Small intentional habits make a difference
Miranda Montoya is a final-year PharmD candidate at The University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy and the 2024–2025 APhA–ASP national president.
Burnout is often associated with the typical signs of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. Most resources on managing burnout emphasize self-care strategies like getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and making time for enjoyable activities. While I agree that these recommendations can be effective in reducing burnout, they’re not always practical or achievable for student pharmacists.
The demanding nature of pharmacy school not only contributes to burnout, but also prevents students from effectively addressing it. The rigorous curriculum, demanding rotations, intense competition, and financial strain all weigh heavily on student pharmacists. When you pause to think about it, 3 to 4 years is an incredibly long time to endure constant stress.
I often remind myself, “The longer you burn, the longer it will take to recover.”
Having experienced burnout myself, I was inspired to create my 2024–2025 APhA–ASP presidential theme: “Each of Us, For All of Us.” Student pharmacists are so much more than their roles as students. Each of us brings unique strengths, characteristics, and interests that help our community in ways no one else can. As a final-year student pharmacist, I want to share a few words of wisdom with practical advice I’ve used to manage burnout during pharmacy school. These tips are based on standard well-being recommendation and are tailored specifically to the challenges of pharmacy school, ensuring you can prioritize your well-being without sacrificing academic performance.
Sun time
One simple strategy my friends and I use is something we call “sun time.” Sitting in a classroom all week can be draining, so during breaks, we’d step outside for 10 to 15 minutes to relax, vent, or simply enjoy each other’s company. I truly believe this small habit boosted our morale and helped us power through the day.
Showing gratitude
Another favorite practice was gratitude check-ins. About once a week or every other week, we’d write on sticky notes something we were grateful for about each other. I still have those sticky notes in my room to this day. They serve as a wonderful reminder, especially on days when imposter syndrome creeps in. Even if I don’t believe in myself that day, I know I’m surrounded by people who do.
Fun escapes
During those intense exam-cramming periods, we would take mindfulness breaks. And no, I don’t mean the mindfulness where you sit in silence meditating (though that’s great if it works for you!). Instead, we’d take fun breaks to refresh our brains. For example, we’d use drawing prompts to take turns sketching goofy pictures on the whiteboard or keep a coloring book and markers in our backpacks for quick creative escapes.
Remember, pharmacy school is tough, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer as a student pharmacist. Whether you are in the classroom or on rotations, small, intentional habits can make all the difference in the long run. You’ve got this!