The Rejected Pre-Med Podcast: For Anyone Who’s Faced Rejection

Self-Rejection and Fear of Failure Caused by Impostor Syndrome and Perfectionism (with Dr. Rebecca Malhi)

No matter what stage of life you’re in, chances are you’ve experienced Imposter Syndrome. It often shows up as negative self-talk that leads us to reject ourselves—sometimes so subtly we don’t even notice. Tune into my conversation with Dr. Rebecca Malhi, where she shares her story of rejection (being laid off from the oil and gas sector) and how it ultimately redirected her toward a career as a social psychologist. We’ll also explore evidence-based strategies for managing Imposter Syndrome—and for all the recovering perfectionists out there (I see you, and you are not alone!). Yes, there is a way to remain productive while still prioritizing self-care, and that’s exactly what we’ll talk about. My favourite quote from Rebecca that stuck with me is: “You will be hitting bumps along the road, but those bumps can ultimately help you jump higher.” Additional Links/Resources: * Rebecca's Podcast, The Joyful Scholar: https://luminawriting.com/the-joyful-scholar-podcast/ [https://luminawriting.com/the-joyful-scholar-podcast/] * Rebecca's Services: https://luminawriting.com/ [https://luminawriting.com/] * Learn more about Rebecca's current role as a psychologist and adjunct professor at the University of Calgary: https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/rebecca-malhi [https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/rebecca-malhi] Connect with Rebecca: 📧 Email: rmalhi@luminawriting.com [rmalhi@luminawriting.com] 💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/Rebecca-Malhi [http://www.linkedin.com/in/Rebecca-Malhi] 📢 Connect with Us: 📸 Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast 📩 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com [valerusu55@gmail.com] ☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak [http://buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak] Would you like to join a community where you can share your rejection stories and support others along the way? We all have those stories—now it’s time we learn from them and maybe help others too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/466124329823199/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/466124329823199/] Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice. 🎧 Listen Now on Your Favorite Platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | RSS

The Overachiever's Pedestal: The Thin Line between Admiration And Rejection

Have you ever felt like the "good one," the "pretty one," or the "smart, put-together one"? You may be even admired on the outside, but quietly crumbling under pressure on the inside? In this solo episode, Valeria returns with an honest update to explore the hidden cost of being placed on a pedestal—by others and by yourself. She opens up about growing up under the "overachiever" label, and how chasing admiration often comes hand-in-hand with self-rejection, burnout, and loneliness. This episode is for you if: * You've ever felt pressure to be perfect * If you feel you have to embody a certain role or image within your career or relationships * You’ve struggled with rejection after changing your path, setting boundaries, or simply showing your human side * You’re learning to embrace imperfection, vulnerability, and authenticity Valeria also shares updates—including her pivot from medicine to business school—and practical strategies for setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion, and building a life that feels good instead of just looking good. 💌 Join The Rejections Room Facebook group (safe space to share & heal): https://www.facebook.com/groups/466124329823199/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/466124329823199/] ☕ Support Valeria's work by donating: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak [http://buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak] 📸 Follow along for additional updates and content: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast 🙏 Special Thanks: To our generous donors—including Qing and our anonymous supporter—thank you for helping this message reach more people. 💛 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice. Listen Now on Your Favorite Platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | RSS

Stop Rejecting Yourself: Intuition, Action and Redefining Success With Author Karan Wadhwani

In this powerful episode, Valeria sits down with multidisciplinary artist, author, and businessman Karan Wadhwani to talk about how rejection often starts from within—and how embracing intuition, creativity, and spiritual practice can lead to a more fulfilling and resilient life. In This Episode, We Explore: * Why “others can only reject you when you reject yourself” * The difference between fear and intuition * Building resilience through adaptability, self-trust, and self-compassion * Why being your own best friend is the key to overcoming external and internal rejection * What it means to be successful—and how to redefine failure * Tai Chi, spirituality, and how martial arts can teach us how to flow with rejection * The importance of making the most of every moment and acting despite fear * Creative balance, joy, and how to not hold yourself back * Lessons from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron * Understanding that we’re all walking our own paths, but not alone Career Advice You’ll Love: Karan shares why liking what you do matters more than titles, and how working across industries made him more resilient. Hear his practical tips on building a path that’s authentic—even when it's unconventional. Karan’s Book: So You Want To Be A... – Order now on Amazon Learn more: karanwadhwani.ca [http://karanwadhwani.ca] Connect with Karan: * Instagram: @kwadhwan [https://instagram.com/kwadhwan] * Email: info@whoiskaran.com [info@whoiskaran.com] 📢 Connect with Us: 📸 Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Valeria Rusnak 📩 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com [valerusu55@gmail.com] ☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak [http://buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak] Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice. Listen Now on Your Favorite Platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | RSS Remember: "Don’t be fearful of things that are intuitively who you are." Let go of the fear and let yourself become who you're meant to be.

How Rejection Fuels Resilience (with Dr. Michael Ungar, Therapist and Resilience Expert)

Discover the meaning of resilience with Dr. Michael Ungar, Canada Research Chair at Dalhousie University and the world’s leading social work scholar. In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Ungar unpacks the science of adaptation, the power of community support, and how moments of rejection can spark profound transformation in your life. 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: 🌱 Why resilience is not a fixed trait—it’s a skill anyone can develop through adaptation and community support. 💡 How setbacks, rejection, and failure can be stepping stones to transformation and personal growth. 🏘️ The vital role of community support systems in building resilience and helping you thrive, even in uncertain times. 🌍 How cultural differences shape our adaptation strategies and definitions of success, from academic achievement to meaningful social connections. 🎭 Why you’re more than a single career—embrace your multidimensional self for a richer, more satisfying life. ⚠️ How to recognize the difference between healthy resilience, toxic positivity, and knowing when it’s time to persevere, pivot, or let go. 📚 Whether you’re a premed, former premed, or anyone facing rejection and questioning your path, this episode will help you harness adaptation, lean on community support, and embrace transformation. 🎙️ Bonus: Hear Dr. Ungar’s personal stories, including the teacher who changed his life, plus insights from his groundbreaking books on resilience and adaptation. 🔗 Connect with Dr. Michael Ungar 📍 Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience 📍 Director, Resilience Research Centre, Dalhousie University 📬 Email: Michael.Ungar@dal.ca [Michael.Ungar@dal.ca] 📞 Phone: (902) 494-3445 [tel:(902) 494-3445] (Office) | (902) 229-0434 [tel:(902) 229-0434] (Cell) 🌐 Website: www.michaelungar.com [http://www.michaelungar.com] 🌐 Resilience Research Centre: www.resilienceresearch.org [http://www.resilienceresearch.org] 📘 Follow on X: @MichaelUngarPhD [https://twitter.com/MichaelUngarPhD] 📚 Explore Dr. Ungar’s Books & Resources: 📖 The Limits of Resilience: Knowing When to Persevere, When to Change, and When to Quit 📖 Change Your World: The Science of Resilience and the True Path to Success 📖 Multisystemic Resilience: Adaptation and Transformation in Contexts of Change (Open Access) 📖 Working with Children and Youth with Complex Needs: 20 Skills to Build Resilience (2nd Ed.) 📘 What Works: A Manual for Designing Programs that Build Resilience (Free Download) 📝 Nurturing Resilience Blog, hosted by Psychology Today 📢 Connect with Us: 📸 Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Valeria Rusnak 📩 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com [valerusu55@gmail.com] ☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak [http://buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak] Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.

Rejection is Redirection: Harnessing Personal Growth, the STOP Technique, and Silencing Your Inner Critic with Dave Robens, MOT & Coach

What IF rejection could be the spark for your greatest personal growth? In this inspiring episode, Dave Robens, MOT & Coach, shares his raw story of facing rejection from Occupational Therapy school—despite better grades and a stronger application—and how he transformed that setback into a powerful redirection. Learn how Dave used the energy of rejection to silence his inner critic, embrace the STOP technique, and ultimately build a meaningful, resilient career as an Occupational Therapist. We dive deep into how your responses and reactions to negative thoughts can shape your reality, and why the language you use with yourself matters. Discover practical tools like the STOP technique to pause, reflect, and choose your responses, helping you gain control over your mindset and cultivate personal growth. Dave also unpacks how redefining 'failure' and quieting your inner critic can set you on a path toward greater self-compassion and fulfillment. You’ll learn: - How to channel the energy of potential rejection into personal growth - Why the STOP technique is a game-changer for resilience and emotional control - Simple strategies to turn down the volume on your inner critic and rewire your mindset - The power of the stories we tell ourselves—and how to rewrite yours for success Packed with actionable insights and uplifting mindset shifts, this episode will motivate you to see rejection as redirection and inspire you to show up for yourself, no matter what life throws your way. Stay tuned for a special offer from Dave exclusively for our listeners! 🎙️ Connect with Dave: 🌐 Website: daverobens.com [http://daverobens.com] 📸 Instagram: @daverobens 📘 Facebook: Dave Robens 🔗 LinkedIn: Dave Robens 📧 Email: dave@daverobens.com [dave@daverobens.com] 📢 Connect with Us: 📸 Instagram: @the_rejectedpremed_podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Valeria Rusnak 📩 Email: valerusu55@gmail.com [valerusu55@gmail.com] ☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak [http://buymeacoffee.com/valeriarusnak] Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, medical, or professional advice.