Many physicians and health care professionals leave their graduate education programs with a mountain of student loan debt from funding those hard-earned degrees. Navigating a strategy for paying medical school loans can seem daunting, particularly when also preparing for the next stage in a demanding career.

In the ten years following residency, I’ve learned more than all of those hours I spent in school, but in a different way. One day, you too will look back and have plenty of advice for those entering the field for the very first time. Here are the top ten things I’ve learned since residency.