What To Do If Your Life Is Hell

You probably arrived to this site searching for ways to overcome MRCP or reach financial freedom so you’re someone who clearly does not shy away from very difficult obstacles. For that I congratulate and pat you on the back because so few people do that nowadays!

As a person who walks towards that tall mountain, willpower can only take you so far. We all have something called decision fatigue or a willpower quota. Basically it means when you’re well fed and watered, although you might rather be chilling that mountain isn’t too intimidating. But when the going is tough then willpower will hardly see us through the first half.

Whether you’ve failed an exam three or six times, or you’re £100,000 in medical school debt or your life is living hell at the moment here is my suggested thought process and steps you can take:

1. Recognise you’re not alone. Cliche as it sounds there is a popular Chinese saying which goes “One mountain is taller than another” (一山還有一山高) to address arrogant folk who have achieved some success. Essentially it means that no matter how good someone is, there will always be someone better. Likewise, no matter how bad your life is at the moment, there will guaranteed be someone living a worse life. Someone without water, food, shelter or even something as “simple” as the internet or the ability to read.
2. It is the best character building experience you’ll ever have. Another cliche amongst medics and almost something said with a smirk after a particularly awful on-call shift but it’s none-the-less true. The reason we became good or effective doctors obviously was not a result of the shifts where not much is happening on the wards. It was a direct product of those awful shifts that had us running around trying to put out fires around the hospital. The person who is born with a silver spoon in their mouth cannot appreciate the value of money and would not be able to survive if their fortune was squandered. Likewise a doctor who has not been to a cardiac arrest before will unfortunately be of very little use in the emergency situation even though the vast majority of us dread the call. Yeah even med regs.
3. Be honest with yourself and do a complete 180. If someone fails an exam like PACES once then perhaps it’s down to under-preparation but I would also believe them if it was bad luck because any time there are humans involved there will always be an element of chance. And there are few exams as unpredictable in medicine than MRCP PACES. However if that same person fails twice or more then the finger should be pointed in the other direction and honesty is absolutely essential during moments of hell. The most likely scenario is under-preparation whether that’s presentation skills, knowledge or practice. If that’s the sticking point then they will just have to work harder. But working harder isn’t always the answer – so many people struggle with weight loss – they can’t all be gluttonous. The advice we give people – eat less, move more – does not work because the answer is to control the insulin, and that actually requires eating more, but of the right foods! Reset the system with a U-turn because expecting the same results using the same technique is insane.

If you enjoyed this article make sure you get your own copy of my MRCP Part 1 & 2 Written Guide. In this guide, I explore the above and other concepts such as time allocation and the most preferable resources for the written exams in much more detail.

Alternatively, if you’ve passed the written exams then How to Pass MRCP PACES in 8 Weeks will take you through your next and final hurdle. The reason an entire new guide has been written about this mammoth clinical exam reflects the different skills and attitude you need when tackling MRCP PACES. Instead of simply relying on reading textbooks, you’ll need to utilise a concept called the PACES Triangle to successfully navigate the examiners’ obstacles.