How to stay motivated through the USMLE marathon.
The USMLE exams are no sprints, they are long and fatigue-inducing marathons that need a lot of dedication and motivation. It’s important to recognize the symptoms and signs of burnout to deploy the appropriate primary prevention strategies.
The signs of burnout
Dread: You dread that Uworld block and avoid starting it at all costs.
Irritation: Everything gets on your nerves and is just irritating.
Fatigue: Low energy sometimes even manifesting physically.
Distraction: You can’t stay focused on that same block you have been avoiding all day.
Isolation: You have zero interest in socializing even in your free time.
Apathy: You no longer care about your score and just want to be done with this. You also feel disconnected and with zero emotions.
Falling sick frequently: Stress can raise you glucocorticoids and decrease your immunity in effect.
Some ways to avoid burnout
Taking frequent breaks: Take your breaks before you are burned out, this will reduce the total time you need to recover and will keep you at top performance at all times.
Setting realistic goals: Since we all tend to underestimate the tasks we set and overestimate our abilities, a good plan should involve a catch up day to go after any dropped goals. This is not the same as your free day.
Work in groups: Things are more interactive and fun this way. Just make sure you and your partner have the same end goal.
Record your achievements: When you start doubting yourself, this will be a great reminder of the effort and time you have put into coming this far in this one marathon of an exam.
If you find yourself already burned out
You need to be honest with yourself and not try to drag it out for as long as you can. The longer you wait to take action, the longer the recovery will be. So admit it and take some time off as soon as you start feeling any of the symptoms above.