Source: jintus.blogspot.com
“As you gain knowledge, stay grounded. Learn and re-learn because you will forget if you do not. Grow some thick skin in the process. Remind yourself why you wanted to help people through medicine. Do not pursue medicine for money; the most important things in life are not things.”
These are the expectations I set myself each academic year. In exams, I will study hard, smart and do the best to my ability.
“I must become an excellent doctor. I must be the best among the best.”
This is what I heard during my journey as a medical student. Or maybe this sounds familiar too, “I must work hard so that I can be in the dean’s list.” No matter who you are, you will have your own expectations of yourselves. High or low, it depends on your ability to achieve the goal you are aiming for. Some students draw charts and tables to record their performance in studies daily, then compare with others, and some might even strategise on how they would perform better and beat the rest of their colleagues.
It is good to have high expectations. A combination of skill, knowledge and belief will enable a person to engage in goal-directed, self-regulated, autonomous behaviour. An understanding of one’s strengths together with a belief in oneself as a capable and effective person is essential to self-determination. When acting on the basis of these skills and attitude, individuals have greater ability to take control of their lives and assume the role of successful adults. But it depends on how you manage yourself in this journey of reaching your expectations. It is not easy, for sure. What if you stumble in between the process? What would you do?
I am sure most medical students know how it feels to fail the subject they studied for several weeks or maybe, months. You thought you have prepared enough and feel able to reach your expectations. But the results showed otherwise. Some students might give up after their first failure, others who kept failing in after several attempts would end up quitting medical school. They tend to spot tiny mistakes and imperfections in their work and in themselves, as well as in others. They concentrate on these imperfections and have trouble seeing anything else. They are more judgmental and hard on themselves and on others when ‘failure’ occur. They push toward their goals by a fear of not reaching them, and see anything less than a perfectly met goal as a failure. They are so concerned on achieving the goal and avoiding failure to a point that they are unable to enjoy the process of growing and striving. Students tend to beat themselves up and wallow in negative feelings when their high expectations are unmet. This leads to procrastination, low self-esteem, and defensiveness. A serious disposition, an attitude of self-reliance, a “driven” personality, and tendencies to overachieve are some of the contributors to a cycle that leads to burnout in students.
It is essential to develop effective coping skills to succeed in a healthy manner, both in medical school and later in life. An individual’s reaction to, and the ability to cope with stress may be more important than lessening the load. Medical student possess a strong ego identity. Here are a few tips to stand up and fight again for your goal:
Journal your progress, manage time and set personal priorities, cultivate relationships, seek professional help and develop your world view. Do not strive for the perfect score. Enjoy your hardships.
Medical school is a very humbling experience. I have been placed in many difficult situations involving exams, patients and other colleagues and there have been times where I have not always succeeded. You must learn that this is completely fine. The art of medical practice is one that is continuously being honed for the rest of your life. Do not be afraid to make mistakes and stumble, as this will almost certainly happen. Learning from your mistakes now will help you become a better doctor in the future and subsequently be able to provide better care for your patients.
Regardless of where you are in your medical aspirations, keep in mind the enormous commitment that will be required of you. Medical school itself is a primer for life as a medical doctor and the challenges you face there will continue for the rest of your life. But I assure you, if you are dedicated to the medical dream, the rewards are worth it. Do not be afraid to take the leap. Have confidence in yourself and keep in mind these challenges are there so that you can be prepared to tackle them head on as you pursue your dream. Resilience, determination, and sacrifice will take you there.
D’Dyanna Lajamin is a 4th year Sabahan medical student currently studying in Kursk State Medical University, Russia. Know more about her under the Young Columnist tab.