My journey to becoming a Doctor
(Guest Post by Dr Busuyi Abu )
Growing up in the hinterland of the sunshine state of my country, I was fascinated by a doctor.
He seemed to know everything about the human body, he seemed to have the power of life and death. He carried an aura around him; he was the village demi-god.
People ran to him when they were in distress; he was empathic and also sympathetic – an epitome of human kindness.
I had to be a doctor.
I can’t recall exactly when I made the decision, I just wanted to touch humanity.
I had no idea it would be a very long walk.
Nobody told me a substantial part of my productive years would be taken up chasing my dream, I wasn’t told about the long hours of reading. Nobody warned me most of my classmates would graduate before me. Nobody told me I would lose my life to the practice of medicine.
But most of all – Nobody told me the awe my society held for medical doctors would have changed before I became one.
It was a very long and tortuous journey on a lonely and deserted road. Sometimes, I needed a shoulder to lie on, but all I had were my big fat books. Sometimes, I read and talked to myself, like a person with schizophrenia. Sometimes one became like a bipolar patient.
But at the end of the journey you are deemed to have “satisfied the examiners”. You are now authorized to have “Dr” affixed to your name. Just like that!
Now you are the king of your consulting room, a high priest in the kingdom of medicine. Men and women come in to make confessions. You hear things that make the ear tingle – things that can lead to the Third World War if revealed.
But – You are expected to hear but say nothing; See evil, treat evil but require the wisdom of Solomon to know whether to report the evil. After all you have sworn to an oath!
Welcome to the bizarre, agonizing, lonely, but exciting world of a doctor.
Join me as I take you on a voyage. It promises to be exciting. Never a dull moment – I promise.
Are you willing?
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