10 years ago, I held my medical school diploma in the US, took a deep breath and thought: I have finally reached my destination.
10 years later, when I returned to attend the graduation ceremony of Creighton University School of Medicine as a lecturer, looking at the radiant faces below, I laughed and realized the truth: I was really naive back then.
Because there are core things in the medical profession that absolutely no one teaches in school. There are bloody lessons that we must trade with many years of youth, sweat and tears to fully understand.
And here are 7 things I always wish someone had told me 10 years ago, as well as a most sincere message for fellow doctors who have just graduated.
1. A medical degree is not a destination, it is a ticket to a more difficult journey
Graduation day is always the most brilliant and beautiful day. The proud family shed tears. Friends around hugged each other to congratulate. Everyone gave you kind words: “You’re so good, you finally became a doctor.”
But the quiet truth behind the applause is: The day we put on the cloak is not the day we are “done”. That is the day life begins to ask us a much more difficult question: “What kind of person will you become now when you take on this responsibility?”
Because from the moment the medical oath was taken, the words “doctor” were no longer simply a flashy title to print on business cards.
- It is a life and death responsibility.
- It’s the absolute trust that strangers bet on.
- These are the small decisions made during the night, but can change forever
- the life trajectory of a patient and his or her family.
2. In the medical profession: Being good is not enough, persistence is the core
Step into Medicine, we will definitely encounter countless outstanding people. Everyone has a smart mind, everyone studies extremely hard. Everyone was once a prominent star at a certain school. And everyone is so used to having to try a little harder, endure a little more, do a little more every day.
But when traveling on a career path spanning decades, what keeps us in the profession is not simply intelligence.
- But it is endurance.
- It’s the ability to pick yourself up and move on after a bad shift.
- It is the ability to restrain yourself from losing kindness when your body is tired.
- It is the ability to continue to study, continue to face mistakes to correct them, and continue to grow, even though sometimes our inner world is full of confusion.
The medical profession doesn’t just need great minds. The medical profession needs people with enough endurance so that their hearts do not become numb to pain.
3. Don’t wait until you’re exhausted to learn how to take care of yourself
10 years ago, I had a blind belief that: Sacrificing personal health is an inevitable part of dedication in the medical field.
- Staying up all night on duty is normal.
- Eating a piece of dry bread in a hurry is normal.
- It’s normal to neglect exercise.
- I always use a mantra to defend myself: “I’m busy saving people.”
There have been days when I stood in front of my patients, telling them to get enough sleep, eat well, and exercise regularly, while I, the person wearing the blouse, was doing the exact opposite.
After going through the boundaries of burnout, I realized: An exhausted doctor can still drag himself to work, still be able to examine patients, and still type up medical records. But the truth is, we can never care for the lives of others for long if our own well of energy is gradually depleted.
Self care is absolutely not selfish. That is part of professional ethical responsibility.
4. Strong appearance does not mean painless
In this giant medical system, we will encounter many colleagues with an extremely perfect appearance: Very calm in the face of blood and gore, very professional in handling situations, and extremely skilled in terms of workmanship.
But hidden behind that crisp white coat, there may be long, sleepless nights. It is an unending obsession with irreversible diseases. These were silent tears and times of self-torment and doubting one’s own abilities.
If on this journey, there are times when you feel small and weak, that absolutely does not mean that you are weak or not suitable for the profession. It simply proves one thing: You are also a human being.
And the medical profession, no matter how noble it is praised by society, is ultimately still operated by flesh and blood people who know pain and hurt.
5. There will be days when you ask yourself, “Do I really belong here?”
This question will come up very clearly, especially if you are a doctor with immigrant status.
- If English is not your native language.
- If you were not born and raised in the heart of this system.
- If you realize that you not only have to cram in a huge amount of medical knowledge, but you also have to learn how to communicate differently, how to network, and how to read hidden cultural signals that no one says outright.
There will be times when you timidly walk into a meeting room and find yourself completely different from everyone else. Differences in accent, differences in starting point, differences in life experiences, and sometimes differences in the way people look at you.
But remember, that feeling of “not belonging” (Imposter Syndrome) is not always true.
Sometimes, that breathlessness is just a sign that you’re bravely stepping into a room that’s much larger than the old version of yourself. Stand up straight and tell yourself: “I have every right to be here, because I have worked hard to deserve this position.”
6. Don’t lose yourself just to become a “good doctor”
- You are a doctor, but first and foremost, you are a human being.
- You still need deep sleep.
- Need days off without alarm bells ringing.
- Need friends gatherings.
- Need perfect moments with family.
- Need to nurture small personal joys.
- It is necessary to build a vibrant life outside the four hospital walls.
- And we need to give ourselves days to relax and not have to strain ourselves to shoulder the burden.
The medical profession is an extremely large and meaningful part of your life. But it absolutely should not, and must not, swallow your entire being.
Because if a doctor loses connection with his own inner self, sooner or later he will lose the ability to deeply connect and empathize with the patient’s pain. Keeping a brilliant part of your life for yourself does not make you less devoted, but it is a source of vitality that helps you be full enough to continue to devote yourself for a very long journey ahead.
7. The ultimate success is remaining kind after all
Looking back after 10 years of silence, I realized that there were many glorious milestones that I once mistakenly thought were the ultimate “destination”: Graduating from medical school, Match successfully entered residency, successfully graduated from residency, held a degree to become an official doctor (Attending), and then stood on the podium as a lecturer to guide the next generations.
Each passing milestone is extremely brilliant and worth being proud of. But the greatest and most important milestone in a medical person’s life will probably never be recorded on any CV.
It lies in these self-questioning questions:
- After all these years of being surrounded by pressure, can I still keep a warm heart?
- Do I still see the patient as a complete person, or do I just see him or her as a lifeless case?
- Do I still look at the fumbling medical students with a tolerant, supportive gaze?
- And most importantly, do I still remember the innocent, pure reason from the beginning that inspired me to step on this path?
Because at the end of the day, the medical profession is not just a test of academic knowledge. It is a brutal test of character, of patience, of ultimate kindness, and of the ability to keep oneself from turning cold after so much fatigue and hurt.
What I want to send
10 years ago, I used to think that a prestigious medical degree was proof that I had come a very long way.
10 years later, after going through many ups and downs, I finally understand: Going away is not just about gaining more titles, gaining more experience, or adding sparkling words on your CV.
And sometimes, going away means that after all the pressure, the bloody stumbles, the sleepless nights and the moments of self-doubt… I still steadfastly maintain a heart soft enough to love others, and a back straight enough to hold my head high and move on.
On the occasion of this year’s bustling graduation season, I would like to send my most sincere wishes to the new doctors:
Congratulations guys. You absolutely do not need to force yourself to be perfect right from the starting line. Just never stop learning, never stop growing, and most importantly, never let the challenging corners of the medical profession make you lose the reason why you chose to start.
Welcome to Medicine!
What do you think about these 7 lessons of your contemplation after 10 years of practice? Please leave a comment below to share your story with me.
If you have relatives or friends who are pursuing a medical career or are about to embark on this difficult path, please share this article as a word of encouragement to them!
Dr. Christina Nguyen
Phoenix Medical Academy
