What do you suggest to a medical student who has to repeat a year? I will have to repeat M2 year...
Hey anon,
Don’t beat yourself up (thought I imagine you already have an still are) and take some time to decompress from this event in your life. Take a little time to mourn all the things that come with repeating a year. Bring yourself back to a human-esque level and then start prepping yourself to move forward.
Obviously, I don’t know your specific situation so if there is something related to family or health or loss those are things that you can’t control and it’s a lesson that life will not stop for anyone. Its an unfortunate part of being a functional human and it’s harder for some than others. From that standpoint, I wish you best for all those categories from here on out.
If you have to repeat due to an academic problem it’s time to really assess what were the factors that cause you to need to repeat a year. Was it a class specifically, timing problem, or a testing issue? Something else completely? You need to truly address them head on and not take any criticism personally. You might need to invest in a tutor or have a faculty member/upperclassmen mentor you. Point being, use this as an opportunity to give yourself the best chance possible to really knock round two out the park.
More than anything else, remember that repeating a year does not define you or who will be as a physician. It does not make you a failure. You are not the first nor are you the last person to repeat a year in medical school. While it may present some challenges in the future it still means you have a future.
Good luck and best wishes.
