Friday, February 25, 2011

Be nice! I cud be your doctor some day! :D

So, instead of making this a 'A journey ends; a journey begins' sort of a melodramatic post, just let me say, that five years, fifteen journals, hundreds of practicals and endless vivas later, I have passed my Final MBBS examination with gliding, if not flying, colours (alright, that was trying too hard, but today I'm allowed) and have earned the much-feted, much-coveted prefix of Doctor to go with my name.

My obsessive-about-etymology friend reminds me that the origin of the word doctor lies in the Latin 'Doktore' which is a rather generic term for a teacher. Our foremost purpose is to teach patients about their health and so on.

It does feel rather fantastic to earn the epithet, it actually wud've felt just as fantastic to earn any other graduate degree. However, this does feel like a milestone along a longer journey and as our professor cheerily reminded me on facebook today, "In medicine, what we learn the very first year is that the first degree isn't the last, and that there never comes a day when you shut all your books and put them away. We must remain eternal students."

Which is all very true in more than a Gandhian sense. We learn as if we live forever and live as if we have a whole storehouse of tomorrows.

Which brings me to the next bit. My seniors remind me of the dangers of postponing 'life' in order to make studying a priority. It is important to give time to one's own self and stop and do all those things that make one happy if one is to avoid a total burn-out.

How anyone ever manages to make the time is a mystery to me. But I suppose somebody will end up teaching me time management one of these days.

Now, it is post-graduation that everyone will obsess about and work themselves to exhaustion for. That's as good a goal as any, I guess. Let's see how well this year treats me.

Right now, I'm just soaking in the reflected glory of this unnaturally revered degree. And the fact that my school friends got me a T-shirt emblazoned with the words, "What's up, doc?" Atleast they were confident about my result, which is more than what I cud say about my state of nerves.

All's well that ends well, tho. And never have I been more grateful for the faith that these others have chosen to invest in me. I shall never forget it. And I shall require more along this rather long journey. Well, whaddya know? It is a 'A journey ends; a journey begins' kinda post after all. :D Wud never have guessed it starting off! But today I'm allowed. ;)

12 comments:

T. said...

For the hundredth time congratulations cookiecake!!!! and seriously ure allowed anything this whole week as long as u take me to california pizza kitchen for my party and remember that i took u to pop tates for yours :-D party time!!!

Ramya Sriram said...

Congrats! Go crazy while you can :)

The t-shirt idea is really cute!

Saravana Prabhu M said...

So what s up doc?

S. Susan Deborah said...

I am still to get over my excitement. You became a doctor before I could. I am, like you awaiting the day when those two letters will be completely mine.

The difference is that you are a medico and I am a doctor of letters (psycho????). Well, both of us are teachers in our own way, then.

Big hugs and much love,
Susan

Antara said...

Congratulations!

I am sure you'll make a brilliant doctor and you'll be the first person all of us come running to from now on. ^_^

Lots of love.

Sakshi said...

So, whats up DOC!! Congrats congrats congrats!!! :P

R said...

Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations! I am SO psyched for you! As a future med-school hopeful, I think you totally deserve it. Love and squishy hugs <3

pankaj said...

congrats! you will be an amazing doctor for sure :). the kind, wise, comforting type.

JD said...

I almost commented "What's up, doc!" until I got to the point where you mentioned the t-shirt :P

Well done, hearty congratulations! Knowing you, super-times will lay ahead :)

Tangled up in blue... said...

Dear, dear T. thank you! And after my first, ahem, stipend is due, we'll blow it all on pizzas at CPK! :)

ramya, I know! I LOVED the tee! :)

Saravana, it's nice to see you after a long time..and internship, that's what is up right now :D

Tangled up in blue... said...

Dearest Susan, a doctor of Philosophy you will be..I shall be a doctor of Medicine :) Teachers in our own ways, yes!

Antara, you cud always use an apple..some claim they work! :D and thank you! ;)

Sakshi, thanks thanks thanks! :D

Tangled up in blue... said...

Riddhi! Thanks a million! And good luck with med-school..you're so gonna need it! :D Bear hug back! :)

pankaj, thank you! That's the sweetest, most comforting thing I've heard thru this most terrifying month :)

JD, thanks man! And haha, that line cracks me up every time I look at it on my cute yellow tee! :D