This is supposed to be posted earlier but I got Lazy. Anyways, I'm already too lazy to check for the grammar so if you see anything tell me. Hehehe
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13 October 2008
4:40 PM
The things I learned outside the classrooms of the college of medicine
Well, I've been itching to write this blog entry for the past few months, though due to time and the constant workload, I realized that it would be better to write this piece after the semester as a summa total of what I've learned aside from the lessons in the classrooms.
1. NO money in the world could buy the will and drive to learn - As I observed my classmates in medicine, I realize, no matter how rich you are, the will and drive to learn could never be bought, that the thirst for knowledge should always be constant and drive to do better for others should always be there. I find SOME of my classmates, lethargic, utterly bored with their money and they practically just do what they want never realizing the wasted time and effort of those that placed them there and later feel they need to catch up but it is already too late. So they'll just drop out and let the year come by wasting the time and effort of themselves (if they did any) and those that support them. Though as I say SOME so it’s not a direct generalization but still SOME.
2. People have different reasons staying and studying medicine - I know it was a truth even before I started studying medicine but hell, some reasons where always out of the equation like 1. Trip ko lang; 2. Gusto ng parents ko (even in this time and age); etc... I just say, some of those reasons whatever maybe could help them exit or stay in medicine; making them stronger or weaker.
3. THE RESOLVE TO STUDY MEDICINE - I think this is the most crucial since, many, as IN MANY, lack the spine (figuratively speaking) to go on, that little failures keep them down and let them decide to go on leave. I think this should have been established long before going to medicine since we are talking about a large (well to me off course, and I think some may find it small) sum of money, time, effort (of those supporting you and yourself ~ if you are exerting effort) that goes to waste if we let go too early or start too late. I mean this basic thing should never be forgotten that because sometimes the lack of this break the students due to their inaction or delayed reaction.
4. EFFORT - Lots of it, is needed to excel and survive medicine and so far, brains could help a lot but the effort exerted could (most of the time) overcome the lack of intelligence. And furthermore, with effort and application of oneself, wisdom could be achieved; and in any day wisdom is far better than intelligence.
5. Passion for your desire - I think this is highly related to resolve, but adding passion to your work makes it even tastier, better than the usual parameters
6. Compassion - earlier this year, I got hospitalized for maxillary sinusitis. I got attended by a JI (junior intern) which I saw/observed is just too absorbed in herself that she even forgot to get the lab results because she was busy talking with her co-interns that the emergency resident doctor was the one that followed it up. I also got attended by an EENT resident which I got pissed about, arriving late, smelling stale cigarette smoke and just repeating things that the emergency resident doctor have already said and just like a machine, just gave prescriptions and poof left. I WISH, I SO WISH that whatever stage in learning medicine I'm in, I would never forget the reason of staying and being in medicine - to help and show compassion to those who need it.
Maybe, these few lessons I learned outside of the classroom are worth it for some people, or as an insult. But to me, it was never meant to be an offense but a reality that should have been grasped upon earlier before or while studying medicine, so to remove those regrets like - I could have done better, I KNOW I AM BETTER or those bitter stuff that some students say. But heck as Neil Gaiman said in Sandman, people make their own hell, their own prison that they just hate to live up with. But heck, I think all of us already know that but they just hate to admit it.
SO what did I learned?
1. Biochem is really hard, refer to numbers 1,3-5 for guidance
2. Anatomy is fun~
3. Physiology is just anatomy and biochemistry made into one big mess.
4. Some of your classmates are utterly rich
5. AND some of those utterly rich classmates think your joking or state that your KJ if you state that you can't go outside because you don't have money
6. And some of those classmates doesn't care if they pass or fail because they ARE RICH
7. Sleep is now classified into luxury if you are really exerting effort.
8. Grab life by its balls, hold it, firm up your resolve because half assed efforts are just half assed results and could only take you as far.
9. Apply yourself - up grade your spine and move mountains
10. Let the hardships of medicine bring the best in you.
P.S. I'm feeling old
5:34 PM
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A very old post.