We usually think that to excel in the healthcare profession, clinical exposure is everything.
Yes, it is required, but during my college time, I realized something that books can’t teach you.
Those times are not just about the clinic and academics but also about how to balance different aspects at the same time.
You have a presentation to work on and a same-day deadline for paperwork, and yes, how can you forget? Your complicated patient case is waiting for me.
Days filled with pressure, deadlines, self-doubt, and sometimes failure, as well. But we have to show up every day like a newer version of ourselves is waiting for us.
It was overwhelming at that time. Feels like not doing enough to match expectations.
But now, when I look back, it seems like that time prepared for the world outside that. How to make yourself confident, believe in yourself.
It taught me patience when progress felt slow.
It taught me discipline when motivation was low.
And most importantly, it taught me how much impact clear scientific communication can have.
Whether it was an in-depth search for a thesis and research purpose or spending days to find one perfect article. Finding an answer to one question through multiple pages of Google Scholar or PubMed
At that time, that just felt like a requirement for academics. But now, I can see how those same skills are helping me grow, adapt, and explore new opportunities.
Occasionally, we have to go through a process, and later we realize how those events transform us.
Has any part of your academic or professional journey unexpectedly changed the direction of your career?
MBH/AB