Remember back then in nursery school when you get awarded and applauded for doing absolutely nothing?
then primary school too, same ol' same ol'
Wanna know why your teachers do all that?
they do it just to build your confidence, that's basically it!!

It's a thread......

Let's fast forward to secondary school, you're at a dilemma of which department you want to be in, then you realize you're good at maths and other science subjects, so you chose science department.
Turns out it ain't that easy, but you still find a way to ace your subjects....

your school probably would take you out for competitions (like cowbell mathematics competition and all), you feeling good about yourself?
you think you've got the whole world to yourself.
Almost done with secondary school, you have to chose a course to study in the university....

you go for the "seemingly hardest" course out there "Medicine and Surgery" just because you love the challenge. I mean, you're probably the best student in your set.

Now, most people in medical school got in either through jamb/post jamb or A levels then Direct entry....

or after doing a first degree and then getting in through direct entry.
Anyhoo, you're in, mission accomplished!!
100 level days, you'll probably finish with a first class, cause it's basically secondary school work.
200 level days, Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry hits you..

you've got your Keith moore (gross anatomy)and atlas by the side , Junquiera (histology), Inderbir singh (neuroanatomy), Ganong/Guyton (physiology), and you'll probably just read slide for biochemistry.
Soo many big books to read, soo overwhelming, but you've still got the.....

confidence of primary school student and you hit the library, reading all day and night. You'll probably miss out on the real university experience because you're always reading.
You'll probably pass your anatomy rest because they are kinda nice over there and it's kinda simple..

but your physiology and biochemistry test scores be looking like your shoe size, lmfaoooooooo.
You do that for about a year and half depending on where you're schooling, then you're faced with your first ever MB;BS exam. you go in there, write as much as you can...

and probably pass that it. Congratulations .
But then, some of your classmates might not be as lucky as you are, so you'll probably feel bad for them for like a day or two, then you move on.
Now it's pathology and pharmacology time
you'll probably pass that too anyways...

but then again, some of your friends might not be so lucky so they get dropped to the lower class, that's so sad.
Now to the clinicals, you'll suddenly feel you've arrived, lol.
first of, you add "Dr" to your whatsapp and Twitter username ..

Your Twitter bio will boldly say "medical student/doctor-in-utero/doctor-in-the-making" with the stethoscope and drugs emoji by the side. lmfaooooo, it's allowed.
You get your first ever patient, you "clerk", even tho you don't really know what the word means yet...

you do it anyway and still feel good about yourself, lol.
If God would help you, your patient would be patient enough to answer your 1001 questions. Then to the ward round, you raise up your hand eagerly and say you want to present. You run through the whole presentation and...

you wait, expecting an applause from your consultant, only to be hit with "i commend your effort but you just presented rubbish" lmfaooooo.
you feeling dejected yet?
don't be, that's just the tip of the iceberg .
Your consultants, residents, house officers even the patients....

are all going to rubbish you over and over for the next couple of years, so just sit back and take it all in.
The side effect of this is, your self confidence is going to drop so low, you would become anti-social, withdrawn and probably depressed.

You'll feel like the dullest student in the whole world, the irony right? lmao.
Well, welcome to medical school.
Where you can't seem to be able to do anything right, but then you ain't gat no choice. you have to keep coming back cause that's what you signed up for...

Around this period is when your classmates or even you will start coming down with all sort of mental health issues. some people might even drop out.
Writing the exams, there's this constant fear of meeting something you've never seen before in your life and fear of failing...

About 200 bright medical students gained admission, now left with about 80 zombies who just go and come because they are way too deep to drop out now. The zeal and passion ain't there anymore but you can't do anything about it because "you filled your jamb form yourself" lol...

That's when you start doing all sort of extra-curricular activities just to preserve your mental sanity.
some people would go into business, while some would just play games and watch movies all day. Some would take up drugs and alcohol, it's just sad frs.

Looking at what the residents pass through, you start thinking if you even want to practice atall.
You see residents and HOs sleeping on the rounds, and clinics just because they are being over-worked. you see them acting out and cussing students and patients just because...

they are frustrated and all, who can blame them?
You see them getting berated and scolded right in front of you and you start wondering if it is all worth it.
You are at a dilemma again, you have to chose between practicing in this country or the abroads, or dropping your...

certificate at home after medical school and go out to look for what you're actually passionate about..

AND THAT IS THE CHRONICLE OF AN AVERAGE MEDICAL STUDENT

Thank you

Author: Me
~ @heisTactic