Nicholas Genes, of Medscape Grand Rounds fame, has asked me to host next week’s medical blogging grand rounds. I’m very honored and excited to participate in this forum. As such, I get to ask for submissions.
I get to pick the topic. So, given the vast sea of things we could discuss in medicine, I decided to back up to a fundamental question. The question is this: ‘why do we do it?’ It’s a question that lies behind all our education, our work, our struggles and our joys in medicine.
Think back to those medical school interviews. ‘Why do you want to do this?’ Those answers may have been contrived to secure admission: ‘Sir, I don’t care about money, I just want to help sick people!’ Or, they may have been more pragmatic: ‘I just want a secure career… and a chance to help sick people!’ (The helping sick people thing shows up in pretty much everyone’s answer, I imagine).
Your answers may be the same, or they may have changed. The reasons you went to medical school may not be the same ones that keep you draining abscesses or reading EKG’s to this day. But whatever your motivations, I want to hear them.
The thing is, medicine is always in a state of change. We may face dramatic changes in the future, depending on the vagaries of politics, economics, cultural and religious forces. Given that, what will keep us coming back? Will it be a sense of duty to mankind? A sense of duty to God? A need for money? A need for prestige? Will it be the compulsion of government or the compulsion of our peers? Will it be for science, for humanity as a whole, for individuals in particular?
So write to me if you’re interested in being featured in Grand Rounds. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, and sharing my own. Or, if you found a link you want featured, send that as well and I’ll look it over.
My e-mail address is edwinleap@gmail.com, you can obviously send it through the comment section on this blog, or via the contact form my website, at www.edwinleap.com.
Thanks for your readership and kindness as I stumble my way through blogging!
1. don’t know how to do much else and don’t want to start over
2. I do feel that God called me to this profession.
3.Sometimes, in spite of the best efforts of the insurance companies, Medicare, hospital adminstraitors (that’s not a misspelling, by the way) and tort lawyers sometimes it’s still so darn much fun I can’t believe I get paid for it.
Vicki Dihle, PA-C
15 years ago
I vividly remember as a 3 year old having the calling to go into medicine – but I knew I did not want to a doctor or a nurse. Those were the only two medical professions that involved direct patient care that my simple mind could embrace. Thus, I searched somewhat randomly looking for my niche’ is various medical research settings always coming up empty-handed. Finally, in 1989 I discovered my career path as a physician assistant. At that time I was doing what most people would do when they’ve just learned their loved one, in my case my 29… Read more »
Peter WEBSTER
15 years ago
Discerning motivation in self or others is imprecise at best and confabulation at worst. Being the son of a Pastor and lapsed physician who followed God’s call to China in ’38, stayed for the war and returned for a couple of years of the civil war, leaving in August ’49, I chose medicine over the pastoral calling in the early ’60’s when it seemed that one could care more effectively in medicine. Three years at a mission hospital in central africa between internship and residency showed me that caring could be frustrating with limited resources so I returned to specialty… Read more »
(a) Your initial essay on why you do what you do could have been cut in full and placed on Emergiblog – just substitute “nursing” for “medicine” and that is exactly how I feel. Nicely written!
(b) I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a Grand Rounds with non-bloggers included, and it’s so cool that you found a way to include their stories. Obviously you hit a deep well of emotion with the theme!
Oh no! I can’t make it and I am so sad! I actually want to go however the girls are throwing me a planning away party that night at Angie’s. And that i need so much clothes for my new job. So bummed. In any case, have a very blast and i would go with all the dress its fab! XOXO
My dream retirement would in all probability be a few a long time in distinct countries, enjoy and absorbing the globe around me with a loved one particular!
What i don’t realize is actually how you are no longer really much more neatly-appreciated than you may be right now. You’re very intelligent. You understand therefore considerably when it comes to this subject, made me individually believe it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men are not interested until it is something to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your individual stuffs nice. All the time deal with it up!
I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂
Thanks , I’ve just been looking for info approximately this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve came upon so far. But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you positive concerning the source?
After examine just a few of the weblog posts in your web site now, and I really like your approach of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark web site checklist and will likely be checking again soon. Pls try my site as effectively and let me know what you think.
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1. don’t know how to do much else and don’t want to start over
2. I do feel that God called me to this profession.
3.Sometimes, in spite of the best efforts of the insurance companies, Medicare, hospital adminstraitors (that’s not a misspelling, by the way) and tort lawyers sometimes it’s still so darn much fun I can’t believe I get paid for it.
I vividly remember as a 3 year old having the calling to go into medicine – but I knew I did not want to a doctor or a nurse. Those were the only two medical professions that involved direct patient care that my simple mind could embrace. Thus, I searched somewhat randomly looking for my niche’ is various medical research settings always coming up empty-handed. Finally, in 1989 I discovered my career path as a physician assistant. At that time I was doing what most people would do when they’ve just learned their loved one, in my case my 29… Read more »
Discerning motivation in self or others is imprecise at best and confabulation at worst. Being the son of a Pastor and lapsed physician who followed God’s call to China in ’38, stayed for the war and returned for a couple of years of the civil war, leaving in August ’49, I chose medicine over the pastoral calling in the early ’60’s when it seemed that one could care more effectively in medicine. Three years at a mission hospital in central africa between internship and residency showed me that caring could be frustrating with limited resources so I returned to specialty… Read more »
Edwin, this is wonderful on many levels.
(a) Your initial essay on why you do what you do could have been cut in full and placed on Emergiblog – just substitute “nursing” for “medicine” and that is exactly how I feel. Nicely written!
(b) I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a Grand Rounds with non-bloggers included, and it’s so cool that you found a way to include their stories. Obviously you hit a deep well of emotion with the theme!
(c) You just did a great, job, period! : D
Oh no! I can’t make it and I am so sad! I actually want to go however the girls are throwing me a planning away party that night at Angie’s. And that i need so much clothes for my new job. So bummed. In any case, have a very blast and i would go with all the dress its fab! XOXO
My dream retirement would in all probability be a few a long time in distinct countries, enjoy and absorbing the globe around me with a loved one particular!
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I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂
Thanks , I’ve just been looking for info approximately this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve came upon so far. But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you positive concerning the source?
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After examine just a few of the weblog posts in your web site now, and I really like your approach of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark web site checklist and will likely be checking again soon. Pls try my site as effectively and let me know what you think.
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