of human bondage March 18, 2006
Posted by pofun in of steth-decked days.trackback
How aptly-put, the reason we chose the profession.
The bf and I had a discussion the other day. Overly enthusiastic parents and applicants at the open house, it seemed, had pestered those at the medicine booth for answers to the interview questions. The bf didn’t think much of the issue. It’s just the additional bit of effort one makes to ensure a greater chance with the application. Nothing wrong with the extra preparation.
Yet knowledge of the assortment of underlying reasons an applicant heralds peeves me; Friend A thought it a good way to defer national service, Friend B applied since the girl he fancied did so. Hence, a stringent selection process is required to sieve out the insincere.
The interview is a straight-forward process any bona fide applicant easily passes. How daunting a task is it for one claiming medicine to be his calling to explain his passion? Pre-empting questions and rehearsing for them is perfectly acceptable. But to request for tried-and-tested solutions to disguise ill-intentions is unscrupulous.
Med school is one long arduous journey of boring facts. It isn’t mere intellect that carries one through, but knowledge that any minute description you pick up along the way could someday save a life. Moreover, I want to work amongst competent individuals, not those whose passion and sympathy fade even before we graduate, which I think it applies for the rest of us too.
Ultimately, it is simple and innate. If you’ve got it, good. Otherwise, you’ll just do better in another profession.
Yay, a blog and a post finally! Yah, screw those idiots who keep asking you how EXACTLY did you answer your question.
never did like medicine wannabes or at least half of them for similar reasons. but before you start lambasting these people, do take time to consider that not less than 2 years ago you were taking those interviews like them. Although u may not be like them (insincere, disinterested dispassionate etc), some of them may have slipped through the stringent process and are working amongst you right now. And much as you dislike working with individuals whose passion and sympathy fade with time, they can be quite competent academic wise and in the end get the MBBS.
I think at the end of the day, when you are done with 5 years of medical school, these things don’t matter anymore. ‘Things’ as in medical juniors who came in for the wrong reasons, or classmates who come in due to parental pressure more than personal interest. I think there are many people who study medicine for reasons other than noble passion. And it won’t do to waste time and energy to gripe about why they are in in the first place. I suppose when u are busy mugging for the final year exams or when you are an actual practising doctor, what would matter is whether you have lived up to your ‘lofty’ aspirations. people who dont deserve a place in medicine are always there. i imagine it’s probably one of those unjustness of life. But if you have an unwavering faith in your passion and dedication for medicine, why bother with them?