funny little world

death by apathy (Monday, April 12, 2010 / 4:44 AM)

For years I was unsure if my calling was in the arts or sciences, as I appreciate the beauty of the former and the unwavering logic of the latter. Later I realized passion and profession may or may not be mutually exclusive, spherical creatures as humans are, such as in the case of Oliver Wendell Holmes, an acclaimed 19th century poet and physician.

Holmes was a medical reformer who promoted many practices taken for granted nowadays, such as the use of the stethoscope. Although his life was in an entirely different era, I feel that there are still lessons to learn from his experiences; for instance, the importance of a doctor to be flexible and adaptable to change, especially in the midst of the rapidly evolving technology of today’s world. Doctors are no longer a one-man team; they have to work hand in hand with pharmacists, bioengineers and a variety of other professions to improve service to their patients. All the mentioned occupations are essential to the clockwork of the healthcare industry, yet I feel that my individual interests and strengths make it more compelling to study medicine.

cool dude oliver wendell holmes.dunno wth he is posing(chinese dance?) but lookin fierce ! :D love the mustache and prom dress.

I stumbled upon holmes in a medical fiction book i was reading,The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen,who is Awesome.In the olden days( when men lived among dinosaurs) there isnt much distinction between the arts and the sciences,one can be free to practise another.but perhaps this was a more liberal system where knowledge was pursued for its own sake and not for profit.even this oliver dude took law for a year got sick of the bitchiness of law."I know not what the temple of law may be to those who have entered it, but to me it seems very cold and cheerless about the threshold." must be those stern faced judges and their ugly wigs.i am guessing that holmes walked into court,burst out laughing at the judges looking like drag queens in monk robes and was subsequently expelled forevermore.woe betide you oliver!

i got attacked at this part( last part of first paragraph) about why i want to be the doctor,the people evilly planted suggestions of changing healthcare which i stupidly agreed and straightway they questioned the influence of doctors on health care.i forgot what i said to defend myself but i doubt it was coherent -.-

i am quite sure these two professions,while profitable,do not suit me at all.firstly i feel i am not technical enough to do bioengineering,my inquiring mind gets stifled by the limitations of something as technical as machines and the laws of physics.Secondly as much as i research about pharmacy i find that it does not suit me.The merits of the profession are not worth the content( usually i would not consider my strength to be in content based subjects but if it is worth it i would put in the effort).

I have personally experienced the loss of a family member to a chronic illness once-my father, to a long, drawn-out neurodegenerative disease. I can only imagine the blow he must have faced when the doctor told him he only had a few years left, and the courage and selflessness taken to settle the financial affairs of his two children and wife so that they would be not be disadvantaged in any way in the event of his passing.

I was informed by my mother, perhaps for simplicity’s sake, that the doctor had withdrawn the medicine that kept my father alive. I directed my childish frustration and anger towards this unknown persona, purely for the reason of wanting someone to blame. It is part of what moulds my perspective of a doctor, to be an epitome of hope to those who seek help, but may also risk disappointing his patients. It was not until I had progressed to a more mature stage of life that I eventually “forgave” this doctor-no one is omnipotent and there are countless mysteries of science which man has yet to unravel.

no lah i didnt really hate the doctor but a little exaggeration doesnt hurt no.the paramedics were more irritaing cos they couldnt find my house -.- and the two skinny dicks didnt have enough strength/experience to help.

I want to be able to seek the cure to diseases that plague the well-being of so many families, even though it seemed an impossible task then to the young girl of eleven. I am aware of the consequences that lie ahead, I hold no delusions to the wealth and sensationalism the profession may portray to some. I hope the medicine community in NUS would be able to give me this chance to empower the lives of others, as it is such an attribute that makes the life of a doctor so appealing, not only to me but also my equally talented and determined peers.

this part is actually an extra addition after writing everything.decided to be humble.everyone there is smarter anyway.assholes.i mean,i really have resentful feelings towards people from certain schools.just because your school is one of the best doesnt mean you are God's Holy Child Where Every Chair You Sit On Turns into Gold.means tt u are an extremely expensive ass if you are anyway *snorts air through nostrils arrogantly*

What marvels me about the medical profession is the diversity it offers, the multiple fields that one can specialize in whether they find themselves interested laboratory research or having exemplary agility of the fingers to perform complicated surgery. It is indeed a science in content and an art in execution, a challenging subject for the unbiased mind. I cannot absolutely deny or confirm which field I want to specialize in as I believe the journey in medical school is one of self-discovery. Yet I cast no doubt that it is indeed a meaningful profession as one does not merely talk about the religion of love, but puts it into practice.

my neighbour is a researcher who got fed up with the local medical system cos they really abuse doctors and housemen and encouraged me to go overseas,especially to aussie.(severe shortage of doctors perhaps?) researching is much more relaxed at least she has regular hours and can bitch with colleagues.money is not too bad too.and she told me that doctors have really soft hands,they must really take care of their hands to treat patients.

i got this part from a quote from an ex-preacher.He said he felt helpless while promoting christianity and empowering people but unable to alleviate their physical suffering,so he decided that the art of medicine was more useful.wow this is a christian i really respect,recognizing the limitations of religion and actually doing something about it.O Holy Father you are an inspiration! :D

haha I think i will be assasinated by christians tonight.