I did fear that choosing medicine would mean putting myself up with a hectic lifestyle and having busy schedules would also mean I would spend less time with the people I love, but all that is no excuse especially when you have a passion for something. I then forget about fearing, I forget about thinking all the downsides, I will forget about all of the challenges I have to face because essentially it is challenging and I will just have to accept that. And so I did.
After not being scared about taking up a very difficult course, I come to fear about the current situation in the medical field in my home country, Malaysia. Indeed, they say 'overflowing of doctors', well general practitioners to be exact. Indeed, the time needed for placement for housemanship is ever growing longer and longer. But it isn't impossible, it's just a matter of waiting.
After fearing about all that, I come to fear about tuition fees. Wow was I amazed by the cost of studying medicine. Pay a high price to study a difficult and challenging course, yet everybody would still go for it. I guess it's obvious these days universities are using the Medicine course to earn a fortune. So many universities these days offering the course would not surprise me that that would be the reason of increasing medical students, increasing unqualified houseman and medical officers. But perhaps it isn't because of that, perhaps it's because Malaysia is lack of hospital for housemen to practice in.
Anyway, it is ridiculous to see tuition fees for medicine to reach as high as RM500,000, and perhaps even more. Because of that, I was very uncertain about going to a medical school, as I did not want to go to an unaccredited university which could be priced reasonably, versus going to an accredited university that cost as much as owning a house. I didn't want to burden my parents financially. But based on the current situation, policies may change, and if the unaccredited university remains unrecognised, then what of the graduates?
Anyway, it is ridiculous to see tuition fees for medicine to reach as high as RM500,000, and perhaps even more. Because of that, I was very uncertain about going to a medical school, as I did not want to go to an unaccredited university which could be priced reasonably, versus going to an accredited university that cost as much as owning a house. I didn't want to burden my parents financially. But based on the current situation, policies may change, and if the unaccredited university remains unrecognised, then what of the graduates?
Well it's always that isn't it?
Unaccredited or accredited, and inexpensive versus very expensive.
Boy do I have much fear. But this is it, the steps I take today will affect my future tomorrow, for every actions taken there will always be consequences to bear. What ever it is that you are doing, think it through and make a decision. I took 2 years to finally come to a decision to do this. And even when I finally make the call, I still had doubts in my own capabilities. And so I let my results tell me if I pass the pre-requisite. This all started during Form 5 when I brave myself and chose an impossible career that seemed to me at that point of time. But I worked my way through, studied hard, strive and strive after countless failures, these are the efforts that tell me I am capable of more (I hope I am).
One of my best friend, Siang Siang, once said "you must have a big goal, and before that big goal, you must have all the little small goals to accomplish, and then you will slowly worked your way towards the big goal".
I think it's important to have little goals before taking a big step towards something great. One step at a time will never lead you wrong because you will be constantly thinking about the future and you will be constantly reminding yourself and ask yourself whether it is the right decision.
Choosing Medicine is not a decision to be taken lightly, to anyone reading this who intend to choose medicine, I hope you have thought through everything, and I mean everything. Because choosing medicine means giving up and sacrificing a large part of your life so that more lives can be saved. Remember, your sacrifice saves people's life. And if you are not willing to accept that, then you are not fit to be a doctor.
Boy do I have much fear. But this is it, the steps I take today will affect my future tomorrow, for every actions taken there will always be consequences to bear. What ever it is that you are doing, think it through and make a decision. I took 2 years to finally come to a decision to do this. And even when I finally make the call, I still had doubts in my own capabilities. And so I let my results tell me if I pass the pre-requisite. This all started during Form 5 when I brave myself and chose an impossible career that seemed to me at that point of time. But I worked my way through, studied hard, strive and strive after countless failures, these are the efforts that tell me I am capable of more (I hope I am).
One of my best friend, Siang Siang, once said "you must have a big goal, and before that big goal, you must have all the little small goals to accomplish, and then you will slowly worked your way towards the big goal".
I think it's important to have little goals before taking a big step towards something great. One step at a time will never lead you wrong because you will be constantly thinking about the future and you will be constantly reminding yourself and ask yourself whether it is the right decision.
Choosing Medicine is not a decision to be taken lightly, to anyone reading this who intend to choose medicine, I hope you have thought through everything, and I mean everything. Because choosing medicine means giving up and sacrificing a large part of your life so that more lives can be saved. Remember, your sacrifice saves people's life. And if you are not willing to accept that, then you are not fit to be a doctor.
Darien Liew
Got questions? Ask me -
http://ask.fm/darien1996
