Can we post uplifting stories about being a physician? People who love their jobs?

[little2000sister]

I will be attending medical school this year and am excited but don't see too much on this site to remind me of why it's a great career. I'm not questioning medicine, just would love if people could post their positive experiences

Anyone?

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[DrFizition]

I'm pretty sure every physician loves the helping patients aspects of their job. But every physician also hates the insurance, paperwork, and "angry customers" part.

A doctor once said to me: "Being a doctor is easy. It's learning the system that's difficult." This is so true.

 

[22031 Alum]

Seeing a kid running around, who wouldn't be alive if it weren't for my intervention, was pretty cool.

 

[mimelim]

I'm pretty sure every physician loves the helping patients aspects of their job. But every physician also hates the insurance, paperwork, and "angry customers" part.

A doctor once said to me: "Being a doctor is easy. It's learning the system that's difficult." This is so true.

There are plenty of physicians, some of whom who post on SDN who don't really enjoy helping patients. They see it as a job and a stable income.

 

[Celestia]

Ditto to euphoric feeling of saving people's lives. Science is really cool, too.

In my brief experience on this forum, it is a poor representation of real life medicine. It seems in my opinion to attract the neurotic and unhappy.

On the other hand, lots of the complaints are legitimate and you will need to figure out how to manage the difficult parts of medicine because moments of euphoria are not that common.

 

[DrFizition]

There are plenty of physicians, some of whom who post on SDN who don't really enjoy helping patients. They see it as a job and a stable income.

That's pretty sad

 

[Hospitalized]

That's pretty sad

but realistic.

 

[md-2020]

There are plenty of physicians, some of whom who post on SDN who don't really enjoy helping patients. They see it as a job and a stable income.

That's pretty sad

While you may disagree with this viewpoint, its not like this isn't a pretty hefty consideration for even the most altruistic and selfless medical student. It would be wrong to categorically say "that's pretty sad."

 

[Lucca]

While you may disagree with this viewpoint, its not like this isn't a pretty hefty consideration for even the most altruistic and selfless medical student. It would be wrong to categorically say "that's pretty sad."

I wouldn't say the "just a job and stable income" part is sad. I can see how someone can get to that point very easily. The not caring about patient care though? That sounds pretty sad to me

 

[pageantry]

I've been actively seeking out uplifting books and stories by contemporary physicians, for that same reason. /God's Hotel/ by Dr. Victoria Sweet was really great for me. Describes the downsides of the changing face of medicine, but also depicts someone actively choosing the life she wants to live as a doctor.

There are also some stories of some pretty cool doctors living good lives in Gawande's /Being Mortal/. Richard Selzer has some good stuff too, altho his work is old. Oliver Sachs, too, obviously. /Mountains Beyond Mountains/, of course.

A lot of what I notice, though, is that the happy writers are all doctors who have found a different perspective to bring to their work. Maybe they like to study ancient medical remedies, or translate their experiences in a way that could be meaningful to non-physicians, or they have a greater vision of how we should be as people and want to share that. Whatever it is, I see a lot of happiness in the writing of people who stay curious and actively engaged with what they're doing. That gives me hope.

I'd love to find more books like that, btw, if anyone has suggestions.

 

[Celestia]

I've been actively seeking out uplifting books and stories by contemporary physicians, for that same reason. /God's Hotel/ by Dr. Victoria Sweet was really great for me. Describes the downsides of the changing face of medicine, but also depicts someone actively choosing the life she wants to live as a doctor.

There are also some stories of some pretty cool doctors living good lives in Gawande's /Being Mortal/. Richard Selzer has some good stuff too, altho his work is old. Oliver Sachs, too, obviously. /Mountains Beyond Mountains/, of course.

A lot of what I notice, though, is that the happy writers are all doctors who have found a different perspective to bring to their work. Maybe they like to study ancient medical remedies, or translate their experiences in a way that could be meaningful to non-physicians, or they have a greater vision of how we should be as people and want to share that. Whatever it is, I see a lot of happiness in the writing of people who stay curious and actively engaged with what they're doing. That gives me hope.

I'd love to find more books like that, btw, if anyone has suggestions.

Great book list, I may need to look up a few you mentioned.

Many years ago I was inspired by physicians from an older era as well- Schweitzer, William Carlos Williams, Chekhov, even Camus' Rieux.

For a more modern book that I enjoyed, consider the Emperor of all maladies.

I also think (but am not positive) that the books on this list are weighted more heavily to those who use the humanities as their inspiration. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I think there are also those who enjoy what they do more because of their interests in science.

I think you can also just enjoy what you do because of the satisfaction of doing a job well, similar to any other profession. Even if it is not profound on a spiritual (struggled for the right word here) or intellectual level.

 

[pageantry]

Great book list, I may need to look up a few you mentioned.

Many years ago I was inspired by physicians from an older era as well- Schweitzer, William Carlos Williams, Chekhov, even Camus' Rieux.

For a more modern book that I enjoyed, consider the Emperor of all maladies.

I also think (but am not positive) that the books on this list are weighted more heavily to those who use the humanities as their inspiration. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I think there are also those who enjoy what they do more because of their interests in science.

I think you can also just enjoy what you do because of the satisfaction of doing a job well, similar to any other profession. Even if it is not profound on a spiritual (struggled for the right word here) or intellectual level.

Oh yes! EoAM is fantastic. I will have to return to some of the authors you mentioned, too. I think they may actually do a better job, perhaps because of being from a different time, of reflecting the "job well done" satisfaction rather than the "personal fulfillment" millennial paradigm I clearly have bought into.

 

[little2000sister]

Thanks for the book suggestions! That's a good idea.

 

[Lost in Translation]

I wouldn't say the "just a job and stable income" part is sad. I can see how someone can get to that point very easily. The not caring about patient care though? That sounds pretty sad to me

Talk to ER attendings.

 

[Lucca]

Talk to ER attendings.

Admittedly I haven't spent any time in the ED. I imagine it has its own grab bag of frustrations but I would hope most never got to the point where they didn't care what happened to their patients either way.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Admittedly I haven't spent any time in the ED. I imagine it has its own grab bag of frustrations but I would hope most never got to the point where they didn't care what happened to their patients either way.

In urban EDs it's that the "hatred" they receive in return from patients, many of which are homeless and really only there because EMS brought them in for passing out in public, leads them to not care either way what happens when they sign those discharge papers because the attendings know that the patient will be back in a day, if not a matter of hours. It's hard for the attending to put any effort into such a patient, especially when resources and time are extremely limited and there are other patients to give a damn about; ones that need and are receptive to the help.