Musings of a doctor

(Painting by Luis Jimenez Aranda- The ward in chief doctor visit. 1889)

I think in my daily life I crib enough

That life as a physician is pretty tough

Running at times purely on adrenaline

Assisted by a hefty dose of caffeine

Trying (and failing) very hard to squeeze

Sixty minutes of work in fifteen isn’t a breeze

 

I need to be efficient but doctor-patient interaction

Cannot be constrained by time, in any fashion

Need for documentation adds to my woes

I try to be meticulous, and there my free time goes..

I love challenges, but caring for sick patients can be

At times, an emotionally draining exercise in futility…

*

Then there are those days when I find

That the patients that had been occupying my mind

All of previous evening- being in a critical condition

With me unsure if my efforts would be brought to fruition,

Have turned the corner, their condition stabilized

This positive change again has me galvanized

Into action, I am ready for the challenges of a new day

I have adrenaline coursing through me in a good way

All the aforementioned issues pale into insignificance

I feel blessed to be able to make a difference

In people’s lives, ultimately that is the reward I seek

It serves as a reminder when my days are bleak..

(Image source: http://doina-touchinghearts.blogspot.com/2014/07/under-hippocratic-oath-paintings.html)