Priyanka R.

Photo provided by Priyanka R.

If you're reading this, take a moment, a real intentional moment, to be proud of yourself.

If you’re reading this, it means you have worked incredibly hard to get to this point. You have poured countless hours not only into studying, but into the quiet, exhausting art of balance, staying healthy, showing up for family and friends, keeping up with extracurriculars, all while trying to simply be. As medical students, we carry what feels impossible to most, and we do it while often feeling like it still isn't enough. Like we are constantly behind, constantly falling short of some invisible standard.

I've found that small moments of reflection paired with a little self-gratitude and genuine affirmation can make a world of difference when navigating the waters of medical training. Not grand gestures. Just pausing. Just noticing. Just being honest with yourself about how far you've actually come. It is so easy to get wrapped up in what we could have done differently. It is much harder to sit with pride for what we have already accomplished.

Don't get me wrong. That drive, that relentless inner push, is what brought us here and what will carry us forward. But drive without recognition can quietly hollow you out. So it matters, it really matters, to pause and take stock of everything you have done to arrive where you are.

Think about the knowledge you have accumulated. The discipline it takes to pursue this field day after day. The times you showed up for someone else, even when you were running on empty. And yes, the fact that you conquered the MCAT. (We don't talk about that one enough.)

But I'm not only talking about grades or awards or the milestones that look impressive on paper. I'm talking about the small, quiet things we do every single day that actually get us through. Pushing forward when you are exhausted. Going for a walk to give your mind a rest. Making time for a phone call with a friend, even when your to-do list is screaming at you. Those things count. Those things are you, taking care of yourself, and they deserve to be acknowledged.

And lastly, as much as we can complain about the brutalities of medical school, what keeps me here is remembering how remarkably lucky we are.

How lucky are we that we found something we are so passionate about that we feel compelled to dedicate this much of ourselves to pursuing it? There is a deep, rooted passion that comes with studying medicine. Whether it was something you were born with or something that grew in you along the way, you have to genuinely care to do what we do. Not everyone finds that. Not everyone can say they feel that kind of pull toward their work, toward the people they will one day serve.

That is something rare. Something worth honoring.

So yes, vent to your loved ones. Let yourself feel the weight of it. But the next time imposter syndrome rolls in like a wave, let this be your anchor: You are here for a reason. Return to that reason. Hold onto it.

And above all, be proud of yourself. You have earned it.

Priyanka R., Fourth 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.