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You may feel that the added pressure of the Medical School application process has attributed to this, particularly the aspects that are out of your control, like waiting for a decision. To help, we’ve compiled a list of great resources to check out.
Please note: we are not mental health experts, please speak to a Doctor for qualified, professional advice.
Everyone deals with the anticipation and stress of waiting for an interview offer differently, and understanding which method works best for you is essential.
You could try:
The uncertainty of when you will hear back about interview offers is daunting – and some of you have told us this is what you’re struggling with the most right now.
StudentMinds.org has a video helping university students deal with uncertainty they feel. One piece of advice that sticks out – and is applicable to you if you’re feeling uncertain about securing interview offers – is to focus on what you can control and make certain.
An example of this could be to maintain your usual routine. This could be adhering to a regular sleep schedule or getting ahead with a revision timetable for possible assessments you face later on in the academic year.
With this sense of focus, you give yourself the best chance to disengage from negative what-ifs thoughts.
Watch the video below – and jump to 15:20 for the tip we mention.
The Society of Behavioral Medicine discovered that hobbies improve your mood and well-being. They can also help overcome a depressed mood and provide better stress-coping skills. In turn, this can help you tackle the daunting nerves of waiting for an interview offer.
As proven by an American Psychological Association study, expressive writing (e.g. journalling) is a great way to “avoid intrusive and avoidant thoughts about negative events and improves working memory. These improvements, researchers believe, may, in turn, free up our cognitive resources for other mental activities, including our ability to cope more effectively with stress.”
In other words, journaling could help you avoid negative thoughts about the possibility of not securing an interview offer.
Rashawnda James, a licensed mental health therapist, explains how to journal for anxiety here:
We must reiterate that for qualified advice concerning how to deal with stress and anxiety, speaking to a healthcare professional is the best course of action.
The NHS website is an excellent starting point for guidance on the children and young people’s mental health services (CYPMHS) that are locally available to you and information on how to get in touch for detailed advice. You can find the page here.
In case you don’t wish to use CYMPHS, the NHS recommends reaching out to:
Further NHS advice on dealing with mental health and wellbeing can be found here.
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