First and second year med students may have their holidays cut short. Or may not go home at all during the holidays. Because of the extra hours set in their curriculum.
This is a time they are expected to get some of the extracurricular activities like volunteer work done.
It is hard on them to not spend the holidays with friends and family. But it is a sacrifice each med student has to make.
Selectives
This is a program for first year and second year med students. During this time, the students get a chance to experience what being a physician really is.
It is a learning experience for students when they get to work in a hospital. They are guided by doctors and their teachers on what to expect and what they should look out for.
Selectives at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
At this med school, students go through:
- 16 weeks during the first 2 years for required electives
- The 16 weeks are broken down further to 4 longitudinal selectives. They do not need to be completed in a week
- 12 weeks of the first 2 years are for vacation
What Students Do During Selectives
Activities that students engage in during selectives include:
- International travel to underserved populations. Here they get to work with the underprivileged in society. That is, those that may not afford medical services.
- Research
- Reading
- Shadowing other physicians
- Vacation. Most students prefer to use weeks during the holiday for their vacation time.
The Hardships of Not Going for Holiday
For most medical students not going home during the holidays can be tough. Remember that medical students work hard during the semester.
They have a lot of course work and extra work to get complete. And now that they will not be seeing their family and friends during the holidays is tough.
Even if they choose to take a week of vacation during the holiday, it still won’t be enough time. They will not get around relaxing and being around their loved ones enough. They may miss a lot of family events. And will not have enough time to catch up with everyone.
But this should not cast you down as a med student. Just think that all this sacrifice will one day pay off. When you have gathered all the experience to make you a great physician.
