Starting Medical School: It is OK to be Nervous

to all my friends and my self
i think this article is good..enjoy read it


from medscape blogs
by: Jessica Freedman, MD, Emergency Medicine, 11:56AM Aug 8, 2009

"I am anxious."

"I am not sure I can handle the work."

"They made a mistake."

I often hear these comments from students as they are about to start medical school. For my first Medscape blog post, I thought it would be apropos to try and ease the tension of the next generation of doctors.

Self doubt is normal and, while not everyone will admit it, many people think they somehow fooled the admissions committee and the acceptance letter was actually meant for someone else. Believe me, this is simply not so. Getting into medical school is not easy and your acceptance is based on so many different criteria that mistakes rarely, if ever, happen. Indeed, feeling like a fraud is something you may experience at every major step of your career. Our evolution as physicians is gradual and on each new rung of the hierarchy (from medical student to resident to attending, etc.) you may ask yourself if you are really ready for greater responsibility.

So, you are concerned that you may not be able to handle the rigorous curriculum that is ahead of you. Don't forget that the prerequisites you took for medical school weren't exactly easy either. You did well on the MCAT (or well enough to gain acceptance to medical school). You must have faith that you possess the academic prowess to do well in medical school. Medical school admissions committees avoid accepting candidates whom they think might fail. By offering you an acceptance, they are telling you they believe in your abilities.

Your formal medical education is a new beginning. You will be surrounded by bright, motivated and like-minded peers. The people you meet will likely become some of your life-long friends and colleagues. The start of medical school also is often fun. There are social events, lots of talks (motivating, one hopes) by medical school administrators, and it isn't until that first day of anatomy that you really feel like a medical student. In contrast to many premedical classes, the environment in medical school is typically collaborative and supportive.

Many articles have been written about how depressing it is to be a medical student, but I feel differently. This is a tremendously exciting time in every doctor's life; it is your job to learn, to grow and to ask questions. Yes, you will work hard, but anything worthwhile in life requires significant time and commitment. You will meet diverse people, including your peers, resident and attending physicians, patients and staff. For many students, medical school will be their first foray into the real world; for all students, it will bring new lessons and insights. You can learn something from everyone -- every patient, physician, nurse and staff member can provide wisdom. You should learn not only about the type of doctor you hope to become but also the type of doctor you hope not to become. In this sense, every person senior to you should serve as a role model; you can learn from them all.

It would be odd if an individual about to start medical school wasn't nervous. In fact, a little anxiety is likely to help your performance. Be assured that the faculty on the admissions committee believe you have the skills to practice medicine and master the material presented to you. Feel honored that you are about to begin your formal medical education. And, don't be discouraged by some of the naysayers out there. Challenging times lie ahead, but a career in medicine will provide endless opportunities. Good luck!