A Decade!

Nothing makes you feel old like realizing you graduated from medical school 10 years ago.
ONE DECADE AGO!
Geez. I realized that a week ago when I was congratulating my med students. I told them about how my graduation was that spring morning when it hit me. Holybegezeez! It was May 2001! I remember how proud we all were (and perhaps a bit surprised!) that I made it through medical school, in a foreign country (I was a big-time mommy's boy and had a homesickness problem. Who knew, huh?). I remember how it felt when it came time for the Faculty of Medicine graduates to take the Hippocratic Oath:

"....WITH PURITY, HOLINESS AND BENEFICENCE I will pass my life and practice my art..."

And just like that, our lives were changed forever. With the 2 little letters stuck behind our names, M.D., we became Doctors. It didn't seem like that long ago, but in a blink of an eye, here I am.

Perhaps it was just a matter of coincidence that this trip back to Malaysia, I found my old graduation cap hidden away in a dusty cupboard and decided to bring it back with me to the US.


Geez. 10 years. If that seems like a long time, here's something for you starry-eyed med-students to ponder. I started medical school in 1996. 15 years ago! (that's the picture above, the smallest class in the history of the medschool). Between medical school + residency (specialty training) + subspecialty, it took me 12 years! So, as I've said many times before, I don't think being brainy is all that important to get you through medical school. Sure, having the grades help get you INTO medschool, but once you're in, it's pure stubborn-ness and perseverance that gets you through things.

Good luck!