Hi everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I’ll start by explaining a bit about myself and what inspired me to begin writing this blog.
I’m a medical student in the UK, currently in the midst of clinical medicine. Like most medics, so far in my life I have excelled academically. In fact, I have yet to fail an exam. I come from a relatively comfortable background and I have a strong support network with a great family and caring friends. I have enough money, I live in a safe environment and have been fortunate enough to travel to many different parts of the world. I enjoy running and keeping fit, have a passion for live music and attend as many concerts/gigs as I can. I am ambitious, driven and am determined to make a big difference. Just your typical medic really.
However, time for a confession. I lack confidence. I worry. I stress. I dread. I’m scared I’ll fail, I’m scared I’ll get kicked out, I’m scared I’ll hurt a patient, I’m scared I’ll let myself down, I’m sometimes even scared I’ll succeed! Does any of the above sound familiar? Oh wait, hang on – we’re medical students – we aren’t meant to show weakness. We must be confident, resilient individuals who can handle pressure and thrive in moments of uncertainty. That’s rubbish!
I am determined that my anxieties will not stop me. In fact, I aim to use them positively to help others who feel the same, and to use my experiences, good and bad, to become a more empathetic doctor. I hope that you will join me on this journey and we can prove together than anxiety is merely another hurdle that we can all overcome.
My blogs will reflect upon my own experiences of medicine and life, in a positive/humorous way, and I sincerely hope that they can be of some therapeutic benefit – even if it’s just a case of “thank God I’m not as bad as him!”.
anxiousmedic 