“It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you’re not.”
You feel like you’re inadequate at what you do, unworthy of praise, and unaccomplished when compared to everyone else around you. Sound familiar to you?
Chances are that you’re dealing with Imposter Syndrome – it’s everywhere, but especially prevalent among pre-meds and medical students. I’ve personally felt this way during my pre-med experience so far, and I continue to work towards overcoming this every day.
When everyone else seems so organized and confident, it’s easy for me to feel like I’m behind and not doing as well. So, to anyone feeling even remotely similar, I want to emphasize that you’re certainly not alone.
I’ve learned to recognize some of the signs of Imposter Syndrome, as well as develop some ways to overcome them:
“Nah, my success is just due to luck.”
One common sign of Imposter Syndrome is discounting your accomplishments. You often believe that others got to where they are today because they’re extremely talented hard-working achievers, whereas you just got a lucky break.
Here’s the problem with this kind of mindset: when you start telling yourself that you’re “faking success,” then you begin to fall victim to insecurities that you’ve given yourself. Negative thoughts about not being smart enough or capable enough can consume your mind and be reflected in your attitude and academic performance.
At the end of the day, you have to remind yourself that challenges vary from person to person and no one can discount the adversities you have overcome to reach your goals. You are better than you think you are. You are smarter than you think you are. You know more than you give yourself credit for. Remember that.
“I’m not as smart as they think I am. I got an A- in that class.”
Another sign of Imposter Syndrome is feeling dissatisfied by anything short of perfection. After all, how on earth will you ever get into medical school with—dare I say it—an A-? On a more serious note, it can be difficult accepting anything other than impressive when you’ve set high expectations for yourself from the beginning. While it’s good to raise the bar and challenge yourself, it’s also just as important to commend your hard work and effort if things don’t go as expected.
As you embark on your journey to medical school, you will encounter many ups and downs. Skills that I’ve really had to develop are learning to let go, focusing on what went right, and determining what can be improved for next time. Taking each failure as a learning opportunity is key to not only having a healthy mindset about what success is, but also making it through the tough years of medical school and residency.
If you’ve truly been putting in the work, spending hours studying, and doing all of the million extracurricular things pre-meds do, there’s no way that you’re less than average. When you care so much about becoming a doctor, you are not an imposter.
“He or she is so ahead of the game. I don’t belong here.”
The worst part of Imposter Syndrome is the overwhelming self-doubt that can make trying not seem like a feasible option. Why bother to continue chasing your dream if other people look like they’re more deserving of it? Comparing yourself to peers can be dangerous territory, especially when what began as motivational competition turns into low self-esteem, arrogance, and jealousy.
One of the most powerful tools I’ve used to focus on myself and my journey has been thinking positively through visualization. Rather than thinking of all the things that could go wrong or come between me and my dream of becoming a doctor, I picture myself successfully reaching my goals. Imagine yourself receiving that admissions letter to your top medical school choice. Envision that exciting White Coat Ceremony, matching to your dream specialty, or seeing patients in your medical office.
A few years from now, it won’t matter if that one student in Physiology got those extra bonus points you didn’t, if you missed a party one Friday night because you chose to study, or if you shadowed 10 doctors instead of 11.
At the end of the day, you’re not alone in feeling like you aren’t enough. However, developing a growth mindset and staying focused on your strengths and what you have to offer is important to combating Imposter Syndrome. Not knowing something doesn’t make you a fraud—it simply makes you a student.
My last piece of advice is simply to talk about how you feel. Just because there is a societal emphasis on perfection and not making mistakes doesn’t mean that we should stop having conversations about mental health in the field of medicine. Physician burnout, depression, and imposter syndrome are often not discussed in fear of showcasing weakness.
Someone will always score slightly higher on a quiz than you or answer that question from the professor a little bit faster. However, to someone else, you’ll always be a little smarter and more impressive in their eyes.
This is just a reminder than in this profession, we are humans too and lifting each other up is important when working in collaboration with nurses, physician assistants, technicians, therapists, etc.
Your school did not make a mistake. You do not need to be someone perfect.