In this episode of Dr. Tisdall Unfiltered, I sit down for a candid conversation about one of the most misunderstood problems in medical education: anxiety. Not anxiety as an emotion, but anxiety as a cognitive failure that disrupts clinical reasoning, blocks pattern recognition, and causes students to freeze during exams. I explain why traditional coping rituals often make things worse, how panic hijacks working memory, and what it actually takes to restore clear thinking under pressure. This episode is especially relevant for medical students preparing for Step 1, Step 2, COMLEX, or clinical exams who feel like they know the material but can’t access it when it matters.

I’m Dr. Philip Tisdall — physician, medical educator, and author of the Clinical Pathophysiology Medical Companion series. My work focuses on teaching students how to think clinically from first principles rather than relying on memorization or test-taking tricks.

If you want more expert discussions on medical education, clinical reasoning, and exam performance, make sure to follow the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes.

Buy the textbook:
Volume 1: https://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Pathophysiology-COMLEX®-Medical-Companion/dp/B0CF4J4BP2

Volume 2: https://www.amazon.com/Clinical-Pathophysiology-COMLEX®-Medical-Companion/dp/B0CDZ2QHHY/

Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/38XzGXnKKck

Follow me on social @drphiliptisdall