The Exam I Didn’t Need - But The Lessons That Made Me a Better Gynecologist in Chennai

The Exam I Didn’t Need - But The Lessons That Made Me a Better Gynecologist in Chennai

There are some decisions in life that don’t seem to make sense at the time - but years later, you realize they were exactly what you needed.

For me, that was the USMLE Step 2 CS - the Clinical Skills component of the U.S. Medical Licensing Exams. Well, all my years of MBBS passed by with the only goal of clearing USMLE and moving abroad. From transcripts to immunisations to scores to clerkships in some of the most reputed institutes of the country, to letter of recommendations I had everything. I’m going to talk about something I have my heart and soul, achieved, but never pursued.

USMLE STEP 2 CS.

Venetian Inn, Houston, Texas 

Some hotels remain etched in your heart. And this was one such. 

I gave it everything I had — long hours, endless mock patient interactions, late-night revisions, and a deep emotional investment in the dream of practicing medicine in the U.S. So it was mandatory to have a study partner and mine was Dr Radhika. She was basically from Canada, been there preparing for the exam for a while. Taking the exam in Houston was considered easy (None of us - people who attended the exam with me, ever found it easy!), than Chicago / Philadelphia. Cases there were meant to crack you up. We all followed our seniors path. Prepped for a month. The exam per se has 12 patient encounters, 15 mins each. Empathy was more important than knowledge. And you have to be good at typing, lol. Well, it was fun. 

But I never ended up working there.

And yet — that exam, the one I technically didn’t need — still walks with me every single day inside the consultation room at my holistic women’s wellness clinic, Birthwave, in Nungambakkam, Chennai.

This is not just the story of an exam — it’s the story of how that experience shaped me into the gynecologist I am today.

USMLE Step 2 CS — More Than Just a Clinical Exam

Anyone who’s taken the Step 2 CS exam knows that it’s not just about passing. It’s an emotion.

Unlike other exams in the USMLE series, CS is about how you interact with patients in real-time. It tests:

• How you greet them

• How you listen

• How you examine them respectfully

• How you reassure them with empathy

• How you connect, even under time pressure

And that 15-minute window with each standardized patient? It changes you.

How I Prepared Like My Life Depended on It

I prepped for Step 2 CS like it was the gateway to my future.

I spent a month:

• Practicing clinical encounters

• Recording and analyzing mock consults

• Repeating and refining my words until they landed just right

• Training myself to be present, compassionate, and composed — even when I didn’t know the answer

At that point, I thought I was preparing for a life in the U.S.

I didn’t know that I was actually preparing for something much bigger:

My life as a doctor who leads with empathy and presence — right here in India.

Life Had Other Plans — And That’s Okay

Yes, I cleared the exam.

But I never pursued a U.S. residency.

There were personal reasons, timing conflicts, logistical hurdles — some of them still don’t make sense in hindsight.

And for a long time, I struggled with regret:

• Did I waste precious years of my life?

• Did I invest money, energy, and time into a path that never opened?

• Did I lose something?

But slowly, I began to see what I had actually gained.

The truth is, no learning is ever wasted.

Today, I am a practicing gynecologist and fertility consultant in Chennai. I’ve founded Birthwave, a unique women’s wellness clinic that combines natural birthing, functional gynecology, fertility care, and emotional well-being under one roof.

And that exam? It still guides me. I think I get my empathy from that 1 year I spent in US, rotating in some of the most prestigious institutes like State University of New York, Cornell etc, which always put empathy before clinical skills. 

3 Lessons I Still Carry From Step 2 CS - Every Single Day

1. Your Words Heal More Than Your Prescriptions

Step 2 CS drilled into us the importance of:

• Greeting patients with respect

• Asking permission before touching

• Explaining procedures

• Reassuring with empathy

• Making eye contact

• Listening deeply

At The Birthwave, I see this every day.

Women walk in carrying silent burdens:

• Unexplained infertility

• Painful periods

• Fear of childbirth

• Emotional trauma from past medical experiences

And before any scan or lab test, what they really need is:

Someone who listens. Someone who sees them.

A doctor who doesn’t just treat their uterus — but acknowledges their emotions.

That’s what Step 2 CS gave me:

The ability to hold space, not just offer solutions.

2. Clinical Skills Mean Nothing Without Human Connection

I remember one mock patient in Step 2 CS saying, “Doctor, I’m scared. I think I have cancer.”

My checklist mind went into overdrive — symptoms, history, investigations — but what I truly needed in that moment was to put that pad down, pause, acknowledge, and connect.

And that’s the biggest lesson that still serves me today.

At Birthwave, whether I’m:

• Conducting a natural birthing consultation

• Managing a couple’s first fertility session

• Supporting a postpartum mother with hormonal upheaval

— I remember: People come before protocols.

Your clinical expertise is important. But your human connection? That’s what makes you unforgettable.

3. Preparation is Temporary — But Confidence is Permanent

Preparing for Step 2 CS wasn’t just academic — it was emotional.

I messed up mock consults. I forgot names. I got nervous. I spent a lot of money, time and energy on an exam with a high failure rates. 

But every time, I built myself back up.

Until one day, I walked into that exam center with a calm confidence that whispered:

“You’ve done the work. Now trust yourself.”

That confidence didn’t vanish after I left the U.S. dream behind.

It lives in me today — in my fertility consultations, in the labour room, in moments when a delivery doesn’t go as expected.

That inner steadiness — that’s the real gift Step 2 CS gave me.

How It All Comes Together at Birthwave, Chennai

Today, I lead The Birthwave — a space I envisioned not as a traditional clinic, but as a holistic sanctuary for women.

We offer:

• Natural birthing support and gentle delivery practices

• Functional and integrative fertility care

• Prenatal yoga, mental health counseling, and nutritional therapy

• Support for menstrual health, PCOS, and reproductive wellness

• A safe, non-judgmental space for every woman who walks in

And every bit of it is infused with the human-first approach I developed during my Step 2 CS journey.

My months of USMLE prep didn’t go to waste — they became the soul of how I practice medicine.

Do I Regret Not Pursuing the US Path?

Sometimes I wonder — what would life look like in a New York hospital or a residency in California?

But then I look around me:

• A woman smiling through labor because she felt heard and respected

• A couple holding hands during a successful fertility ultrasound

• A teenager walking in anxious and walking out empowered

And I realize:

This is where I was meant to be.

To Every Medical Student or Young Doctor Feeling Lost…

This blog is for you.

If you’re wondering:

• “Did I waste my time on an exam I’ll never use?”

• “Is my path falling apart?”

• “Will this effort ever matter?”

Let me tell you:

No effort, no learning, no growth is ever wasted.

Even if your plans change.

Even if the road turns. 

Even if you don’t end up where you thought you would.

You’ve gained something.

And someday, it will make you the kind of doctor your patients remember forever.

Looking for a Gynecologist Who Understands More Than Just Medicine?

If you’re in Chennai, and you’re:

• Looking for fertility guidance that’s compassionate and honest

• Hoping for a natural, empowering birthing experience

• Wanting support for period pain, PCOS, or hormonal balance

• Or just seeking a space where your voice will be heard —

You’ll find it at Birthwave – Holistic Women’s Wellness Clinic in Nungambakkam.

Because I didn’t just learn how to pass an exam.

I learned how to walk with women — in every stage of their journey.

Let’s Connect

📍 Clinic: The Birthwave, 

8/15 Mahalingapuram Main Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600034

📞 Appointments: 9840798472 

📸 Instagram: @birthtoremember 

🌐 Website: www.thebirthwave.com