Career

I sat down last night having a ponder about my career options. Questions like 'what exactly do I want to achieve?', 'what am I looking for in a job?' and others of a similar vein were coursing through my mind.

Firstly, I was never one of those kids who wanted to be a doctor ever since their little 5-year-old mouths were able to mutter the word May-Neng-Jai-Tis. I have to say the only reason I decided to embark on this journey was the fact that nothing else seemed particularly enticing at the time. 1998 was during the post-economic crisis era, and if I had followed my instincts I would've studied finance or econs or law something along those lines. However, not only was the job market diminishing rapidly in those fields at the time, but my tertiary education depended entirely on me getting a scholarship, 'cause my parents weren't exactly driving around in an S-class. And there weren't exactly that many scholarships around for courses besides medicine and engineering.

Enter the scholarship to study medicine. 15 months in a hitherto unknown place called Banting, followed by 5 years in a univ in England or Australia. Heck, there wasn't any other offer that was as good, and I was quite keen on biology and chemistry, so why not? I know I was very fortunate to have been awarded the scholarship. It was only one year before that students from overseas were called back to the country 'cause of the lack of funds. With a little parental encouragement, I decided to endure Banting (of which I shall write about one fine day), listed Newcastle as my choice (first choices of London and Edinburgh were just too bloody expensive) and a week before departure to the UK, I was still contemplating if medicine was the way to go.

Lots have happened since I got here in August 2000. I'll skip all the social aspects, which is yet another topic for a different day. From an academic point of view, the first couple of years were so-so. After all, you can hardly derive much pleasure from sitting in a lecture theatre and listening to the professor droning on and on about how this transmembrane receptor only works with so and so enzyme. My interest was piqued however - some of the topics were interesting, some were challenging. Others, of course, were a complete waste of time.

It was only during the start of my clinical years that I actually fell in love with medicine. Yup, fell in love. The patient interaction, the mental orgasm of having all the various bits put together, the feeling of actually making a difference - I don't think I've experienced anything else quite like it. Naturally, there were moments of weakness, moments where everything was taken into question, but to cut a long story short, I came out knowing without a doubt that I will graduate as a doctor, that that is what I want to be, and that while I may not be the best academically (low IQ, what to do?), I'll bloody well make sure that I'm one of the best doctors around.

Of course, all careers are ideal if things go along the way they're meant to.

But medicine does have similarities with other jobs. Not many in the field are truly altruistic, there's a fair amount of politics at play, and you have to devote as much time and energy to the non-medical bits as well. So while I do love practising medicine, can I be bothered to 'play the game'? I know for a fact that I want to practise medicine. In order to properly advance my career along a specialist line, I'll have to invest lots of time and hard work, and conduct a fair amount of Machiavellian manouvres. Or should I just take it easy, be a GP, and give myself enough time to pursue my other interests? Decisions...

Some people bitch and moan about the effort that goes into being a doctor and the lack of financial rewards. Sometimes, I feel like slapping them and asking them to just shut up and quit and get another career (I'm sure you know who I'm talking about, Reem).

Then again, I have a fair amount of friends who've had second thoughts about studying medicine (not merely from a I'm-not-getting-paid-enough point of view), and I can empathise with them. In fact, I think it's healthy that we've made a conscious effort to think about our feelings/situations 'cause medicine is one of those things where you have to actually sit down and think about. Having a good brain isn't enough (which is why I was amused when those 120+ All-As STPM students who didn't get a place in medicine argued that it was their 'right' to do so), and some who've had lifelong ambitions of practising medicine come to a belated realisation that what you have in mind isn't always prevalent in real life. After all, there will be lots of highs, but a fair amount of lows as well. Life won't exactly be peachy and sacrifices will have to be made. To think otherwise would be living in world where you'd expect a toad to turn into Prince Charming with a mere kiss.

I'd be quite keen to know what you guys/gals have thought about (career-wise) during your stay in univ. Were you happy with your choice? Did you make a conscious decision to stick to it? Blah blah blah?

Took this career quiz that my friend forwarded to me. And the results? Might explain why I write too much and talk a lot. But overachiever? Hardly...

Magazine Editor-In-Chief
'Ambitious. Driven. Valedictorian. Do these words sound familiar? Calling you an over-achiever would be a huge understatement. Besides, you’ve probably known what you’ve wanted to do since you were like twelve and were the first person in your class to get a PalmPilot. Someone like you would never waste their time in a dead-end field. You need a fast-paced environment with lots of room for advancement and personal recognition. And what better way to show everyone just how much you rock than with your own byline and eventually your own magazine. You could so rule the world – of publishing, that is.'