I was recently speaking to a medical student with excellent foresight, who was asking me what he could do to prepare himself for residency. I suggested reviewing the basics – perhaps by perusing a favorite clinic handbook – of how to work up common chief complaints like chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, back pain, among others. It was timely, then, that I read an article about Transition to Residency classes offered at the majority of medical schools. These intensive courses help medical students refresh their knowledge about clinical approaches, so they can hit the ground running when internship starts. 

If a Transition to Residency class is robust and offered at your institution, I would recommend taking it.

Also, when thinking about preparing for residency, I advised the student to consider ways to make life as smooth as possible: When I was in training, I splurged to pay for a laundry service. I never missed the money; instead of spending my downtime at a laundromat or an apartment complex laundry room, I was able to sleep a little more. 

Of course, I had to be frugal during residency, as many others do, but doing one or two things that can make your life better can pay dividends.