Can being a doctor ever be only a profession? I wonder. I have often pondered over this question. Can it really be compared to designing computer software or being a librarian or an architect or a farmer for example? I do not mean to demean any profession but my argument is only, that as physicians we hold the power to directly harm human life and occasionally even kill. I know that other occupations also affect humanity indirectly but the sequence of events or chain of steps is rather long and not direct or instant.
But as physicians we are destined to observe the consequence of our every action in the form of a direct effect on human life in the form relief hopefully most of the time and in the form of pain, suffering and even death sometimes and usually within a clearly observable time span.
And it is not only about harming a physical being but also the tender emotions that the dreary patient often puts on that table in front of you. When in a state of half undress the person on the bed decides to lift the covers off his mind. Sometimes it sends a shudder down my spine when I find myself in the privileged position where a patient trusts me with his deepest secrets.
When I think about the ways in which we as doctors can mess up I realize what a great courage it takes to shoulder this responsibility even for the least conscientious person. For however crooked your mind might be, hurting a warm, breathing and moving body does not go down easily.
An amazing profession I have chosen! Many a times during our daily routines we get used to treating patients and forget this. But as soon as I have some time thinking about this great burden I have decided to lend my shoulder to, I realize my folly in hurrying to finish the rounds or a case, just to gain a few minutes and risk losing peace of mind for eternity. I realize how inconsequential getting mad at the patient who misses all appointments is. It makes me want to delve deeper into the realms of the human mind and get to the root of the behavior . I don’t think everybody realizes this, and if they do , like me they lose sight of it more often than not.
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Unfortunately the current society has reduced the practice of medicine into a pure profession. We are taught professionalism at work rather being taught humility and understanding of the human being. It is very easy to criticize only one part of the community for this this, however the fact of the matter is that more and more physicians including myself prefer to have a part of our lives that is separate from our clinical work.
Also unfortunately, instead of the fear of eternal loss of peace, what drives most physicians of our era to be free of error, or atleast responsibility of error is the fear of litigation.
The passion is buried in the rubble somewhere, those who find have have mental bliss, but only they know the price they pay for it.
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