I Failed in My First Year MBBS Internal Exams… Now What?

First things first, calm down and take a deep breath. It is not the end of the world. 

I know that it is heartbreaking to get into a medical college and then fail on your first exam. It feels very scary and makes you feel that you’re not worth anything. 

One of my friends failed her first physiology exam. I sat her down and told her some things that I am about to tell you now. 

After having gone through the MBBS grind and seeing the reality, I am much more confident about what I am going to say. So here is it:

Your Marks DON’T Define Your Knowledge

Sounds weird, right? But it’s true. 

In MBBS exams, a lot of things are beyond your control – like who’s taking your viva, what mood your examiner is in, whether you got the easy chit or the hard one. 

Maybe you were 

• the first one in line for the viva (so the examiner asked you everything and scored you low because you couldn’t answer every question) 
• or the last in line, when the examiner just wanted to finish up quickly (so they asked you 2 questions and scored you low because you couldn’t answer them perfectly). 

These factors can have more impact than you think.

For written exams, it’s the same story. Most times it’s about what the teacher checking your papers expects. Someone else who wrote a lot less could score much more than you just because a different resident/professor checked their paper. 

We’ve all had moments where we felt like we wrote very good answers, but the marks didn’t add up. So trust me when I say this, a bad result does not mean that you are bad at the subject. Sometimes, it’s just pure luck (or the lack of luck).

You’re Not Alone

As I said, results depend on luck just as much as they do not your capability. If you had a strict invigilator, you’re probably not the only one who didn’t pass. Take this as the thumb rule for MBBS: If you scored very low, chances are your entire batch scored very low.

• In second year MBBS– Pharmacology my entire A batch i.e roll numbers 1-50 had a very bad result. There were only 3 students out of 50 who scored passing marks.
• It didn’t mean that I was dumb or incapable. It just meant that I got a little unlucky. Chances are, you are facing the same scenario right now.

So don’t get stuck on the idea that you’re the only one struggling. Most of your batchmates are probably facing the same problem. And guess what? They will be fine, and so will you.

MBBS is Not Just Knowledge

Here’s something no one really tells you when you enter MBBS: It is not just about knowing stuff, it’s about how you present it. Learning the subject is one thing but learning how to write a good paper or give a good viva? That is an entirely different topic. 

You need to actively try and understand what makes you stand out. And it’s something you pick up along the 5.5 years.

Sometimes, you know the content but you fail to make the examiner see your understanding. Similarly, in written papers, it’s not just about writing the correct answer. It is about how you frame the answer and how you put your thoughts on the paper.

This is not a skill you are taught, it takes time to pick it up. Allow yourself to make a few mistakes. Everyone starts somewhere.

It’s Okay to Struggle—Everyone Does

Maybe you do not relate to what I have described above. Maybe your batchmates scored well, and you’re just sitting there thinking, “What did I do wrong?” 

Listen, MBBS is extremely overwhelming. It is a lot more challenging than what you have been used to. Think about it—the amount of content in your entire NCERT set is equivalent to what’s in just Netter’s Atlas of Anatomy. That’s how much of a big step it is. 

Every single student takes time to adjust to this shift. And everyone has their own pace. Some people adjust faster, some take a bit more time. But that doesn’t make you any less smart or capable.

Remember the friend who failed in physiology during the first internals? She ended up teaching me physiology by the end of the year. Do not let one exam discourage you.

The Silver Lining: Real Friends Stick Around

Failing an internal can feel isolating, especially if all of your friends and batchmates have passed. But here’s the silver lining: this is when you understand who your real friends are.

A real friend will stay back to help you study, motivate you, and console you when you need it most. They won’t make fun of your failure or say that you are whining about small things. Instead, they will push you to do better next time. This is the moment where you realize who truly has your back—and that’s a lesson that you need to learn early.

One Exam Does Not Define Your Journey

Think of the ultimate goal, imagine yourself in a hospital, with a white coat on. Patients look at you with eyes full of hope and you treat them right away.

It is a long journey to that dream. You need to stop letting one viva, or one paper define your self-worth. You’re going to be a doctor, and this is just one small speed bump in your long and fulfilling career. 

No one’s going to ask you about your 1st year internal marks when you’re resuscitating a patient. 

• You’re still figuring out how to deal with the expectations of MBBS.
• Just because you didn’t perform well this time doesn’t mean you won’t perform well next time. Give yourself some time to grow.
• Every MBBS student has failed in an internal exam, it is a part of the MBBS journey.
• You’re more than your marks

So chill and focus on what to do next instead of what has already happened.

What to Do Next

Try to learn from this failure. Maybe this time it didn’t go well because you were too nervous, or maybe you don’t know how to write a good paper. Whatever it was, understand and work on it.

Ask for help from friends who have scored well. Don’t hesitate to approach professors too. 

Keep preparing till you feel confident.

Final Words

Just try to chill and move forward. Chances are, you will be laughing about this with your friends in a year. As I said, almost every doctor has failed an internal in during their MBBS. The professors that are failing you now have also probably failed at some point of their MBBS lives. 

Look at them for inspiration, understand that you can get past this and then get to work.

You will get there, you can do it. I am sure of it. 

All the best, future doctor.