Assignment

12. I want to help. I want to connect with people. A doctor interacts with people at their most
vulnerable. He offers treatment, but he also offers counsel and hope. Thats why I love the idea
of being a doctor. (HPA)
18. I want to be a doctor! This isn't a game to me! This isn't playtime! This is serious business! I
have it in me to be a great doctor... but in order to do that I have to sacrifice if I want to be
better I will save lives that could have otherwise not been saved. Now, I could be like you and
go around laughing and have a good time, ha ha... but I prefer to learn, because the more I
learn... the more likely I will have the right answer at the crucial moment and save a life. (Mitch
Vroman)
20. I use that term broadly, but is not a doctor someone who helps someone else? When did the
term "doctor" get treated with such reverence []? At what point in history did a doctor become
more than a trusted and learned friend who visited and treated the ill? (HPA)
22. Dont let them numb you. Dont let them anesthetize you to the miracle of life. Always live
in awe of the glorious mechanisms of the human body. Let that be the focus of your studies and
not a quest for grades... which will give you no idea what kind of doctor you will become. Please
try and address the board. Don't wait till you're on the ward to get your humanity back. (HPA)
11. Every human being has an impact on another. Why dont we want that in a doctor-patient
relationship? (HPA)
15. We start out so open and spontaneous. We're real individuals. Then somewhere along the
way we're drawn to conform. It's as if we're conditioned by programmed responses. (Truman
Schiff)
I could not settle on solely one quote, therefore I will use the ideas expressed by the ones that
resonated with me the most in order to present my view on the medical profession and why I
chose this path in life. (See page 2)

To me, being a doctor is not only a profession, but a lifestyle. My inclination towards this
domain of activity springs from the innermost desire to help others - not solely for the
satisfaction that it offers, but simply out of love and compassion for fellow human beings and
because I know how important it is to receive proper help when you most need it. However, in
order to properly aid another human being (by treating the cause of suffering, not just the
showing symptoms), one ought to increase his/her knowledge of humans, from a physical, as
well as a psychological and, why not, spiritual point of view. Just as Patch, I consider the
psychological component crucial in efficiently treating a patient.
All this implies a lot of work and dedication and, although the importance of the theoretical part
(achieved from books and through intensive study) is emphasized more often, I think that the
personal part plays as big a role in the making of a well-rounded doctor.
First of all, one cannot expect to understand others so long as his own self is unknown to
him/her. Therefore, before establishing a proper relationship with the patient, a healthy and
sincere relationship with oneself is needed. We ought to be able to help ourselves, but also realize
when to ask for help. Sometimes, it may come from unexpected places, even from our patients,
indirectly. From this point of view, I can relate to Patchs outlook on this profession: by helping
others get better, you heal yourself as well so the patient becomes a healer for your soul.
Second of all, one of the keys to success is being equilibrated. One has to know and
acknowledge his/her limits in order to realize when to stop, but also when to work towards
surpassing them, if need be. This, once again requires a deep connection with both ones body
and soul, in order not to neglect one or the other. Thus, by maintaining the balance, doctors can
do their job properly, keep up with the hectic rhythm AND avoid burnout or losing
themselves/their enthusiasm over the years. Ironically, in order to be able to take good care of
our patients, we need to care for ourselves too; that is not selfishness and it doesnt mean that we
are not dedicated to our calling. Unfortunately, many physicians overlook this aspect.
Of course, there are medical branches that do not necessarily involve this kind of profound
interaction with the patient (such as lab workers and researchers, etc.) and I think there is nothing
wrong with that. Those people are needed as well. However, that is not the kind of doctor I want
to become.
To conclude, just like the main character, Patch, I consider that the doctor should be viewed as a
trusted and learned friend who visits and treats the ill and that medicine is done not solely in
hospitals or private practices, but in everyday life. From this respect, Id rather do small things
with great love than strive for greatness with the risk of losing myself along the way.