day 14: Books, not Bookshelves

Let’s talk about the quiet epidemic running through medical school—

No, I’m not talking about the viral kind.

I’m talking about the unread books we bought because a senior or some YouTuber told us to.

You know exactly what I mean—that pristine Robbins or the glossy Anatomy Atlas you picked up with stars in your eyes and dreams of studying every knowledge-filled page.

The one that now sits on your shelf, untouched.

Here’s the unfiltered truth:

We didn’t come to med school for the bookshelves.

We came for the knowledge.

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The Shelf Illusion

Somewhere between, “I’ll wake up at 5 and study neuroanatomy,” and “Let me organise my notes with pastel highlighters,”

we fell into the trap.

We started believing that having the perfect bookshelf meant we were on top of things.

Spoiler: It doesn’t.

It’s not about how many review books you own—it’s about how many pages you actually understood.

Let’s face it—buying that new Robbins gave us more dopamine than reading even two pages of it ever did.

So don’t let shelf aesthetics replace actual effort.

And definitely don’t let untouched books give you a false sense of accomplishment.

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This isn’t to say those books should never be bought.

Some people (and I genuinely wish I were one of them) read and utilise those gold-standard books to their full potential—and hats off to them.

But wouldn’t it make more sense to buy a book you’ll actually use and understand, rather than one that just makes you look like you know something?

Because the only thing that book has done so far… is collect dust.

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I’ve hated a subject simply because the textbook didn’t suit me.

And I’ve done surprisingly well in a subject I thought I’d despise—all because the book worked for me.

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So here’s your reminder—from one overworked, overwhelmed, overly-caffeinated med student to another:

Your shelf doesn’t define your journey—your grit does.

You don’t need a perfect Studygram desk to prove you’re trying.

Choose books that make you better, not just your room prettier.

Because in med school, it’s books, not bookshelves, that get you through.

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Now tell me—what’s one med book you’ve actually read cover to cover (and survived)?

Let’s talk. Let’s read. And maybe, just maybe, let’s do better than just pass.