The Medical Profession

This was suppose to have been blogged on 2nd Mac 2009 but due to confirmation needed on some facts from medical doctor it was delayed.

I have been uninspired lately to blog on anything. It is a new year and all, but nothing seems significantly different, or perhaps there is just so much in store and the anticipation of hoping all of it goes right is driving me insane.

Yesterday, I watched 2 medical doctors studying. It was amazing. Their passion for the medical profession put me in bewilderment.

If you’re not already familiar with the specialization process for doctors and the amount of time they spend just becoming doctors let me provide a brief overview here from a Malaysia perspective (Not sure how it works in other countries): -

- 5 years in medical school (basically they just graduate later than the rest of us here in Malaysia)
- Crappy salary and 1 year of houseman ship before they even can be certified medical officers and have license to practice.
- Another 3 years in the government service to be recognised as a doctor in Malaysia before they go private.
- Should they wish to specialise choosing the UK courses, sit for Part 1 theory paper after 1-year houseman ship
- Sit for Part 2 Theory after another 4 years experience in the field they want to specialise in.
- Sit for Part 2 Practical once they pass all the papers, should they flunk practical, repeat Part 2 Theory.
- Back in Malaysia another 6 months gazettement as a specialist before they are recognized specialist.

Ladies and Gentlemen, do not forget that this does not take into account, the number of times they flunk these papers and resit those papers again and again to pursue their dream. (Not all of us are A’ star students)

I’m amazed for the work they put in, the hours spent, the money to pay for all these exams; they hardly get back anything when their salary is in at the end of the month. A lot of people think that being a doctor means they are rich, but the truth is only after all those years of hard work do they sometimes get the repayment. Let me stress the word ‘sometimes’. Which to me, is easily obtained in other professions without having to go through all the hardship.

Truly medicine is a love and quite distinctly different from any other career path. I love Grey’s Anatomy, and though it’s spiced up with all the affairs and relationships, the narrator does a great job summing up a day in the life of a doctor at the end of every episode.

If you gave me a choice again, would I be a doctor, the answer is still no.