Looking back at the last 4.5 years at LTMMC,I still can’t believe that it’s finally over. The memory of the first day in med school is still very fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday. The journey to become a doctor after going through innumerable hours of frustrating pressure of studying throughout,exams,exams and more exams, has finally come to an end….I have GRACEFULLY managed to pass MBBS now. What was more thrilling for me was that the result came a day before my birthday…double celebration time for me….it’s a feeling that can’t be described in words….it took me 3 days of staring at the print out of my mark sheet for the feeling to finally sink in….I shall now remain Dr.Mohit Garg till I cease to exist.
But the big question for me still remains…It has become increasingly difficult for me to decide my next and the most crucial step in life….There are clashes within, when the things that you want to do and the things that you should do don’t go hand in hand….The same is the case with me now….
As of now, there are no compulsions with me so as to what I should do next…my parents have been supportive enough to let me do what I want….But I can’t decide on whether to continue walking this LONG path of medical field or opt for an MBA or non clinical fields now…No doubt that this is a noble profession, money flows in at a later stage of life, there is social security and respect, doctor are considered as Gods, etc,etc …But at what cost ???
People who come to medicine are the most studious of all….Since school days,they start running the rat race to come among the rank holders in school year after year….they miss out on their childhood,time playing with friends,spending time with family…and basically the beauty that life offers us…That was about childhood…studying, studying, more studies they manage to get admission in top medical colleges….complete MBBS with internship at 23-24 years of age and again get back to studies for post graduate to become a MD/MS at 28-29…immediately people want to settle down in life, get married ,start a family before one gets too old to even be able to play cricket with their own kid, and many continue for super specialization courses….In short BACHELORHOOD IS ALSO GONE BEFORE THEY REALISE IT….and then they start life earning what many of my engineering friends started at 22….with gradual progress, doctors have a fairytale life after that….
But what they forget while working to have their secure future and a happy life, be able to enjoy all the materialistic things that money can buy , cars, gadgets, etc…is that their PARENTS HAVE BECOME OLD, they missed out on time with family and old friends…and the beauty of life that I spoke about earlier…as it is life expectancy has become short these days due to the increasing incidence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension among general population….and more than half of it is spent studying by we doctors….
MBBS plus an MBA from a premier institute is a very rare combination and very much in demand these days by pharmaceutical companies and corporate hospitals…One starts with a very good package at an early stage of the career, you get time to do things that you like to do, involve yourself in a bit of extracurricular activities, not become antisocial and arrogant that many doctors get with their success, etc….I agree that you would no longer be the God that people make you…but you get to travel (not for conferences only), meet people you would not like to see just as patients…. at least a good life for an ambitious, hard working and adventurous guy like me who loves to live life to the fullest…feeling happy even for the smallest of things that life gifts me.
But here I am, writing this at 2:30 am … all confused…sitting and watching, as the medical student world, my friends included gear up for PG CET 2010…with just one hope that may be I would fall in love with clinical and practical aspect of becoming a doctor during internship which starts after 2 days when I actually see patients as patients and not as a dummy for passing the exams like everyone do…till then, trying to get back in shape to lose all the extra pounds gained which comes free with the sedentary life of a medical undergraduate, save the hair which are left on my scalp from deserting me and more importantly have a happy, cool and calm attitude towards life…enjoying its sweet music…away from the hyper, frustrated side of me that I saw in the last 5.5 years….it really surprised me.
I just hope I find my answer soon….
1 comment:
It's the million dollar question. Even Engineers have that same problem. Study or settle. The only advice I can offer is, think about what you really want. Do you want the money, or wiuld you rather study some more... And whatever you do, be happy with the choices you have made in your life. :)
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