Robert Sithole discusses the advantage of learning more for his fellow medical students.
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In the real world of medicine, actual situations often come with tricky challenges that go beyond what we learn from textbooks and tests. While tests check if we can remember things and apply what we’ve learned, being a doctor requires a deeper understanding and the ability to adjust. Patients aren’t just cases or answers on paper; they’re real people with complex health problems who need personalized care. Dealing with the uncertainties and differences we face in real medical settings means making decisions that really matter for patients. So, moving from studying for tests to working with patients means more than just being good at school it’s about being caring and skilled when dealing with the complexities of human health.
As a medical student, my way of learning has changed a lot over time. At first, I focused on passing tests by memorising facts and formulas without really understanding them. But I realised this wasn’t enough it left me not really knowing much about medicine.
So, I started to study differently, focusing on really understanding things, thinking carefully, and learning how to solve real medical problems. This new way of studying has not only helped me do better in school but has also made me really love learning about medicine.
The big difference between students who do okay and those who do really well in medical school is how they learn and solve problems. “Okay” students might be fine with just memorising things, but the best students want to understand why things work and how to use that knowledge. You can see this difference when they’re working with patients it affects how they care for them and make decisions.
The best students look for chances to use what they know in real situations, which helps them learn even more. They’re also curious and always want to learn more, whether it’s from talking to others or reading more about medicine. This helps them think carefully and keeps them interested in learning throughout their lives.
They also know that medicine involves lots of different areas and people working together. By talking to others with different backgrounds, they get a better idea of how healthcare works and learn to work well with others.
Being a really good student means more than just passing tests it means really understanding medicine and using that knowledge to help real people. As medicine keeps changing, patients rely on us to understand their problems and use the best treatments. This means we need to really understand medicine, keep up with new information and tech, and be ready to change how we do things. By focusing on real understanding, we can help patients better and improve healthcare for everyone.
And being really good at medicine opens up lots of different jobs in healthcare. Whether it’s specialising more, doing research, or working on healthcare policies, knowing a lot about medicine helps you succeed in lots of areas. This not only helps your career but also makes healthcare better for everyone.
