A failed exam, difficult evaluation, remediation decision, or interrupted training path can quickly become more than a practical problem. One setback can begin to feel like evidence about ability, belonging, or an entire future in medicine.
When Things Don't Go As Planned helps medical students make sense of what happened before turning a difficult event into a conclusion about themselves. It offers a practical, evidence-informed approach to separating events from interpretations, identifying where a problem actually occurred, evaluating possible explanations, and choosing a response that fits the evidence.
The book addresses academic setbacks, difficult feedback, remediation, avoidance, accountability, changing timelines, returning after disruption, and rebuilding functioning without making the setback the whole story.
Written for medical students navigating an unexpected turn in training-and for the educators and supporters helping them through it-this book emphasizes a simple sequence: event before conclusion, locate before you label, and diagnose before you redesign.