Lessons learned after completing the first block of medical school

I just wanted to share my thoughts after completing the first block of medical school. I’ve learned so many lessons and I hope this helps those who are beginning the journey, or even having second thoughts regarding their commitment to the journey. Hope this helps💙

REFLECTIONS: Lessons learned over the first block in medical school:

1. Self-doubt will set in. Comparison to others will set in. Imposter syndrome lurks around every corner.

2. Medical school is a mind game, and you have to learn to wear blinders comfortably. Horses run with blinders for a reason. If you compare your race or judge your race according to others standards, you will always feel inadequate. Run your own race!

3. A great support system is necessary and essential to your success. If you have people around you who are undercover jealous or are not working towards their goals, what you do may “offend” them. If you keep people like this in your life, it is a recipe for YOUR disaster. I understand why a kitchen strainer is vitally important. The kitchen strainer sifts food particles from the water and like the kitchen strainer, you must sift through the people in your life. Once you do, you can see clearer and not be weighed down by other people’s burdens.

4. Those who respect what you are doing, are genuinely concerned, and are cheering you on will respect your needed boundaries. They will not be “offended” when you must tend to your business. Your relationships will pick up where you left off and you’ll talk in between AND there will be no “injury” to the relationship. You will find out who only cares about their emergencies and demands being your issue and they make an issue when you do not respond. They will never understand, especially depending on their motives and level of selfishness, why you are grinding so hard. Don’t try to make them understand. Sift them from your life.

5. Medical school challenges you to control what you can control and not feel guilty or obligated for those things you cannot control or is not yours TO control or fix. You start analyzing, “What is mine?”, “What have I taken on?”, and “What do I need to give back to the person who it belongs to?” It challenges you to also make arrangements for those things that temporarily require your necessity to ask for help.

6. Even Superman needed help. You cannot be all things to you and everyone else AND it is ok. You must believe that. And know it’s ok. It does not make you weak. It makes you strong and human. GET HELP with daily tasks and obligations and those who have signed up to do and more importantly being paid to do, INSIST THEY DO what they are supposed to do or find others who will. It also hits you in the face that winning overworked, over stressed, overextended award of the year is overrated.

7. No is a complete sentence. I cannot is too. No explanation do you have to give others and if they are for you they will understand.

8. Let your light shine. Not for bragging rights because you should understand, all things come from God. It’s not for those who are members of the National Negative Association. But you are letting your light shine freeing others to know that they can let their light shine to. If you can do it they can.

9. It’s not your obligation to continue to drag people across their destiny finish line. Somewhere, they must do what you did. Be inspired. Do the work. If they don’t, count it as a seed being planted and pray for the harvest to yield. If it doesn’t, it’s not your farm to tend to.

10. Self-care and congratulations, including celebrating small and large accomplishments are necessary. Even if you must do it by yourself. Do not wait or depend on likes or comments because after a while, most of the likes and comments will stop after you continue accomplishing your goals. Be ok with that if the why you do it is out of the right motive.

11. This is a weeding out period. The school is not weeding you out, but you will see that people will weed themselves out. Read that again. Read it one more time. Your responsibility lies with what you must complete. Not with how what you complete makes people feel. Trust the process and what the Lord allows. Do not get distracted.

12. Everything that can happen, will happen. It’s a distraction. Recognize it, step over it, and continue the race.

13. You cannot do any of this without prayer and God (or whatever you believe in as the higher power). Do not even try to. And when you depend on God, give it to God, and just be accountable for YOU doing the right thing, 1-13 are easier.

14. Get rest when you are tired. You do not have to feel bad or justify. You are not a robot.

15. Open your mouth to your professors. They are people too and life happens to them as well. When you can advocate for yourself, it makes them respect you and give you a chance. Accountability and responsibility is vital. Do what you can do as much as you can in advance to prepare for classes because they are coming. Your stress level will thank you.

16. Time management is crucial. Boundaries are vital. You have to make You Important and paramount. Your support system is very important. #16 will help guide you through your process to accomplish 1-15.

17. Whoever is left after the process were meant to be part of your life. They’ve stood with you. Be thankful, but know, there will only be a handful of people.

BONUS: you will recognize how much people stay operating out of feelings and not facts. Don’t get caught up. That’s not your cross to carry.