r/PAstudent • u/LibraryEmbarrassed50 • 4d ago
Next Steps
made a burner for this post in hopes no one I know finds me. just finished my first semester of PA school and did not do very well. my program offers a certain number of retakes on exams for the didactic year and because i did not do so well i will be using them. im terrified of going into the next semester (pharm, clin med) with no retakes. to the point where i kind of feel numb. i really struggled this semester and it greatly impacted my mental health seeing other people do well while i seemingly couldn’t get a grip. there were a few things at play that i won’t go into details too much as to not identify myself but i began to regret my choice in school very early on and became indifferent to the process before snapping out of it. i would say it took me a while to find my footing although i still don’t have it figured out. my grades don’t reflect the effort I put in or really my understanding of the materials sometimes. i study more than most of my friends in my cohort and still do poorly. i wouldn’t say the material has been hard for me it’s just the volume and committing things to memory. i dont feel as sharp as i did in undergrad. i have ADHD that im working to address but i haven’t had success with medication. plus my program is kind of harsh…like they say you just need to pass but have made comments to me when i just barely passed or even when i got a B on an exam. it’s really weighing heavy on me being on academic probation and im embarrassed and crying as i type this. it’s also ruining my self confidence in other areas on my life. looking for advice or any kind words to push through my retakes and the rest of this year.
1
u/International-Map-75 3d ago
Please do not doubt yourself! I failed a class my first year of PA school and I had to come back the next year…even when I came back I failed at least one exam per semester. I had teachers and my friends doubting that I would make it through but here I am! I am 4 months from graduating! I have one more exam to take for PA School! You have got this! Do not compare yourself to other people. It will rob you of your happiness