Self care tips and advice for aspiring medical students, medical students, and residents.
Mental health is a major issue for many in the medical field, but is rarely addressed due to shame and stigma. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress are common in many stages of medical practice.
So many people in the medical field are wearing a mask that projects “having it all together”, while suffering silently on the inside. Why should people working so hard to help others not be allowed to be human? How can we help those going through this exhausting process remember that FAIL only means First Attempt In Learning? (Sometimes there are Further Attempts In Learning and that is OK, too.) Support and encouragement for these folks is definitely overdue.
Isn’t it wonderful when worlds collide? One of our counselors at Shift Counseling, Saima Shaik, LPC has a handful of clients who are in medical school or are trying to get into medical school. One of Rebecca’s friends just happens to be a board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Lisa Whitty Bradley has a passion for mentoring medical students, aspiring medical students, and physicians on the topics of medical school admissions and self care.
Here at Shift Counseling, we’re great at therapy, but there are some specific struggles that commonly come up for those working their way through the medical field that we don’t know how to address. We asked our friend, Dr. Bradley to drop some wisdom on us to address these frequently asked questions about med school acceptance, and self care through the medical school/residency journey.
There is a lesson here already- If you don’t know something, ask someone who does! See what we did there? Because we were not ashamed of not knowing, we were not afraid to ask. Dr. Bradley was very excited to help. Her first response was, “These are such great, essential, and vexing topics! I’m glad we are discussing each in detail on a platform geared to protect and emphasize mental health and well-being.”
All of the answers to these questions came directly from Dr. Bradley. Let’s get started!
Part 1: Struggling to get into medical school
Question: After taking gap years, taking the MCAT several times, submitting the same letters of recommendation, and still getting denied… How should I mix it up if the formula is not working? At what point should someone give up.
The What, Why, and How of Gap Years
For those who plan or wind up taking gap years, one of the most important things is articulating the ‘why’ of the time off, ‘what’ you learned or gained during that time. Your experiences, interactions, education, and life’s journey, and ‘how’ you used that time will definitely impact you as a physician. These experiences will also likely improve your interaction with patients and the medical community.
If you’re going to take a gap year, have a plan, set some goals, and be prepared to be able to speak about how you used this time. If you’ve already taken a gap year, reflect upon your time off with the ‘why’, ‘what’, and ‘how’ in mind. Chances are, you gained some things in your time off that you can play up in the future.
I mentor students and active medical professionals who need help with their personal statements or help with providing explanations for adverse outcomes. I teach them to think Professionally-Personally-Clinically, We always address THE LESSON they learned from their struggle, and how their experiences of learning outside the classroom can help them and others.
Always find the lesson in the journey and focus on framing your experiences into a compelling argument. Think about how your struggles propelled you forward and enhanced your ability to be a steward for those you will serve.
Struggling with the MCAT or Retaking the MCAT
The MCAT is a standardized exam for entry into medical school. The point is to create a common reference to compare applicants. That being said, we all have different methods of learning, strengths, and weaknesses.
For those who know ahead of time that they have difficulty with standardized exams, I recommend meeting with your academic advisor. You can obtain an evaluation by an educational specialist focused on learning disabilities, test anxiety, and possibly PTSD.
If you have already taken the MCAT multiple times, there is an even greater need to be evaluated by these types of specialists.
Remember that the standardized exam does not test intelligence, empathy, common sense, or technical skills. It is a tool to stratify applicants into tiers. It tests your ability to complete a specific task as created by a group of individuals.
The MCAT is one of many hoops to jump through on your path. So figure out how to get the help you need to jump through the hoops. Don’t worry, there will be many more opportunities to use this skill.
Don’t forget about the Why, What, and How
Once you have those MCAT test results, they are a part of your academic record. You will need to explain ‘why’ this was an obstacle, ‘how’ you overcame that obstacle, ‘what’ you learned from the process, and ‘how’ it will impact your career moving forward!
When you are still feeling stuck, something must change
Let me share with you one of the KEY tenets of PLASTIC SURGERY. It’s also a great lesson for life. When your first attempt to solve a problem does not result in the desired outcome, DO NOT make plan B the same as plan A!
It makes sense that you will get the same result if nothing has changed.
It is time to reach out for support
Many applicants isolate themselves when they have suboptimal exam results, due to feelings of shame and despair. Being alone with feelings of shame will only amplify your perception of being a failure. The only voice you are hearing is the one inside your head saying that you are not good enough.
YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE. There are a multitude of doctors out there who had tortuous paths in obtaining their medical degree, residency, and fellowship positions and even into practice with passing qualifying and certifying exams. Yours truly included!!!
During this time, you need to REACH OUT. Seek guidance from therapy, mentors, advisors, and even students/residents/fellows/practicing docs who can provide insight, feedback, and an encouraging word. You deserve it!
Your academic and professional advisors will need to review your application, critique the academic findings and personal statement and review research, volunteer, and clinical experiences to determine what, if any, can be improved upon. Pro tip -We ALL have room for improvement, so don’t think all is lost if success has not happened yet!
Deciding to let go
Finally, GIVING UP is a personal choice and decision. Before you decide if this is the best thing for you to do, talk it over with your family, friends, advisors, and mentors. Do not make this decision alone. Get feedback from others, especially those who will give it to you straight and who do not have their own interest in the outcome of your decision.
Every doctor has thought about hanging it up many times in the course of their career. But luckily for us, most of them are still out there fighting the good fight. Just because you feel like you can’t doesn’t mean you can’t.
It’s never too late
What I can tell you is that I started medical school alongside people who were entering their second and third careers, those who came back to school after raising families, serving in the military, and doing things outside of the medical field. There is no one way to do this, and I have faith in your desire to pursue this wonderful and exciting field!
Question: Is there one timeline that is supposed to work, or are there different paths to getting accepted to medical school? Can you give examples of what these different paths look like?
Many different but valid paths
Getting into medical school has varied paths, and no one way or experience excludes or guarantees admission.Thank goodness there are so many paths to pursuing medicine. We could never list them all.
I just read a post online today about a man who worked as a security guard, created a plan, found a physician mentor, and is now an MD, Ph.D. with a master’s who has created an endeavor to serve the community and fellow citizens pursuing medical careers.
Don’t give up on your dream
If you have the desire to pursue a career in medicine, no matter your past experience or lack thereof, you can absolutely manifest your dream. It’s simply a matter of creating a path. When I meet with mentees, I take a roll call to make sure everyone has or is in the process of locating a mentor and advisor. YOU NEED THIS. Medicine is a profession and a business that requires sweat equity, time, and a tremendous financial investment.
Find a Mentor
Your academic advisor and professional mentor can help you devise a plan, review your application, and help you with tools and advice that will help you along the way.
Whenever possible, try to find advisors and mentors with success in getting their mentees into medical school, residency, fellowship, private practice, research positions, etc. If you can’t find someone with that specific skill set, find others who are successful in their field. There is overlap in the approach to excelling in other high-intensity fields-STEM, business, tech, education, entrepreneurship, etc.
Your unique journey shows passion and builds wisdom
During orientation week of medical school, I met so many great and dynamic folks, but two stood out to me the most. These two brought a combined 50 years of career experience on their first day of medical school. Both were PhDs, and one had already served as DEAN of an osteopathic school!!! There was also a student who was an ER nurse with three kids and a spouse.
My own mother was a critical care nurse with three kids and a husband. Before retiring, she went back to school and became a triple board-certified obstetrician!
There is no ONE way, only YOUR way!
Your human experiences will help you connect to other humans- and that IS part of the job
Remember, your life experiences will make you a well-rounded, relatable, and endearing physician who will likely display more empathy and compassion because of your background. How could there ever be a downside to living life, building other skills, and demonstrating your ability to face adversity, multitask and remain committed to your passions??!! It’s a plus!
I hope this serves as a reminder and motivator that pursuing your dreams come in many forms, and we love to see multidimensional, unique, and creative minds in medicine.
I wish all of you aspiring medical students continued success in your pursuits!
Part 2: Current Medical Students:
Woo! This one really hits home.
After four years of medical school, I completed NINE years of surgical training! 6 years of general surgery, one year of hand surgery fellowship, and two years of plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship. I still need to take a breath just to write that all out.
There were many days when those feelings were true- that I was just hopping from task to task and test to test. And it was on those days that I made sure to get up, face myself in the mirror, and literally ask myself, ‘Is this still in alignment with your passion and dreams?’ I must say that I never said no. Now that does not mean that there were not grueling days or those I wish I could forget or do over, just that my road was still visible, and my convictions remained.
Creating a ritual
It was during my first year of medical school that my friends and I began something called ‘LOVE ME DAYS,’ where we would do pampering events like hair, nails, a great meal, etc. Simple yet rewarding things that told us ‘great job’ and ‘you got this,’ even if no one else had the time or acknowledged our efforts.
I continue that practice now with my ‘minor’ PLANT ADDICTION. I stop for ice cream during my tasks throughout the week, I practice YOGA. I hang out with family and friends. Sometimes I simply sit outside on a hammock, which I’m doing AT THIS VERY MOMENT. I also love floating in the pool during those 12 glorious weeks of Chitown summer fun.
Make time for pleasure and self care so you don’t forget your purpose
What I mean is that you have to build in time to show appreciation for your efforts. Unfortunately, our field has yet to create a comprehensive and consistently safe environment for our mental health and self-care, so we must protect ourselves.
This also means utilizing resources that your institution has on hand, including free therapy and counseling, or utilizing the providers accessible via your private insurance coverage options.
Do not wait for our institutions to take care of you, you must take care of yourself
If you are not already aware, physicians have a high rate of depression, anxiety, and suicide. We MUST do what we can to protect our bodies and minds. People will express condolences while shifting blame after it is too late and you have suffered the consequences of extreme stress such as burnout, or worse. No one from your institution is going to be there to pick up the pieces when you fall apart.
You. Are. Worth. It.
But you are going to have to fight for it.
So get in the habit of ASKING for help early and often.
How to get started if you need mental health help
If you are worried about your career and confidentiality, make an appointment with your primary doc and get in ASAP for a general exam, referral, and discussion on how to protect your mental health. Help is available to show you the steps you should take to ensure you are proceeding in alignment with honoring your health and the medical community. You don’t have to figure it out all on your own.
Part 3: Getting through medical school, residency and beyond
Question: How do you balance self-care with productivity guilt during medical school and residency… There is always more that needs to be done. How do you know what to prioritize? How can you justify taking care of yourself without feeling guilty?
Now I like this grand finale!
Self-care must be frequent and consistent
A major part of my social media practice is reminding people about the NECESSITY of self-care throughout life. Let’s not neglect ourselves until there is an annual day, week, or month of self-care awareness.
In order to combat the constant onslaught of clinical, professional, and personal stressors, you must build in self-care and stress relief.
Balancing our huge responsibilities with our own losses and feelings of guilt
No matter what you do in the medical field, you are balancing human lives and professional obligations and tasks. That in and of itself is an unbelievable responsibility that we shouldn’t take lightly.
There is also tremendous guilt for time spent away from family, critical life events, kids, spouses, SLEEP, and abandoning activities and tasks that were beloved in the past.
Here are my personal recommendations. I am SO sincere about this. Many of us do not abide by these rules (MYSELF INCLUDED at times. I’m a work in progress!)
Tips for finding balance and not losing sight of the big picture
Take EVERY SINGLE DAY of your vacation. Many of you retire or leave a job with weeks, months, and sometimes YEARS of vacation that you will never get back. Take a road trip, go to every fair in your city, and buy a season of tickets to a music hall or events at your local library. Get away from work and enjoy your life. The hospital will eat you whole and replace you in a heartbeat.
You must incorporate physical and mental health into your schedule. And write it into your calendar. Block out the time. Create or sign up for an exercise challenge, marathon, club, or event. Just like publishing papers, making family events, etc., MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY.
Create quarterly meetings with your boss or yourself if you’re in charge. Is this position fulfilling, enjoyable, and honoring your work and time? This may sound whimsical, but you are in control. Sometimes this means taking a lower salary, fewer hours, closing shop, and going from private practice to an employed position, or a different location.
Consider pursuing an endeavor outside of your current wheelhouse but still within your skill set. These types of evolutions of career have liberated other docs and may be great options for you, too. I have countless colleagues who have quit what they thought was their dream residency, fellowship, practice, etc. They found peace by starting over, taking time off, or shifting gears to pursuits outside of clinical medicine or the field altogether. YOU HAVE OPTIONS. This is yet another reason to have advisors, mentors, and colleagues to bounce around ideas and help advise you on great ideas!!!
I could go on and on, but I wanted to leave you with the most important part of this action plan. HONOR YOURSELF. Provide space to GIVE YOURSELF GRACE. You are doing your absolute best, even if you don’t believe it right now. If you’re here reading this, you have already taken the most important step in LOOKING for help. You are not alone in your concerns or your pursuit of health and peace of mind. The tools for a more sustainable and fruitful path are at your fingertips. I believe in you, so please do the same!
Cheers, and thank you for allowing me to share my ideas and what has and continues to work for me! Remember to MAKE TIME for what matters most, YOU! I’m rooting for us all!
Until we meet again.
-Doc Bradley
About the author:
Dr. Lisa Whitty Bradley is a board-certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon with extensive coaching and public speaking expertise. Dr. Bradley is also the CEO & Founder of Loop Plastic Surgery, S.C. and Chicks with MDs, LLC. Both entities focus on the education and empowerment of patients, physicians, and the community at large.
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