Milestones

Medicine is a lot about milestones. The day-to-day activities, while important, seem like drops in an ocean compared to the big events that lead to becoming a physician. Writing the MCAT, Med School applications, CaRMS, qualifying exams... at times it seems like we're lurching from one milestone to another, just hoping we'll happily pass to the next stage.

I bring this up because of two events that have just past or are soon to happen.

First, what just happened. CaRMS just went through its second iteration, filling any spots left over from the first round. My school had an uncharacteristically large number of students in that match - I really hope it went well for as many of them as possible. From what I'm told, most if not all, are quality future physicians.

On the other hand, we have what's coming. Medical school admission decisions are only a few weeks away. Two years ago I was anxiously awaiting this time, barely able to think about anything else. Last year, I had a chance to help those applying along, to see the great number of stellar applicants. Many of them were admitted and are now my future colleagues (assuming I don't do something stupid like fail an upcoming exam... which I have totally studied for, sort of). I've had the great fortune of working with many of them over the past year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I'm continually impressed with the dedication and competence I've seen in the first year students I've worked with - and I hope I've shown a similar level of ability!

It saddens me a bit, moving into clerkship, that I won't have much opportunity to work with the incoming students. As I've said many times, I really like the challenges of medical education - I'd love to teach in some capacity in the future - my experiences as a second year student have really been enjoyable. I may not have been teaching, exactly, but there were many times where I felt I could guide or advise others, just as more senior medical students guided and advised me. I hate to give that up.

Yet, clerkship is my next milestone, so it's something I have to accept. Moving from the classroom to the clinic is very exciting and is a progression in my training that I've been looking forward to. Then it'll be my electives, then CaRMS. More milestones to lurch to ahead.

I guess this is just my roundabout way of wishing everyone luck at enjoying the time in between the milestones - they're exciting and come more often than I initially thought - but it's the bits in the middle that I'll remember most fondly.