A passion for medicine. What does that even mean?

[dr.phoot]

People are passionate about art, music, literature, writing, etc. But what the heck does it mean to be passionate about medicine? How is that even possible?

Pure science--research--is different from clinical medicine. But how do you derive passion from being around sick people? Diseases? Stress? And yes, you're helping them but let's no neglect that most medicines have a side effect. Surgery is like the last resort and should be avoided if possible. In other words, it's not really something that's good. Complications can come out of it too.

Now, I believe in tolerance and being able to put up with something enough to the extant that you do it for years. Marriages sometimes fall in this category too.

But for those of you that have a "passion" for medicine (specifically podiatry), can you share your views? What does it mean to be passionate about medicine?

I personally I'm passionate about writing, music, debates regarding sports and other topics but I wouldn't choose any for a career. It's the idea of podiatry and careers similar to it that I like.

(And no, this isn't going into my personal statement. Just a nice discussion for the pod community).

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Weirdy]

People are passionate about art, music, literature, writing, etc. But what the heck does it mean to be passionate about medicine? How is that even possible?

Pure science--research--is different from clinical medicine. But how do you derive passion from being around sick people? Diseases? Stress? And yes, you're helping them but let's no neglect that most medicines have a side effect. Surgery is like the last resort and should be avoided if possible. In other words, it's not really something that's good. Complications can come out of it too.

Now, I believe in tolerance and being able to put up with something enough to the extant that you do it for years. Marriages sometimes fall in this category too.

But for those of you that have a "passion" for medicine (specifically podiatry), can you share your views? What does it mean to be passionate about medicine?

I personally I'm passionate about writing, music, debates regarding sports and other topics but I wouldn't choose any for a career. It's the idea of podiatry and careers similar to it that I like.

(And no, this isn't going into my personal statement. Just a nice discussion for the pod community).

Too young and inexperienced to give you advice but I'll add what I've observed working at a busy med clinic all winter:

- Work is work. There are good days and bad days. But at the end of the day, do you go home feeling satisfied with the amount of effort and progress you've made? Were there questions that popped up during the day that bugged you so much you had to look them up? Do you get to the clinic in the morning where you're already backed up 30 minutes and say "lets do this"?

- The passion you feel for your hobbies may be completely different from the passion you feel for your career and work. I enjoy roadbiking and playing pc games much differently than I enjoy loading up 88 urine sample assays correctly and not screwing up that multi thousand dollar machine.

-Not everything in your field is pleasant to be around. I don't like it when patients come in and the whole room smells like weed, alcohol, and piss afterwards. I don't like it when the pharm reps are late with lunch and we need keep our 1 o clock patients checked on or our lab running without time to eat. I don't like staying 2 hours after work to help the assistants catch up on the ****load of paperwork and red tape they need to get through and end up missing dinner with my family. So no, you don't have to like every aspect of the job. Passion is more akin to the invisible force that drives you to stay late and get you there on time the next day.

At the end of the day, having a passion for medicine may be completely overblown and played out too dramatically. Everyone in that clinic comes back the next day on time, ready to work, and with the best attitude they can put on no matter whatever else is going on behind their own curtains-- simply because they like it enough to stay and do a good job.

 

[skim25]

One can grudgingly tolerate their job and repeat their mundane cycle. However, with passion, one can not only tolerate their job, but also be eager to do it in the process. If you are devoted and ambitious to complete a task, you will do whatever it takes to not only finish the job, but to also go beyond what is expected. Besides treating patients, you can study new methods/drugs, hone your surgical skills, stay late to make sure the paperwork is done to your standards, dealing with insurance companies, spending extra time with patients, etc. If you are content by the end of the day, dealing with all the challenges, and willing to do it all over again in a heartbeat, then you have achieved your passion.

Right now, I am going through the first year of pod school. It's not easy and it will only get harder moving forward. Even though I am lacking sleep and wanting to die at times, I am still having fun learning everything (except physio..). There are even times where I want to learn more about something and look it up later on my own time.

All of this might sound cheesy, but that's just how I see someone having a passion for their career.