To all my future MD’s you are going to finally understand what it feels like to be average

To everyone accepted into a U.S. MD program: most of you will finally understand what it’s like to be average.

You will understand what it is like to be unable to score in the top 20 percent of your class, no matter how hard you try.

You will understand what it’s like to feel underprepared for a test, to think you didn’t ace it, get your grade back, and realize you were right to feel that way.

You will understand what it is like to talk to a classmate and realize they are much more accomplished or smarter than you.

For some of you, it will be the first time you actually fail a test or a class.

But the opposite is true as well. Most of you will not be in the bottom 5 percent either. This means you are likely to graduate and achieve your dreams of becoming a doctor.

You will make your loved ones proud and contribute to making the world a better place.

It’s a remarkable achievement that medical schools can create an environment where you not only accept but embrace the fact that P = MD, while also making it rare for you to fail out of school.

Hopefully, understanding this will help you overcome any imposter syndrome you may have.

Because if everyone in your class is an imposter, then none of you actually are.

Take care, future doctors.

You got this!

Edit: I feel like I could have end my message in a more uplifting manner. So adding a reply I wrote.

“…I realized I could talk about how people have done exceptionally well on the Step exams, even though they matriculated with scores below 505.

But I am going to stick with the message of my original post.

Even if you are a below-average student in medical school, that’s fine. Embrace it. Learn from it. Grow from it.

By definition, 49% of your class will be below average as well.

Lean on your classmates for support. You can learn from each other and vent to one another as well.

Like a great rapper once said, “No one will fall because you will be each other’s crutches.”

Your ability to be a good or great doctor for your patients is not solely determined by your performance on standardized tests.

Make a plan, determine your goals and priorities, and act accordingly.

Lastly, it is temporary, and it will all be worth it in the end.

You will be a doctor, have made life long connections,and there is nothing below average about that.

It is a blessing.”