Tamioor Chaudhry

Tamioor Chaudhry, OMS I

Hello! My name is Taimoor, and I am a first-year DO student. I was born, raised, and currently live in Queens, New York. I went to New York Tech for undergrad as a former student in the
B.S/D.O program, where I earned my Bachelor’s in Biology.

Given my familiarity with New York Tech and wanting to stay close to home, NYITCOM was the perfect place for me to pursue medicine.

I am currently in the middle of my second semester. It has been quite the endeavor, but the experience has been rewarding. Although my schedule will change often, here is what a typical Day in the Life looks like for me!

8 a.m.: Rise and Shine OMS-1
Every weekday, I wake up to the lovely song of my alarm clock at 8:00 AM. On the weekends, I
will give myself the luxury of an extra hour of sleep, but I always make sure to get 7 to 8 hour of sleep consistently!

8 – 10 a.m.: Morning Prep
Once I leave the loving embrace of my bed, it’s time to prepare for the day. I like to use the first hour to take a nice shower, make time for self-care, and have a good breakfast. The second hour, I dedicate to catching up on emails, planning my study goals, and handling miscellaneous tasks/errands.

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Let the Studying Begin
On lab days, I like to get at least one lecture completed before heading to campus. My first pass
consists of listening to a lecture on Canvas and typing out my notes on Notion. Afterwards, I like
to do practice questions to reinforce what I reviewed.

1 – 2 p.m.: Lunch with a Sprinkle of Anki
On average, it takes me around 3 hours to complete a lecture. Once I complete it, I will take a
break to have lunch and do some Anki cards on my iPad.

2:00 PM to 2:25 PM: Northern State Parkway
Commuting from Queens usually takes me around 25 minutes. I love driving and, with my
Spotify playlist, my commutes feel like mini-concert sessions and serve as fun breaks between
studying.

2:25 – 3 p.m.: Serota
It’s important to be on time for labs and school events. I like to keep at least a half-hour margin in the event of heavy traffic. When I come to campus, I can be found in the Serota Academic
Center. I will usually find my friends in the William Roger Silent Study Space, or I will go down to the common area in the basement. Before the lab, I like to preview the lab content. If there is time, I will go to our Multi-Faith Prayer room, praying helps keep me grounded and allows me to reflect on my journey and show gratitude.

3 – 5 p.m.: Lab’O’Clock
On Tuesdays, I will have Doctor Patient Relations (DPR) Lab, and on Thursdays, I will have Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Lab. In DPR, we learn about patient encounters, tests for physical exams, and develop our interpersonal skills as future physicians. In OMM, we learn how to treat the body using our hands and various techniques like Muscle Energy, Counterstrain, or HVLA. I enjoy the hands-on learning and working with my pod-mates to learn new skills that we will use in the clinic.

5 – 5:20 p.m.: Cedar Swamp Road
After the lab, I will drive down to Hicksville, which is 20 minutes south of Old Westbury. My
friends and I like to meet up at a local coffee shop to review our lectures.

5:20 PM to 9:00 PM: Lattes and Empanadas
My favorite coffee shop is MOTW in Hicksville. I recommend the Caramel Avalanche Latte and
the Philly Cheesesteak empanada. Group studying is one of my favorite ways to prepare for our
exams. We go through each lecture, quiz each other, make mnemonics, and fill in any
knowledge gaps we may have. Group study is a great way to make sure you understand the
content and helps to keep you accountable. It also removes the stress of studying, and it’s even
better when you reward yourself with a nice meal to celebrate a productive session.

9 – 9:30 p.m.: Interstate 495
After group study ends, I head to the LA Fitness near my home to workout.

9:30 – 10:45 p.m.: Gym Arc
After a productive day of studying, I like to spend one hour at the gym at least 2-3 times a week.
Physical fitness is very important to maintain, and as medical students, we remain sedentary for
a majority of our day, so giving our bodies exercise helps reduce the effects associated with
sitting for long periods of time. It is also a great way to reduce stress. Currently, my gym partner
and I are training in calisthenics!

10:45 – 11:00 p.m.: Rest and Digest
After the gym, I come back home, wash up, and settle in. 10 times out of 10, I am hungry, so I’ll
have a late dinner. Some days it may be take-out, but nothing will ever beat the comfort of a
homemade meal. Having a balanced diet gives you the proper nutrients for the body to repair
and maintain itself when you sleep.

11 p.m. – 12 a.m.: Family Time
It is important to spend time studying, going to the lab, working out, and maintaining focus for
upcoming exams and deadlines. It is equally important to make time with your loved ones.
Having a support system is key to preventing the feeling of burnout, and when times are tough,
they are there to catch you and raise you back up. I usually spend time with my family to
destress and talk about any funny stories or experiences. On the weekends, I may enter a voice
call and play video games with my friends. Once it reaches around midnight, it’s time for bed.

Midnight: Sleep Cycle Night Shift
Around 12 am, I return to the warm embrace of my bed and set my alarm for 8 am. I aim to get around 7 to 8 hours of sleep because it’s important to give your brain ample time to process and consolidate new information and memories. Allowing for multiple sleep cycles to occur helps reduce fatigue and reset our bodies to handle another day of growing our medical knowledge.

Medical school is not easy, and our schedules can become very overwhelming, very quickly. 3 words that are important to me are Consistency, Organization, and Adaptability. Having a routine and sticking to it helps keep me on track. I like to plan and organize my day, week, and block so I know what deadlines are coming up and when I need to meet my targets. And adaptability ensures that when the inevitable bumps in the road arise, I can steer back on track immediately. Not every day will look the same in my experience, but incorporating these 3 things has helped me handle the stress and load of medical school thus far. And at NYITCOM, the people I have met, the resources that are offered, and the support that we receive (from our peers, family, and the faculty) have made medical school a journey to enjoy. Thank you for reading my Day in the Life, and if you see me on campus, say hello