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Levels of Mastery

Does vet school give you an “out of your comfort zone” feeling? If so, that’s perfectly ok!

Here’s a vet school, practice and life hack! Knowing where you are on the learning curve makes it easier to master new skills. Secondly, knowing that there is going to be a struggle and preparing for that struggle makes it easier and more predictable. These levels of mastery can be applied to nearly any new skill, such as orthopedic surgery, a complex treatment for Cushing's disease, parasitology or personal budgeting. Before you were introduced to the topic, you barely knew it existed. You didn’t know any of the details. You had no idea what you didn’t know. This is Level 1 - Unconscious Incompetence. 

As the initial information comes in, you become aware of the body of knowledge that you don’t know. Mastery of this skill seems overwhelming and impossible. (This is where you spend most of vet school complete with feelings of inadequacy and incompetence) Knowing this is only a phase is huge! You are in Level 2 - Conscious Incompetence. It's also where people are most likely to quit and fail. 

As you learn more, you are able to pass tests on the subject. Sometimes you surprise yourself by knowing an answer. You can talk about the subject matter. If you concentrate on the task, you can perform the skills. Here you are in Level 3 - Conscious Competence.  You have cognitively mastered the skill and your forebrain can do it, but it’s not hardwired into your reflexes and muscle memory. This is a scary place to hang out concerning your financial matters. If you know the definitions and terms, and can pass basic tests that’s great, but it can give you a false sense of security in your finances. (“I can do this later.” “I know what I’m doing.”) Watch for these thoughts, you need to work more to take your mastery further. 

Once you can perform the skilled tasks, without even thinking about them, and they become part of your habits, then you have reached Level 4 - Unconscious Competence. 

The most telling example of this is performing a new surgery. Let’s take a simple OHE. Before you were in vet school you observed dozens of them and thought “How hard could a spay be? This is Unconscious Incompetence. While you are in vet school it seems like a complicated and fraught surgery (because it is to unskilled people). This is Conscious Incompetence. 

After you take junior surgery and perform a couple of OHEs you can technically perform the surgery, but it’s still stressful. You are scared to death of making a mistake and have to concentrate on every move. You question yourself incessantly. This is Conscious Competence. It’s a very uncomfortable place. It’s also where some veterinarians decide that they will never do surgery.

Over time, after you perform several hundred OHEs, you find yourself thinking about other things, and talking about other things with the technician during surgery. You chat about the weekend or the weather. The surgeries are uneventful. You get faster and actually begin to enjoy your time in surgery. Now you are in Unconscious Competence. You don’t even realize that you are now as good as anyone else! I use this example of the learning curve because it is painfully obvious to veterinarians and veterinary students! But the same steps are taken on basically every new skill. 

The same exact steps are taken on mastery over your finances. Right now you probably have to think and struggle. The options for student loan repayment programs are overwhelming and complex. Hang in there, get through Level 2 and Level 3. You’ve decided that you want it, now embrace the struggle. By the time you graduate, you will be close to Level 4, and that’s one less thing you will have to concentrate on! It will be hardwired into your habits. You will do your budgeting and think about your finances, without breaking a sweat! This is when you are easily strolling down the road to financial wellness! 

Embracing the Struggle

Knowing where you are in the 4 stages of mastery, Unconscious Incompetence, Conscious Incompetence, Conscious Competence, or Unconscious Competence, will make learning new skills easier, whether it’s a new surgery, or financial skills. 

However, there’s one universal truth that we all face when it comes to learning. We have to engage in the struggle. The struggle is where learning occurs. That’s when the neuronal synapses form, creating a memory or habit pathway. Moreover, new research shows that when the brain is challenged it responds by producing myelin, which speeds and strengthens conductivity. The Neuroscience Behind Productive Struggle   

If you want to learn, you can’t avoid the struggle. What is the struggle exactly? It’s when you are between Conscious Incompetence and Conscious Competence. You know you should remember the details, but you get the names mixed up. Something doesn’t make perfect sense and you're questioning yourself.  You have to create mnemonics to recite the material. You are wondering if you’ll ever get the volume of material into your brain. 

Let’s say it's two nights before an anatomy test. You have flashcards everywhere, you’ve colored your anatomy book, but you’re still getting the origin of the gracilis mixed up with the origin of the semitendinosus. Missed the flash card 4 times. You’re beating yourself up. This is the struggle. The synapse that creates memorization and learning hasn’t formed yet. This is when the learning occurs. 

The struggle can occur while class is in session, if the professor is hammering home a point and you are questioning and pondering the way it all fits together. The struggle can occur when that same professor is asking you or another student questions, probing the extent of knowledge. This is called Socratic learning, because Soctrates taught by asking questions. In veterinary school, the struggle most often occurs while studying or cramming for a test. Then it occurs again when the prepping for the final. 

Two or more times of struggle will create longer and deeper learning. Why is this important to know? Successful students and veterinarians embrace the struggle. It’s a good thing, because that’s where learning occurs. Don’t run from the struggle or put it off if you get to a point that is unclear. Over time the struggle gets easier and less painful. It even gets to a point where your brain looks forward to it, like a runner’s brain looks forward to getting pushed to the extreme. It’s like sensing that the struggle is associated with the joy of learning something new! 

But what does this all have to do with financial success? You’re probably in the struggle zone. Creating a budget, doing the financial math, and using new definitions is a struggle. It seems like a huge mountain of material. The struggle zone is where people quit. It’s where you hear, “I’m not good at math” or “I don’t like surgery.” 

Learning to embrace the struggle is essential for veterinary medicine and for financial wellness. Power through to see the rewards on the other side. 

Do some people struggle with certain topics less than others? Absolutely! Part of it is the mindset you bring into the struggle. Think about the last test you had where motivation was lacking. Sitting down to study with thoughts like, “This sucks” and “I’m not good at this” yields a longer struggle and worse results. Subjects that you enjoy, or are perceived to be “good” at come easier and with less pain. 

Learning is definitely an area where positive thinking is a powerful tool. Apply the struggle to your budget. Sit down and power through getting it done. It will get easier and easier over time. You’ll soon be able to add more complexity. You’ve got to put in the work, there is just no way around it! Embrace the struggle through all of vet school and beyond!  

The Science of Learning

Let’s tie the science of learning together in a nice little package. We know that it’s normal to progress through the phases of Unconscious Incompetence, Conscious Incompetence, Conscious Competence, and Unconscious Competence on our way to mastering a new subject or skill. 

It’s normal to struggle with the material during the Conscious Incompetence and Conscious Competence phases. In fact it’s healthy and needed, because that’s where the learning occurs. Our brains have to form synapses and myelinate nerve fibers for us to form memories and speed reflexes. The learning struggle stimulates those processes. Embrace the struggle!

Next, there are normal feelings of fear and anxiety as you try something for the first time. First-timeritis is just the feeling of you stepping outside your comfort zone. Treat first-timeritis! Know that your comfort zone is just your brain’s way of trying to keep you safe, but also is not allowing you to progress further. 

What does all this mean? Hacking into the science of learning can give you a huge advantage in school, your financial life and in practice. Why? Because successful students and veterinarians are constantly bombarded with new materials and procedures. Lifelong learning is a key to success in veterinary practice. If you are thinking about a residency or advanced education, lifelong learning is even more important. Specialists and PhDs are expected to progress and learn for the remainder of their careers! 

As a Doctor, you can’t get off the train that is lifelong learning. You might as well become good at it and over time, come to enjoy it! Knowing the science behind learning should give you the life hack to power through. It helps me tremendously to know where I’m at in the process. If a struggle is occurring, I love it, because I know that I’m building the synapses. If first-timerits creep up, that’s ok! I know I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone. 

The next level is getting a shot of endorphins when you learn something new! Here’s the problem, when you reach Unconscious Competence you don’t realize it! That’s the point, you are a master of the skill and no ticker tape parade occurs. It’s good and healthy to stop and reflect on how far you’ve come. Our brains are conditioned to remember the bad stuff. This kept our ancestors out of trouble with cliffs, snakes and bears. Don’t let your brain focus on the struggle, conscious incompetence or the anxiety of being outside your comfort zone.  Help your brain rewrite its own history by pointing out the successes and positive feelings of learning something new. 

When you do conquer a new skill, take 15 seconds to realize what you’ve done. It’s good to be proud of your accomplishments, even if it's in your own head!  I think in veterinary medicine we beat ourselves up over tough cases and rarely celebrate the successes. At this point, you should be feeling these same things with your financial wellness. Continue on the path, embrace the struggle and get outside your comfort zone. Look forward to the day you can celebrate milestones on the path to financial wellness!