Contributing Writer
Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University
Prisca Mbonu is a medical student at the Burnett School of Medicine at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas class of 2026. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in 2020. She is interested in narrative medicine and in her free time she enjoys writing poems and short stories about her experiences during her medical training.
It was a warm summer day in July, and I felt trepidation as I prepared to meet my very first patient. This encounter marked my initiation into the world of clinical practice as a budding, first-year medical student. My patient, whom I will refer to as Bob, appeared to be in his late 50s.
With imposter syndrome raging,/ I sit quietly at my desk,/ reflect on goals for my future/ and what it means to do my best.
Dance has always been a medium for me to express my emotions. It makes me feel alive and helps me process my experiences, including that with imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome has been described as feelings of self-doubt, especially in high achieving people
This phenomenon of imposter syndrome is prevalent in many of us pursuing medicine. Especially for those of us who are first-generation physicians, we are left to fend through uncharted territories. While we try to do our best to navigate this difficult path, we are left feeling that there is someone else better suited for our spot in medicine. We feel that we are not deserving of this privilege. As we pass through these high obstacles — basic sciences, board exams, core rotations, even electives — we stew in self-doubt after each success.
You already started / your medical school journey / non-traditionally. / Just keep pushing
You lose / your pen with / the red and blue and black ink
So, one way or another / I keep craning my neck / Looking up.
We all earn our way here / Paid in hours of studying / and minutes of fun lost.
“Eager and enthusiastic” / As I drag myself from bed. / “Positive energy” / Do you have an injury to your head?
I am waiting for my coffee when / a middle-aged Turkish man / asks if I am a medical student
They say you’re at the top of the class / I say I’m barely able to pass
I know better. / I know nothing, and I am useless. / So don’t throw words at me insinuating that / I am knowledgeable.
Contributing Writer
UC San Diego School of Medicine
Andrew is a fourth year medical student at University of California, San Diego SOM in La Jolla, CA, class of 2020. In 2013, he graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts in history. He enjoys collecting vintage wristwatches and writing flash fiction. He is currently applying into emergency medicine.
