The Transitional Phase
Lately, as I’ve been going through residency interviews , I’ve found myself in a strange but meaningful in-between space, a true transitional phase . It’s that place where you’re excited for what’s ahead, proud of what you’ve done, and yet somehow the imposter inside your head still taps your shoulder and whispers, “Are you sure you belong here?” But something unexpected happened during these interviews. I realized that our applications: those neat, restricted boxes with “ top 10 experiences ”, capture only a fraction of who we are. Not because we’re trying to boast, but because life is bigger than bullet points and timestamps. They always say it’s not the whole book that changes you; it’s the one paragraph. And life works the same way. Yes, long-term experiences matter. But it’s the small, passing moments that truly shape us. In my case, it was those 15-minute patient encounters during outreach camps , strangers whose lives intersected with mine for just a few minutes. They insp...
