20 Years Later — What I'd Tell Every Medical Student. #483

SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE!!! Let Drs. Nii & Renee know what you think about the show! Twenty years after medical school, I went back to Kansas City with Renee and our boys. Walking through the place where it all began brought back memories of my father driving me there from New Jersey, the first time I was rejected from medical school, and the life I could never have planned... In this episode, I’m sharing things I wish I could tell the student I was back then. **You’ll hear:** → Why getting rejected from medical school the first time affected my confidence even after I got in → What my father’s support on that drive to Kansas City means to me now that he has severe dementia → How Renee and I met, became friends, and eventually built a life together → Why I wish I had learned to speak up sooner instead of trying to please everyone → Why becoming a doctor gives you options, and why you should keep hold of the keys to your own career If you’re a pre-medical student, a medical student, or the first doctor in your family, I hope this reminds you that one setback does not decide where your life goes. Find us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@docsoutsidetheboxpodcast **FREE DOWNLOAD:** First-Gen Doctor Blueprint — Everything we wish someone had told us about finances, career planning, and building a life in medicine: https://darkos.lpages.co/first-gen-physicians/ **Have a question for us?** Send us a Voice Message: https://www.speakpipe.com/docsoutsidethebox Text us: 833-230-2860 DM us on Instagram: @docsoutsidethebox Email: team@drniidarko.com What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before medical school? Text us. We read every message. **ABOUT DOCS OUTSIDE THE BOX:** Dr. Nii is a General Surgeon. Dr. Renee is an OB/GYN. We are first-generation Ghanaian and Haitian physicians who paid off $662,000 in student loan debt in 3 years, built a locum tenens agency, and navigated every major medical career decision without a family blueprint. We created this podcast for first-generation doctors — physicians who are the first in their families and lack the inherited knowledge about money, contracts, career strategy, and the unwritten rules of medicine that many of their colleagues learned growing up. Real conversations for first-gen doctors. Website: https://drniidarko.com/ **DISCLAIMER:** Dr. Nii and Dr. Renee are physicians, not financial advisors or attorneys. Content shared in this podcast reflects personal experience and should not be considered financial, legal, or medical advice. Please consult qualified professionals before making financial or career decisions. © 2026 Docs Outside the Box. All rights reserved.