Why Medicine?

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(Disclaimer: This is gonna be a sappy post. Tomorrow I'll have something emo or angry to impart. But today, cheesy it will be!) 

Today a patient came into the ED (emergency department) for suicidal ideation. And after the ER doc, I was the next in line as a medical student on psychiatry call to see her. As slow as I am, I spent some time piecing together her life, listening to her story as she spilled the contents of her broken heart to a complete stranger.  After the story was compiled and then reported to my 'boss', we went into the room to meet the women with the broken heart.  He asked her questions. Questions that I forgot to ask, pieces that I missed. Somewhere between the beginning and the end, he asked if she was continuing to have suicidal thoughts. And she replied no. With a slight smile now she said talking it out with me made her feel better... Its funny really... This experience has made me realize that my love for medicine has nothing to do with medicine. Nothing to do with psychiatry. Surgery. Nothing to do with medicine.  Nothing to do with a pill or a procedure. Nothing about finding that cure to their ailment. Or discovering the truth behind their pain. My love for medicine stems from the fact that I get to love on people. Old and young. The crazy and psychotic to the sane and sad. The living and the dying. I get to share God's love with people... I get to act out the Word of God as loud as I possibly can everyday by loving on people!  And that my friends, I count a blessing! =)


Comments

  1. Suji JohnApril 17, 2013 at 9:35 PM

    You mention your current rotation and surgery.. No mention of Internal Med, Gyn, or Peds.. Hope you don't end up picking psych. Mainly because I donot want you to constantly remind me of my craziness. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Suji JohnApril 17, 2013 at 9:37 PM

    Also I don't like to talk or share! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. ShebaApril 18, 2013 at 12:44 AM

    Psych is fun.. Mainly cause I'm reminded that everyone (me and you included) is a little crazy! :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. ShebaApril 18, 2013 at 12:45 AM

    I'll let you know when I have that moment when the light bulb goes off. Right now it only flickers.... :-/

    ReplyDelete

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