Have you ever passed a test, received praise from a lecturer, or done well during a practical session, but instead of feeling proud, you found yourself thinking, "I just got lucky"?

If your answer is yes, welcome to the club.

This feeling is called Imposter Syndrome. It happens when people doubt their abilities despite having evidence that they are doing well. No matter how many achievements they have, they still feel like they are not good enough and fear that one day people will discover they are "not as smart as they seem."

For many MLS students, this feeling is more common than we would like to admit.

Think about your first microbiology practical when you had to use a microscope. You spent several minutes adjusting the microscope, turning knobs left and right, while your friend beside you had already identified the microorganism the lecturer was asking for. At that moment, you probably wondered if you were the only one who didn't understand what was going on.

Or during clinical posting when a Medical Laboratory Scientist asks you a question and your brain suddenly becomes blank. Five minutes later, after the person has walked away, the answer magically appears in your head.

Some of us have been there including me.

Some students experience it after scoring high grades. Instead of celebrating, they convince themselves that the exam was easy or that they were simply fortunate. Others see classmates actively participating in seminars, research projects, and leadership activities and begin to wonder whether they are falling behind.

The truth is that MLS is not an easy course. Between Haematology, Medical Microbiology, Chemical Pathology and Histopathology, and all the practical sessions that come with them, there is always something new to learn. Sometimes it feels like the more you learn, the more you discover how much you still don't know.

That feeling can easily make you underestimate yourself.

One funny thing about Imposter Syndrome is that it often affects hardworking students the most. The student worrying about whether they know enough is usually the same student revising lecture notes at 2 a.m., attending practicals, asking questions, and genuinely trying to improve.

The problem is that self-doubt can stop people from taking opportunities. Some students avoid applying for leadership positions, presenting seminars, joining research groups, or participating in programs or competitions because they believe they are not qualified enough.

What many of us forget is that nobody started as an expert. Every Medical Laboratory Scientist you admire today was once a student struggling with practical reports, studying late for tests, memorizing laboratory principles, and even some would be praying that the lecturer skip their row when asking questions.

Confidence does not come before growth, it often comes because of growth.

So the next time you find yourself doubting your abilities, take a moment to remember how far you have come. Think about the practical skills you have learned, the exams you have passed, and the challenges you have overcome.

You are not an imposter.

You are a student learning, growing, and preparing for a profession that plays a vital role in healthcare. And trust me, if you have made it this far in MLS, you are probably doing much better than you think.

After all, sometimes the student who feels the least confident is actually one of the most capable people in the room.