Feeling Like a Failure in Med School (& how to overcome it) | VLOG 

Life isn't always about succeeding. Sometimes we stumble and fall, and the success comes from picking yourself back up to do better, be better, work harder, and shoot for the stars (so cheesy but i need to hear this lol). Sometimes we feel like failures, but does that make us a failure? NO! That makes us someone who is driven to bust our butts to do better. I know it looks like I just do well constantly. It's NOT TRUE. I do not feel smart all of the time, i don't always perform well, and sometimes I feel like giving up. I just don't let it control/define me. I use those feelings/performances to light a fire under my heinie. No matter what, YOU are in control of how you do. SO OWN IT.

Affirmation: ~I am enough ~Grades DO NOT define how capable I am ~I am limitless ~I am superior to negative thoughts and low actions. ~My thoughts are filled with positivity and my life is plentiful with prosperity. ~ Hope this helps someone :)

I just failed my semester but I will still be a doctor hehe I love you

A lot of people are feeling the burnout and burden of failing now more than ever - myself included! I've ranted over and over again about it. But we gotta remember how much we've mentally had to suppress to keep pushing as students and how extremely different learning has been this year and yet we've come so far! So yes patting ourselves on the back being kind to ourselves is soo soo important. We deserve it. Loved this ❤

The difference between a smart person and a normal person is a smart person has the courage to fail many times and learn from their failures and move forward. Many of us are experiencing burnout. Heck, I'm a dental student with 3 exams on Monday and I'm on RU-vid :)

I have been dealing with "failure" during the last month... but let's motivate each other... cause' failure is part of learning Love your videos Rachel! It makes me feel like I am not alone

I got a med school acceptance recently, and I'm already feeling undeserving in comparison to friends/colleagues who got in only after reapplying and actually have better stats. Anxious about how I'm going to do in med school now that I've made my dream come true... thank you for keeping it real and talking about this stuff too!

I failed my internal medicine test because I burnt myself out the last 2 weeks without taking any breaks. Also didn't get enough sleep which ended up in my overall health deteriorating and after the exam, it took me a couple of days to fully recover. I wanted to share this because it is SO important to take care of your health and well being (eating healthy, sleeping, exercising). It is OK if you fail a test you can take it again eventually and failing can be a good thing!! You will know the material better which translates to being a better doctor!!

Thank u sooo much for being real and not only upload “productive day yayy” that make so of us feel less eventho we should not be comparing ourselves to other but hey come on we are human But I definitely understand that this not easy to film or share and that everyone is free to upload what the want and feel comfortable to hare with a lot of pp I feel like we are FaceTiming when I watch ur vids so real and genuine and comforting Thank u so much 💕💕💕💕 can’t wait to watch this tmrw

BINGO BABYYYYYYY. I've been having an incredibly difficult week and I seriously CANNOT wait to watch this video and enjoy the chaos of the bingo card!!

best MedVlog period.

Shows how even smart people feel this way sometimes xd You know you're doing your best anyways!

BINGO BABY! Yay! What a great idea! I can’t wait 💕 Also, you are so positive and I love it! The hard work will pay off.

Well you made me have a sense of week by uploading videos weekly. Now I look forward each week to see a genuine, sincere and sweet human being in these dark times

I'm also in med school, and I needed this after a rough test this morning before going into finals next week. Thank you for always showing the good and bad of med school, and how to bounce back.

two desks in one room is how you know you've reached peak productivity mode😍😆!! and, Rachel you're amazing and work so hard and we're here for you and you continue to inspire others by working towards your dream, and you're gonna make it! Sending u lots of love 💕💕

I'm super excited to watch this video, because I've had some bad days this last week and I feel like whatever you are gonna say in the vlog is going to help me a lot!

You’re such an inspiration Rachel. You helped me stay motivated through med school apps by showing me what life as a med student is like and I can’t thank you enough. I can honestly say that you helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Keep doing what u do. Ty.

This vlog came at the perfect time for me. Thank you so so much for all of your advice and sharing how you’re feeling during this time. I appreciate you Rachel!!

My week isn't complete without your video. Much love. Things will get better.❤

Thank you so much for normalizing this!! You are amazing and I am so happy to be part of this community! :)

I really needed to hear this 🥺 I’m a premed student and we’re having finals next week and I just feel so burdened by my previous failures

Wow such a great motivation to start my day! ❤️...Don't worry Rachel we all face failure every once in a while..... it's the most normal thing in the life of a medical student 🥰. You have all of our love and support to keep going💞💞💞

I just found your channel about a month ago, and I LOVE IT! I'm currently completing med school secondaries and they are making me feel like I failed my college years. This video was really encouraging so thank you. 💛

Hi Rachel, I just finished my first term of medical school and I have been watching your videos religiously! To me they are incredibly relatable, and I know exactly how you're feeling and I'm sure theres 1000s more of us out there thinking the same thing. Thank you for posting each week and getting us through it all!

Loved the vlog, it was exactly what i needed 🥰, I've been having a rough time with my exams coming up, but thank you for inspiring me as always, can't wait for the next week's vlog, keep doing your best Rachel and thank you for being here ❤

im here just to say that your helping make the decision to go into medicine, and that your content makes my day every time I sit to watch it. I appreciate you and the determination your setting forward, much love!

ilysm Rachel you really motivate me and inspire me to do my best ♡

It feels like a very Rachel thing to have one desk for lectures and one desk for Step lol I love it!

Years ago I went to nursing school, unfortunately I never went back for a degree. Sometimes we feel like we can’t do it or if you fail a test you hate the thought of going back. I started back last year and I felt more insecure than ever being older than a lot of the students. When I see how hard you work it motivates me to keep going and push ahead. I can picture that MD on your badge, it’s hard now but you will do it! You want it badly and you have a big heart, it takes more than book smarts to b a good dr, it’s compassion and you have that.

Thank you Rachel for always being an inspiration and a great role model! You are truly amazing! BINGO BABY!!

You have no idea how much I needed this today. High school finals are coming up and it's very overwhelming. Thank you for always making great videos that make my week better!!

You’re going to be a great doctor Rachel!! We love you!!

Whenever I feel like a failure I just think “Why am I feeling like a failure? What am I failing on?” And then whatever it is that I’m failing on, I work on that. A great takeaway from this video is that we just have to stop beating ourselves up, refocus, and understand what’s going wrong! Thank you for this video Rachel!

Nobody: Rachel's robe: 👁👄👁

Miss u Racheal, you are going to be a great doctor!!!💗

Reading these comments is such a relieve. Somehow I feel like everyone does perfect and I am the only person making mistakes and choosing the wrong study techniques. Thank you for your transparency, it really helped me cry it all out and calm down before my exams. Love!

Another job well done... Your new desk indeed looks so sleek ND beautiful

I am so excited to watch this, we will all grow from it.❤❤❤

Thanks for being the older sister I never had :) after I clear my med exam , I'll visit to thank you in person , you got this girl !!!❤️✊

The best way to end the week is to watch Rachel's vlogs :)

I really appreciate you showing us the downs. I know it’s hard to do so on a platform where everybody likes to show only the positive sides. Makes me feel less bad about sometimes not being as productive as i’d like :(

Wow when Rachel said “Shawn Mendes gonna get me through” I felt that! 😂 You got this Rachel! As always, I love your content and am sending prayers your way! God bless! 😊❤️

This vlog is surely gonna be all I need rn✌️

Loooove the little intros you have! Such a great way to review the whole video!❤❤

rachel: i have so much energy, im being so productive, wow... the robe in the background: 👁👄👁

Hey Rachel! Thanks for being real and motivational! Your vlogs are the best! You got this!!

I’m so happy that I get to watch my favorite RU-vidr you literally make my weekend ilysm Have a great weak ❤️

It's amazing how much you have matured since your first videos. You were really strong before, but it's really nice to see you evolve and the self knowledge you have now. I'm from Brazil and I started using your videos to practice my English skills and now I use them to motivate myself as well. Congrats on your growing and hope to see "a day in the life of the doctor Rachel Southhard" :)

Thanks for making my Friday again!

This is the highest yield vlog ive seen ALL YEAR

AHHH! I can't believe I missed the study sesh! I just finished finals, though!! Failure is a phase people! Keep pushing throughh! ♥️

I love the new desk 😍

God is with us through every season. We will survive and prosper through this one indeed.

hey rach i wanna say you thank you so much cuz im from Argentina and i see yours videos a lot and the captions help me so much to understand sometimes what do you say. im so proud to meet you and be part of this and from the south america i wanna say thank you so so so much! (yes , again because never is to much)

Take your own advice and BE KIND TO YOURSELF you work so hard you gotta remember you’re doing this for your patients and if you burn yourself out you won’t be at your best for your patients 💖 love u so many, so proud of your dedication but defs get outside and do something that will make you feel refreshed, idk when your break is but remember you deserve to feel good even if an exam didn’t go as well as you were hoping 🥺💕

Hi Rachel, I don’t know how to explain how much I needed this today. I failed my osce exam today and I’ve never felt like more of a failure. I have another exam next week and I can’t seem to bring myself to study. Your video has helped me so much in reminding me that it does get better and I’m not alone. Thank you for this.

The bingo card gives me life. That red ant creative energy 👏👏👏

this vlog was exactly what I needed 🙌🏽

i’m so excited!!!!!

Thank for for posting this video and i can relate from having "failure" in my life recently, I am about to graduate from a JUCO school, and at one point I was feeling so upset because i was not sure what I would do for the spring, but now I have an idea now, I know that being a med student is not the easiest thing to do, especially in the middle of a pandemic, but my prayers are with you, hoping that you will crush your final exams. Such a big motivation, and thank you.

Rachel, you’re so amazing!!!

bingo baby, thank you for always making me feel better xoxo

Hi, Rachel! Currently a first year medical student in the Philippines! I recently found your channel and noooow, you happen to be my FAAAAAVE content creator/med student 😭❤️

Today I finished my first year of Med School, thank u Rachel for being part of the process 🥺

In the moment, it can be overwhelming and discouraging. We lose sight of why we are doing whatever it is we are doing. Channel your focus on one thing at a time as healthily as possible so you can get the little wins. All those little wins throughout the marathon will amount to the big win-graduation and residency. You have made it very far, so you might as well follow through. You owe that to yourself. Failure is all a part of the process to challenge your resilience and ability to get back up on your feet. There is no such thing as success without failure, and it is a learning opportunity to attack your challenges with a more experienced and reinforced approach. It’s all a part of the process, so fall in love with it. As long as you are willing, there is always a way upward. Keep it up Rachel!

i love ur videos! they make me feel that i'm not alone throughout this journey :3

Those emojis over the robe just killed me 😂😂 love seeing your videos as always! ♥️

Hey, rachel. Love you❤ Your videos soothe my soul, somehow. Idk why... Keep going!! You're amazing! Much love,

Man I love that cream top you are wearing, and so glad your back on the coffee I personally can’t imagine studying without it in my life 😁✌🏼🇬🇧

I wanna cry 😭 I can't wait for 7 full hours 😩😫 but I have to because I know ✨ITS WORTH IT✨

I hope RU-vid keeps you up, the videos are very very encouraging

My med exams are next week and I really needed to hear those words, thank you

‘A week in the life of medical school- robe edition’ 🤣 I live in mine too whilst studying! So comforting. ❤️

I literally love anything medical and your Chanel is definitely best 💞

I found your channel through this video ❤️ and it was NEEDED... thank you

Finally on winter break! Love the nails!

I love you rachel.. needed this ❤️

Hello! I have been wondering about merch. I just joined the Herd and binged most of your videos this week. I'd love to support and rep the Herd from home :) P.S. I admire your honesty! Med school is real and you've been genuine about the whole ride. All the love!

"THE MARATHON IS CERTAINLY NOT OVER YET" :) Good luck to you Rachel. You will do great, don't forget to take breaks and reward yourself. Sending all positive vibes and love to you. Take care.

Love u soo much u gave me a lot of motivation to keep studying all day keep it up n never give u upon ur dreams

We have all been in this exact situation, just keep pushing on forward and celebrate any victory! Any victory no matter how big or small deserves to be celebrated! We are pushing ourself so hard especially this year with everything going on! We have to be nice and not be so tough on ourselves! By the way I downloaded that video speed controller and it has been a lifesaver!

Did she just say 7 lectures in 3 hours...and she understands it...👀? I don't know if I will ever be on that level, even when I get to medical school haha.

Hello Rachel, I’m just in high school so I don’t really know much about med school, but if you have semesters, good luck! You’re gonna be a great doctor, I’m tellin ya

love your videos!! i'm also in med school and i needed this

We have our med school finals next month....have lost all motivation to study... seeing your vedio just made me motivated to get back to my desk.

Thank you for making me feel better about the amount of coffee I consume.

would love to see a video of you talking about your favorite coffee!!! have a good week

I am a medical student, too. The results of the test was bad so I’ve been down, but now feel a little better, thanks to your vlogs!

I love the fact that you decided to move out of your comfort zone and drop the robe. As for Maddie's bingo cards; I'm totally up for it!🤗 Do I feel like I'm not smart enough? Yes and it happens 86 out of 100 times. But the good news is; I never loose sight of the goal I want to achieve. Don't hate yourself! You may feel stupid and may not feel any motivation but believe that you're bigger than any obstacle that may come your way including hatred towards yourself and your course of study. Stay strong and always remember that you are bigger than you think.🤗

Per Rachel's request to post some words of affirmation, I will share a tattoo that I have which says "You are incalculable. Do not pause in your pain, remain unceasingly rising." I wrote this a very long time ago, and I apply it to everything that I can. Because we should not measure ourselves by our grades, our weight, our income, or likes on social media, etc. Your worth is not calculated by these values!! There is so much more to you than how the world tends to measure success. Don't pause in the things that hurt you. Don't ruminate in them. Let them teach you what they are meant to teach you and keep growing!!

The bingo board is soo cute

Bingo Baby! I loved watching this.

'SHAWN MENDES IS ABOUT TO GET ME THROUGH' I DIED

Just failed orgo and needed that talk about failure ❤️🥺

Thank you for the motivation! I just finished my last set of exams for graduate school and I am looking forward to applying for medical school.

It's so nice to see you "not in your pj's & robe". Hahaha! You look nice dressed up sweetheart! I'm almost regretting unpacking that robe that you thought you no longer needed and decided to leave behind when you shipped yourself out to school. Hang in there my girl, you're gonna get through this with flying colors. I know this because you are who you are, and don't forget you're the leader of a great big "herd" of RED ANTS!! Love you all, and thanks for supporting my girl!

lemme share something with you.... I was a brainiac up till my high school . I was called a nerd and tbh I grew quite used to the word associated with myself . then came my admission to the med school . entering med school was fun until I started failing almost every single test... I used to work hard , waking up all nights, skipping meals, but all for nothing !! I even failed one in midterm ....I already had anxiety but that turned out quite severe, .. I used to have Panic attacks .. and to this day I still have anxiety ,but now on medications so apparently its under control but still, I do have pretty bad anxiety attacks occasionally... Adding on ,I belong to a successful family with all siblings earning millions .. when put together like this i sometimes think myself as a FAILURE. I question myself that am I doing justice to the amount being spent on me in med school ? what if I fail and have to repeat a year ?will I even pass the med school? even if I do will I be a GOOD doctor ? but in the end I brace myself that no matter what I have to fight till the end . My dad used to say LIFE IS LIKE A BOXING RING , YOU DO NOT FAIL WHEN YOU ARE KNOCKED DOWN , YOU FAIL WHEN YOU REFUSE TO STAND UP AND FIGHT BACK . this is what keeps me going and motivated . what I have gathered is that success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm and i am doing my best to keep me geared up .. PS : when i am down , fol quotes really help me a lot

I love your videos so much. I'm a science major hoping to get into med school but I feel like I am a failure it is sometimes hard to keep motivated especially because I have ADD and can not focus at all and I get distracted but your videos helps me try! So thank you.

Its not that you're not smart enough (like wtf gurl you are smart af) but you're under a lot of pressure but just remember that failing does not make you a failure but giving up does and in the end thats your dream and we all have our ups and down so remember that alot of people support you no matter what❤❤🥰