GenessisS M.
Photo provided by Genessis M.
If you’re reading this, your presence on this earth makes a difference, whether you see it or not.
You are loved by so many right now, and you have yet to meet so many more who will fall in love with you. As medical school and training continue, I’ve been told it will feel all-consuming. Even right now, there are days you may feel you are gasping for air, but allow yourself to step away for a moment. Take 10 steps back and then 10 more, and by then (hopefully) you’ll be far enough away that you’ll see the big picture. You’ll remember that medicine is just one of the many things that make you… Well, you. Remember all the other parts of you that shape you and write them down for a day you need reminding that medicine and exam scores aren’t what define you.
There will be a time when you may wonder, what’s the point of it all? In those moments, take a pause. Look around at all the love that surrounds you, the people you’ve influenced, the lives you've touched (even if only briefly), and all those you have yet to encounter. You're going to be someone's favorite doctor, someone's favorite resident, someone's favorite person, and when you walk into a room, even without realizing it, you’ll ease someone's fears simply by being present. Their day just got better because of you.
And still there will be days when it may feel like none of this is true, days where you struggle to love yourself, and you may wish you were anyone else in the world. In those moments, remember this: you are you for a reason, and the idea to pursue this path was planted in your brain for a reason. No one has your heart, your mind, your kindness, your empathy, your grit, your desire to listen and understand others. There's no one like you, and the world needs you. Remember, not everyone will understand you, but those who do are the ones who are worthwhile. So yes, you are loved and will be loved for many years to come.
For the whimsy: Think of your life as a long, winding thread. At times, it runs smoothly and unbroken. But other times it’s tangled, knotted, or even cut. As you follow your thread into the unknown, you’ll come across these obstacles and wonder how to move forward. You must mend it and keep going. Down the line, you’ll see other threads intertwined with yours, the people you meet along the way, the lives you touched. You notice all your stories are now woven together. At some point, you realize that if you let yourself be stopped by the knot or the break, you would have missed all of it. Those around you root for you to keep going because they know there are many good things to come that you don't know about yet. Only one way to find out what the future holds, so mend your thread every time. Keep going!
Genessiss M., First Year Medical Student
Several studies have revealed that medical students, physicians, and healthcare professionals experience mental health symptoms at rates significantly higher than the general population. Stethos[Cope] is a chapter of IfYoureReadingThis designed to help medical students and professionals cope with the unique stressors of medical training and change the narrative of mental health in medicine.
To read more letters and interviews from students, and to learn more about mental health in the medical community, visit the Stethos[Cope] home page.