19 Things Doctors Wish They Knew Before They Went To Med School

It's called on the job training.

19 Things Doctors Wish They Knew Before They Went To Med School

As a clinician I've actually learnt more on the job than I ever did in school. I reached out to 19 of my colleagues and they shared what they wish they learned in medical school.

Humility

Let go of ego. Be humble enough to realize that you can never understand it all and create enough space for new information to always arrive. Spend more time figuring out how to prove yourself wrong rather than obsessing with being right. Through these practices, you will continuously grow and quickly identify and grow past your areas of weakness. - Dr. Pejman Katiraei

Role Models

Find a role model that exhibits the sort of skills you would like to emulate. The Doctors who go the extra mile and work to do the right thing, even when no one is looking. Bring this sort of integrity to your practice. Take up the art of observation to bring forward your best work. Learn from history and repeat it. - Dr. Lori Whatley, clinical psychologist

Doorknob Therapy

I wish I’d known how common "doorknob therapy" is….that tendency for patients to drop a bomb/the nugget of their issue on their way out the door. It is sort of like a Lt. Columbo moment: “Oh, just one more thing… I’’m considering getting a sex change… - Dr. Nancy Irwin, clinical psychologist

Honesty

I am up front and honest with all my clients. I give them the full aspect of the reality of their success in sobriety or their possible relapse if they continue to engage in their behaviors. I don’t sugar coat the hard work that is in front of them. By being transparent there is no misunderstanding and the client can start to trust in the process by putting in the needed work and gaining results. - Patrick O’Neil of CAST Centers

Student Loans

Prepare to be saddled with significant student loans for Medical School. I remember when I first met with the financial aid counselor at my medical school. That’s when the real numbers of the debt I was incurring finally hit home and became real. I was a bit shocked. Shortly afterwards I adjusted to the notion that I’ll be in debt for a while and life resumed normalcy again. - Brian Boxer Wachler, M.D

Business Skills

Learning how to run a wellness practice was not talked about in school. We focused mainly on surgical inpatient management skills. Running a wellness practice can be stressful, especially managing employees. It is important to have a skilled office manager to help with this. -Dr. Sanda Moldovan, periodontist

You Ain't Getting Rich

Put aside the dreams of a lavish lifestyle… at least for a whole number of years. People normally enter the helping fields because they want to, well… help. And there is more than enough need out there, so you’ll be happy to know your help is desperately needed. But the ratio of work to reward is heavily skewed towards the former, at least at the outset. So keep yourself motivated by and focused on the reasons you were interested in this field in the first place. And make sure to find time to get some food and water in you so you don’t pass out. - Dr. Adi Jaffe, addiction and mental health expert

Self Care

To maintain career sustainability, it’s our ethical responsibility to take excellent, holistic care of ourselves. If we don’t, we risk negatively impacting our clients. For example, if we feel triggered during session and do not actively seek consultation or psychotherapy, we risk countertransference or worse. If we are not physically well, our energy levels and mental acuteness can waver during session. Like it or not, our clients see us as models and we lead by example. - Melody Li, Marriage and Family Therapist

Mindfulness

Practice mindfulness so you can give 100% to your patients. They deserve it.

Practice mindfulness so you can give 100% to yourself. You deserve it. - HeHe Stewart, Founder of Tranquility, Doula

Teamwork

Take time to prepare for your job. Educate yourself and your team. Create a team of people that help get your patient to their goal with love, education, and encouragement. You can’t be everywhere, so your team must help you be the best care providers that you can be. Don’t forget that 1+1 = 3 and that synergy is powerful to deliver care. - Dr. Angeline Beltsos

Goal Setting

What are the GOALS of the patient and family? Once we understand the reality of the situation and what is most important to them, we can help them arrive at some meaningful and achievable goals. These can be a combination of long-term and short-term goals that can give the patient and family more purpose and incentive. - Dr. Bob Uslander

Timing

Don’t rush. Rushing with your patients makes them feel less important and less understood. It can be rude at times. You have the honor of helping your patients to achieve their best health and wellness…act like it matters and take the time with them to really understand and get to the bottom of the problem. - Laura Di Franco

Transparency

If we truly mean to empower our clients, we need to share with them the struggles that we have faced. We need to let them see our humanity. We need to pull out these illusions of perfection — there is not one person on this Earth who hasn’t struggled in some way. And letting my clients know that I have BEEN THERE and have come out the other side gives them the strength and faith to know that they, too, can heal themselves. - Jane Mayer, Healer

Statistics

Statistics regarding health issues are about groups of unhealthy people, not the individual sitting in front of you. Just discussing statistics does nothing to empower patients to take charge of their health. Telling someone they have ABC condition can be stressful. However, how we approach the topic can give the person hope. I always encourage my patients to stay focused on good health even when facing a serious health challenge, as this sets the mental stage for healing. Encouragement and positive words are healing. - Dr. Robert Zembroski

Be Succinct

When you are working with clients, keep your explanations simple and focused on the top 3–5 most salient points. Most people are looking to you for answers and if they trust you, they don’t need to know all the details they just need to know the bottom line. - Lee Gerdes

Ask For Help

.As driven, usually type A personalities, we often feel like we have to “know it all,” but really, no one expects you to know everything. You do not work in a vacuum. Do not be afraid to tell someone you will look up their question. Ask for help and guidance from others around you. You have a wealth of experience, other specialties, and subspecialties surrounding you; they can provide guidance and knowledge! - Cristina Palmer, M.D.

Lifestyle

When you choose to become a doctor, you are not choosing a job, you are choosing a way of life. A great doctor never stops worrying and never stops thinking about their patients. You have to be ok with total dedication. - Jacob D. Steiger, M.D.

Gratitude

Be thankful for the opportunity to take care of people and for their confidence in you. It is a great honor to have people trust their wellbeing literally in your hands. Never forget that. - Jacob D. Steiger, M.D.

Extra Credit: Listen

Listen to their story and pay attention to the details. Listen to their body and what it’s telling you. And finally listen to what they’re not saying and the emotions written in their eyes. This will help guide quite a bit. - Dr. Angeline Beltsos, M.D.

Fun

Have a hell of a lot of fun. It genuinely saddens me to hear of physicians who in their 40s are already thinking of retirement. I love what I do so much that I could never imagine retiring from it, even if money or other factors were not an issue. -Dr. Pejman Katiraei