How I Grew to 1M YouTube Subscribers in Medical School - Kharma Medic

TL;DR

Kharma Medic grew his YouTube channel to over 1 million followers by turning his experience of applying to medical school into useful content for students, then developing the channel into a creative project he personally enjoyed. He built it while studying full time at King’s College London and later reconsidered the relentless productivity that supported his workload. Read on for his origin story, content choices, and lessons from therapy.

Transcript

i am someone who prides myself a lot on my time management and i think that i balance a lot of things in my life really well the sort of downside to that is that i'm constantly working you know i'm constantly like moving from one thing to the next and it's really difficult to stay in the moment you know if we were doing this pre-therapy i'd be thin... Read More

Key Insights

• ⌛ Balancing time management and productivity is essential for accomplishing tasks, but it can hinder the ability to stay present in the moment.
• ☺️ Therapy can help individuals reassess their approach to work and time management, enabling a more relaxed attitude towards life and greater satisfaction.
• ⌛ The motivation for starting a creative project, such as a YouTube channel, can evolve over time from altruistic goals to personal enjoyment and creative fulfillment.
• 💦 Incorporating fun and innovative elements in one's work can make it more intellectually stimulating and promote long-term satisfaction.
• 🥅 Goals and standards need to be aligned to ensure a sense of fulfillment and to avoid sacrificing personal enjoyment in pursuit of external achievements.
• 🤑 The shift from extrinsic motivation (e.g., money, prestige) to intrinsic motivation (e.g., enjoyment, personal fulfillment) is essential for maintaining long-term satisfaction in one's chosen career path.
• 🥺 The changing landscape of work and societal shifts have led younger generations to prioritize personal well-being, balance, and a sense of purpose over traditional markers of success.
• 🥺 Finding a career path that aligns with personal values, offers a sense of purpose, and provides opportunities for growth and impact can lead to greater satisfaction and fulfillment.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Kharma Medic grow to 1 million YouTube subscribers while in medical school?

He began by sharing guidance based on his difficult journey into medical school, aiming to help other applicants. The channel later became a fun, creative endeavor shaped by both his interests and what would be valuable to students and young people.

Q: Why did Kharma Medic start his YouTube channel?

After finally gaining admission to medical school in the UK, he wanted to help a handful of other people get accepted. His posts on Reddit and The Student Room received almost no traction, so he started a YouTube channel instead.

Q: How old was Kharma Medic when he started YouTube?

He said he was about 23 years old when he started the channel. At the time, he was in his second year of medical school.

Q: What did Kharma Medic study before attending medical school in the UK?

After his initial medical-school applications were unsuccessful, he followed his backup plan and studied in Canada, where he had been born and held citizenship. He completed a four-year undergraduate degree there before applying to medical schools in Canada and the UK.

Q: Why did Kharma Medic choose undergraduate medicine instead of graduate medicine?

He consciously applied to undergraduate medicine because graduate medicine was even more competitive for international graduates. This meant pursuing a second undergraduate degree after completing university in Canada.

Q: How did Kharma Medic’s time-management habits affect him?

His focus on productivity helped him balance many responsibilities, but it made staying present difficult. He constantly planned the next coffee break, email session, study period, or commitment and even tracked everything he did.

Q: What did Kharma Medic learn from therapy about productivity?

Therapy helped him realize that he could complete what mattered without working through his to-do list until midnight. He stopped feeling that every bus ride, train journey, or walk had to contain extra work and adopted a more relaxed attitude toward life.

Q: How did Kharma Medic choose topics for his YouTube channel?

He considered both what interested him and what would offer value to his target audience. His goal was to balance personal enjoyment with useful content for viewers, including material about productivity, education, and lifestyle.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The student prides himself on his time management skills but struggles to stay present in the moment due to constantly thinking about the next task.

• Through therapy, he learns to prioritize tasks and take a more relaxed attitude towards life, allowing him to complete everything he wants without constant pressure.

• The student started a YouTube channel to help others get accepted into medical school, initially driven by altruism, but gradually embracing the fun and creative aspect of content creation.