I still remember walking into my first medical school lecture, heart pounding 💓, palms a little sweaty ✋💦, and mind racing with a hundred different thoughts. I made it. I was here. A medical student.💃🏼 But as I looked around the lecture hall, my confidence took a serious hit. 😵💫
Everyone looked so put together— like they had already cracked the code of surviving med school. Some were flipping through thick textbooks 📚 like it was light reading, others were passionately discussing concepts I hadn’t even heard of yet 🤯. I started wondering, Am I in the wrong class?
Back in high school, I was used to being among the top students. But here? Here, it felt like I had been dropped into a room full of geniuses 🤓🔬. Everyone looked light years ahead of me. Was I supposed to compete with these people? How was I going to keep up? Was I about to be academically humbled for the first time in my life? 😭
That day, I quietly took a seat at the back of the lecture hall 🪑, barely understanding anything.😞 I walked out feeling like I didn’t belong.
But here’s what I wish someone had told me back then:
✅ Everyone feels this way at first 😅. No one walks into med school already knowing it all. The people who seemed ahead probably just prepared a little earlier—or were bluffing just like me. 😂
✅ You are here for a reason 🎯. If you got into medical school, it’s because you have what it takes. The system isn’t rigged, and they didn’t make a mistake admitting you. You belong.
✅ Growth takes time ⏳. The same people who intimidated me on day one? A few months later, we were all struggling over the same past questions together. Med school humbles everyone at some point. 😆📖
So if you ever feel out of place, like you’re lagging behind, just breathe. Everyone is figuring things out, one lecture at a time. And so will you. 😉
👉🏽 Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome in school? How did you deal with it? Share your experience in the comments! ⬇️😃
How to Cure Imposter Syndrome by Med School Insiders
🎯 This Isn’t Just About Medical School! 🤗
Experiencing imposter syndrome on your first day, first week, or even first year of school is something almost everyone experiences, no matter their course.
That initial feeling of doubt and overwhelm is completely normal.😄
So if you’ve ever sat in class wondering, Do I really belong here?—trust me, you’re not alone. You do belong. You will adjust. You will grow. 💡😊
What about you? Share your first-day or first-week experience in the comments! Let’s remind each other that we’re in this together. ⬇️😃
By: Dr. Clement Nyawornota
UDS School of Medicine Alumni
