Diary Of A Medical Student - The Terrifying Orientation

The answers varied according to what phase in your life you were in; from actress because everyone will know your name to pilot as they get to travel all over the world not to mention they really had cool uniforms or whatever profession caught your fancy at the time.

Then you grow up and discover that life isn't that easy, you don't wake up one day and become a TV star, it takes training with plenty of rejections and even being a pilot is not a one day course then you are ready to take off; you have to work hard.

But there will be bills to be paid, you pick a career path and might not be what you envisioned when you were six years old but it would do. As for me and my infant brain, my one constant logical answer was that I wanted to be a doctor.

Most people expect a life-defining moment where I experienced a tragic moment that would charter my career path as portrayed in the movies. Sorry to disappoint but there was no sick relative who passed on because we couldn't get her to the hospital or a case of malpractice or a family member in whose footsteps I wanted to follow. There was just a girl who had a dream and thought walking around in a white lab coat and a stethoscope hanging around your neck was pretty cool.

Twelve years down the line here I was, seated in the lecture hall with my fellow colleagues listening to the orientation into medical school. As I looked around at the people who would be my classmates, I could see their joy and the excitement in the air was almost tangible.

"You are in the wrong place," came the voice of one of our senior lecturers interrupting my train of thoughts.

"If you are here because your parents want a doctor in the family and if you came here for the title 'Dr', leave now and wait till you get a Ph.D. It is much simpler that way. If you are here because you can't wait for the large pay-cheque at the end of it all, you have been gravely misled. You should only remain seated for only one thing; passion.

For it is only that which will enable you to endure the intensive training you are about to undergo. Most of you were the top of your classes and might think this will be a walk in the park, get that mentality out of your head. As you embark on this journey, there are two points to remember: when handling a person's life, there is no room for jokes or jokers. Secondly, if you thought you were the brightest, you are in for a rude awakening!"

And just like that orientation week was over; no mincing of words. We were here to work and suddenly the prospect of becoming a doctor became terrifying.

Diana Esther Wangari