Last week, a fourth year student excitedly came over to my Neurology course director to tell him about an interesting case with neurological findings. I got assigned the patient, and to my pleasant suprise I could take a full history since he spoke Urdu (I love being able to communicate with the patient without needing an interpreter - many patients only speak Arabic in Qatar). The patient did have intriguing neurological findings, but this is not the reason patient left a mark in me!
This middle-age gentleman was my first patient with cancer who had gone through intense chemo and radiotherapy over the last fourteen months. The gentleman told me his story with passion and emotion that I had tears in my eyes that were on the verge of bursting as I saw how he felt he is a warrior battling his disease. When I asked the gentleman if he had any family in Qatar, he replied saying that the doctors, nurses, and social workers are his second family that have supported him in fighting his cancer. He is blessed to have been working in a country that strives to provide medical care to any resident of Qatar without looking at their social status, especially since he could not have afforded this quality of health-care and chemotherapy. He is fighting metastatic renal cell carcinoma, which is known to have a relatively poor five-year prognosis.
After completing my examination and closing up with the patient, he wrote my name down in his diary and said that he will make sure to include me in his prayers as I strive to become a healer one day.
I admired this gentleman for his strength, will-power, and practical optimism towards fighting , cancer and acknowledging his blessings in life. Even though his family and children live across the sea, he fills that void with the "family" he has in Doha without complaining.
When we are faced with little challenges and all we do is complain and complain and complain about the little "hardship" we are faced with in life. Hence, I walked out of that room thinking I should appreciate everything I have and stop complaining about my neurology write-ups! :P
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Ready for 4th year?
This week we had fourth year orientation/preparation for USMLE CS! Time to work on personal statement, CV, study for USMLE Step 2 CS and CK, and prepare for NYC - SubI and electives.
Majority of us have decided what specialty we will be applying for this September.
Now we are thinking about everything we have done in the last few years to add in our CV! I wish I had updated my CV in the last three years, it's quite a task to go through emails and papers to remember the dates for which I had volunteered at a certain conference, help organize a medical camp, and participated in big-sib program.
Yesterday, we had OSCE's and most of us left the OSCE thinking we need to do some more practice in breaking news, taking a more thorough history and making sure we dont forget to ask simple questions such as drinking, smoking, or medications and allergies. Oh and definitely not forget to wash hands, especially after our professor reminded us like 50 times!! Also, remember to think common is common, like in Qatar the most common car is white Land Cruiser! Nonetheles, we are much more confident now then we were during our first year OSCE's.
The first group has left to nyc for their clinical electives and SubI. I have one month of Neurology now and then I am heading to NYC for Pediatric SubI!
Majority of us have decided what specialty we will be applying for this September.
Now we are thinking about everything we have done in the last few years to add in our CV! I wish I had updated my CV in the last three years, it's quite a task to go through emails and papers to remember the dates for which I had volunteered at a certain conference, help organize a medical camp, and participated in big-sib program.
Yesterday, we had OSCE's and most of us left the OSCE thinking we need to do some more practice in breaking news, taking a more thorough history and making sure we dont forget to ask simple questions such as drinking, smoking, or medications and allergies. Oh and definitely not forget to wash hands, especially after our professor reminded us like 50 times!! Also, remember to think common is common, like in Qatar the most common car is white Land Cruiser! Nonetheles, we are much more confident now then we were during our first year OSCE's.
The first group has left to nyc for their clinical electives and SubI. I have one month of Neurology now and then I am heading to NYC for Pediatric SubI!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
In 10 years, 20 years, 30 years???
I always thought getting into college would be tough, then maybe getting into medical school. Now, as I look back, I think those were much easier than getting into RESIDENCY! I guess every step just gets harder, but you learn and eventually make it!
Third year almost coming to an end: finished internal medicine, surgery and PEDIATRICS! and now doing Ob-Gyn! I have Neurology left, and then Im off to NYC for 2 months for my clinical experience in Peds in NYC! I'm EXCITED!!
My clerkships are a major part of my life as I acquire the skills and knowledge in the various fields, but we are also quite preoccupied in choosing our future. Our class is deciding whether we want to be a clinician, pathologist, radiologist, or a surgeon. It is a tougher choice than Id imagined. We have probably spent hours contemplating on our future. These are a few of the questions we are answering as we choose a field of choice:
1. Do I want to have a field with focus on academics, research, mostly clinical work, or a balance of them all?
2. How do I decide between all the fields I enjoyed(and maybe for some people hated)?
3. Should lifestyle be important?
4 Can I have time for a family with my career? Get married during residency?
5. Length of training?
6. Job in the future and where Id want to work?
7. Grades, research requirement for certain fields and competition?
8. Accept IMG's?
9. AND the MOST IMPORTANT Question: Where do I see and feel the spark? Do I have a passion? and What will I be able to do best?
For me, I have been thinking about pediatrics-genetics before I started medical school, but I was always ready to change my field if I saw the spark in another field. But I guess, my passion lies in peds-genetics!
Currently, the dream is becoming a reality as I am working on the paperwork for electives, discuss with faculty, and applications.
So where do I see myself in 10yrs, 20yrs, 30yrs? Well, as many of you know, I always say "wherever my life leads me! Im always open to new ideas and challenges!"
Third year almost coming to an end: finished internal medicine, surgery and PEDIATRICS! and now doing Ob-Gyn! I have Neurology left, and then Im off to NYC for 2 months for my clinical experience in Peds in NYC! I'm EXCITED!!
My clerkships are a major part of my life as I acquire the skills and knowledge in the various fields, but we are also quite preoccupied in choosing our future. Our class is deciding whether we want to be a clinician, pathologist, radiologist, or a surgeon. It is a tougher choice than Id imagined. We have probably spent hours contemplating on our future. These are a few of the questions we are answering as we choose a field of choice:
1. Do I want to have a field with focus on academics, research, mostly clinical work, or a balance of them all?
2. How do I decide between all the fields I enjoyed(and maybe for some people hated)?
3. Should lifestyle be important?
4 Can I have time for a family with my career? Get married during residency?
5. Length of training?
6. Job in the future and where Id want to work?
7. Grades, research requirement for certain fields and competition?
8. Accept IMG's?
9. AND the MOST IMPORTANT Question: Where do I see and feel the spark? Do I have a passion? and What will I be able to do best?
For me, I have been thinking about pediatrics-genetics before I started medical school, but I was always ready to change my field if I saw the spark in another field. But I guess, my passion lies in peds-genetics!
Currently, the dream is becoming a reality as I am working on the paperwork for electives, discuss with faculty, and applications.
So where do I see myself in 10yrs, 20yrs, 30yrs? Well, as many of you know, I always say "wherever my life leads me! Im always open to new ideas and challenges!"
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