Paul Been, Class of 2009, began his medical education in the LECOM Post Baccalaureate Program. He wrote this article for the student spotlight section of the D.O. Magazine.

Eighteen months ago, I was sitting in front of the computer, just as I am now. But instead of struggling to write a column about life as an osteopathic medical student, I was searching for alternative careers. After completing my first semester of medical school and passing only a handful of courses I had no choice—or so I thought.

Paul Been, OMS LECOM 2009

As it turned out, the administration and faculty at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Erie, Pa, were not yet ready to abandon me. But instead of feeling grateful, I felt dejected and unsure of myself. I was no longer confident that I could become a physician and no longer certain that I had chosen the right career. Nevertheless, I reluctantly accepted the offer of a position in LECOM’s Biomedical Sciences PostBaccalaureate Program. Contingent upon the successful completion of a semester’s worth of courses, I would be granted permission to begin medical school again.

As an undergraduate sociology major, I had only taken one science course per semester and had never learned how to juggle multiple science courses at the same time. LECOM’s Post Baccalaureate program is intended to increase opportunities in science and health-related fields for students like me by enhancing their science education. Approximately 10 to 15 LECOM faculty members participate in the program, which ensures the opportunity for small-group interaction and a close working relationship with faculty. I ended up developing strong relationships with many of LECOM’s med school instructors.

At first, the time I spent being a premed student again was a period of introspection. When not studying or attending classes, I was contemplating my future and trying to figure out whether medical school would be a part of it. I became apathetic, often going for a week or two without shaving. I rarely participated in social events and neglected many significant friendships.

Puddle jumping

One afternoon in late January, I went for a run. Recognizing that it was getting late, I decided to accelerate my pace to make it back to my apartment in time to get ready for my next lecture. It was unseasonably warm that day, and the melting snow created a labyrinth of puddles. As I meandered through them, I had an epiphany.

“Lance Armstrong was not able to win the Tour de France seven times by being only partially focused on victory,” I thought to myself. For months, he was entirely dedicated to reaching the greatest possible level of performance. Surely, Armstrong had encountered “puddles” during his training— such as injury and doubt—but his tenacity overcame them and the outcome was repeated success. I realized that just as I was not going to allow a puddle-filled street to delay my run, I certainly wasn’t going to let anything prevent me from accomplishing my lifelong ambition.

And so, in a stepwise fashion, my journey continued. The first hurdle on the road to becoming a physician would be to successfully complete the Post Baccalaureate program. To do that, I had to develop the study skills and discipline to succeed on exams. I began to search for the most effective method of accomplishing this. With the correct approach, nothing could prevent me from achieving my dream.

I realize now that becoming a physician was truly what I had always wanted. I just had to figure out why a relatively minor setback had prompted me to question my decision.

I will never forget the moment I received my first grade sheet in the Post Baccalaureate program. Opening it was more stressful than the entire application process to medical school. It read, Immunology: 80%. I was delighted. This grade was higher than any grade I had received during the previous semester.

However, I was still not able to pinpoint all of the reasons for my success. Of course, the pressure to maintain reputable grades so that I would be readmitted to medical school was a huge motivator. Yet I was striving for a more tangible reason, one that could be applied consistently for every discipline.

Verbalization became a key component of my winning strategy. I had just been given a dose of that old adage, “Nothing succeeds like success.” Achieving a commendable mark provided me with a boost of confidence, something that had been lacking for quite some time. I decided to take advantage of this momentum and combine it with a strategy that I had occasionally used as an undergraduate. I recalled being most prepared for an exam when I had been able to summarize main concepts out loud without consulting any notes or books. I had felt even further prepared when I was able to do this in front of a group. By consistently verbalizing what I had learned, I ended up near the top of my class in the Post Baccalaureate program, and I was readmitted to medical school.

At my second med school orientation, a fellow student asked me what it felt like to be repeating a semester. After giving the question some thought, I replied that my past experiences made the orientation even more meaningful. I had discovered that overcoming a significant setback to achieve what I truly desired in life was my most gratifying accomplishment thus far. I also recognized that the road ahead was still going to be mighty challenging.

Prescription for life

On Day 1 of medical school, I already felt overwhelmed by the volume of material. One lecturer compared it to drinking out of a fire hydrant: You will never be able to drink all of the water. In medical school, it is impossible to take in all of the material. Still, medical students always seem to prevail, and I was certain that this time I would too. All I had to do was apply what had worked for me in the Post Baccalaureate program.

To further enhance my winning strategy, I began creating sample test questions to simulate what the actual exams would be like. More often than not, my questions were right on the mark. I also became part of a study group that met on a regular basis, which ensured that I was always up to date on the material. I was able to articulate main concepts to the other members of the group, which further cemented the material in my mind.

The final step in establishing a reliable and consistent approach to studying was to improve my time-management skills. One of my academic advisers suggested a simple method for accomplishing this: Account for every hour of the week. The total number of hours in a week is 168, from which I first subtracted the number of hours I devoted to activities that were not directly related to school but were essential to my success—like sleeping, eating, grocery shopping and exercising. Next, I deducted the number of hours devoted to classroom lectures. I was left with approximately 50 hours, which were to be entirely dedicated to studying.

Knowing that I had only a certain number of hours to study made me more productive and efficient. I rarely was distracted while studying and, ultimately, I was able to have more time to pursue other activities.

My new first year of medical school could not have gone better. I finished in the top quartile of my class while being active in several clubs and in student government. Currently, I am secretary of my class and serve on a student committee dealing with clinical rotations. I attribute my new ability to balance the demands of being a medical student with participating in clubs and organizations—all while maintaining time to run and keep in touch with family and friends—to my time management regimen.

I now sit in front of the same computer at which 18 months ago, I was searching for alternative career paths, nearly committing what would have been the greatest mistake of my life. Abandoning what I had always desired simply because it was difficult to attain would have been an easy exit from a situation that ended up making me stronger.

Instead, I sit here today exploring some of the top residency programs in the country. I also intend to train for a marathon before long, and I dream of founding an osteopathic medical school some day. My experiences have taught me that no mountain is ever too high to climb, and I will strive to apply this principle to everything I undertake.