Before medicine, my passion was Biology. I studied biology at high school then at the ANU before coming to Newcastle, and found myself fascinated by amazing stories of how creatures adapt and survive in the wild. I love my animals, and I love my animal analogies. Some may be familiar with my ‘South American Gerbils’ from the Great Debate, whose entire male population basically copulate themselves to death during mating season (a true story by the way).

So it was no surprise that when I was told the Wildebeest Analogy by an older and wiser third year medical student, as I expressed my deep and unfamiliar fear of failure, that it stuck. Some may have heard this story already, and I make no claim to have thought of it myself. However as you head into life in med and series upon series of those terrifying med exams, I thought it was fitting to share this short but reassuring bit of wisdom with all.

“Being a Med Student is like being a Wildebeest, in a great herd of Wildebeests. We are all moving in a massive herd in the great migration, heading for a great goal. There are the young, the old, the weak, the strong.

There’s those who are at the front of the pack, setting the pace, working much harder than the rest. Many of these will tire and fall back. Some are just amazing achievers who can maintain the pace the whole way. But it’s a dangerous place to be – you have to jump first into the great rivers –you could plunge into deep water and be swept away or even eaten by crocodiles!

Then there are sick, weedy ones at the back. They really have no chance and are easily picked off by lions, hyenas and a rare species of wildcat known as the Faculty Professor. Back here with the sick wildebeests are the lazy ones. They just can’t be bothered keeping up. Sadly, these too are doomed.

Sometimes, a herd will have a rogue wildebeest, who follows the migration, but in a valley all of their own. They keep up with the herd, and are heading vaguely in the right direction, but are literally off in their own little world. Of course, being so exposed they may also be prone to predation, however due to the absurdity of their path, they often manage to slip by predators unnoticed.

The key to surviving the great migration is to be tucked nicely in the middle of the herd. Here it is warm, there is no risk from predators, and as long as you keep on top of the pace, the herd will just whisk you along and the migration will be over before you know it.“

So when you fear failure, or you feel you are doomed, just look around the lecture hall and think – what sort of wildebeest are you? Just tuck yourself nicely in the middle of the herd, you’ll be fine.

Andrew Williams