Leona, now part-way through her first year at KMMS, offers an honest look at what her KMMS journey has been like so far; from discovering her study style to embracing societies and early placement weeks.
Life as a first-year medical student at KMMS has been amazing so far. One of the highlights for me has been learning anatomy—especially the dissection sessions, which are always really informative and help bring lecture content to life. I also appreciate the different programmes that have been made to connect us first years with the second-year medical students. They are always happy to give advice, share their experiences, and even pass on really useful revision resources like Anki decks or notes they made, which has been very helpful so far. One thing I wish I’d known before starting was that I didn’t need to have everything figured out straight away. It actually took me most of the first term to understand what study methods worked best for me, and that’s completely okay.
I’ve also realised how important it is to have a life outside of medicine. Getting involved in different societies has been a great way to switch off. I’m part of a dance team, which has been such a fun and creative outlet for me. It’s also helped me make friends from different courses and year groups, who I really value. In the first few weeks, I’d definitely recommend talking to as many people as possible. Everyone is in the same position, so try not to stick to just one group. Putting yourself out there really helps, and you might end up working closely with those people later on.
Finally, make the most of placement weeks. They are a great opportunity to practise clinical skills, even simple things like using a stethoscope. Those experiences are what really made me feel like a medical student. I think we’re very lucky at KMMS to have such early exposure to clinical and community settings as it gives a really exciting glimpse into what our future careers might look like.
Overall, first year has been a rewarding and eye-opening experience and I’m really looking forward to what’s still to come.