- The sound of restarting heartbeats when resuscitating a patient.
- Closure after a difficult surgery where only the surgeon knows how he / she has saved a life.
- A perfect surgery / procedure / stenting without complication.
- Seeing the beautiful cute face of a healthy newborn.
- Managing a major bleeder successfully.
- Reversal of paralysis after thrombolysis (clot-buster injection).
- Termination of Status Epilepticus (non-stop seizures/ convulsions).
- Control over infection. Every infection is life threatening potentially.
- Waking up of a comatose patient.
- The genuine “Thank You” of a patient relieved of pain / stress / illness.
- When someone random recognizes you in public and thanks you in front of your kids / family.
- When the poorest of the poor collect enough money and gift you sweets for treating them free.
- When a patient too educated to believe your truth goes to your professional competitors and many others, and is told the same, so returns to you with a greater faith.
- When you can answer all questions asked by students after a lecture / clinic (without Herapheri / bluffing).
- When a student performs well and patient gives a good feedback about them.
- When you silently prove your clinical argument with good results.
- When anyone at work says “Take some rest now.. You have been working too much”.
- Qualifying for a medal/degree/publication of significant repute.
- When you know that it’s not only the medical skills, but also your passionate involvement, speed and coordination that saved the patient.
- When traffic police “Let you go” for minor offences just because you are a doctor, especially on the way to an emergency.
- When someone says “I want to become a Doctor like you”.
There are many more. Every day is filled with both tears and smiles, and the doctor has to balance these by using his/her soul as the fulcrum. At the end of the day, death humbles everyone, but it is the doctor who stands to defend everyone else’s life without thinking if they are good or bad, friend or enemy.
Who will believe that money, home, family, cars, looks, luxury, and even love, romance are secondary joys for most doctors, after they have attended all their patient’s issues?
This pride is precious. The suffering a choice. The rewards immaterial.
A good doctor is the best a human being can be.
