Introversion and being a medical student

I consider myself an extremely quiet and introverted person and am really struggling with med school. I do wonder if there is even a place in medicine for introverted people, or if extroversion is one of the prerequisites of being a good doctor. So I have just finished year 1 of medicine and prior to that I did a science degree. Throughout my degree I only knew around 10 people by name (out of 300+ in the year group) and became proper friends with 3 other people. Despite having such a small circle of friends I had a whale of a time with them and couldn't care less about not socializing with any other people. When I got into medicine though, I told myself that this time round I would try to socialize and step out of my comfort zone more. However in reality even though I have joined loads of society, forced myself to be more vocal in seminars/lectures and be more chatty, I can't help but to feel emotionally drained and being very socially inept. I enjoy one-to-one conversations but am really afraid of being part of a large group as I often struggle to think of things to say... To compound things further, English isn't my mother-tongue and I would assume it's not quite up to par with my local counterparts. I tend to take 5 seconds to put words into coherrent sentences in my head before I say anything. Hence I understand that my introversion + slight pauses in conversations + very brief answers (i struggle with thinking of things to say) would warrant weird looks from people and to think that I am an extremely incompetent medical student/weirdo. While on placements I enjoy talking to patients, I am just not good at/hate networking (which I gather is crucial in medicine) Also, on a separate note, I feel like I am a complete fraud. I do well academically (i.e. top decile) even though deep down I can't help but to think this is such a joke. There were numerous times I would hide in the toilets and cry my eyes out after getting all the questions wrong in quizzes in semianrs or walking out of the lecture hall not understanding a thing. I am just not as intelligent as most others as it takes me much longer to grasp very basic medical concepts. There have been countless times where I questioned how I had even got into med school in the first place. I am starting to think that I can be doing well academically but at the same time being very incompetent. I guess I would be grateful if anyone has any advice for introverted people in medicine. I hate to say this but at the moment I am in doubt as to whether I should continue with the course; even though I love learning about medicine, I don't see myself being a very good doctor 4 years down the road or being any less socially inept by then. However I have worked so hard to gain a place in med school and throughout year 1 which makes me hesitant to quit.

Reply 1

Helenia

20

Original post by Anonymous

I consider myself an extremely quiet and introverted person and am really struggling with med school. I do wonder if there is even a place in medicine for introverted people, or if extroversion is one of the prerequisites of being a good doctor. So I have just finished year 1 of medicine and prior to that I did a science degree. Throughout my degree I only knew around 10 people by name (out of 300+ in the year group) and became proper friends with 3 other people. Despite having such a small circle of friends I had a whale of a time with them and couldn't care less about not socializing with any other people. When I got into medicine though, I told myself that this time round I would try to socialize and step out of my comfort zone more. However in reality even though I have joined loads of society, forced myself to be more vocal in seminars/lectures and be more chatty, I can't help but to feel emotionally drained and being very socially inept. I enjoy one-to-one conversations but am really afraid of being part of a large group as I often struggle to think of things to say... To compound things further, English isn't my mother-tongue and I would assume it's not quite up to par with my local counterparts. I tend to take 5 seconds to put words into coherrent sentences in my head before I say anything. Hence I understand that my introversion + slight pauses in conversations + very brief answers (i struggle with thinking of things to say) would warrant weird looks from people and to think that I am an extremely incompetent medical student/weirdo. While on placements I enjoy talking to patients, I am just not good at/hate networking (which I gather is crucial in medicine) Also, on a separate note, I feel like I am a complete fraud. I do well academically (i.e. top decile) even though deep down I can't help but to think this is such a joke. There were numerous times I would hide in the toilets and cry my eyes out after getting all the questions wrong in quizzes in semianrs or walking out of the lecture hall not understanding a thing. I am just not as intelligent as most others as it takes me much longer to grasp very basic medical concepts. There have been countless times where I questioned how I had even got into med school in the first place. I am starting to think that I can be doing well academically but at the same time being very incompetent. I guess I would be grateful if anyone has any advice for introverted people in medicine. I hate to say this but at the moment I am in doubt as to whether I should continue with the course; even though I love learning about medicine, I don't see myself being a very good doctor 4 years down the road or being any less socially inept by then. However I have worked so hard to gain a place in med school and throughout year 1 which makes me hesitant to quit.

First off, if you're scoring highly in tests, you obviously are intelligent enough to be in med school. Everyone gets answers wrong sometimes, or doesn't understand a lecture - you're obviously pulling it together when it matters.

As for the introversion, I've written about this before but the search function seems to be playing up so I can't find my previous post. Essentially, no, you do not have to be an extrovert to be a good doctor, there are plenty of ways to be a kind, caring, effective doctor without being the life and soul of the party. "Networking" can be done in many different ways and isn't critical in many areas. It sounds like you are trying hard to push yourself out of your comfort zone which is good, but don't exhaust yourself or make yourself miserable.

There are some specialties which are harder than others for an introvert. I found A&E tough, though I enjoyed the clinical side, because it's such a noisy, busy environment, with demands coming from everywhere and having to juggle lots of patients at once. Anaesthetics is pretty perfect for me - one-to-one time with each patient, lots of quiet time and once you're in theatre, you can chat to the team if you like or not if you don't.

Try not to jump to conclusions about what others are thinking about you, or what you "should" be doing or saying. You can find your own way of becoming the sort of doctor you want to be.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 2

username2459871

18

I'm very introverted and I don't think it affects my place in med school. Don't feel pressured to socialise with your course mates 24/7 - I definitely don't fit in with most of my course and I feel a lot more comfortable having nights in with my flatmate or boyfriend than going to big nights out / socialising with people I study with!

Like Helenia said, there are many specialities you could go into that would be better suited to your personality. You don't have to be full-blown chatty and the life and soul of the party if you want to be a good doctor. You just need to be caring, empathetic, and know how to diagnose / treat effectively :smile:

Reply 3

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

I consider myself an extremely quiet and introverted person and am really struggling with med school. I do wonder if there is even a place in medicine for introverted people, or if extroversion is one of the prerequisites of being a good doctor. So I have just finished year 1 of medicine and prior to that I did a science degree. Throughout my degree I only knew around 10 people by name (out of 300+ in the year group) and became proper friends with 3 other people. Despite having such a small circle of friends I had a whale of a time with them and couldn't care less about not socializing with any other people. When I got into medicine though, I told myself that this time round I would try to socialize and step out of my comfort zone more. However in reality even though I have joined loads of society, forced myself to be more vocal in seminars/lectures and be more chatty, I can't help but to feel emotionally drained and being very socially inept. I enjoy one-to-one conversations but am really afraid of being part of a large group as I often struggle to think of things to say... To compound things further, English isn't my mother-tongue and I would assume it's not quite up to par with my local counterparts. I tend to take 5 seconds to put words into coherrent sentences in my head before I say anything. Hence I understand that my introversion + slight pauses in conversations + very brief answers (i struggle with thinking of things to say) would warrant weird looks from people and to think that I am an extremely incompetent medical student/weirdo. While on placements I enjoy talking to patients, I am just not good at/hate networking (which I gather is crucial in medicine)

As others above me have said, being an introvert does not mean there is no place for you in medicine. Some of the most well-liked people in my foundation program (by nurses, seniors, juniors, patients - everyone) are introverts. I would also consider myself an introvert, but throughout medical school and 2 years working as a doctor, I have learnt to act as an extravert (to a degree), and although it does take it out of me a bit and I prefer spend most of my free time alone, I seem to get on fine with my colleagues and patients. I also find that I actually much prefer working with people now, and this is coming from someone who used to always sit alone in lectures and in the library.

English is also not my first language, and this is another reason why I felt like I didn't fully fit in at uni. And then we started doing clinical placements and I realised that there are many, many doctors working in the NHS whose English isn't 100% perfect, yet it doesn't stop them from being excellent clinicians and communicators. If it's of any consolation, the English in your post sounds pretty damn good so I don't know if this is something you are overthinking or if anxiety is contributing to how you think others view you. But honestly, even if your grammar isn't correct 100% of the time, or if you have an accent, it does not mean that people don't understand what you are saying or that they will view you negatively.

Original post by Anonymous

Also, on a separate note, I feel like I am a complete fraud. I do well academically (i.e. top decile) even though deep down I can't help but to think this is such a joke. There were numerous times I would hide in the toilets and cry my eyes out after getting all the questions wrong in quizzes in semianrs or walking out of the lecture hall not understanding a thing. I am just not as intelligent as most others as it takes me much longer to grasp very basic medical concepts. There have been countless times where I questioned how I had even got into med school in the first place. I am starting to think that I can be doing well academically but at the same time being very incompetent. I guess I would be grateful if anyone has any advice for introverted people in medicine. I hate to say this but at the moment I am in doubt as to whether I should continue with the course; even though I love learning about medicine, I don't see myself being a very good doctor 4 years down the road or being any less socially inept by then. However I have worked so hard to gain a place in med school and throughout year 1 which makes me hesitant to quit.

Now this is typical imposter syndrome that many, many medics suffer from. One of the most eye-opening things for me was when at a conference, a consultant (and quite an accomplished one at that) talked about his experiences of imposter syndrome as a junior, and word for word described how I've felt throughout FY1 and FY2 (i.e. feeling totally incompetent and a fraud compared to colleagues). There was then an anonymous poll, and it turned out that 3/4 of everyone in the lecture hall (which included FYs, core trainees, registrars and a few consultants) had felt the same at some point.

You are obviously doing very well if you are in the top decile - you are clearly intelligent and hard-working if you perform better than 90% of students in your year. Medics are very good at pretending and looking like they are on top of things - the people who say they don't revise and seem to just get everything spend hours studying, and you will mostly certainly not be the only one to have cried after getting bad quiz results. Remember, though, that the purpose of university isn't to get 100% in every test, it's to learn and ultimately it's what you get at the end that counts - so what if you failed a few formative quizzes when you come out in the top decile at the end?

Please don't give up over these feelings that you are not good enough. It doesn't sound like there is any objective evidence to suggest that you are not doing well enough academically, and you will get better at communication skills throughout medical school even if you are the most introverted person on the planet. It takes all sorts in medicine, and being bubbly with hundreds of friends is not a prerequisite to being a good doctor.

Reply 4

xylas

21

Original post by Anonymous

I guess I would be grateful if anyone has any advice for introverted people in medicine. I hate to say this but at the moment I am in doubt as to whether I should continue with the course; even though I love learning about medicine, I don't see myself being a very good doctor 4 years down the road or being any less socially inept by then. However I have worked so hard to gain a place in med school and throughout year 1 which makes me hesitant to quit.

I know exactly where you are coming from and so much of what you have written I have experienced first or second-hand through 6 years of medical school. My advice is simple and it worked for me and others on my course: don't worry about the future and don't predict what things will be like.

You are fine.

A lot of what you have written are symptoms of anxiety and this is extremely common, especially for med students. Don't care what other people on your course think about you. Don't care for one second. I can tell you that I have made so many mistakes in front of my peers, pretty much every mistake you can make at med school. I may have cared at first about what others perceived me to be (and that definitely would have included incompetent) but why should I care now? Was I harmed in any way from saying things that may have made me look dumb - the answer is no! That's the beauty of being a student, no-one knows better than anyone else despite what people like to portray themselves as.

That's it really. With regards to introversion being a problem, it is not. I am very introverted and as I said I have done and said many awkward things that did not come naturally to me. What is med school for if you are expected to be good at these things already? Trust me, no-one is, although they may have a good day now and then (and those are the ones we all pay attention to) everyone is going through the same difficulties. That is a fact.

You are only at the end of your first year of med school. Relax. It is a long degree and you will be facing the same things again, again and again til you are so bored of worrying about them they just happen. The first year is nothing like the final year so you still have a long way to come and you will certainly get there. Just focus on talking to patients which you are currently doing (which is the whole point at the end of the day) and you will continue to be what you already are - fine.

You are fine.

Reply 5

belis

17

Introverted is not the same as being shy, lacking in social skills etc All it means that you recharge your batteries by being alone and find the company of others draining on your energy. I'm very introverted. When I'm done with work I am all 'peopled out' and need alone time to rest. I prefer 1:1 interaction and psychiatry suits me well as most of my time is spent in small groups or just with one person.

I recommend that you read the Power of Silence book and find yourself a mentor who is a successful introvert.

Reply 6

Anonymous #3

Original post by Anonymous

I consider myself an extremely quiet and introverted person and am really struggling with med school. I do wonder if there is even a place in medicine for introverted people, or if extroversion is one of the prerequisites of being a good doctor. So I have just finished year 1 of medicine and prior to that I did a science degree. Throughout my degree I only knew around 10 people by name (out of 300+ in the year group) and became proper friends with 3 other people. Despite having such a small circle of friends I had a whale of a time with them and couldn't care less about not socializing with any other people. When I got into medicine though, I told myself that this time round I would try to socialize and step out of my comfort zone more. However in reality even though I have joined loads of society, forced myself to be more vocal in seminars/lectures and be more chatty, I can't help but to feel emotionally drained and being very socially inept. I enjoy one-to-one conversations but am really afraid of being part of a large group as I often struggle to think of things to say... To compound things further, English isn't my mother-tongue and I would assume it's not quite up to par with my local counterparts. I tend to take 5 seconds to put words into coherrent sentences in my head before I say anything. Hence I understand that my introversion + slight pauses in conversations + very brief answers (i struggle with thinking of things to say) would warrant weird looks from people and to think that I am an extremely incompetent medical student/weirdo. While on placements I enjoy talking to patients, I am just not good at/hate networking (which I gather is crucial in medicine) Also, on a separate note, I feel like I am a complete fraud. I do well academically (i.e. top decile) even though deep down I can't help but to think this is such a joke. There were numerous times I would hide in the toilets and cry my eyes out after getting all the questions wrong in quizzes in semianrs or walking out of the lecture hall not understanding a thing. I am just not as intelligent as most others as it takes me much longer to grasp very basic medical concepts. There have been countless times where I questioned how I had even got into med school in the first place. I am starting to think that I can be doing well academically but at the same time being very incompetent. I guess I would be grateful if anyone has any advice for introverted people in medicine. I hate to say this but at the moment I am in doubt as to whether I should continue with the course; even though I love learning about medicine, I don't see myself being a very good doctor 4 years down the road or being any less socially inept by then. However I have worked so hard to gain a place in med school and throughout year 1 which makes me hesitant to quit.

This. I can relate to every sentence. Basically I locked myself in my accommodation last year.

Haven't been to lectures in 2 years, thankfully passed all my exams so far. TBH I don't really care about making friends that's why I don't have any :smile:

but I know I need to socialise more as it will affect my communication skills later down the line.

I think it's time I got help :smile:

There is no secret formula, just do you!

Reply 7

seaholme

19

Original post by Anonymous

I consider myself an extremely quiet and introverted person and am really struggling with med school. I do wonder if there is even a place in medicine for introverted people, or if extroversion is one of the prerequisites of being a good doctor. So I have just finished year 1 of medicine and prior to that I did a science degree. Throughout my degree I only knew around 10 people by name (out of 300+ in the year group) and became proper friends with 3 other people. Despite having such a small circle of friends I had a whale of a time with them and couldn't care less about not socializing with any other people. When I got into medicine though, I told myself that this time round I would try to socialize and step out of my comfort zone more. However in reality even though I have joined loads of society, forced myself to be more vocal in seminars/lectures and be more chatty, I can't help but to feel emotionally drained and being very socially inept. I enjoy one-to-one conversations but am really afraid of being part of a large group as I often struggle to think of things to say... To compound things further, English isn't my mother-tongue and I would assume it's not quite up to par with my local counterparts. I tend to take 5 seconds to put words into coherrent sentences in my head before I say anything. Hence I understand that my introversion + slight pauses in conversations + very brief answers (i struggle with thinking of things to say) would warrant weird looks from people and to think that I am an extremely incompetent medical student/weirdo. While on placements I enjoy talking to patients, I am just not good at/hate networking (which I gather is crucial in medicine) Also, on a separate note, I feel like I am a complete fraud. I do well academically (i.e. top decile) even though deep down I can't help but to think this is such a joke. There were numerous times I would hide in the toilets and cry my eyes out after getting all the questions wrong in quizzes in semianrs or walking out of the lecture hall not understanding a thing. I am just not as intelligent as most others as it takes me much longer to grasp very basic medical concepts. There have been countless times where I questioned how I had even got into med school in the first place. I am starting to think that I can be doing well academically but at the same time being very incompetent. I guess I would be grateful if anyone has any advice for introverted people in medicine. I hate to say this but at the moment I am in doubt as to whether I should continue with the course; even though I love learning about medicine, I don't see myself being a very good doctor 4 years down the road or being any less socially inept by then. However I have worked so hard to gain a place in med school and throughout year 1 which makes me hesitant to quit.

I'm also an introverted person with a small group of friends. The thing to remember is that when you're working professionally, you're basically acting most of the time. You end up with a kind of 'doctor' persona with patients, families and other colleagues that is separate to any introversion or extraversion.

I think also after you've been working a little while, you become more confident about yourself at work and this rubs off a little into the rest of your life. Nowadays I find I'm more 'myself' at work than I ever have been in the past and much more likely to behave like my own intrinsic personality with colleagues than I used to be. I guess I used to be worried what other people would think of me and now I find that I don't really care. Basically I think these things come with time, and they come to everyone no matter how shy or introverted you may be. At the end of the day you're forced to communicate at work all the time and when you need to do something, you will.

When it comes to academically it sounds like you're achieving very highly. So just ease off on yourself. There's really nothing you can get wrong in medical school which justifies crying in a toilet! Who cares how long it takes you to grasp concepts, just provided you grasp them and pass the exams. Don't worry so much.

Reply 8

Anonymous #4

Just echoing other people, I am also very introverted in that after interacting with people I actually need some alone time to recharge. I used to be really shy as well presenting to senior doctors or just saying things in general but honestly with practice (after 5 years of medical school) that’s now a whole lot better. I don’t think my personality affects my ability to be a doctor (I hope not anyway!)

English is also my second language but remember that brings benefits like being able to help interpret for patients if something urgent comes up and they can’t find a translator. I find that there is a place for all sorts of different personalities in Medicine. As long as you are competent (- you sound like a high achiever, continue to work hard to up your knowledge throughout your career), caring and treat every patient the same and with respect, you will be just fine!

The only thing is don’t let this affect your self esteem or bring you down, and don’t ever be put off going in to placement. Don’t also let anyone tell you you can’t make a good doctor.

Reply 9

Helenia

20

Original post by Anonymous

This. I can relate to every sentence. Basically I locked myself in my accommodation last year.

Haven't been to lectures in 2 years, thankfully passed all my exams so far. TBH I don't really care about making friends that's why I don't have any :smile:

but I know I need to socialise more as it will affect my communication skills later down the line.

I think it's time I got help :smile:

There is no secret formula, just do you!

You're going to have to leave your room to go on placement quite soon...

Introversion and being a medical student

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