What I wish I’d known as a pre-med

[Dr James Pretorius]

Thought I’d write the post I needed years ago, for whoever’s reading from the student forums. Not advice exactly, just the honest version.

Nobody feels ready, and the ones who act ready are acting. The work is mostly stubbornness, not genius. You will forget things you swore you’d never forget, and you’ll relearn them, and that’s the job. And the hands-on skills you grind now, the suturing, the bloods, are the things that stop feeling scary first and buy you confidence everywhere else. Practise them until they’re boring.

That’s it. Carry on, you’re doing better than you think.

[Sophie Bennett]

Saving this whole post for the bad days. The nobody-feels-ready line especially. Thank you for writing it.

[Thabo Mokoena]

needed this today honestly. screenshotting it

[Fatima Patel]

Everything James said, even from a few years behind him. The only thing I’d add is be kind to the version of you that’s struggling now. You’ll want to thank her later, not cringe at her.

[Hana Park]

Thank you all

[Morgan Lee]

Honestly reading this whole thread as an intern now hits different than it would have pre-med. James is right about the acting-ready thing, I promise you every senior resident who looks calm is just better at hiding the panic, not immune to it. Wish someone had told me the suturing and bloods stuff was gonna matter more for my confidence than any exam score did. Glad this is out there for the pre-meds lurking, you’re closer than you think.

[Author]

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