Turning Shame Into Opportunity

“The Shame in Medicine stories have given me fodder to reflect on my own experiences with shame in medical training. My internal medicine clerkship as a third-year medical student comes to mind. The complexity was intimidating, and the residents seemed so far ahead of me. I feared I wasn't cut out for it. Now I'm a senior resident in internal medicine, leading a team of interns and students! With this new level of influence in the academic space, I've become aware of times when I may (unintentionally) promote shame to the learners, and am thinking of how to instead create opportunities to uplift and inspire.”