Medical Imposter Syndrome - Am i deserving?

[GoSpursGo]

I current have a 4.03 GPA, I am consistently getting 524-ish on my MCAT practice exams. I have all the typical pre-med experiences, shadowing, volunteering, Research, clinical exposures, patient-interactions, etc. My advisor is pushing me to apply for super high tier med schools like stanford, harvard, jon hopkins, etc. My admissions stats match and I have good extracurriculars but honestly... Im scared. I don't consider my self a smart cookie, I got a 23 on my ACT in high school. Im not a genius, I got to where I am today by trying and studying really really really hard. That is my gift i suppose, hard work. I know med school is full of gifted AND hardworking people, how will i be able to compete? There are only so many hours in a day. I just feel like i won't belong there. I feel like an imposter. Did you feel like this at one point? How did you cope?

In the big scheme of things, it costs very little to include a few of those ivory tower programs on your app. Don't exclusively apply to them, as everyone should apply to a range of schools. But if you score as you are achieving on the practice MCATs (a big IF, always), then you may as well apply, and if you're fortunate enough to interview at some programs like those then you can decide for yourself whether or not you fit there.

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[TheBoneDoctah]

Practice scores and your actual scores for MCAT can be completely different (hopefully this isn't the case). I would for sure send those apps in for sure. It can't hurt and you won't know unless you apply. How did you get a 4.03 by the way?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

All A's and a Few A+'s, Made possible by Anki

I understand, but which colleges are giving over at 4.0 for A+? I’ve never heard of this outside of high school.

 

[Goro]

All I could say is have a little faith in yourself. Imposter syndrome is very real, and very common in very smart people.

Every year when I get my annual review, which includes my salary for the next year, I have to stop and stare at all the zeros!

Then I wonder how did I managed to pull that off????

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Even as a resident I still have this feeling. If you got the scores, you deserve it. I know it is hard but try not to second guess things.

 

[lord999]

I'm going to give different advice. Until you actually have those scores set, who knows? I think your experience is lacking as most medical students are relatively 'average' in class. Compared with the general university student, sure, they have their act together, but once they get to that point, they exhibit the full spectrum too. You don't have to be an exceptional person to be a successful physician and most aren't, but you do have to work at it to be acceptable at it, and that's why it's called practice. There's always a higher standard to aspire to. And there is internal drive to meet it. You will find that ability is not respected as much as performance at that level.

If you have that sort of imposter syndrome, I can say confidently that there are people at those schools that exploit that insecurity. If you intend to make it at those schools, a dependency on external validation is going to end very badly for you.

No, I don't advise you to reach if your psychological balance does not have an internal validation system. There is the other side of narcissism and arrogance, but that is less harmful in those environments than anxiety of performance where objective criteria are obvious.

You're too early based on what else you wrote though. If you are a senior with those matters in order, then possibly if you can address that matter but not as you are right now.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Also addressing this question very differently: who have been your mentors in pursuing medicine as a career? No, I don't mean your prehealth advisor or any family members who have been mentors. No, it probably won't include any of the physicians you shadowed. What med students or residents do you confide in to discuss issues of imposter syndrome? What other peers a few years older than you do you have to talk to about this (they could be in your prehealth clubs or in anyone you don't consider a social friend but someone you talk to and rely upon as a peer to keep you in check)?

You will need this support system, certainly in health care but also your professional life.