Not feeling worthy of acceptance...

[JackMcCoyDA]

Does anyone out there that has just been accepted feel as if they don't feel like they belong with the rest of the medical students out there? And if you felt this way before starting medical school how did you cope?

I'm asking this because I don't have the best grades, my MCAT is not that fantastic but average and I really believe I won my acceptance through my essays and interviews. I have a strong desire to practice medicine but I'm worried that this amazing new level of excellence that I'm about to embark on is way over my head in terms of academic and overall capability. Am I alone?

P.S. I put medical school students and doctors in general on a extremely high pedastal. With absolutley no bias added I honestly believe that becoming a physician is the best and most beneficial way one can give back to the society and further the human race. Maybe that's why I'm so anxious....

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[xanthomondo]

Does anyone out there that has just been accepted feel as if they don't feel like they belong with the rest of the medical students out there? And if you felt this way before starting medical school how did you cope?

I'm asking this because I don't have the best grades, my MCAT is not that fantastic but average and I really believe I won my acceptance through my essays and interviews. I have a strong desire to practice medicine but I'm worried that this amazing new level of excellence that I'm about to embark on is way over my head in terms of academic and overall capability. Am I alone?

P.S. I put medical school students and doctors in general on a extremely high pedastal. With absolutley no bias added I honestly believe that becoming a physician is the best and most beneficial way one can give back to the society and further the human race. Maybe that's why I'm so anxious....

I agree, you're idealizing medical students way too much. Once you get to medical school and realize how not great 95% of us are, you'll feel right at home. In fact, once I got here I became sort of scared for the future of medicine

Edit: PS, congrats on the acceptance. If a board of admissions accepted you you're definitely "worthy." Also I'd rather have someone who is good (not great) at academics and great (instead of awful) at interpersonal connections as a physician or colleageue.

What school you heading to?

 

[apumic]

If you were accepted to a US MD/DO school, you are more than qualified. You have overcome a great hurdle and will almost undoubtedly succeed from here. It will be challenging but you were chosen because potential was seen. It's not just grades and MCAT scores. Your essays, ECs, etc. are all valuable far beyond just admissions. They have helped to develop you for the road ahead. Best of luck! You will make it!

 

[PrinceVersed]

If you had met the residents that I have...the ones that don't know the difference between a yankauer and an ETT (I am serious), you wouldn't feel so under qualified.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

christ....

 

[Morsetlis]

If you had met the residents that I have...the ones that don't know the difference between a yankauer and an ETT (I am serious), you wouldn't feel so under qualified.

Something that even an EMT should know.

As for the OP, remember to withdraw from all other schools after you've made your decision!

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome

The Impostor Syndrome, sometimes called Impostor Phenomenon or Fraud Syndrome, is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. It is not an officially recognized psychological disorder but has been the subject of numerous books and articles by psychologists and educators.
Regardless of what level of success they may have achieved in their chosen field of work or study or what external proof they may have of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced internally they do not deserve the success they have achieved and are actually frauds. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they were more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.
This syndrome was thought to be particularly common among women who are successful in their given careers, but has since been shown to occur for an equal number of men.[1] It is typically associated with academics and is widely found amongst graduate students.[1]

 

[ruiner]

Does anyone out there that has just been accepted feel as if they don't feel like they belong with the rest of the medical students out there? And if you felt this way before starting medical school how did you cope?

I'm asking this because I don't have the best grades, my MCAT is not that fantastic but average and I really believe I won my acceptance through my essays and interviews. I have a strong desire to practice medicine but I'm worried that this amazing new level of excellence that I'm about to embark on is way over my head in terms of academic and overall capability. Am I alone?

P.S. I put medical school students and doctors in general on a extremely high pedastal. With absolutley no bias added I honestly believe that becoming a physician is the best and most beneficial way one can give back to the society and further the human race. Maybe that's why I'm so anxious....

No, I worked my ass off to get there.

PS, like any other profession, there are scumbags in the job. Don't assume every med student/physician is a good person or in it for the right reasons.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

 

[Sammich117]

This is a bit much. You already created an entire thread dedicated to you getting an acceptance and now you're making another one so everyone will pat you on the back and praise you?....

 

[riverjib]

Congrats on your acceptance! You wouldn't have gotten it if you weren't qualified. You've probably spent too much time on this board, and/or surrounded by pre-meds with incredible stats. I'd rather have a colleague who is not a prodigy, but is great to work with and really attentive to patients.

My childhood best friend was valedictorian of our high school class and earned a 1600 on the SAT her first time, turned down Ivy League schools for a full ride to a state school, and graduated with a 4.0 GPA and a 41 MCAT. I love her and I know she's a great person, but I honestly hoped she'd do an MD/PhD and focus on research. She's great at dealing with intellectual equals, but she cannot relate to "average" people. Her first less than perfect grade came during clinical rotations. An attending actually told her when she inquired about her performance that she was cold and disconnected. She has struggled with interpersonal relationships her whole life, and she's not really happy, even with her shiny new title as an attending physician at a top institution. Of course she's more than qualified, and probably chose med school because she's too brilliant to find anything academic challenging.

Medicine, like everything else, is really diverse by necessity. There is a place for the academic powerhouses and the neurotic people who study constantly and can recall obscure facts at a moment's notice, as well as those who are relaxed and less hardworking, but socially adept. There is no perfect physician. It's a team effort.

 

[chman]

Sorry, could not resist.

But for real, how do you know you don't fit in yet? I think you may get there and realize that doctors and med students are normal people with normal flaws. Calm down and enjoy the fact that you made a great accomplishment.

 

[amakhosidlo]

This is a bit much. You already created an entire thread dedicated to you getting an acceptance and now you're making another one so everyone will pat you on the back and praise you?....

No, I definitely feel the same way. Like these schools have all made some sort of horrible mistake. Or on the interview trail, that I was way out of place. The majority of the other interviewees have been either amazing, but still humble people who make you feel like an underachiever, or some combination of cold, awkward, and toolish. Maybe I just got unlucky with bad groups, or maybe it was just a bit of interview-induced one-upmanship. I dunno, but I definitely felt that I didn't really belong at the schools I interviewed at, mainly due to the fact that everyone else was way more "awesome" than I was.

OP, I just try to keep in mind that ADCOMS strive to put together 'balanced' classes, and that that means accepting people with all types of backgrounds and applications. Whether that means they needed a few charismatic individuals with unique backgrounds, or the token village idiots, well, I try not to think about that....

 

[Sammich117]

No, I definitely feel the same way. Like these schools have all made some sort of horrible mistake. Or on the interview trail, that I was way out of place. The majority of the other interviewees have been either amazing, but still humble people who make you feel like an underachiever, or some combination of cold, awkward, and toolish. Maybe I just got unlucky with bad groups, or maybe it was just a bit of interview-induced one-upmanship. I dunno, but I definitely felt that I didn't really belong at the schools I interviewed at, mainly due to the fact that everyone else was way more "awesome" than I was.

OP, I just try to keep in mind that ADCOMS strive to put together 'balanced' classes, and that that means accepting people with all types of backgrounds and applications. Whether that means they needed a few charismatic individuals with unique backgrounds, or the token village idiots, well, I try not to think about that....

I wasn't denying the poster's feelings. I just think it's a bit much creating two threads that essentially say 'praise me and validate me'

 

[riverjib]

Whether that means they needed a few charismatic individuals with unique backgrounds, or the token village idiots, well, I try not to think about that....

They definitely don't seek token village idiots. If you've worked in health care, you know that "The Todd" does exist, and every hospital has a few of them. There are also pseudo-intellectuals who are dumb enough that you wonder how they ever made it through med school, much less residency. But from my experience, the ones you perceive as the village idiot were actually pretty decent students. Those at the bottom of their med school classes are often (not always) the charismatic ones who rise to the top in the end, because they have abilities that can't be taught, and some ADCOM somewhere figured this out early on.

 

[JackMcCoyDA]

For Sammich, I am in no way looking for validation or praise. I was just wondering if there were other people out there that were feeling the same way I was when considering their acceptance to medical school. Trust me, I get enough praise and validation from my mom, I doubt I would need any from random people on the internet that I will most likely never meet. 😀

As for everyone else, I really appreciate the imput and insight. I really liked reading your comments and I think it helped me out. I don't have any friends that are actually in medical school so finally making it has left me blank. I think it's common though, to have a difficult goal and when it finally has come to fruition, you begin to doubt whether you've actually accomplished it or if you're really ready for the next phase. What do you guys think?

I have been accepted to the medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. I'm actually still on the wait list for the medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and at the University of Southwestern in Dallas. I'm planning on waiting but I'm ecstatic about San Antonio, it's a dream come true. Thanks for the imput guys.

 

[Sammich117]

Fair enough, maybe I was way off base. That's just how it seemed.

It is definitely awesome that you got in. And I hear you on the wondering if you really deserve it.

Sorry I misunderstood your intentions.

 

[rama kandra]

the Todd was awesome for the record.