I want to share my story with you, not because it is extraordinary, but rather because failure is often viewed as something shameful that needs to be hidden, potentially isolating those experiencing it. If you are a student at Bristol, in any subject, feeling the weight of failure or fearing it, I hope this helps.

The fall

I went straight from school into medical school at Bristol. I struggled from the beginning. I felt lost, overwhelmed, and isolated. I did not ask for help. I failed my second year, came last in medicine, and had to leave the University. It was devastating. I felt like I had let everyone down, especially myself.

The climb back

Despite everything, I still wanted to be a doctor. I spent the next year working wherever I could, mainly doing manual work in factories, as I prepared to apply to another university. I then completed a Biomedical Science degree at King’s College London, hoping it would be a stepping stone. I wrote to every medical school in the UK twice, and even wrote to medical schools abroad, asking for a second chance. Thankfully, my chance finally came four years after I failed at Bristol, when a medical student in London dropped out too far into the course for the vacancy to be offered to a school leaver, and I was offered the place. I grabbed this chance with both hands and never looked back. I finished top of my year in medicine with distinctions and prizes, going on to become a neurology consultant in London and a professor at UCL.

Lessons from failure

Here are some things I learnt along the way which helped me, and which might be of use to others:

• Ask for help. People cannot support us if they do not know we need it.
• Failure does not have to be shameful. Everyone fails at some point. It is part of growth.
• We need not be defined by failure: saying ‘I failed’ (or ‘I did not pass’ or even ‘I did not pass this time’) rather than ‘I am a failure’ can really help.
• Opportunities can come around again. Be ready to grab them.
• Nothing is wasted. Every experience can teach us something.
• People care. You are not alone, even when it might feel that way.

Why I teach

I have spent nearly 30 years as a doctor, and now I teach medical students and doctors around the world. My passion is not just to help the high achievers. It is also to help those who struggle, who doubt themselves, who think they might not make it. I see potential in them, because I was one of them.

Final thoughts

If you are facing failure, or fearing it, it does not have to be the end. It can be the beginning of something better. Our path might change, but that does not mean we are lost. It might mean we are finding a better way.

Above all please do look after yourself and seek help and support when needed – Student Support Services and the Careers Service are here for you.

I wish you all the very best!

Dr Tim Young UCL
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