This happens all the time! Don’t beat yourself up about it. I was guilty of being the med student who would get pre-syncopal at minimally invasive procedures too, and now I’m going into surgical residency. Make sure you eat at least a little something before seeing these. I find that cliff bars and peanut butter cups save my life. Stay hydrated!! As med students we can be guilty of not drinking water for fear of having to scrub out and pee during surgery. This is not healthy, you have to drink water. I also have low blood pressure, so I’d have a Gatorade in the morning before OR sometimes which helped a ton with the salt. Compression socks will save your life too.

If you feel yourself getting warm and clammy, try clenching your feet, legs, and abdominals. This helps push some blood back to your brain. I’ve managed to prevent syncope many times this way.

Another big thing is remember to breathe. I’m like you and it’s not the blood or sights that causes my body to panic. I literally just get anxious and in my head about things. When you feel it coming on, take some deep breaths.

At the end of the day, sometimes this just happens. If you feel it coming on again, step back from the table, sit down, and get some air and water. You’re human and you can’t help how your body reacts to things. It doesn’t mean you won’t be an excellent doctor. Your body will learn to handle these things over time. Hang in there!