When things don’t go as planned…

Last updated: July 2024

What I Wish I Knew: When things don’t go as planned—from “What if” to “Even if” 

Med school and medical training is stressful. That’s a fact. It can seem like endless hoops to jump through at times–a misstep along the way can feel like it jeopardizes our chance at becoming future physicians. Our brains often jump to “what if” thinking in times of uncertainty and stress. What if I fail my first exam? What if I fail STEP 1? What if I don’t match? What if I can’t decide on my specialty? One of the most liberating things is rephrasing the “what if” to “even if”. Even if I fail an exam, I can still be a doctor. Even if I don’t match, I can still find a specialty where I will have a fulfilling career. Here are a few examples below as proof and encouragement. This page is meant to normalize that setbacks happen in medicine (and in life) and it’s important to still see a way forward and not let those setbacks define or debilitate us!


  • What if I fail a Preclinical Exam? 

    • Even if you fail a preclincial exam, you can still be a doctor. You can remediate. It will not show up on your record! Nobody will ever know.

    • On our first day of medical school, during orientation, an upperclassman spoke to us sharing how he failed his first-ever exam of medical school (Ground School). He shared how that experienced launched him into incredible self-doubt about whether he was cut out for medical school. It really ate at his self-confidence, but after speaking with some mentors and readjusting his study strategy, he was able to regain his footing and do well on the rest of his first-year exams and beyond. He wanted to share his story to inspire others not to be weighed down by setbacks. If you made it this far to be accepted into medical school, you belong! Setbacks will be inevitable. Don’t let them debilitate you!


  • What if I need to take time off? 

    • Even if you need to take time off, you can still be a doctor.

    • Whatever the reason (family duties, physical health, mental health, or anything else), prioritize yourself and your family

    • Medical training is long and for many people it’s not a linear straight-line. Plenty of people have had to take time off and still go on to graduate and be great physicians. Know that you are not alone!


  • What if I fail a shelf exam? 

    • Even if you fail a shelf exam, you can still be a doctor. You can remediate. It will not show up on your record! Nobody will ever know. Countless students before you have failed shelf exams!

    • Failing a shelf exam does not mean you are not cut out to be a doctor. Rather it just means you may need to make some modifications in your study strategy. Speak with other classmates on their study tactics (check out other pages on this website) or reach out to Susan Whitlow the Learning Specialist for the SOM on study techniques


  • What if I fail Step 1? 

    • Even if you fail Step 1, you can still be a doctor. STEP 1 is deemed to be one of the most stressful parts of medical school by graduating UCSF MS4s. Know you’re not alone if you feel totally overwhelmed by the test. Check out for advice from your predecessors.

    • Check out Dr. Moss’s experience failing Step 1 (twice!) and still matching into a residency program. 

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg1AuQsj3gc

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDuSUoiSehw



  • What if I don’t match? 

    • Even if you don’t match, you can still be a doctor. Check out this podcast episode with Dr. Andrés Calvillo (UCSF SOM ‘2022) on sharing his experience with not matching. He is now finishing up his Family Medicine Residency (Class of 2025).



  • What if I realize I don’t like the specialty I applied into? 

    • You are not alone! Many people switch specialties after their intern year. It can be hard to really know what a specialty is like until you’re in it. While it’s not talked about much, more people switch specialties than you might expect. Check out this podcast episode with Dr. David Elkin on switching from internal medicine to psychiatry after his intern year and how that was one of the best decisions he made (now co-director of the Consult/Liaison service at ZSFG)