Is this how sub Is supposed to feel like?
Hey everyone! I went to my first shift today as an internal medicine sub I. I am a fourth year medical student and I was so excited to start my first ever sub I. I took the initiative to see a new patient on my floor and practiced presenting what I was going to say for rounds about my patient with my intern. My intern liked the way I presented and gave me very nice feedback on what kind of questions I may expect from my attending. The intern went over the topics with me which was sooo helpful. When it was rounds and it was my turn to present, my attending told me my presentation was so not intern level. The attending also mentioned that my level of knowledge is not a fourth year level of knowledge as well. I got almost every question I got pimped today wrong. The attending was like you need to read Harrison’s book and how my medical knowledge is so far below. I have four weeks for this sub I with this same attending. I will deff do my part in reading and learning and not taking things my attending says personally. But to be truly honest I was in tears when I was going home today after the shift. I never felt so dumb. I felt I didn’t belong in medicine and that I don’t know anything. I do find myself that I blank out when I get a question asked and just say some guesses. But my attending did not like that. They wanted me to either know it or not. The attending even compared my knowledge to another sub I and third year med student that was on the team with me as well and how they know the information but I don’t. I am definitely feeling the imposter syndrome. :( any advice or tips will greatly be appreciated.
Posted Aug 7, 2025, 12:54 AM UTC