Why I chose to do what I do
This is written response to Jimbo's blog entry. I get my junior MOs asking me the same question too. Why I chose the be in Internal Medicine -- instead of a much more glamorous, less stressful and money making field like Surgery, ENT or ophtal. Or even why i become a doctor in a first place.
I can never give a proper answer to that.
All I know is I like what I do despite I everyday complaining about it. I know it's not really about money. I am not doing this for the country or to serve the 'rakyat'.
It's the thrill of saving lives... or even if you don't save them - what you do can change or even make lives better. The other day one of my patient came by to say hi to me - I was the one who saw him and arranged for his referral to Ampang Hospital for his lymphoma. He was so excited telling me that he's getting better with chemo. I remeber I thought that Ampang hospital might not accept his case as he had HIV thus a poor candidate for chemo anyway but we managed to make it happen. And the other day a lady with a family greet me in a 'kedai makan' ask me if I remember her mother. " Dr kan yang jaga mak saya dalam ICU. Sekarang mak dah sihat.. kitorang baru balik KL.. Terima kasih lah banyak banyak..."
The sad part is I can't even remember her *too many ill patients in my care' but she remembered me anyway so yeah.. I'm happy. But i told her I am just doing my normal job. Which it is what I do... it's the work I do everyday. Nothing special. Not like I go out of my way to save her. It's a responsibility that come with the job.
I like the fact that I know how and able to shock a person, insert a chest tube to drain a lung effusion, insert needles into spinal space for lumbar punctures, aspirate bone marrows.. All the cool stuff that I don't think I can do if I am not a doctor.
Yup - that is my answer if ppl ask me why I become a doctor.
For my answer why YOU should not be one.. that's for another day (answers would include facts on why this job is so depressing that doctors are more like to commit suicide compared to general population.. :P)
Jimbo is the 3rd ID physician that kinda make me want to do ID as my subspecialisation *if I ever end up doing my specialisation that is. The first one is Prof izham Cheong my ID lecturer back in UKM then my current boss Dr Liew. I am still thinking which one I'll end up doing... Cardio -- too many competition. Nephro - I'm lousy at IJCs. Skin - my dermato specialist encouraging.. I am not encouraged. Hemato & Neuro is a huge maybe. Oh well still long way to go.
I can never give a proper answer to that.
All I know is I like what I do despite I everyday complaining about it. I know it's not really about money. I am not doing this for the country or to serve the 'rakyat'.
It's the thrill of saving lives... or even if you don't save them - what you do can change or even make lives better. The other day one of my patient came by to say hi to me - I was the one who saw him and arranged for his referral to Ampang Hospital for his lymphoma. He was so excited telling me that he's getting better with chemo. I remeber I thought that Ampang hospital might not accept his case as he had HIV thus a poor candidate for chemo anyway but we managed to make it happen. And the other day a lady with a family greet me in a 'kedai makan' ask me if I remember her mother. " Dr kan yang jaga mak saya dalam ICU. Sekarang mak dah sihat.. kitorang baru balik KL.. Terima kasih lah banyak banyak..."
The sad part is I can't even remember her *too many ill patients in my care' but she remembered me anyway so yeah.. I'm happy. But i told her I am just doing my normal job. Which it is what I do... it's the work I do everyday. Nothing special. Not like I go out of my way to save her. It's a responsibility that come with the job.
I like the fact that I know how and able to shock a person, insert a chest tube to drain a lung effusion, insert needles into spinal space for lumbar punctures, aspirate bone marrows.. All the cool stuff that I don't think I can do if I am not a doctor.
Yup - that is my answer if ppl ask me why I become a doctor.
For my answer why YOU should not be one.. that's for another day (answers would include facts on why this job is so depressing that doctors are more like to commit suicide compared to general population.. :P)
Jimbo is the 3rd ID physician that kinda make me want to do ID as my subspecialisation *if I ever end up doing my specialisation that is. The first one is Prof izham Cheong my ID lecturer back in UKM then my current boss Dr Liew. I am still thinking which one I'll end up doing... Cardio -- too many competition. Nephro - I'm lousy at IJCs. Skin - my dermato specialist encouraging.. I am not encouraged. Hemato & Neuro is a huge maybe. Oh well still long way to go.