Entering trimester 7 feels both exciting and humbling. It’s the final stretch before beginning part-time in the school clinic, and that milestone carries a weight that I spend a lot of time thinking about. For the first two years of this program, the focus has been on mastering material in classrooms and labs, knowing that mistakes were part of the learning process. Soon, the safety net shifts and the skills we’ve been building will be applied to real patients who are trusting us with their health.
From Academics to Clinical Practice
There’s an undeniable mix of emotions that come with this shift in responsibility. The nerves begin for many reasons, the first one being the desire to step into clinic feeling competent and prepared. It is impossible to know everything, and that fear of making mistakes heightens with this mindset shift from academic to clinical practice. It’s one thing to answer a test question correctly, but it’s another to interpret a patient’s story, perform an exam and create a plan with confidence.
At the same time, there’s genuine excitement for what is ahead. This is the moment we’ve been working toward since day one. It is the opportunity to transition from education to practice, to develop our clinical reasoning, and to begin shaping the kind of doctor we want to become. It is totally normal to feel all the nerves of this transitional time, but as clinic creeps up, I am reminded of exactly why I chose this path.
Fulfillment in Making a Difference
Trimester 7 feels like standing at the threshold of a new chapter. The path ahead may hold challenges and moments of uncertainty, but it also promises growth, discovery, and the privilege of making a difference in someone’s life. As my wise professor Dr. Ed told me the other day “If you feel confident at this stage, you’re doing something wrong”, and those words remind me that my feelings are exactly where they need to be.
