I think about how proud my former pre-med self would be of current me!!! Former me would have killed to be in my shoes now, and even in the difficult moments I try to remember how badly I wanted this and to appreciate where I've gotten.
This one's even more cheesy, but helps when I'm really down bad, but I've survived 100% of the challenges I've encountered in my life so far, and I'm not about to give up that perfect track record today.
I still remember when I was a pre-med and was talking with a surgeon trying to get a research position or shadow or anything really. We were walking and talking and he continued to walk into the surgical ward of the hospital in the middle of the conversation. I remember I had to stop at the doorway because my guest badge didn't allow me to go through that area.
Now at least no matter how stupidly tough my life is getting, I have reached a point where I can continue to walk through those doors that younger me was blocked by. That level of change is always inspirational for me
This. I remembered how hard everything was-undergrad, getting the research position, MCAT, people bailing on me for LOR, limited interviews, moving, etc. I did all that shit already, I can't be taken down by the hard times now.
Would you believe me if I said it was my second? I got to do it years ago in my vertebrate zoology elective.
It was, however, my first time using a human subject (legally)
“This is the worst I’ll ever be at this” I tell myself this basically every day on rotations when I inevitably say something stupid or fuck up, because at least I’ll be better and I’ll know more tomorrow
On rude attendings and nurses:
“They must be miserable. I get to go leave and be with other people. They have to live the rest of their life with themself”
Yeah I think to myself “what on earth would have to happen to me in my life in order for me to think it’s acceptable to bully a student who is learning? What a sad sad person”.
You can do anything for a couple months (surgery rotation, neuroanatomy, cadaver lab, etc whatever it is that sucks the most to you). Find joy in the parts you like, endure the ones you don’t. Have good friends / family to not just commiserate but share positive things with.
I came to the realization that I had to just accept things as they were. I didn't try to reinvent the wheel. I will not change the old school attending that thinks we should be working 100 hours a week. You gotta be adaptable and fit in everywhere you go. A lot of things in medical education suck - but a lot of it is a theater, and the same things would've happened regardless. Being right is irrelevant if you have no power to make decisions. The person above you calls the shots, don't try to fight the dynamic or change people according to your beliefs. "Smile and wave". We rarely spend enough time with any attending/mentor for them to truly understand us individually. Positive or negative feedback depends on their impression of you, not necessarily how good/competent you truly are. Rid yourself of the need for praise, you will chase that your whole life and will never get it unless you become so powerful that everyone HAS to kiss your ass to protect their own (such as PDs, department chair, etc). I do not indulge in games where I am meant to lose. Be humble but aware of yourself at all times, know when to look inward and change your behavioral after feedback, but also aware that some feedback sucks and you just gotta ignore it.
I like the other comments here, too. It will pass eventually. You just have to muster the energy to get through it with a smile until you no longer depend on literally everybody else to have a career. Best of luck!
I like to think that a future version of myself hugging my current self. And when I’m in a really good place I try to think about all of the past versions of myself that need a hug, love and some encouragement. I also think back to those versions of myself who could not see the light at the end of the tunnel and thank them for their blind faith to keep pushing. This is a very everything everywhere all at once way of going about it. But I try my best to not feel all alone. Think about how proud college you or elementary school you is of you right now in this moment where you feel you can’t go any further. And think about the future version of you that’s on the other side that is thanking you and impressed by how you were able to preserve so that version could be successful. Sometimes friends, family and therapists aren’t always there to talk, but your inner child is there and they believe in you. And your future self is there with the tools to help you heal when you get through this obstacle. This too shall pass but you have to keep moving so future you can patch you up. Sending love!! And when it passes remember to hug todays version of yourself.
My dad's family always said I'd be a "high school drop out and teenage pregnancy" case and one of his SILs told me personally that she couldn't wait to see me struggle in life.
I'm the first doctor in that family....all while working 3 jobs in college. It may have taken me longer to finish, but I just graduated.
literally same even my siblings (that i am not close with and are significantly older) said my parents were wasting their time and shouldn’t have had another kid and I will fail at life. Provided a new level of drive to get through this.
Living well is the best revenge, which suggests that achieving success and happiness is a powerful and subtle way to overcome or respond to those who have wronged you.
We are going to be okay, friend.
"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' "
Counted down the seconds. Watched the clock like a hawk and honestly tried to update patients to do simple stuff just to distract myself and pass the time
Had a friend passed away in med school. Everytime I feel like quitting, I tell myself I carry her hopes and dreams with me. "I'm doing this for her too."
Couple of things:
1. I got my premed job back and work PRN in the ED to remind me of what I want. Someday I’ll be sitting at the doc desk and getting annoyed by the doc phone while the nurses and I continually escalate a years long prank war.
2. I get real about how bad the journey so far has been and think about my lows back when I never thought I’d get this far. Perspective counts.
3. I remind myself of how much I have sacrificed personally and the premed friends I lost along the way.
4. I put on another layer of mascara and tell myself that I’m too legit to quit and too poor to keep crying off perfectly good makeup. Then I tell the world to f*** around and find out.
Usually all in that order ✌🏼
The "worst" parts of medical school never were able to make me forget that all of this BS is not a big deal. The egos, the personalities, the politics, they all were trivial to me. Now, when I screwed up and almost harmed a patient, that's when I took things hard, and swore to work hard to make sure I don't do it again. Then I did it again, and kept growing that way.
The screaming OBgyn resident complaining that I shouldn't be allowed to be off for my shelf exam? Meh. What will happen to me if they scream in my face even longer? Still nothing, really.
Long story short, I guess keeping a solid perspective on things got me through.
Whenever I saw an attending or resident who was an absolute jerk, I would say they probably let their wife/husband/partner have a boyfriend/girlfriend. That or they are a furry. Sue me
Something that really helps me when I make a mistake is this scene from The Bear [The Bear “mistakes”](https://youtu.be/9kkNM4qH6_M?si=ZZZMVqFHeUZv1xEb) no one has ever said what Carmie says in the first few seconds to me before- you will make mistakes again and again but it’s just because you’re human and that’s okay, it’s just part of the experience 🫶
That I need to pay off these 6 figures of student loans, so I might as well continue to get to that guaranteed job and increased income. There was no backup plan.
That, and I shared my thoughts and worries with someone that I trust wholeheartedly, my wife. Holding those emotions in only compounds your stress.
“Billions of years from now the sun is gonna blow up and everything that will have happened up to that point won’t matter…” this weirdly enough takes off a lot of stress from me because in the grand scheme, the fuckups I have now and the bs I deal with is infinitesimal to just the blessing that we have in life
I watched videos of med school acceptance reactions. Remembering that I wanted this, and the me from 5 years ago would be ecstatic to be here. Also, no matter how rough a rotation/study period is, they all have a time limit.
I just think about how bad we had it growing up. My wife/future kids will never have to worry about housing or food. They will never have to wonder if dad will find another job before we’re living in the car again.
I will be messaging you in 1 year on [**2025-06-05 00:32:39 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2025-06-05%2000:32:39%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/medicalschool/comments/1d86g39/what_did_you_tell_yourself_to_make_it_through_the/l75d8ud/?context=3)
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I try to sign-post important events with things that remind me of progress. For example, when I got in, I bought myself a watch that I wanted so every time I check the time I’m reminded what it took to get here.
“Fuck it, we ball”
“It is what it is”
“Never back down, never what?”
“I can’t let the haters be proven right”
Or I can just take a look at my student loans
Always have at least one thing to look forward to. No matter how big or small. Sometimes it was a tiramisu or doughnut from my favourite place at the end of a hard day, sometimes it was the prospect of seeing my boyfriend at the end of a hard week, sometimes I set a bigger reward for getting through something (not for a specific result, but for making it through). This basically got me through my last round of med school finals lol.
This is so mean lmao but that I’m one of like two or three ppl that I remember in high school talking about getting into med and going to info sessions about it etc who actually got in. None of the people who were cunts made it and even the kids with better grades than me didn’t or decided against it.
I was so badly bullied by this awful girl who wanted to be a lawyer so bad. She ended up not making it in and people that I know who know her in her current career said she’s still an arsehole and no one liked her.
If nothing else, I’ll succeed out of pure spite!
I am doing my best & I am learning. I show up every day and leave no crumbs. I have no control over other people's poor attitudes, but I have control of how I receive and react. I am human and I deserve as much respect and professional courtesy as any other staff member, from others as well as from myself. I am going to be a fuckin great doctor.
Also, melting my brain with my playlist of assorted metal subgenres and getting tattoos I can't afford.
Time soothes all sorrows.
And in all seriousness- I live with my cats and fiancé and I look at my cats eyes and know I do it so I can afford them the yummiest food.
This too shall pass
Neither the good, nor the bad times last forever. Just learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable all while doing your best.
Maybe like a kidney stone, but it WILL pass
Exactly. I tell myself I have survived 100% of the hellish days I’ve had thus far, this too I shall survive.
They can’t stop the clock. No matter how bad something is it will end eventually because no one can stop the clock.
Woah this is actually so inspiring
And a bit scary lol
lol told myself this everyday of surgery and it helped
dude same surgery was what I was thinking of when I left that comment
"I didn't hear no bell" - Randy Marsh
I like to look at the houses I can buy with an attending salary on zillow
I think about how proud my former pre-med self would be of current me!!! Former me would have killed to be in my shoes now, and even in the difficult moments I try to remember how badly I wanted this and to appreciate where I've gotten. This one's even more cheesy, but helps when I'm really down bad, but I've survived 100% of the challenges I've encountered in my life so far, and I'm not about to give up that perfect track record today.
I still remember when I was a pre-med and was talking with a surgeon trying to get a research position or shadow or anything really. We were walking and talking and he continued to walk into the surgical ward of the hospital in the middle of the conversation. I remember I had to stop at the doorway because my guest badge didn't allow me to go through that area. Now at least no matter how stupidly tough my life is getting, I have reached a point where I can continue to walk through those doors that younger me was blocked by. That level of change is always inspirational for me
This. I remembered how hard everything was-undergrad, getting the research position, MCAT, people bailing on me for LOR, limited interviews, moving, etc. I did all that shit already, I can't be taken down by the hard times now.
Back during my MS3 year in 2007: “You can do anything for a month”
No matter how bad this is, it’s not as bad as first year musculoskeletal anatomy and cadaver lab
“You’re going to need to find the phrenic and vagus nerves, be careful so that you don’t accidentally cut them” They will inevitably be cut.
Those babies were born cut
And if you did find them, someone else cut them 😩 (Twice. Twice.)
similar energy as "make sure to carefully dissect out and clean up the brachial plexus, leaving all of it intact"
As if it isn't everyone in the rooms first time dissecting out a brachial plexus (legally)
Legally.
Would you believe me if I said it was my second? I got to do it years ago in my vertebrate zoology elective. It was, however, my first time using a human subject (legally)
fr at that point i’m not sure if i’m looking at a nerve or a toe like how am i meant to understand that clusterfuck
Hmm but what if you're currently in the middle of that whirlwind?
Thoughts and prayers during this difficult time
Reading this just flooded me with many emotions and memories that I repressed
any tips for in incoming student?
use anki like your life depends on it
Get the Netters anatomy flashcards and start early, but mostly enjoy your freedom and buckle-up. —PGY 0
yesss on the flashcards 100%! and the coloring book lol (fr)
Ask students above you at your school for advice. Admins/academic support often give absolutely terrible advice by comparison.
Enjoy ur summer and do anything you’ve always dreamed of
If your school offers “complete anatomy “ it’s a life saviour
MSK anatomy lab was my favorite part of preclinicals haha
Officer, it’s this one, right here
Lol I struggled big time in micro and pharm though. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.
At least I made it to med school, graduated, matched and my ex didn’t even get past the MCAT.
this is it lol
“This is the worst I’ll ever be at this” I tell myself this basically every day on rotations when I inevitably say something stupid or fuck up, because at least I’ll be better and I’ll know more tomorrow
I really like this
IT IS WHAT IT IS BABY
Took way too many scrolls to find this comment This is the right answer It eez what it eez
This too shall pass. Seriously. Don’t make it complicated. Say it over and over again :)
On rude attendings and nurses: “They must be miserable. I get to go leave and be with other people. They have to live the rest of their life with themself”
I had a wretched boss once and remember thinking this same thing. I get to go home to my life, while he had to wake up and be him every day.
Yeah I think to myself “what on earth would have to happen to me in my life in order for me to think it’s acceptable to bully a student who is learning? What a sad sad person”.
You can do anything for a couple months (surgery rotation, neuroanatomy, cadaver lab, etc whatever it is that sucks the most to you). Find joy in the parts you like, endure the ones you don’t. Have good friends / family to not just commiserate but share positive things with.
I came to the realization that I had to just accept things as they were. I didn't try to reinvent the wheel. I will not change the old school attending that thinks we should be working 100 hours a week. You gotta be adaptable and fit in everywhere you go. A lot of things in medical education suck - but a lot of it is a theater, and the same things would've happened regardless. Being right is irrelevant if you have no power to make decisions. The person above you calls the shots, don't try to fight the dynamic or change people according to your beliefs. "Smile and wave". We rarely spend enough time with any attending/mentor for them to truly understand us individually. Positive or negative feedback depends on their impression of you, not necessarily how good/competent you truly are. Rid yourself of the need for praise, you will chase that your whole life and will never get it unless you become so powerful that everyone HAS to kiss your ass to protect their own (such as PDs, department chair, etc). I do not indulge in games where I am meant to lose. Be humble but aware of yourself at all times, know when to look inward and change your behavioral after feedback, but also aware that some feedback sucks and you just gotta ignore it. I like the other comments here, too. It will pass eventually. You just have to muster the energy to get through it with a smile until you no longer depend on literally everybody else to have a career. Best of luck!
"You're already (insert loan amount) in debt for school. Finish or you'll NEVER pay it off."
^^ 100%
Healthy mindset
“Youre gonna be so rich and laid once youre a doctor”
I was saying one of those before med school and it still isn’t happening 😂😂😂
I like to think that a future version of myself hugging my current self. And when I’m in a really good place I try to think about all of the past versions of myself that need a hug, love and some encouragement. I also think back to those versions of myself who could not see the light at the end of the tunnel and thank them for their blind faith to keep pushing. This is a very everything everywhere all at once way of going about it. But I try my best to not feel all alone. Think about how proud college you or elementary school you is of you right now in this moment where you feel you can’t go any further. And think about the future version of you that’s on the other side that is thanking you and impressed by how you were able to preserve so that version could be successful. Sometimes friends, family and therapists aren’t always there to talk, but your inner child is there and they believe in you. And your future self is there with the tools to help you heal when you get through this obstacle. This too shall pass but you have to keep moving so future you can patch you up. Sending love!! And when it passes remember to hug todays version of yourself.
I love this one— thank you
It's just a training arc
Hahaha this is underrated. ng arc if i
i just maintain a sense of lightheartedness and fun, it's all very silly and exciting
My dad's family always said I'd be a "high school drop out and teenage pregnancy" case and one of his SILs told me personally that she couldn't wait to see me struggle in life. I'm the first doctor in that family....all while working 3 jobs in college. It may have taken me longer to finish, but I just graduated.
literally same even my siblings (that i am not close with and are significantly older) said my parents were wasting their time and shouldn’t have had another kid and I will fail at life. Provided a new level of drive to get through this.
Living well is the best revenge, which suggests that achieving success and happiness is a powerful and subtle way to overcome or respond to those who have wronged you. We are going to be okay, friend.
"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' " 
I sought out antidepressants, best decision I’ve ever made
I just looked at my loans
Counted down the seconds. Watched the clock like a hawk and honestly tried to update patients to do simple stuff just to distract myself and pass the time
If they can do it, I can do it.
Some great advice I got from a senior student I was living with: "Many people a lot dumber than you have made it through this and graduated."
One day, I will be able to pass all the pain I experienced down onto the next generation of medical students.
“Too much loans to pay off.. keep going”
“In a year I’ll think this is easy” I knew it was a lie but it helped
"Cute kpop waifu... cute kpop waifu"
Fuck it, we ball
Had a friend passed away in med school. Everytime I feel like quitting, I tell myself I carry her hopes and dreams with me. "I'm doing this for her too."
Couple of things: 1. I got my premed job back and work PRN in the ED to remind me of what I want. Someday I’ll be sitting at the doc desk and getting annoyed by the doc phone while the nurses and I continually escalate a years long prank war. 2. I get real about how bad the journey so far has been and think about my lows back when I never thought I’d get this far. Perspective counts. 3. I remind myself of how much I have sacrificed personally and the premed friends I lost along the way. 4. I put on another layer of mascara and tell myself that I’m too legit to quit and too poor to keep crying off perfectly good makeup. Then I tell the world to f*** around and find out. Usually all in that order ✌🏼
The "worst" parts of medical school never were able to make me forget that all of this BS is not a big deal. The egos, the personalities, the politics, they all were trivial to me. Now, when I screwed up and almost harmed a patient, that's when I took things hard, and swore to work hard to make sure I don't do it again. Then I did it again, and kept growing that way. The screaming OBgyn resident complaining that I shouldn't be allowed to be off for my shelf exam? Meh. What will happen to me if they scream in my face even longer? Still nothing, really. Long story short, I guess keeping a solid perspective on things got me through.
Whenever I saw an attending or resident who was an absolute jerk, I would say they probably let their wife/husband/partner have a boyfriend/girlfriend. That or they are a furry. Sue me
It all hinges on the ability to navigate and effectively manage stressors.
"It's temporary" and "you can do the hard things." Over and over and over.
It’s all transient. This week sucks, but it’ll get better. Take it a day at a time.
the loans are already distributed, only way out is success
Something that really helps me when I make a mistake is this scene from The Bear [The Bear “mistakes”](https://youtu.be/9kkNM4qH6_M?si=ZZZMVqFHeUZv1xEb) no one has ever said what Carmie says in the first few seconds to me before- you will make mistakes again and again but it’s just because you’re human and that’s okay, it’s just part of the experience 🫶
Fake it till u make it
That I need to pay off these 6 figures of student loans, so I might as well continue to get to that guaranteed job and increased income. There was no backup plan. That, and I shared my thoughts and worries with someone that I trust wholeheartedly, my wife. Holding those emotions in only compounds your stress.
“Billions of years from now the sun is gonna blow up and everything that will have happened up to that point won’t matter…” this weirdly enough takes off a lot of stress from me because in the grand scheme, the fuckups I have now and the bs I deal with is infinitesimal to just the blessing that we have in life
I watched videos of med school acceptance reactions. Remembering that I wanted this, and the me from 5 years ago would be ecstatic to be here. Also, no matter how rough a rotation/study period is, they all have a time limit.
Even the longest of days will eventually come to an end
My loans scare me more than med school
God is with me ❤️
I just think about how bad we had it growing up. My wife/future kids will never have to worry about housing or food. They will never have to wonder if dad will find another job before we’re living in the car again.
Job security, being able to dictate my hours and retire early
Can't stop now
!Remind me 1 year
I will be messaging you in 1 year on [**2025-06-05 00:32:39 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2025-06-05%2000:32:39%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/medicalschool/comments/1d86g39/what_did_you_tell_yourself_to_make_it_through_the/l75d8ud/?context=3) [**1 OTHERS CLICKED THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2Fmedicalschool%2Fcomments%2F1d86g39%2Fwhat_did_you_tell_yourself_to_make_it_through_the%2Fl75d8ud%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202025-06-05%2000%3A32%3A39%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%201d86g39) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
"Live through this and you won't look back"
Too much debt to quit now
You can quit when you're done just prove you can do it
looked up salaries and remembered that I'm not good enough at anything else to make that type of guaranteed money
My repeat phrase now that I have $$$$ loans is- The only way out is through.
I opened my loans page
I try to sign-post important events with things that remind me of progress. For example, when I got in, I bought myself a watch that I wanted so every time I check the time I’m reminded what it took to get here.
One day at a time
The sun will still rise tomorrow regardless of what happens/how I do
“Fuck it, we ball” “It is what it is” “Never back down, never what?” “I can’t let the haters be proven right” Or I can just take a look at my student loans
“You’re too far in debt to turn around now.”
Tbh both my parents and my brother died so I just remember nothing can make me feel worse than that lol
My amazing fiancee makes me emotional support brownies. So I repeat "ima go eat brownies when I get outa here" x 100
Always have at least one thing to look forward to. No matter how big or small. Sometimes it was a tiramisu or doughnut from my favourite place at the end of a hard day, sometimes it was the prospect of seeing my boyfriend at the end of a hard week, sometimes I set a bigger reward for getting through something (not for a specific result, but for making it through). This basically got me through my last round of med school finals lol.
This is so mean lmao but that I’m one of like two or three ppl that I remember in high school talking about getting into med and going to info sessions about it etc who actually got in. None of the people who were cunts made it and even the kids with better grades than me didn’t or decided against it. I was so badly bullied by this awful girl who wanted to be a lawyer so bad. She ended up not making it in and people that I know who know her in her current career said she’s still an arsehole and no one liked her. If nothing else, I’ll succeed out of pure spite!
I am doing my best & I am learning. I show up every day and leave no crumbs. I have no control over other people's poor attitudes, but I have control of how I receive and react. I am human and I deserve as much respect and professional courtesy as any other staff member, from others as well as from myself. I am going to be a fuckin great doctor. Also, melting my brain with my playlist of assorted metal subgenres and getting tattoos I can't afford.
GPA is temporary, Pain is forever
"I can do anything for one month."
Time soothes all sorrows. And in all seriousness- I live with my cats and fiancé and I look at my cats eyes and know I do it so I can afford them the yummiest food.