Start Early and Build a Routine

Hello! I'm Ghaith AlWawi, an incoming Anesthesia & Critical Care resident at Dubai Health. This transition from intern to resident has had me reflecting on other major academic transitions I’ve experienced—one of which was moving from the initial theoretical years of medical school into clinical rotation. And while that shift felt significant, I knew that what I needed was a resource that recontextualized the basic sciences I’m familiar with and presented them in a clinically relevant manner. 

I’d often seen senior students using OnlineMedEd, so I decided to give it a try. It didn't take much time for me to notice its unique style of embracing basic sciences to explain clinical concepts in a very methodological yet with a natural and intuitively logical flow. It was very easy to feel engaged with the content, especially with Dustyn’s novel and unconventional approach when explaining classical clinical topics and concepts. Soon enough, OnlineMedEd became the core resource I resorted to during the rest of my clinical training. 

I’ve found the PACE model especially effective—it breaks down learning into manageable steps: first laying the groundwork with pre-lecture material, then building a deeper understanding through the video lectures. The contrast between similar concepts is also presented side by side, helping cement knowledge and encouraging that "aha!" moment. Challenging myself with questions helped pinpoint gaps, and the flashcards allowed me to reinforce and personalize what I’d learned. I’d even add my own notes based on experiences on the wards, making the material my own. 

Looking back, I’d definitely recommend starting early and building a routine around this approach. Find your rhythm and make it your own—some days I’d dive straight into the questions, or skip around depending on what felt interesting at the time. Staying dynamic with the learning process helped me stay engaged and kept things fresh. 

Medicine is a field that’s constantly evolving, but the fundamentals stay solid. Having a strong foundation in the basics is invaluable, especially as the clinical world keeps shifting. OnlineMedEd provided an environment to develop that stable foundation—and I can’t stress enough how helpful that’s been for me, I can still tangibly sense this benefit even now after having begun my specialty training.