Hello! My name is Mudra and I am a junior doctor, and a human being. Most people (including me) often forget the latter. I am writing to tell you that at the beginning of my internship, I made a mistake. Spoiler alert, the patient lived.

WAMSS Mental Health is proud to present our video series: Beyond the Scrubs! With the goal of opening dialogue about mental health among medical students through sharing individual experiences, the series will involve students from all cohorts within the medical community, so grab some popcorn, relax, and tune in to watch the fascinating stories told by your mates unravel on screen!

My journey through medicine has been an interesting one, with periods of hardship but also personal growth…. For me, this started back in January 2018 when I had been accepted into Paediatric training and was just about to start the job of my dreams.  

Medical students are selected for qualities such as academic prowess and excellence. However, with academic success comes other qualities that, in large amounts, can hinder a doctor. Whilst attention to detail is important when charting medications or writing a good discharge summary, perfectionism can negatively impact our mental health. 

January 2020.
I had just finished internship and had recently been accepted onto the Basic Physician Training program after months of hard work preparing my application and interview. I felt on top of the world. Having spent 3 weeks on the family trip of a lifetime, I was fully rested with a palpable excitement to come back to Perth and start my specialty training.

Being a medical student has been a journey both academically as well as personally in mental health. Generalised anxiety is something that has been with me since a young age and it will likely continue by my side lifelong.