What you should have at uni – med student edition

Now that terms started and we’re getting into the swing of uni, there are some things that I would recommend having to help you as a med student! If you already have these things – great! If you don’t have these things then you can grab them from around town and it will help you get into the routine of being a med student!

As a 3^rd year medical student here are my top recommendations about what to have that will help you during your time here:

1. Smart professional clothes

Whilst you are given scrubs, you are not always required to wear them in placement, this is why it is a good idea to have some spare professional clothes with you. Make sure they are clothes that you feel comfortable in, you could be wearing them for a while. If you have a top with long sleeves, make sure it is something you are able to pull up above your elbow.

Included in this are smart, plain shoes, these should not be open, and you should be able to wipe anything that spills on them easily. You will wear these for your clinical skills sessions and on placement.

2. A solid collection of hair ties

For those of you with long hair, if you don’t already, get used to tying it up for your anatomy sessions, clinical skills sessions and placement. Hair should not be falling below your shoulders. It’s always good to have a decent supply of these so that you can have a spare one on you if yours snaps, or your friends need one.

3. A flask

Truth be told, some days can be quite long, with 5 and maybe even more lectures in a single day. To save a bit of money, you may want to bring your own flask and make your own hot drinks, using the boiling water taps available in the medical school. You might even want to keep soup in there. Whatever you need to keep you going.

4. A spare charger and or portable charger

As mentioned before there are going to be times where you are in university for most of the day, I find it is a good idea that you have a spare phone charger or portable that you keep in your bag so that you always have charge in your phone.

5. A planner

It is always good to have a weekly spread, which you can prop up on your desk, this just saves you having to log onto your timetable each day. It doesn’t just help you stay on top of your lectures, seminars, workshops and placements, it’s also very useful for keeping track of all your shifts if you have a job, or any society activities that you might have. You can plan your days accordingly and make sure there are no clashes.