. My biggest piece of advice is to set up a nice study spot at home that you’ll feel comfortable and happy in during the school year. I’m a big fan of studying at home (hot take, I know), and having a good environment for it has made all the difference in my productivity.” - Erica Hollaway
“I took a baking class this summer. My advice is don’t do anything medical related because you’ll get sick of it!” - Sahar Moughnyeh
“If you can, travel. It doesn’t have to be far, but just do all the things you can’t do during medical school.” - Zaurayze Rehman