They came through

Look around your batch. Almost everyone was a topper somewhere: a school rank, a state board rank, a good NEET-UG rank, then a NEET-PG or NEET-SS rank. Put all of you in one room and those ranks cancel out. Everyone starts this phase level.

The same goes the other way. Being a repeater, landing a college or branch you didn't want, or ranking below a batchmate is where you're starting from. It isn't a verdict on you.

What counts is what you do from today and how you plan from here. The past only gets a say in your future if you keep giving it one.

The people in this section had worse starting points than a rank: failed exams, disability, family money trouble, depression, burnout, and in some cases thoughts of suicide. Each card says what hit them, what helped, and where they are now, in their own words where we have them.

Stories like these, about getting through, can help people who are struggling.

Resident MindMate is for everyday coping, not a replacement for professional help. See When it's time to talk to someone.

Who: Director-Professor of Physiology at UCMS and GTB Hospital, Delhi, and a disability-rights activist.

What hit him: Polio at nine months left both his legs paralysed. After MBBS and MD Physiology, he was refused a UPSC interview. The health ministry told him the "disabled cannot teach in a medical college." He went to court to be allowed to appear, and got in on the last day.

What helped: His mother's encouragement, a spouse who "never found any 'dis' in my abilities", and turning his own fight into a legal and policy fight.

Where he is now: Senior faculty. His work made disability competencies mandatory in Indian medical colleges and opened faculty posts to doctors with disabilities. He is a WHO SEARO Public Health Champion.

"Nothing is a failure, there are always lessons to be learnt and ways to do the same things differently"

Source: https://crossthehurdles.org/cth/CTH_Story_of_Dr_Satendra_Singh

Who: MBBS from Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai (2017), then PG in Mumbai.

What hit her: Her father sold vegetables from a cart and was the family's only earner. At 16 she lost both legs in an accident. She ranked third in Maharashtra's disability quota for MBBS but was refused admission because her disability was rated too high. The same thing happened again after she cleared NEET-PG 2018.

What helped: Her orthopaedic surgeon, who became her mentor. Her mother, who took her to college by wheelchair. A lawyer who took her case, and a High Court ruling. Prosthetic limbs and learning to walk again. A father who "fought against people, poverty and circumstances" to educate his children.

Where she is now: She finished MBBS in first class and went on to PG. Her case changed a 20-year-old rule. She now visits accident survivors in hospital.

"I was denied admission because of my disability. My doctor suggested me to seek judiciary's help."

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/identify-your-ability-not-disability/story-uKATUxejH4y0wHwmX3N4lO.html

Who: Medical officer at Sir Takhtsinhji Civil Hospital, Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

What hit him: He has dwarfism and 72% locomotor disability, and comes from a farming family in Gorkhi village. He cleared NEET in 2018, but a medical board declared him unfit for MBBS and the Gujarat High Court dismissed his petition. When he was a child, a circus offered his father Rs 5 lakh to take him.

What helped: His school principal, Dalpat Katariya, who took the case to the Supreme Court. A father who refused the money. The Supreme Court ruling under the RPwD Act 2016. A scribe and extra time in exams during MBBS.

Where he is now: He finished MBBS at Bhavnagar Government Medical College and works as a medical officer.

"Mere pita ne paise ke bajay padhayi ko chuna." (My father chose education over money.)

Sources: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/gujarat/gujarats-ganesh-baraiya-3-ft-tall-with-72-disability-becomes-medical-officer-after-supreme-court-battle-3817496 ; https://medicaldialogues.in/amp/news/health/doctors/dr-ganesh-baraiah-shares-journey-from-disability-to-becoming-doctor-on-kbc-18-177181

Who: Physician (MD Medicine) and content creator, now in superspecialty training.

What hit him: By his own account, he was an average student who once failed chemistry and was promoted on grace marks, and he spent coaching hours gaming instead. His father sold land to pay a private-college donation, and he carried a lot of guilt about that. Before NEET-PG, self-doubt hit him hard: he had never written an entrance exam of that kind and was up against government-college toppers.

What helped: He decided to face the guilt instead of hiding from it. A small mid-term test showed him he could top. He then planned his preparation, revised in spaced rounds and kept a fitness routine.

Where he is now: MD Medicine done. He reports a NEET-SS all-India rank of 25.

In short (paraphrased, not a direct quote): Family-money guilt and self-doubt were real for him, and it still worked out.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqlgcW7uTow ("From FAILURE to TOPPER", 7 Sep 2025)

Who: A doctor from the 2013 MBBS batch. His story was a Reddit post reported by the Economic Times. He is not named.

What hit him: Several NEET-PG attempts, with ranks around 26k, 90k and 80k. Thirteen years after MBBS, he kept hearing "too late" and started to believe it.

What helped: Deciding to give it one more serious attempt instead of letting the old ranks decide for him.

Where he is now: He got a rank of about 7,500 and a PG admission.

"I was that person too"

If you are a repeater and people around you have started saying "too late", this one is for you.

Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/from-80k-to-neet-pg-2026-admission-aspirant-shares-how-he-turned-things-around-13-years-after-mbbs-despite-repeated-failures/articleshow/134478509.cms

Who: Hospitalist in the US, and founder of the Women Physicians Wellness Conference.

What hit her: Her dean phoned to tell her she had failed USMLE Step 1, the first big licensing exam. She describes weeks of an "ugly cry kind of moment" and a fear that her career was over.

What helped: Talking about the failure instead of hiding it. Medication for anxiety and depression. Seeing the failure as not personal, not permanent and not everything. A test-taking coach. Changing how she studied: active recall, teaching others and spaced repetition, not only more hours.

Where she is now: She passed on her second attempt and was later board-certified twice.

"Silence feeds shame"

This is the closest story here to a failed NEET-PG, INI-CET or university exam.

Source: https://www.kevinmd.com/2019/06/how-failing-step-1-helped-me-pass-the-boards-twice.html

Who: Board-certified psychiatrist in the US. He did his residency at Jackson Memorial / University of Miami.

What hit him: Anxiety that began in medical school. In residency he became depressed, pulled away from family and stopped doing things he enjoyed. He called it "the worst mental place I've been in my life."

What helped: A fellow resident who told him he might be depressed. A therapist he still sees every other week. A psychiatrist and medication. Friends and family. Posting his story, which he found helped him too.

Where he is now: Practising psychiatrist and mental-health educator.

"I diagnose people with this every day, and I didn't even recognize it in myself."

Sources: https://news.uga.edu/dr-jake-goodman-social-media-for-good/ ; https://www.mdlinx.com/article/a-powerful-conversation-about-mental-health-with-dr-jake-goodman/2gs327Y1BOO6JNP200v6wa

Who: Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at SIU School of Medicine, US, and an EMS medical director.

What hit him: Burnout in his second year of emergency medicine residency: no joy in the work, and anger. After a patient's unexpected death, he had thoughts of suicide.

What helped: His programme noticed and pushed him towards help instead of punishing him. Therapy (CBT) and medication. Colleagues and peer support.

Where he is now: Faculty and EMS director. He speaks openly to reduce stigma.

"Lean on your support structure and make sure you have somebody you can talk to about your struggles."

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call Tele-MANAS at 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 (free, 24x7). Emergency: 112.

Source: https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-residents/medical-resident-wellness/first-came-burnout-next-suicidal-thoughts-then-resident

Who: Nephrology fellow at UW Medicine, US (at the time of the source), and a medical education researcher.

What hit him: His family rejected him when he came out as gay. He was misdiagnosed for years before bipolar disorder was identified. He went through suicidal crises and survived past suicide attempts. Night shifts in his intern year set off a depressive episode.

What helped: Being open with his care team, who got him to hospital care in time. The right diagnosis and treatment. Choosing a residency programme known to accept doctors with mental illness. Hundreds of doctors who wrote to him after he published an essay about it.

Where he is now: Fellow and researcher. He writes and speaks about support for clinicians with mental illness.

"I don't think that my struggle with mental illness is special in any way."

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call Tele-MANAS at 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 (free, 24x7). Emergency: 112.

Sources: https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/doctor-works-through-crucible-mental-health-pain-stigma ; https://www.webmd.com/healthheroes/advocate-justin-bullock

Who: Family physician in Pittsburgh, US, and author of Prognosis: Poor.

What hit her: Depression through all three years of her OB/GYN residency (2010 to 2013): hopelessness, insomnia, slowed thinking, errors at work and thoughts of suicide. She never missed a shift.

What helped: A faculty member who noticed and started treatment. Antidepressants, which took time to work. Older residents who talked honestly about their own struggles. Weekly Balint group sessions. Her wife. Writing.

Where she is now: She finished residency and works as a family physician.

"I would be pushed to my breaking point over and over for three years."

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call Tele-MANAS at 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 (free, 24x7). Emergency: 112.

Source: https://www.statnews.com/2015/12/08/depression-medical-residency/

Who: Former obstetrics and gynaecology registrar in the UK. Author of This Is Going to Hurt.

What hit him: Family pressure pushed him into medicine. He had severe anxiety. In 2010 a delivery he was part of ended in a stillbirth, and the mother needed ICU care. He developed PTSD symptoms and resigned a few months later. He did not get counselling for years.

What helped: Keeping a diary and using humour to process what happened. Later, counsellors and therapists. His husband, who notices when he is spiralling. Opening up to friends and family.

Where he is now: Best-selling author, comedian and TV writer. Leaving clinical medicine turned out to be a good outcome for him.

"I've had enormous help from counsellors and therapists over the years and I will continue to."

Sources: https://www.bigissue.com/?p=204841 ; https://www.ausdoc.com.au/news/i-left-medicine-i-stepped-away-i-became-a-comedian-adam-kay-on-the-bad-day-that-changed-his-life/

Who: Former India cricket captain.

What hit him: Depression during the 2014 England tour. He had a long run of low scores and felt alone even with supportive people around him.

What helped: Advice from Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anushka Sharma. Looking back, he says he needed professional help and didn't have it.

Where he is now: He scored 692 runs in the next Australia series and went on to captain India.

"I strongly feel the need for professional help there to be honest. Otherwise, you're just left to figure things out on your own and you're expected to toughen up and just get over it."

If "toughen up" is the only advice your unit gives, that's not a you problem.

Source: https://scroll.in/field/987355/felt-like-the-loneliest-guy-in-the-world-virat-kohli-opens-up-about-his-battle-with-depression

Who: Actor, and founder of The Live Love Laugh Foundation.

What hit her: In early 2014, after four hit films in a row, she felt empty, couldn't concentrate and broke down often. On paper, life was going well.

What helped: Her mother, who recognised the signs. Psychologists in Bengaluru. Medication.

Where she is now: She recovered and started a foundation that works on mental health in India.

"Being sad and being depressed are two different things."

Source: https://www.thenewsminute.com/features/deepika-padukone-opens-about-her-struggles-depression-26541

Who: Author of the Harry Potter books.

What hit her: Seven years after graduating, she had a failed marriage, no job and a child to raise alone. In her own description, she was about as poor as you can be in modern Britain without being homeless.

What helped: Letting go of pretending, and putting everything into the one thing that mattered to her.

Where she is now: Harry Potter followed. She gave the Harvard Commencement speech in 2008.

"Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations."

Source: https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2008/06/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination

Put these stories side by side and the same few things keep showing up.

1. Someone else noticed first. A fellow resident (Goodman), a faculty member (Southwick), the residency programme (Pasichow), a mother (Padukone), a husband (Kay). If you notice something in a co-PG, say it.
2. Treatment helped, and it took time. Therapy, medication or both, often over weeks to months. Kohli says he needed it and didn't have it.
3. Saying it out loud cut the shame. "Silence feeds shame" (Howe). Goodman and Bullock heard from many people once they spoke up.
4. A failed exam was not the end. A second attempt with a different method, not only more hours (Howe, Arul, the NEET-PG repeater).
5. Doctors miss it in themselves. Withdrawal, anger, losing joy and running on empty went unnoticed until they got bad.
6. Changing the setting helped, not only the person. A more supportive programme, real time off, and later fixing things for the next batch (Singh, Shaikh, Baraiya, Bullock).
7. Someone fought alongside them. A principal, a lawyer, a surgeon-mentor, a father who chose education over money.
8. Leaving or changing path can be a good outcome (Kay).
9. Writing it down helped them process it (Kay, Southwick, Bullock).

If one of these fits you today, pick one small thing from it.