I spent about eight years in medical school, a journey that was only supposed to last five. I got my admission late, a couple of weeks after most of my course mates had already resumed lectures. Imagine my shock and surprise when I was told on my first day that it was about two weeks to the CBD/IBS exam, the first exam in pre-clinicals. I was bombarded with so much material and knowledge that I felt like my brain was going to explode. This was my first experience of the tests and reality of medical school, tests that would continue for the rest of my programme.
Medical school is one place that will always test you; there is never truly a moment of rest. Every chilling posting will turn out to be the one that drains you the most, every chill course will turn out to be the one that tests you more than the ones that you were warned about. One of the most common pieces of advice you get is to read and read till you’re tired and then continue some more. However, you do not get to pass through medical school by just reading; there’s a special mix of smartness, prayers, support and having the right people by your side.
The clinical years were a different kind of challenge. You go from reading books to dealing with real people and real problems. I still remember the first time I clerked a patient and how nervous I was trying to remember the steps. Over time, the anxiety gave way to confidence, and I began to appreciate what it truly meant to be responsible for another human being. Those long ward rounds, clinics with infinite patients, night calls, and even the endless case discussions at grand rounds and morning reviews built not just knowledge, but endurance. They taught me empathy, the kind that comes from seeing patients at their weakest and realising that a kind word or smile can mean as much as a prescription.
Looking back, I realise that beyond the sleepless nights, long days, brutal exams and even crazier workload, medical school shaped my character, work ethics and style of thinking more than anything else. I learnt important lessons about discipline, humility, the value of teamwork and to have a strong belief in my abilities. There is a lot of uncertainty and self-doubt that comes up, especially when you get to the scoreboard and your scores start to look like shoe sizes rather than exam results. It’s one of the most defining moments for medical students – the first time you see that peri-40s score, you just never forget it, but such moments strengthen you. In these times, you must strive to remember that medical school is not just about perfection or being at your best at all times; it’s about persistence. You just have to keep showing up, even when you don’t want to.
It’s not all butterflies and roses, even for the best of us. There are times when the only thing between quitting and me was the amount of time and effort I had dedicated to the journey. You will doubt yourself; you will believe that you are no longer worthy of the love, belief and respect that friends and your family hold for you, that you are no longer what you used to be. The only solution is to get help, mental healthcare, and keep pushing because if you don’t finish it up, who will? A result is not the sum of who you are, a resit or a repeat does not make you a failure, only a hardened and seasoned warrior. Too many times, we let these things have too strong a hold on us, but in the end, we will prevail.
There’s a lot to say and not enough words for them. In the end, medical school wasn’t just an academic journey; it was a personal transformation. It taught me that strength isn’t the absence of struggle but the ability to keep moving despite it. I may have entered medical school as a young lad, uncertain and overwhelmed, but I’m leaving with confidence, gratitude, and the quiet assurance that I can face whatever comes next.
As narrated by: Uchegbu Emmanuel (Ilorin, Nigeria).
This snippet is published as part of the series, Surviving Medical School.
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