Getting admission into a medical school is a big accomplishment and will be the first of many milestones you will celebrate as you become a doctor and begin to practice medicine. As you embark upon your medical dream, it is important to know how to prepare for the first year of medical school in order to set yourself up for success. What can you expect for the first year of medical school?

Heavy Coursework

As a first-year medical student, you will be expanding on the knowledge that you gained in your pre-med classes as part of your undergraduate medical education. Much of the first year of medical school will be heavily course- and lab-based. You will spend a lot of time in both classrooms, completing a medical school curriculum that includes topics such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and biostatistics. You will also have the opportunity to gain extensive experience in labs, examining the human body in great detail through dissections. The theory and hands-on experience that you gain are a precursor to the practical experience that you will acquire through clinical rotations. Clinical rotations are completed by international medical students during the later years of their medical school curriculum. While the first year of medical school may feel stressful, you will begin to get accustomed to a fast-paced schedule, and may even find it to be a source of motivation. The first year of medical school is the year to build good habits. The essential work that you complete in this year will lay the foundation for your knowledge and increase your confidence as a future physician.

Learning Interpersonal Skills 

As you prepare to become a doctor, you will begin to learn that you are the primary person that patients rely on in their circle of care. Your role is not limited to making diagnoses and curing ailments. Rather, you will develop the interpersonal skills, compassion, and empathy that are required of a physician when interacting with, and caring for, patients. Patients rely on you to provide them with a sense of comfort through their illness. As a professional, you bring the “human” side of healthcare to the table, so this is something that you will learn and begin to implement as you mould yourself into an MD.

This is also an opportunity to network and meet new people, including professors and colleagues from all around the world. These are the professionals who may guide and shape your career interests and medical specializations, if you choose to specialize. As such, it is a good idea to get to know the people with whom you will be spending the next four or more years.

Gaining Technical and Organizational Skills

Practicing medicine is not only about the glory of healing the sick. In order to be a successful physician, you will need to acquire many technical skills that support good medical practice. These may include skills in medical interviewing, physical examinations, and the use of information technology to help you become as diligent and organized as possible. You will also become proficient at handling sophisticated medical equipment and tools. 

Access to a Beautiful Backdrop

The American University of Barbados (AUB), School of Medicine is situated on a beautiful Caribbean island. As one of the best international medical schools for Canadian students, you will be immersed in a rigorous medical education, while also having the unique opportunity to explore the wonderful sights that this country has to offer. You may decide to take a pause on extracurricular and social activities during your first year of medical school, but unwinding and finding balance in your busy schedule can be as simple as taking a walk by the beach or going for a swim in the ocean to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. It will be important to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself as you become a physician, working towards the health and wellness of others. You would be hard-pressed to find a more suitable lifestyle as a medical student anywhere else in the world!