"When It Feels Like Everyone Else Has It Figured Out…"
Struggling in Medicine
If you’ve ever felt like you're the only one struggling in medicine, I want you to know you're not alone. So many Physician Associates (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) believe that everyone else has it “figured out”—that they’re confident, efficient, and never second-guess themselves. When we see the highlight reels online—whether it’s PAs and NPs doing amazing things on YouTube (even on my own channel) or reading about someone’s career wins on LinkedIn—it can make us feel even worse. We start to wonder what’s wrong with us and why it seems so much harder for us than everyone else.
The truth is: the struggle is far more common than we realize. You're not a bad provider because you're struggling. You're not alone in feeling defeated, burnt out, or overwhelmed. Most of us—especially in the first 1–10 years of practice—struggle in some way, whether it’s with challenging patients, unrealistic expectations from administrators, impossible charting demands, or just trying to stay afloat in a fast-moving system.
Yes, with experience, some things get easier. But medicine is not easy—especially not today. Many new grads are thrown into full patient schedules just weeks after starting, expected to perform at the level of seasoned providers. Meanwhile, true mentorship is often lacking—not because your colleagues don’t care, but because they’re stretched thin too. Add in a cultural shift where patients are more skeptical, combative, and influenced by TikTok health “experts,” compassionate care is harder to give. With all this, it’s no wonder so many of us are struggling.
I’ve talked about my own feelings of failure on my channel. I’ve always been a high achiever, so facing these struggles in my clinical career hit hard. Even though I care deeply about my patients and know I do good work, I constantly second-guessed myself. Some of that is normal—and even healthy. After all, we are responsible for people’s lives. Being cautious and not overly confident is a good thing in medicine. But in a system that pushes us to do more in less time, those of us who can’t, or won’t, rush through are often left feeling like we’re not good enough.
Until things change—and who knows when, or if, they will—we have to find ways to work within the system without losing ourselves in it.
Here are a few things that can help:
Commit to lifelong learning. The more we build our clinical knowledge and confidence, the more we reduce self-doubt.
Streamline your workflow. Even small changes in how you approach charting, labs, or follow-ups can make a big difference over time.
Find a supportive environment. A team that values mentorship, work-life balance, and professional growth can be a game-changer.
Explore different specialties. Not every clinical setting fits every personality. If you feel drained every day, it might be time to try something new.
And if you’ve tried all of that and still feel like clinical work is not for you—that’s okay too. It doesn't mean you’ve failed. It just means it might be time to pivot. The good news is that with your degree, you have options. There are so many non-clinical roles that still allow you to use your medical knowledge, help others, and find fulfillment.
If you're in that place, I encourage you to visit the Career Paths section of this website. Start exploring what else is out there.
No matter where you are in your journey—whether you’re overwhelmed in your first year or ten years in and questioning your path—you are not broken. You’re human, and medicine is a demanding field. Give yourself grace. Keep learning, keep asking for help, and know that it's okay to change course if something isn’t working. You deserve a career that doesn’t just use your skills, but also supports your well-being. And you are absolutely not alone in seeking that.