Source: thepulseheart.com
From the article #WhyMedic written based on the Twitter campaign launched by my fellow young columnists (go and read it if you still haven’t!), you will find many reasons as to why some doctors and medical students pursue medicine as their career field. To embark on the journey of becoming a healer (as many would call it) is definitely full of bumps and bruises and not to mention, the occasional breakdowns along the way. Therefore, I would like to seize the opportunity to start counting my blessings (you should hop on the wagon too) for being involved in medicine. Shall we?
Blessings of meeting the unfortunate patients.
Every clinical student must have come across a large number of cases during his or her clinical training, let alone doctors. As Christina Yang of Grey’s Anatomy would say, “All it takes is one person, one patient, one moment to change your life forever. It can even change your perspective.” I believe that every patient we encounter has their own life story which may leave a big impact on us.
For instance, when your patient has to make a decision regarding life and death; whether they want to be alive but paralyzed or would they rather decide to stop hanging on for dear life. I will somehow reflect upon how a certain decision at one point will lead to another event in my life. What if you choose this? What if you choose that? How about the road not taken? Would it have made a difference if I had chosen another road?
I finished my posting at the Paediatrics Department earlier this year and the experience of being surrounded by those tiny human beings was somewhat overwhelming and slightly depressing as most of the children were not in the pink of health; hence, in the hospital. I was fortunate enough to have met many children throughout the duration of my seven week posting; to name a few, there were patients with haematological disorders, cardiac diseases, malnutrition and neurological disorders.
Some of the children in the Renal Department were in very critical conditions as they required kidney transplants. Unfortunately, not many were fortunate enough to undergo major operations due to financial constraints.
Let us think about all the things that our patients teach us through their experiences and stories. Experience is indeed the best teacher, but you do not necessarily have to experience things first hand. There is a lot to learn from others if you are willing to embrace the knowledge.
Have you met perseverance?
Perseverance is a doctor’s best friend. Being in a long term relationship with Medicine requires us to have a lot of perseverance as we constantly have to be on our toes. Being human, sometimes it is hard to constantly be on top of your game.
Having studied Medicine for almost five years now has taught me the virtue of patience. This is because in Egypt, the place I study in, the course takes approximately six and a half years to complete. While I am still in the fifth year of my studies, most of my high school friends have already graduated from their diploma and degree courses. It is a challenge I knew I was undertaking as Medicine is an intricate and detailed study of the human body.
Being a House Officer (HO), Medical Officer (MO) or even a Consultant later on would require our perseverance to withstand the pressure of dealing with the life and death of patients. Some days might be rough and bring you to the ground, but having perseverance will keep you going.
A Doctor is an instrument of God’s mercy.
Has it ever occurred to you? That you are among those special people selected by God, to be a medical student and to practice medicine later on. That you are in this very course for reasons that may only be known to God. That you in some way, are destined to be the kind of person who will make a difference in the world, by involving yourself in medicine. Has it?
I find the phrase above to be one that implies great responsibility but is also relieving as being a doctor means that I am helping people get better; physically, emotionally and God willing, spirituality too. How that 6 years of knowledge you acquire, and more years of training that follows suit qualifies you to improve the quality of life of other people is somewhat still breath taking for me. That on its own is a great perk of having a medical license isn’t it?
So, let’s embrace the road chosen and the journey taken instead of constantly questioning and doubting our chosen carrier path. Take charge of our mind set and take Mahatma Gandhi’s advice to ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’.
Dr Nuha Muneerah was a 5th year medical student in Mansoura – Manchester Medical Program, Mansoura University, Egypt when she wrote this article. Learn about her and other YCP members under the Team page.