You don’t know what you don’t know..

You learn a lot about life when you practice medicine

The lessons help you through thick and thin

*

Being an educated professional who had achieved

The tenets of traditional success had led me to erroneously believe

That I was exceptional in some way, that belief was reinforced

When I received appreciation from patients and colleagues in the course

Of my daily work, my confidence was rising every day

For a while the sailing was smooth all the way

*

In medicine confidence is needed but the slightest bit

Of overconfidence can in a powerful manner hit

That happened to me, as I did not realize that I had strayed

From being confident to being overconfident, I am now dismayed

To think that I did not check myself before it was too late

I made an error of judgment, and I am just relieved to state

That the consequences were minor, no harm was done

But it was a blow to my inflated ego, a valuable lesson I did learn

*

Pride comes before fall, and it is important not to be

Carried away by overconfidence, to practice humility

To recognize the limitations of what I know

Be prepared to learn at every step and grow