Perspective

It struck me for the first time two years back. I never gave it much serious thought. Seeing a patient getting frustrated owing to the crowding of medical students around them was always an issue and I saw no way around it.

Being examined atleast 10 times and then being the subject of discussion is not something I would want. To expect a sick patient to comply with such behaviour is definitely something hard.

I remember the first patient I have ever spoken to. An old man in a village who had a huge tumour growing in his abdomen. He barely had enough to support himself and there I was in the middle of all the agony trying to talk to him. A few minutes into the ordeal I realised how hard it was for him to recall everything that had happened to him and then tell me. 

Back then it did hit me but not hard enough. Perhaps a few hours later I was back to my usual self. I did not think of changing my ways for I felt it was a part of the process.

Two years later I saw a multitude of patients today being flocked by knowledge hungry medical students and this time the feeling was different. We were in the last year of education and it was essential that we saw as many patients as possible. But underneath that urge was the conscience to respect what the patients felt.

Two years later I finally chose to ask them how they felt. I chose to wait till they had their food; to talk to them with a sense of understanding and not just learning.

I felt it was quite essential to give due respect to those who,under so much pain and distress, chose to serve as instruments in our learning; in us becoming good doctors in the future.

Coz these people are giants and we are just standing on their shoulders.

And they deserve the love and care as much as anybody else.
Perhaps a little bit more.