For starters, I am NOT a motivational speaker. As a matter of fact, I hate motivational speaking. I believe most people in such a business are full of it. However, having passed my fellowship examinations recently. I ran into the new batch of fellows. I saw the look of "frustration" on their faces.
Since Cardiology is a topic that was never covered in depth during my Internal Medicine boards, cardiology fellows find it hard to grasp cardiac hemodynamic concepts and their correlation with cardiovascular physical examination, ECG, cardiac catheterization, and echocardiography. Not to mention the nightmare of flunking the end-of-year exam that is always there. This is a recipe for panic and insomnia.
There is no doubt that senior guidance is essential, combined with the "blood and guts routine" (a.k.a. hitting the books hard at home). In my humble opinion, senior guidance is what makes the difference between good hospitals and bad ones.
Let's have a moment of nostalgia here...
In high school, I was told a medical student should be fluent in english. I thought mastering english as a secondary language was a difficult task.
I was also told (back then) that in anatomy, a medical student had to learn the name of every bone, muscle, and organ. With all their correlations, origins, insertions, embryology, physiology, biochemistry, and the effect of medications on them. I thought it was impossible to absorb all that information. But I made it through all that.
Few years later, during my clinical rotation as senior medical student. I was told by my seniors that it would take a natural genius to master physical examination techniques. But surprisingly, like every other student in the class, I made it through!
Few years after that, I became a junior resident in internal medicine. I ran into a former resdient who was kicked out of the program because he flunk the first residency exam twice! He told me "passing the board exams was impossible". He said he did not fail the test, but "they" failed him. I passed all my promotion exams and completed my internal medicine boards within four years as required.
Do you see where this is going? In other words, can you see a pattern here?
Make no mistake about the following facts:
1. Becoming a physician is a life-long journey, not a destination.
2. Exams are hard. An amount of knowledge needs to be obtained in a relatively short period of time.
However, millions of doctors, over centuries, all over the world, graduated from medical schools and completed their training programs and eventually became board-certified consultants. What makes you different from them?
It is quite alright (and physiological) for a student to be intimated at first. Given the amount of new material that needs to be acquired. But it is absurd for others to aggravate such fears in you. In other words, adding fuel to the fire is not only pointless, but could be hazardous.
An indiviual who tells you that passing the exams is hard could be classified into one of the following categories:
1. A big-time loser who could not even make it through medical school due to plain laziness.
2. A senior doctor with a below-average intelligence who marginally passed every exam in his career.
3. A genius or a scam artist, who does not want you to compete with him/her at any level.
Doctors who belong to the third category are the most dangerous type. Although they are everywhere, they are most prevalent in societies with the highest levels of illiteracy, superstition, and empty pride.
Bottom line
Whenever you encounter indiviuals of the third category: smile, shake hands with them, say "it was nice knowing you", and walk away immediately! This is for your own good.
Let's get back to the million dollar question:
Are you smart enough to "make it" through your board/fellowship exams?
It boils down to this honest answer
1. Exams need preparartion.
By that I mean studying hard throughout the year, practising exam questions, making/joining study groups, and sticking to seniors for guidance.
2. Board exams are all about mastering the basics.
Honest senior consultants unanimously say they started studying for their sub-speciality in depth AFTER passing their exams! Not prior.
3. You made it through high school (medical school applicants are usually on top of their class in high school).
You made it through medical school.
And you survived your residency.
What makes this fellowship different?
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