When Megan Blasberg (DO ‘27) began medical school at PCOM Georgia, she equated success with relentless effort. Her days were packed with early morning lectures and her nights with marathon study sessions—leaving little room for rest.
Blasberg believed that sacrificing sleep would pay off academically, assuming that more hours spent studying would lead to better results. But as the first semester wore on, the impact of that approach became hard to ignore.
“My physical health deteriorated—I constantly felt fatigued, my immune system weakened, and I found myself frequently falling ill. Mentally, I was drained and struggling with focus, which left me with an overwhelming sense of burnout,” Blasberg said. “My social life became nonexistent, and despite all the time I spent studying, I was unable to obtain testing perfection. Instead of excelling, I felt like I was barely keeping up.”
After finishing her first semester, Blasberg recognized that her approach wasn’t sustainable. She made a conscious decision to put her well-being first—starting with sleep. She began aiming for at least seven hours of rest each night, established a consistent sleep routine, and gave herself permission to slow down. She also carved out time for social connection, whether that meant catching up with friends over coffee, getting back into hobbies, or staying active through regular exercise.
“It is miraculous what an hour’s walk outside can do,” she said.
For Blasberg, the shift made a remarkable difference. Even though she spent less time buried in textbooks, her focus sharpened, her understanding deepened, and her stress eased. Her grades improved as well, reinforcing the idea that how you study matters more than how long you study. Most importantly, she felt healthier, more content, and more grounded overall.
Do not underestimate the power of rest and a social life. Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you’re slacking—it means you are setting yourself up for long-term success.
Megan Blasberg (DO ‘27)
According to Jacqueline Kloss, PhD, professor in the department of clinical psychology and a specialist in sleep health, sleep can be considered as important to health as exercise and nutrition.
“Meeting one's sleep needs can serve to optimize functions that are vital to medical students, such as memory consolidation and executive function, mood regulation, immunity, and physical restoration,” she said. “Investing in healthy sleep habits can pay dividends on one's physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being.”
Blasberg came away from the experience with an important realization: success in medical school—and in life—isn’t just about putting in long hours, but about being intentional and working wisely. Caring for her sleep, mental health, and relationships wasn’t optional—it was essential. In hindsight, she’s thankful for the turning point that helped her embrace a more balanced path forward. She views that moment as when her perspective deepened, inspiring her to embrace a more balanced path—one where she cared for her well-being as diligently as she did her studies.
If she could offer one piece of advice to new medical students, it would be this: “Do not underestimate the power of rest and a social life. Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you’re slacking—it means you are setting yourself up for long-term success.”
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
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Email: kristenho1@pcom.edu
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