Academic Medicine Podcast

“So, when I step back and think about the most important lesson I have learned in medical school, it is to have the courage to speak up when I am struggling.” Fourth-year medical student, Michelle M. Ikoma, describes how honoring vulnerability over shame allows her to speak up for her true feelings and get the help she needs to maneuver challenging times. This essay was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the May 2021 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.