To my colleagues
(Baonghean) - I read on an international medical student forum that someone said: "If you want to be rich, don't become a doctor," and another: "Never think you can change the world if you are a doctor." Therefore, if someone wants to become rich, they should abandon the idea of becoming a doctor. Or if someone wants to do something very big like change the world, I also advise them to reconsider enrolling in medical school.
The medical profession is a special one, where there is no room for self-interest, rivalry, competition, or envy, only sacrifice, dedication, and empathy for the suffering of others. When you are cursed by others, don't be quick to get angry or vehemently defend yourself, because your duty is to serve and help others. You should obey, not the commands of others, but your own heart. You cannot change the world, but you can change the course of a disease, you can help others reduce pain and distress with medication or psychological interventions, and who knows, perhaps some of them will change the world.
Having money (being wealthy) and/or power (having the ability to change the world) doesn't necessarily mean you'll be truly happy. But when one of your patients has a terminal illness, and you've overcome it after a difficult time, you'll feel truly happy. You'll surely smile as you see your patient getting better day by day.
I want to share with you a story about a young doctor who had achieved great success in life and career, possessing both wealth and fame, but before dying of cancer, he understood the true meaning of happiness and what could change our lives. That person is a young Singaporean doctor, Richard Teo Keng Siang.
Like an older brother and a colleague, he poured out his heart through words, drawing from experiences of both success and failure, to a dental class in Singapore, saying: “Don’t forget that when you achieve success, you should reach out to those in need. Whatever you do can make a difference for them. Now, in the position of a recipient, I understand. Don’t let society dictate how you live. This happened to me. I thought that was happiness. True happiness cannot be achieved by living only for oneself.”
My colleagues, and soon-to-be colleagues! Please don't torment yourselves with the condemnation of those around you regarding the current decline in medical ethics. I want to reiterate that a doctor's duty is to dedicate themselves to helping others; when we lose that, we are no longer doctors. You and I both understand where we stand. The medical profession has always been one of the noblest professions. If you can no longer withstand the pressure of the profession, you can leave it. We are not afraid when fighting against death that approaches patients every second; why should we be afraid of the pressure from a few people who are condemning the entire medical profession? I still believe that many good people understand and empathize with the daily work of doctors.
Therefore, think about what you have to do for your patients, not what others say about you. You may be honored after a lifetime of hard work and dedication, but you can also be dragged down into the abyss after just one small mistake. That's life. You are forced to choose how to live. Living only for yourself is not the right choice; you must also live for others. Only then will you feel comfortable and happy with this noble profession of being a doctor.
DoctorNguyen Ngoc Hoa
(email from Kyoto)
