Dodging medicine

With my frequent gripes about the pitfalls of the job, one of the oft-repeated questions I receive is why I actually chose this thorny career path. Essentially one of the choice viva questions aimed at me when I start on my neverending diatribes - and certainly the first thing I was asked during an introduction yesterday by a hopeful physician-to-be. Somehow or rather Fearful Fran managed to corral enough guys from all ages and walks of life - truthfully varied enough to fulfil the criteria of any exacting population sampling.

Though it's easy enough to shoot off a witty, glib retort in response, honestly I have to say that I am not too sure myself. While most laymen would expect the usual glowing, lofty ambitions on saving humanity and upholding truth, justice and the Malaysian way mouthed by enthusiastic medical personnel wannabes, I find myself ( yeah, wicked me! ) literally unmoved by such selfless samaritans. Certainly the thought of helping others did occur to me but I have to admit that I'm no saintly Mother Teresa.

Chose the path would be far too simple an answer. Stumbling upon it would be more accurate since at that time during my youthful follies, I wasn't terribly sure what I wanted in life. Not too sure of it even now actually ( though I'm actually leaning towards the life of a household engineer ). There were certain paths that didn't appeal to me, engineering being one of them. Since my deep innate loathing of Mathematics is obvious enough, I didn't think a career that dealt with numbers and calculation on a daily basis would suit. Minging looks and a deep-seated fear of protein shakes and gym routines practically eliminated a career as an underwear model. Architecture seemed quite a worthy candidate but I actually preferred the challenging advertising line - which is why I actually signed up for it way back.

But just before I burned all my bridges to pursue advertising, I actually had a heart-to-heart with my parents and like all ultra-conservative Asian parents, they actually counselled me on doing medicine instead. One of the things they actually said ( amongst a thousand other pros with few cons ) has stuck in my mind till then. Getting into a medical school seemed like a chance in a lifetime at the time - and though I could easily afford a course in advertising, a medical course with its accompanying astronomical fees ( never could see why! ) would be nigh impossible.

So that's why I'm in medicine. Oh yeah, not forgetting that the white coat has a definite cool factor too :) The unforgiving shapeless blue scrubs / pyjamas is something else entirely however.

Am I regretting the choice I made? Not really. On the days when I'm not tearing my hair out with frustration over the stresses of the job, I'm actually quite content despite the obvious lack of any form of social life and the pathetically minute monetary rewards - not to mention that it's likely you'll be up fucking early on some unsociable Sunday morning like today and going to work. Most of the benefits of the job are purely intangible - a simple thankyou from a patient and the gift of a smile from the relatives. That you simply can't buy at the the mall :)

So, Aspiring Joshua ( no kitschy monikers for ya yet till I get to know ya better, and that's truly quote, unquote :) ), that's my answer for you. Sad social life, even sadder pay and some glimmer of job satisfaction. Care to join us?