Lessons Learned From My Matching Adventure
- Step 1 : 224
- Step 2CK : 236
- Step 2CS : Pass (First attempt)
- Gap: 6-year gap
It's been a long road from graduating from medical school in Venezuela in 2012, moving to Canada a year later, and finally matching in the US. Here are some lessons learned along the way...
Dear Dr. Barone,
I know this is not recent news (the match is a few weeks ago), but I'm not that active in social media, so better late than never hahaha.
These last few weeks before the Match have been the most stressful ever since I decided to leave Venezuela and embrace this 5 years adventure in Canada. It's been very difficult what my Venezuelan community has had to deal with and what will still come next... but even in the worse moments we can share some light in the darkness. So, despite of the circumstances, I decided to share what I have learnt during this long path where I finally achieved my goal of getting into Anesthesia specialty...
Limitations are in our own minds:
I never thought I would have to leave my country, my family, my friends, my job and my future back home (honestly, I thought it was not possible at all) back then, I didn't even consider coming to North America as I never spoke the language before... And here I am, writing in English because its easier sometimes.
Who perseveres achieves:
Never give up on your dreams and keep the focus on it even if it seems too far... It took me 5 years to rebuild myself, to start from scratch, to study everything I knew and much more in a different language. Keep trying, change the approach if you don't see the results of what you are looking for. But also, be patient and persistent, some things take longer and everyone has their own rhythm. You are not in a race with others but yourself.
Believe in yourself:
Win the internal battle so you can win the external ones. The world has infinite opportunities for you. However, is difficult to take advantage of these if you don't think you are enough. You are more than enough! Believe in yourself first, so you can show to the world how much value there is in you. The moment you change the way you perceive yourself, the people that surround you will do it too and everything will fall into place.
We are strong people, we have done the unimaginable, and we have succeeded. We have passed through so much misery, pain and difficulties and we are standing still. All of us have done everything to survive, to start again or to keep resisting. Do not let the tough circumstances make you believe that you are less or that you can't make it, be strong and hang in there. Hard work eventually pays off. I got some research experience in Canada and volunteer for research in US too (I believed this helped me a lot)
You are not alone:
The most important thing, there is always people that care about you, love and support you. Without them it would be impossible to reach out goals, so be grateful and bear in mind that we need them.
I wouldn't have done it without the support of my family and friends. They sustained me in the good battles and helped me stand up and keep going in the bad ones. They believed in me even when I didn't. This victory is as much theirs as it is mine.
Good Luck
C. B. April 4, 2019