Dear Me- A Letter to my self by Ellie Glenday
Dear Medical student self,
You do not have to attend every lecture, every tutorial and every workshop – occasionally you can skip some and it will not do you (or your future patients) any harm. Oh and those other medical students who skip the odd week to go on holiday have the right idea, take time off now whilst you can, flights are cheap out of the school holidays and you will expand your understanding of the world and you at the same time!
Remember to keep all your other interests going in addition to your studies – keeping fit makes a strong and healthy mind and body. It is these other interests which will sustain you in between working days when you finally become a doctor. It will also make you a more interesting, rounded person and doctor.
On a similar note, go out whenever you do not have any particular University assignments and enjoy evenings with as many friends as you can manage – drinks were cheap in those days when you could get away with drinking things other than wine and you did not have to factor babysitters into the cost.
Do not forget that if you have passions like writing/reading which may be abandoned whilst the focus is on your medical studies, these can always be taken up again in the future even if many years on. (10 years after medical school may be a good time to get back into writing and in particular involved in something called blogging….)
Most importantly, remember that you do not have to be ‘perfect’ being ‘good enough’ is fine.
Between now and then, all the best and take the rough with the smooth and it will make you a stronger character. And if you’re lucky in your GP tutor group you may just meet the man of your dreams….
All my love
Ellie (Paediatric Registrar, mother of 3 boys and wife to fellow medical student now doctor)
Dr Ellie Glenday
