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.

Charis Hodges: “I prioritized travel and being with family and friends! I went on beach trips, was in my sister-in-law’s wedding, saw the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and traveled to see my parents and siblings. It was important to me to not try and “get a head start” on medical school, and I’m so glad I used the extra time to unwind and do what I knew I wouldn’t be able to do as much once I started!”

Reshu Chandra: “Make sure to really soak in your time with friends and family, travel, and pick up some hobbies the summer before school starts! I joined a kickboxing gym and traveled to India to see my family and caught up on all my shows!”

Hamp Sisson: “I made sure to really enjoy this time with my friends and family. I traveled and played a lot of pickleball and golf. I really enjoyed the ability to be spontaneous and say yes to fun summer activities. I would encourage all matriculating medical students to use this time to enjoy yourself!!”

Anna Ulrey: “I spent as much time as possible with friends and family before medical school started in July. I also used that time to work on good habits like sleeping enough and getting outside more. I highly recommend doing that because it’s more difficult once you start. Don’t do medical stuff this summer—you’ll get plenty of that soon enough! A few things I wish I knew coming in:

• You’re not going to know everything from the jump (take it easy)

• Medical school is obviously hard, but it can be the best time of your life (lean into it)

• You do have time for a social life (a must, even)”

Angel Laboy: “I spent my summer doing things I have always wanted to do in case I couldn’t during my time in school. I got a job bartending, spent time with family and friends, and traveled. I found new hobbies to keep me motivated during the school year, and I recommend using the summer to explore more of yourself before school becomes your priority.” 

Tim Hurson: “As a non-traditional student (read: old guy), I hadn't had a summer off in years and took full advantage of putting together a three-month-long vacation. I went on a road trip to visit family and friends, did a lot of hiking, re-read the Lord of the Rings, made three-course meals for my wife most evenings, and generally had an absolute blast. If your inner neurotic pre-med self is telling you to be productive, I say take a load off and enjoy the last summer of your life instead. Life is short; smell the roses, people. “

Raksha Ramdas: "What should I do the summer before med school?" Play as much as possible! The world is yours! My life motto is a Japanese proverb: 一期一会, or “ichi-go, ichi-e,” which translates to “one time, one meeting.” Make the most of the time you have this summer because every moment is fleeting and comes to you only once. Do something that you have always wanted to do! The summer before medical school, I went on a 2-month solo trip across Europe and Asia, hitting 10 countries and 22 cities and having the most incredible bucket list experiences! And that is priceless.” 

Andee Beierle: “Do what I didn’t do - relax. Try your best to take the time to do all the things you enjoy. See your family, visit your friends, and ground yourself in things that will keep you sane when you have less time.”

Alex Hyde: “The summer before starting medical school I focused on spending time with friends, traveling to North Alabama to visit family, finishing my yoga teacher training, and planning my wedding that happened during the semester. My advice to the incoming class is to not see this summer as a "funeral" for the life you currently live but to spend it cultivating relationships with your community outside of school, traveling to be with family, and doing things that you truly enjoy! You will have plenty of time in the next 4 years to build your resume! Try to not be so busy making a life that you forget to live the current one. I am so thankful for my friendships outside of school and family who keep me grounded and help remind me of who I am outside of medicine.”

Alexis Rutland: “My biggest advice: do absolutely nothing school related with your brain. You’ll be using lots of brain power when school starts, so there’s no need to use it up during the summer. I spent my summer catching up on reading my silly little romance books and hanging out outside. I made sure to spend a lot of time with my family, especially the ones who live in North Carolina since I knew it’d be a hassle to try to get back up there during the semester. I went on a beach trip with my friends before our schedules got all crazy again and spent a lot of time with my dog (a puppy at the time) to make sure she was well-trained and ready to start the semester. Relax and keep a hakuna matata mindset until orientation :)”

Christian Skinner: “During the summer leading up to starting school, I kept working as a medical scribe up until the end of June. After that, I made a point to focus on self-care and doing things I may not have time to do once school started. I established an exercise routine and played all the video games I could! I told myself I should review basic science materials since it had been a while since I was in school, but that never came to fruition. However, I do not regret it and do not recommend it- you’ll have plenty of dedicated class time devoted to that.”