Actually, I'm not ENTIRELY depressed because of the obnoxious people or the long hours. I'm depressed because my options are limited. If I continue with the programme, I'm stuck working like a dog for a pittance, at least for the next 4 years. If I just finish the housemanship, then what's the purpose? I cannot practice privately. I would have wasted 12-20 months of my life for nothing. If I quit, many people will be very angry with me, from hospital staff to my parents, of course. But as much as I like many aspects of the job, somehow I don't see myself slogging like a slave for the rest of my life. I guess, I will have to make a critical decision soon. You can even say I've taken the first step towards a decision. I hope it's the right one.
You've missed out one option. You may be "working like a dog for a pittance", but you'd also be helping and curing sick people. Life doesn't suck; it's what you make of it. Keep your chin up!
Think over and over again... you could lose so many years of your med school and end up with nothing.
And that's something many of us feel strongly about. HOWEVER, the general opinion of us peons in the medical profession is... how the heck can we help people if we are tired and irritated from the lack of sleep?? Would you trust your life in the hands of a junior doctor who has not slept for the last 30 hours or so? Because in the hospital, that's all you are going to get, unless you have a REALLY serious problem that requires the attention of an MO or specialist. In most cases, the house officer does ALL of the work. The MO (medical officer) only comes around to criticize our work or attend to more complicated problems that the HO cannot or is not allowed to handle. The specialist usually comes just to give a cursory check on things and to handle the truly major problems. They are not going to waste their time clerking cases or interviewing patients or taking blood samples, etc. That's our job.
You need to perservere. Why fill your mind with so much negativism? You've worked so hard to get where you are today. So much money has been invested, not to mention the time it's taken for you to get where you are today. Every HO goes through what you are going through. They end up as MOs later, and they oversee the activities of the new HOs. The time will come for you to oversee the HOs just like the MOs are doing to you now. Don't like the way you're being treated by the MOs? Well, let that be a lesson to you and don't make the same mistake when you're tasked with a handful of HOs. So meanwhile, hang in there. It's only been 13 days since you started. You'll eventually adapt to the routine. Give it and yourself a chance.
Actually, I don't think it's negativism. I'm just trying to figure out what's best for me. While I like the job, the commitment required is, I think, far too oppressive for me. I guess I like the freedom to decide when I want to work, travel, take a break, etc. So, the life of a full-time doctor is definitely not something I envision myself living in the near or distant future. And I'm not talking about government service. Even in private practice, a doctor's life is tied to his practice. Many doctors may be rich monetarily, but they certainly do not have the freedom to leave their practice. That's not the life I want. So, if the desire to commit to such a life is non-existent, why bother continuing? Frankly, I have other dreams to pursue. If I have a choice, medicine would be a part-time thing. Something I do for charity. A sacrifice for mankind, like my parents like to tell me. Not something I would do for a living. When it comes to a career, I want it to be something that ignites and fuels my passion, not something I "have to do". For many people, they would choose the safest or most secure choice. For me, I don't mind taking risks, as long as I make the choices. So, right now, I have basically two choices. On one hand, I have a "safe" career as a doctor... but that means sacrificing the rest of my life to the profession. On the other hand lies freedom, but danger and risks as well. Tough decision? You bet. But maybe it's really not that tough.
But you've come so far. You've made it to a point where others have merely dreamt or hoped for. Surely, you would have understood the circumstances when you made your decision to pursue medicine as a career. To abandon it now would not be fair to your parents, or to those who have supported or financed you in your quest to achieve what you have achieved. You have made your bed and have decided to pursue this path. To back out now would disappoint not only the ones who love and support you, but also yourself. My suggestion is for you to perservere. Nothing comes easy. Trials and tribulations lay ahead. And the worst is yet to come. But it's how you deal with these problems and challenges that determine the character or person that you are. Be strong!
Actually, I have to admit I didn't realize the working conditions were going to be so insane. 7-day weeks, even during public holidays? Never knew they had a right to force us to work like that. But even if I did... I would still have studied medicine for medicine. It's not so much I wanted to be a big-time doctor and earn big-time money. For me, I took up medicine because it was what I wanted to learn. Well, as to whether it's fair to anyone or not, that's not quite so clear-cut. As much as my parents have financed my education, I have also invested my time and my future when I took up medicine. And now that I have graduated, it should be up to me to decide what best to do with it. One thing though - I always believe that no matter what you learn, it will always be of benefit to you. Even if we do not take up something as a career, what we learn changes how we think; and changes us as a person. So, it's no real loss to me. There are many thing I learned in medical school that can be applied in other fields. The experience certainly has done no harm! I would not consider it as backing out, actually. Right now, I'm at a bifurcation, a branch if you will. Do I proceed down the safe path or do I take the path unknown? I have learned all I have in med school and I have a degree. Now, which path do I take? IMHO, what we learn should be used to prepare us to accept ANY challenges, NOT determine our path. The right to choose the path we want should remain our sole right. Yeah, nothing comes easy. I agree wholeheartedly with you. And life has not been easy on me either. I have had to struggle against the odds all my life. So, I certainly know there's no easy ticket in life. All I have to determine now is which path to take... before I bore right into it. Because once bridges are burned, there's no way back.
Aiseh all of you are wayy off topic..supposed to talk about Adrian's new house not about the housemanship
LOL ahkho! Well, comments are already given by most here... all I can say is, follow your heart Adrian. Burn that bridge... I go buy kerosene for you.
ROTFL!!! An ARP balloon up there! Burn bridges? Thinking of it... but must think hard. Because my success outside medicine is highly dependent on others as well.
One thing I always thought would be cool is to have an automatic gate that rises up from underground (on hydraulic pistons) like the GDI and Nod gates in Tiberian Sun. That way, if somebody tried to crash through the gate, they'd hit solid concrete!
