“Be kind to medicine, and it’ll be kind to you”
I was sitting at the medical school graduation of my former class of 2018 (I ended graduating in 2022 due to having to finish graduate school as well) when the commencement speaker started and ended with this very line. This very line still resonates with me.
“Be kind to medicine, and it’ll be kind to you”.
As a current second year gastroenterology fellow in the ABIM research track with a dual MD PhD- I did 2 years of medical school, then went to graduate school for 4 years just to come back to finish last 2 years of medical school, followed by 3 years of internal medicine residency, and now tackling gastroenterology fellowship.
After all this time how do I still be kind to medicine? After all, medicine has taken away my youth, optimism, and energy, and sometimes I feel like a shell of my former self. But yet everyday I’m reminded of how blessed am I to be in a profession where I can make a lasting impact on my patients and their families. In a field where burnout is skyrocketing and more providers are stepping down, my drive to be the best that I can be come from my patients themselves. I would gladly read any book, take any test, withstand any toxic attending if it prepared me better for my future patients.
“Be kind to medicine, and it’ll be kind to you”.
That’s just it. I think I’m finally understanding this quote. Instead of berating and complaining about medicine, being kind to medicine will give me a career that energizes rather than depletes. Therin lies the motivation for this blog- I hope to reach people beyond my immediate vicinity and help break down gastroenterology symptoms and diseases to the general public understand while also intermittingly providing memorable stories and glimpses to my everyday life. If you find my content interesting, please don’t hesitate to comment and subscribe! Also to get more content subscribe to my Substack
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