Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site peora.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!petsd!peora!jer From: jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: SO's in the medical profession Message-ID: <1556@peora.UUCP> Date: Thu, 29-Aug-85 09:38:15 EDT Article-I.D.: peora.1556 Posted: Thu Aug 29 09:38:15 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 31-Aug-85 05:30:27 EDT References: <469@lasspvax.UUCP> <234@unc.unc.UUCP> Organization: Perkin-Elmer SDC, Orlando, Fl. Lines: 49 [Read the posting, it is too long to summarize] I think this posting is too critical of the medical student in question, saying he possibly "can't take" being a physician. I can certainly understand his reaction at not passing the medical board examinations. Here he has spent years of difficult studying to learn what he needs to know, and now he has failed to pass this one last obstacle. This is no surprise, that it is upsetting to him! Furthermore, I am not at all sure his comments are indicative of anything other than dedication. He said if he doesn't pass them again, he will withdraw from society -- which I interpret to mean, he will devote all his time to studying, until he does pass them. Well, when he gets out there in the medical profession, he is going to have to leave social functions, get up at all hours of the night, and in general have is personal life interrupted by the needs of his patients; is this not what he is doing now, saying he will give up his personal life for a time to achieve his professional goals? This intolerance for human nature is not a good thing. As for this: > If he is emotionally incapable of dealing with the boards, then he is > emotionally incapable (at this time) to handle being a physician. What > will happen when he screws up and is responsible for a death, not just a > low score on a standardized exam (as everyone, eventually does)? I think most physicians undergo considerable remorse and depression when they are responsible for the death of a patient. Now, if he behaved extremely irrationally, said he was contemplating suicide, etc., that would be a different matter. But if he just said "If I don't pass the boards the next time, I am going to have to withdraw from society for awhile until I pass them, because they are essential to my future; but once I do pass them, I would like to get married," well, that seems just like simple dedication to me. [Note that I am taking to account that the original description of the person was given through the eyes of a non-objective observer.] I can identify with this behavior myself; as my XSO, when she was working on her dissertation for her 2nd PhD, would sometimes go through phases when she would say "I just have to spend all my time working on developing this [proof, argument, etc] for the next couple of weeks, in order to get it done, and I am going to have to be by myself entirely while I do it"; this was difficult for me, but I always thought she was a wonderful person, not someone who "couldn't handle" research. I think the same thing applies here. -- Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642