How to Study in Medical School: Yes, You Can Create Life Balance

The number one thing I’ve learned as a first-year medical student is to be intentional about how I study so I can have a life and achieve my goals. It’s huge for me to have that work-life balance.

I totally get the overwhelming pressure to excel. However, ghosting all your friends and family as you lock yourself away in your room for endless study sessions or trap yourself inside the library every weekend isn’t a great idea. In fact, it’s the perfect recipe for burnout.
That’s why it’s my goal to share with you and as many students as possible that, yes, you CAN indeed have a life in medical school. I’m here to break down the tips and strategies I use to create a perfect study routine that has balance and works for me—and, best of all, how you can do it, too!

Read on and discover how to study in medical school (including my secret study weapon) so you can crush your academics, all while still making time for the people and things you love.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here.

Learn How to Study in Medical School

How can you study in medical school and still have a life?

I’m super excited to share with you the exact steps I’ve taken to create a study routine that’s helped me survive my first year of medical school. This is the exact method that allows me to not study on the weekends, work out four times a week, try new recipes for dinner, and go snowboarding 13 days that season, all while still passing my medical school exams.

Define Your Personal Goals 

Your approach to studying in your first year of medical school should fully depend on what you want to achieve. My main goal for my first year in medical school was to study enough to pass and also have a life outside of school. 

I’ve had this goal in mind since before I even started medical school. When I was interviewing at the University of Vermont, I overheard a fourth-year student planning to go into plastic surgery telling prospective students, “I’m going to study enough to pass and then live my life.” That totally resonated with me! I realized I could adopt that approach, too, no matter what specialty I choose. 

As a result, I deliberately chose a pass/fail school because I know myself well enough to understand that traditional grading systems wouldn’t work for me. If I had to aim for A’s and B’s, I would end up studying way more than necessary. So, consider what goals you’re striving to achieve in medical school and tailor how you approach your study schedule based on that foundation.

Are you in that stage of your premed journey where you should choose your school list? 

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Use a Time Blocking System

This practical visual works great for helping you organize your week. It makes sure you set aside enough time for everything that’s important to you, from studying to relaxing.

Before you jump right in and start filling in all the boxes, first imagine your ideal week. Ask yourself the following questions.

• When do I feel most productive when studying?
• What activities are a must each week? (like study sessions, classes, or lectures)
• When do I want to finish my day?
• What are a few small things that bring me joy besides schoolwork?

Once you’ve brainstormed your perfect week, it’s time to make it happen! I personally love using Google Calendar to organize my schedule but feel free to use any planner you like.

Start by adding your “must-do” activities to your calendar and color-coding them. For me, that means adding my fixed class schedule. I also block out time for studying, using tools like Anki, and watching lecture recordings. 

Oh, and don’t forget to schedule time for meals, too! Planning when you’ll eat breakfast, lunch, and snacks can help you avoid feeling rushed or hungry while studying. Also, allow for some flexibility, and don’t plan every minute of your day. I like to leave some white space in my schedule for things like chilling on the couch or doing random tasks.

Block Time for Anki Every Morning

After my first day of lectures, I desperately needed a good way to digest all that material. After hearing about it for so long, I was adamant about using Anki for medical school. Luckily, it was pretty straightforward to figure out, and it only took me one day to get it up and running. I’m so glad I did – with Anki, I’m studying less yet still performing well on my weekly exams.

Anki are basically virtual flashcards that you create based on what you’re studying. You make your own flashcards with all the information you need to know, such as diseases, medications, anatomy, and more. (Below, I share the steps I use to make Anki cards during lectures – it’s such a time-saver!)

To know exactly how you can get started with Anki for medical school, go to my blog post The Ultimate Anki Tutorial for Complete Beginners!

Anki uses spaced repetition, which science says is fantastic for helping you remember everything you’ve learned. As you go through your flashcards, you rate how well you remember the answer, and Anki determines when to show you that card again. It focuses on what you find hard and shows you those cards more often, helping you to remember everything like a pro.

Each morning, I review all the concepts from week one, week two, and beyond. It’s so amazing because when the final block week comes around, I don’t have to cram or stress about studying extra since I’ve been consistently reviewing and staying on top of things. 

Focus Your Study Time on High-Yield Topics

Don’t get overwhelmed by learning everything! Instead, when you’re gearing up for a study session, target those key points that pack a punch. If your lecturer is practically shouting out the information, pounding on the desk, and repeating it like a broken record, you can bet it’s a high-yield topic bound to pop up on your next quiz or exam.

On the flip side, if you’re stuck in a lecture where the professor is diving deep into the nitty-gritty details, throwing out subtype after subtype, and you’re left feeling lost in the weeds, don’t panic. Take a peek at your learning objectives (most med schools lay them out for you) and only study what’s listed. 

For instance, let’s say you had a recent lesson on skin cancer with a long list of aggressive subtypes. Feeling overwhelmed? Check the learning objective. If it simply mentions recognizing common types like basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, you can confidently skip the extra-deep dive into the subtypes and avoid getting lost in a study session that stretches on for ages.

Remember, just because you blocked out time in a Google Calendar and picked out cute colors doesn’t mean you’re actually going to do the things you planned. Make sure you’re sticking to studying high-yield topics so you’re not going over the allotted time you’ve given yourself.

Audit Your Schedule to See What Is (and Isn’t) Working

I kick off my morning by cozying up with my planner and doing a brain dump of what I have planned for my day. Then, as the day unfolds, I pause and do an audit. For example, I’ll ask myself, “Did I finish Anki at 6:45? Oh wait, it was actually 8:30. Why? Was I too busy checking out Instagram, did I oversleep, or did I just not plan enough time for it?” 

For example, down below that was me reviewing my weekly time blocking to find out what worked and what (clearly) didn’t. At that time, I was still getting used to waking up earlier for my morning study sessions before heading to my clinical rotations. By simply continuing to set my alarm to 4:30 AM and bit by bit getting used to it, I was able to hit those early study sessions consistently. But sometimes, such reviews need a more drastic approach and change in strategy to make it work (e.g. cruel measures like hiding your alarm clock in the room next door).

By jotting down these details, it becomes super easy to spot where you’re wasting time and where you can save some precious minutes. These regular reviews can be a game-changer for shaping up your study routine over time!  

Batch Tasks Like Meal Prep to Save Time

As you settle into med school life, start thinking about systems that can save you time and streamline your routine. Brainstorm what tasks you can batch together and complete all in one go. Ask yourself, “Hmm, what’s taking up a lot of time? What am I doing every day that I could do once a week?”

I highly recommend the book called “Make Time,” which includes this fantastic tip. One of their suggestions is instead of checking your email every hour, pick a specific time, like 5 p.m. for 30 minutes, to tackle all your email needs in one go. Boom, time saved!

Meal prepping can count as batching, too. Every Sunday, I spend 20 minutes boiling a bunch of eggs. This way, when I wake up during the week, I don’t have to fuss around making breakfast. I simply heat up my pre-boiled eggs and enjoy a quick, hassle-free meal. 

Also, George and I have this nifty system where we plan our meals for the week every Sunday, even doing it on the go after a day of snowboarding. We order our groceries online for pickup, so we never have to deal with last-minute runs to the store. Then, we cook double portions for dinner so we can enjoy leftovers the next day. It’s a time-saver and a money-saver since we don’t need to order takeout as often or stress about coming up with new recipes.

Have Non-Negotiables

Make non-negotiables your new best friend. On Instagram, people always ask me, “Maggie, how do you fit in workouts and fun stuff while being a med student?” Simple. I drew a line in the sand early on, saying, “No studying past a certain time, and weekends are off-limits.” It’s non-negotiable. Granted, after my first year in medical school, I have been easing up on the no-studying-on-weekends rule but still going strong on my daily cutoff time! 

Studying 24/7 is simply not practical or effective. I call it quits around five or 6:30 p.m. Of course, there’s always this nagging feeling that I should study more. But when I hit that cutoff time, I’m out, like the other day when I ditched the books to chill and cook dinner with George. Not because I’m confident I’ll ace the quiz, but because, well, it’s dinner time with my guy – non-negotiable. 

Your turn! Find your non-negotiable. Maybe it’s leaving campus at 5 p.m. sharp every day, or if you’re a night owl, setting the start time for med school work at 10 a.m. because you want to wake up and read a book or take a walk. Prioritize the boundaries you need to keep your life balance in check and avoid getting burned out.

How to Make Anki Cards During a Lecture (My Secret Weapon)

Here it is – my secret, super-effective study weapon: create Anki cards as you listen to a lecture!

When I first started medical school, I tried doing practice questions, a go-to strategy for other med students and had worked when I was a premed studying for the MCAT. However, when I was in my first year and discovered our exams are based on the content delivered in the lectures, my time was far better spent studying the Anki cards that I made directly from those lectures.

Here are the steps I use for making Anki cards during a lecture:

1. I watch every lecture, in-person or in the replay. (Time saver hack: I usually increase the playback speed to between 1.5 and twice as fast to get through it faster.)
2. On a split screen, I have the PowerPoint on one side and Anki on the other. 
3. As the lecturer talks, I make cards from the text on each slide. If the presentation is too fast, I write “add later” on the card and screenshot the slide from the lecture to update it later.
4. If the lecturer emphasizes or continually repeats a point, I make multiple cards to fully cover the topic. 
5. Oh, and don’t go overboard – aim for around 50 cards per lecture hour.

So, give it a shot and see if this Anki card trick can level up your study game, too. But keep in mind that everyone has their own style of learning, so what works for me at my school might not work for you at yours. 

5 Study Tips for Better Focus

Has it ever happened to you that you were studying for 3 straight hours and afterwards didn’t feel like you’ve gotten through any of your content? Studying well is not just about fitting in the hours, we also have to learn how to focus. This gets so much easier with the right strategies though. Here are some study tips to help you stay on track.

1. Pomodoro Technique – Try breaking your study sessions into intervals using the Pomodoro technique. With this time management trick, you work super hard for 25 minutes straight and then take a quick five-minute breather. After four rounds of this, you get a longer break of around 15 to 30 minutes to chill and recharge.
2. Avoid Distractions – Keep your phone out of sight while studying. Even better, put it in another room so you won’t be tempted to check it every few minutes. 
3. Find Your Ideal Workspace – Whether you prefer studying at home, in the library, or at a cozy coffee shop, choose a workspace that helps you focus. Make sure it’s clean, inspiring, and free from too many distractions – like that pile of laundry begging to be folded.
4. Clean Desk Space – A cluttered desk can lead to a disorganized mind. Consider investing in a desk organizer to keep your study materials tidy and easily accessible.
5. Switch Up Your Environment – On those days when studying feels like an uphill battle, try switching things up. I don’t know why, but just by swiveling in my chair, switching from my iMac to my laptop, and popping on my headphones, I can dive into full-on focus mode.

Bonus Tip: Romanticize Your Study Routine – Make studying more enjoyable by creating a cozy study environment. Treat yourself to a warm drink, get comfy in your favorite office chair, incorporate fun quizzes and challenges into your study sessions, and play some background music to set the mood. Who said studying couldn’t be fun?  

How to Study in Med School When You’re Struggling to Actually Understand the Content

Medical school can be a lot, and even that’s an understatement! Hey, we’ve all been on the struggle bus from time to time. Fortunately, there are proven strategies that can help when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Scope the Subject from the Beginning

Ever get stuck on random facts and concepts? Especially when you’re listening to a lecture, it’s so easy to lose track of how each piece fits together in the grand scheme of things. Here’s where scoping the subject comes in handy. You can use this method at the beginning of your studies or class to get a visual of how everything connects.

To scope the subject, create a tree diagram for each study area. Build your tree starting with the trunk, representing the main ideas, and then move on to the branches of sub-topics. Now, you can add in all the random leafy details where they belong. 

Plus, you can color-code your weak spots using a traffic light system with red zones indicating where you need to focus your energy the most. So, whatever the subject, you can quickly spot which areas need your attention.

Focus on Understanding First (vs. Memorization) 

One common mistake many students, including myself, make is trying to memorize everything from the get-go. But here’s the scoop: understanding is the name of the game. You need to grasp the material first before committing it to memory. 

Albert Einstein once said, well, supposedly, that if you can’t teach it to a 12-year-old, you don’t really get it. This concept is also known as the Feynman technique, after physicist Richard Feynman, who could make the most complicated ideas seem like a walk in the park for anyone. Basically, you should be able to explain a complex topic to a 12-year-old or even a five-year-old. It’s not about dumbing things down but about genuinely grasping the concepts enough to explain them to someone totally new to the topic.

So here’s the game plan: for each topic, imagine explaining it to a little one, think nephew, friend’s kid, or any tiny human you know. If you hit a roadblock and can’t answer all the “why” questions you envision they might ask, that’s your cue to hit the books or surf the web for more info. Fill in those gaps until you can comfortably explain it again to your kid-like audience. The goal here is to nail down your understanding efficiently. Once you’ve cracked that, then you can move on to the memorization part. 

Check out Ali Abdaal Youtube video 20 Study Tips to get the full download on these two strategies. 

Experiment with Different Study Methods

Be open to trying out different approaches until you find something that clicks. We’re all unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. So, be patient with yourself and find what works for you. 

For example, have you tried watching Sketchy videos related to the topic? Sometimes, visual aids can help you better understand complex ideas. Or maybe taking quizzes that reinforce your knowledge could work for you. You could also try using images or creating your own visuals to map out the information in a way that makes sense to you.

I personally am a 100% visual learner which is why I found out early on that visual aids are my go-to tools for understanding complex concepts or any of those topics that just wouldn’t stick without it. A great example are my quiz sheets for biochem pathways which have been a tremendous help when studying for the MCAT. You can grab them below as a FREE download: 

The Pros and Cons of Study Groups 

Study groups can be an excellent tool for learning; however, they’re not immune from the debate of whether they’re worth it or not. For me, group settings generally haven’t worked. However, the one time I met up with three or four friends to discuss anatomy lab produced better results than studying on my own. 

Here, I’m unpacking the pros and cons so you can decide if study groups are right for you.

The Advantages of Study Groups

• Collaboration – Studying with a group can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table. For example, you might understand a complex topic better when a classmate explains it to you.
• Motivation – Peer pressure can be a good thing when studying. Being in a group can keep you accountable and on track with your study schedule. 
• Division of labor – Study groups allow you to divide and conquer. Each member can focus on a specific topic and teach it to the rest of the group, making the workload more manageable.

The Challenges with Study Groups

• Distractions – Let’s face it, study groups can sometimes turn into social gatherings. If the group gets off track quickly, you might end up wasting precious study time.
• Different learning styles – Not everyone learns the same way. If your study group members prefer a different study method, it might not be as beneficial for you.
• Dependence – Relying too heavily on a study group can hinder your ability to study independently. It’s important to strike a balance and know when to study alone. 

Some students swear on study groups as their favorite way to learn, for others it just doesn’t work. Find out for yourself!

Balancing Your Study-Life Routine

You must, no exceptions, take care of yourself to create a balanced study schedule. Here are three ways I create balance each day. 

1. Consider the whole picture by prioritizing your basic needs. Rest when you need it. Go to bed on time for a good night’s sleep. Keep a regular exercise routine. And, plan ahead with meal prep so you’re getting proper nutrition and not making poor choices because you’re desperate and starving. Otherwise, you’ll end up getting burned out, or worse, sick, and not be able to function to reach those goals you set for yourself.  
2. Make the most of your free time for fun activities to relax and recharge. Don’t use the excuse of being a broke college student not to do fun things on the weekends. Any time you have a break, you can do things that don’t cost a lot of money. You can go camping, hiking, explore the new city that you’re in, or reach out to your friends to get together. Giving yourself permission to unwind can actually boost your productivity in the long run. 

During the week, include one to three little joys in your daily routine. Whether it’s journaling, reading, or trying out new recipes, find what makes you happy and sprinkle it into your day for a half hour or even five minutes. Instead of living for the weekends, which can make the week feel like such a grind, add these simple pleasures to keep things exciting. Personally, I find joy in getting back into CrossFit, spending time with my dog at the soccer field, and experimenting with new recipes for dinner. These activities bring me happiness and do wonders to help me unwind from the demands of medical school.

Avoid These 3 Mistakes with Your Study Schedule

Studying in medical school can be challenging, but you can succeed with the right balance and strategies. As you work through your study schedule, look for these common mistakes that might mess with your study routine and then take the following actions to fix them.

Mistake: Continuing with routines that don’t work.

Fix: Ditch study schedules that just aren’t cutting it anymore. Regularly review your study strategies and schedule to see what’s working and what’s not. Then, keep tweaking and making adjustments. Make it your goal to create daily routines that work for you, not against you. 

Mistake: Getting overwhelmed by how much content you need to learn.

Fix: Focus on quality over quantity. Instead of cramming your brain with every bit of detail, create Anki or other study flashcards with the most important information and high-yield topics. Also, start prepping for exams early and make a solid study schedule to avoid that last-minute panic. 

Mistake: Forgetting content too quickly or not actually understanding the content in the first place. Fix: Use spaced repetition like Anki to reinforce your learning. Also, create an environment where you can focus and concentrate while you study. And try using different methods and materials to help you grasp those tricky concepts. Remember, understand the content thoroughly before memorizing – make sure it really clicks in your brain.

Final Thoughts for a Balanced Study Schedule

By staying organized, motivated, and proactive in your approach to studying, you’ll find success while also maintaining a healthy balance in your life. Hopefully, what you’ve learned from this post will help you confidently tackle those study sessions and ace your exams. 

Yes, you can do well in medical school and have a life! I’m living proof of it. So, keep pushing forward, learning, and, most importantly, believing in yourself. You’ve got what it takes. I believe in you!

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