When Drexel medical student Navin Vijay first walked into his third-year clerkships, he carried the same quiet uncertainty many medical students face: Was he doing enough? Was he making a difference? After years of memorizing pathways and protocols, he found himself missing the human moments that had drawn him to medicine in the first place.
“There was one patient,” he recalled on The Med School Years podcast, hosted by Deana Golini and Carlos Tapia of Medical School HQ. “I sat down and maybe spent twenty, thirty minutes just talking to her. At the end of the week, she asked if I had a business card. I told her I was just a medical student. She said, ‘I hope whatever you do, you do a profession that lets you talk to people.’”
That single conversation reshaped his perspective. “That was when I realized you can make an impact as a medical student,” Navin said. “You have the privilege to sit and talk to people on what may be the scariest days of their lives.”
Like many students transitioning from classroom to clinic, Navin quickly discovered that medical knowledge doesn’t always translate into confidence. “Third year has been an emotional rollercoaster,” he admitted. “You think you know everything after Step, but then you walk into rotations and realize you’re starting from scratch again.”
He spoke candidly about how discouraging it can be to feel invisible in a sea of attendings and residents. But that’s when he learned that presence—simply showing up for a patient—can be the most powerful act of care. “It reminded me why I’m here,” he said. “When you’re studying twelve hours a day, it’s easy to forget that.”
For Navin, those moments of connection ultimately shaped his professional direction. “I realized I want to see my patients leave better than when they came in,” he shared. “That’s why I’m drawn to interventional radiology—when someone comes in sick, and you can help them walk out healed, it’s incredible.”
At the time of the interview, Navin had just finished his OB-GYN rotation, which solidified his interest in acute, hands-on care. “Being in the OR was amazing,” he said. “Seeing the immediacy of helping someone and watching them recover—that’s what I want to do.”
For students exploring specialties and preparing to articulate their own stories in residency applications, Residency Essay Editing and Residency Mock Interviews can help bring that “why” to life on paper and in conversation.
Navin also spoke about the importance of mentorship and humility in medicine. “Getting into residency is a lot about connections,” he said. “I started cold-emailing program directors. You’d be surprised how many people want to help—you just have to ask.”
That proactive mindset is what helped him grow from uncertainty to confidence. “Having the humility to ask and know you don’t know everything is the first step,” he said.
For students navigating that same uncertainty, book a 1:1 residency advising session with Carlos Tapia to get expert guidance from someone who’s helped hundreds of students through the same transition.
Medical school is a marathon, not a sprint—and Navin has learned that taking care of yourself is just as vital as caring for others. “Medicine is important, but it’s not more important than family,” he said. “For you to do good work, you need to be well yourself.”
He emphasized the need to seek help when struggling. “Drexel has great counseling and wellness programs, and I use them. There’s nothing wrong with taking a day off if you need it. You have to advocate for yourself.”
That kind of honesty—about mental health, fear, and burnout—resonates deeply with medical students everywhere. It’s a reminder that compassion must start with self-compassion.
Looking back on his path—from applying to Brown’s post-bacc program to preparing for residency—Navin offered advice he wishes he could give his younger self:
“Go easy on yourself. The journey is long. Be proud of everything you’ve accomplished. You’re going to see people younger or older doing amazing things—but you made it here. Take a step back and breathe. You’re going to be okay.”
His words reflect a truth that often gets lost amid exam schedules and residency applications: success in medicine isn’t about racing to the finish line—it’s about remembering why you started running in the first place.
Inspired by Navin’s story?
Continue your own residency journey with confidence through Residency Essay Editing, Residency Mock Interviews, or a 1:1 advising session with Carlos Tapia.
Because sometimes, all it takes is one conversation—just like Navin’s—to remind you why you’re here.
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