The summer after your 1st year in medical school is a wonderful time. You’ve just accomplished an enormous goal that should be celebrated! However, I remember wondering what I should actually do with this extended period of time off. It was around this time during my first year that I started to ask my classmates about their plans, but a lot of us were overwhelmed and not quite sure where to look. I wish there had been more guidance on this topic and so I wanted to create a list with a few ideas to help those who need a little inspiration just like I did.
Externships/Internships
I completed a four-week family medicine externship through a program sponsored by my state’s family medicine society. It was a great experience to see examples of what I had learned in my 1st year in a real clinical setting. I recommend looking into your state’s ACOFP chapter to see if they have potential programs listed. Other Education Committee members also had success finding externships with medical schools back in their hometowns.
Research
For those who are interested in research, the summer is a great time to work on a research project. My school had a summer research program you could apply for, so I recommend starting with your home program to see if they have research opportunities you can get involved in.
Volunteering
Having a longer break is a great time to get involved with local community volunteering and passion projects. Many organizations are often in need of summertime volunteers. If you don’t know where to start, ask your school if they have connections to local volunteer groups.
Medical Mission Trips
One way to combine traveling with clinical experience and volunteering is through a medical mission trip! A few of the Student Education Committee members enjoyed their experiences with medical mission trips and recommend looking into DO Care or organizations sponsored by the AOA for possible opportunities.
Traveling and Visiting Family and Friends
An overwhelming majority of the Student Education Committee members took most of their summertime to use as vacation. Sometimes the summer between 1st and 2nd year is considered the “last summer” because after second year you have boards and then you’re into clinicals. Make sure you take time to spend with your loved ones and/or go on that trip you have been dreaming about. It’s great to be able to spend some of your summer with academic activities that can be added to your resume, but do not forget to enjoy your time off as well! You want to make sure you are using your time off to take a break, refresh, and recharge. Your future self will thank you for it.
No matter what you decide to do or how you spend your time, I encourage you to find activities that fill up your cup and try to continue them when possible. First year is difficult, but medical school continues to become more challenging and time consuming, and so you want to make sure you are able to dedicate some time for yourself and activities that give you joy. Learning how to incorporate your interests into your schedule now will be helpful as life gets busier down the road.
