REALITY FACTS EVERY FIRST-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT MUST KNOW

1. YOU HAVE TO MAKE REAL FRIENDS—ESPECIALLY AT YOUR TABLE

In the medical field, you simply cannot do everything alone. You will need help.

notes, mnemonics, emotional support, and sometimes just someone who understands.

Forge genuine connections with your tablemates and batchmates. This isn't optional

— it's your lifeline.

2. FORGET YOUR OLD MARKS—YOU ARE IN A DIFFERENT DOMAIN NOW

The scores you were used to in 10th, 11th, and 12th standards no longer define you.

You may not get the same percentages, and that is perfectly okay. This is an

entirely new world with a new yardstick. Focus on learning, not chasing an old

number.

3. BECOME A QUICK LEARNER—OR MASTER THE ART OF REVISION

If you’re not a quick learner, become a “repeat-reviser.” Keep repeating lectures,

textbooks, and notes. Cycle through resources — textbooks, notes, YouTube, and

trusted platforms. Active, layered revision builds the understanding that medicine

demands.

4. TALK TO YOUR FAMILY DAILY — DISTANCE AND TIME WILL WORK AGAINST YOU

You will be far away from your family, often for the first time. You will get

fewer holidays than you expect, and the disconnection can creep in silently.

The responsibility is on you, from the student side, not to let that thread break.

Even a short call keeps you grounded and reminds you who you are beyond the books.

This is what we miss most, and it should not be missed. Stay connected.

More insights will be coming. Stay connected.

With Love,

Drg3n

Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to my page.

Dr. Ankit Sharma

MBBS, MD Anatomy

Senior Resident, AIIMS Jodhpur

Alumni – King George's Medical University & PGIMER Chandigarh