How do I get over not being the cleverest anymore?

I started medicine this year and I am really enjoying it!

What I am finding really hard is accepting that I am not the cleverest anymore. This is stressing me out so much

So before starting medical school in September, I told myself that I will not be the cleverest anymore and that I have to get on with my work and just try my best. I even noticed that I become much less competitive (like all medical students have to be before they get in right?) BUT we had like a “mock” and I did well but one of my friends who I believed was not going to do as well did SO much better… like he got the top! That day, I was just so down because he just casually asked me what I got, I wasn’t even going to ask him and I said my score like I was so proud of it and then he told me his score and I was like WOW. He even said he isn’t going to revise hard!

I started comparing myself to him, how he answers questions really quickly and I cant ergh its so annoying because he is TOP and I hate that I am comparing myself to him.

But I really don’t care – that’s what I tell myself but inside I know I care – I care a lot… but I don’t want to… how do I stop this?

Reply 1

Unknown-99

Not much that I can say apart from learn to live your own life and don't compare yourself with others. Easier said than done I know but that's life. Loads of people claim that they don't revise when in actual fact they probably revised the most out of anyone I don't know why people feel the need to lie about revising or not maybe it makes they want to show off I don't know but I find it highly unlikely that your friend didn't revise that much but still got top marks especially for a medicine assessment.

Reply 2

Aish_P

Stop paying attention to what your friend knows and what you don’t. Instead invest your time in learning and reading about subjects you want to ace. In no time you’ll be confident enough to answer without comparing yourself to anyone. Also, do not let competition affect your friendship. :smile:

Reply 3

Anonymous #2

I'm not sure I can give much constructive advice, other than the fact that "that's life", and I suppose you just have to get used to it.

This is a common experience for people. But remember that you are at medical school - it is easy to forget that that is a very good achievement, that loads of people are studying hard for every year.

Reply 4

Democracy

It's an adjustment process, eventually it won't bother you.

Think about the positives - you've worked really hard to get where you are now and you've started your post by saying you're really enjoying yourself.

Also, remember that it's not a competition and there will be days other people will do better than you and days when you'll do better than them. That's just the way it is. When you graduate you'll all start FY1 and be doing the same thing anyway - why ruin your good mood over a few mock exam results?

Reply 5

Hirsty97

It's good to be around those smarter than you than those dumber than you - it helps you learn i.e better habits and ways of thinking.

You're the average of the five people you spend the most time around.

Reply 6

Anonymous #3

Original post by Anonymous

He even said he isn’t going to revise hard!

The classical medical student lie. They ALL say that. Walk into their rooms and you will find millions of textbooks and reams of beautifully crafted notes or whatever. I have no idea why most med students pretend like they don't work. I think it's a British thing.

OP I'm in final year and I still haven't really gotten over it tbh. Still trying to find ways to improve my marks to get blisteringly high, but no luck thus far. I wouldn't say it bothers me too much, but always at the back of my mind. I've always aspired to be the best I can be I suppose.

'It's life' as the others above have said.

Reply 7

Ghotay

I was a totally average medical student. There is nothing wrong with that. Performance is a bell curve - you're in good company when you're in the middle.

To be honest I found ecolier's point helped me accept that the most. Your seniors will always know more than you. When you're a 3rd year starting clinicals, you'll be shadowing F1s who know WAY more than you. When you're an F1 you will be working with SHOs, regs, and consultants who will all be streets ahead. You will never catch up. And you know what the funny thing is? Until you're AT LEAST a reg, even when you do know more than your seniors it doesn't matter because they're rarely listen to you anyway because hierarchy (because they take the rap if anything goes wrong, is the real reason). So yeah, relax. It's life

Reply 8

ahorey

Another thing to consider is that some people are better in exams than others - I suck at SBA exams but am good in osces. I have friends who are the opposite!

Just because you aren't the best doesn't mean you are the worst.
Someone has to come last, someone has to come first.

Someone in my year last year scored 94% in one exam and 96% in another. They were an outlier of course, but luckily they were anonymous otherwise I think the rest of the year would have lynched him lol. That doesn't necessarily mean they will be the best doctor.

Always remember this. What do you call the person who graduated last in his class of medicine?

Doctor.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 9

Asklepios

I think the concept of 'cleverness' is really pointless. Certainly I wouldn't use medical school exam marks as a proxy for cleverness, whatever it really is. You could make a computer program that gets fulls mark in every exam but I wouldn't call that clever.

I wouldn't worry too much about how your exam marks reflect upon how clever or not you are. Obviously still try and get good marks as it'll help your future job applications but don't get hung up about not getting an A or anything like that.