Myths about being in final year (and, well... medical school in general)

"Bow down"

1. You know everything

False. To those in younger years, we walk around with stethoscopes not because we might be called on to assess the next patient that is short of breath, but because of this ridiculously insatiable need to reassure ourselves that we a worth having one. Many of us just about know how to put it in our ears (yes there is a right and a wrong way to do that). To those family and friends that insist on asking us to diagnose them: we *barely* know what we have read in textbooks. Our powers of clinical judgment are pretty much infantile. Please contact your GP. Please.

2. Passing a competency test means you are competent

NO NO NO! You passed a competency test because you checked some boxes on a pre-printed mark sheet and got a signature for completing a task like taking blood. This is not the same as being able to find a slippery vein in someone's arm while your bleep is going off and the patient is practically pushing you away because they are a needle-phobe.

3.  You have absolutely no free time

Not true. However I see why people quite easily get this impression. After a long day of being told why you will never be a good doctor and being an epic fail in general, the natural response is to retreat to the haven of your bedroom with a cup of hot chocolate and a cheesy movie. So when we say we are 'busy' it doesn't always mean 'busy doing work'. It's actually quite time consuming trying to piece together the shreds of your dignity.

4. You have to give up all your hobbies to give your course priority

Well, within reason. But I do have a medic friend who is training for Olympic rowing and hasn't dropped out #justsaying. Medical training is more flexible than you think.

5. By final year you know exactly what specialty you want to go into

By final year, most people at least have an inclination as to whether they want to be a medic or be a surgeon. It sometimes doesn't go beyond that. Some people just have a light bulb moment (like I did) but others will be going back and forth up until the day they have to apply for specialty training. Sorry to disappoint those who make it a point to ask us what we want to go into. You probably won't get an answer for a while.

So hope this clears things up a bit. But at the end of the day, the BIGGEST MYTH OF ALL is that we are super human. We need to cut ourselves some slack and stop being so intense. And I've found the people that most help me to do that are my non-medic friends and family. You are irreplaceable and your contribution is invaluable even though we might not always say it. Thanks for not giving up on us!