If Not Doctor ,Then What?

I  have a feeling that I just came and left abruptly without posting anything worthwhile on my first day as a blogger. I strongly believe that well begun is half done and even though I am still learning the nuances of a blog I have this strong urge that I have to post something interesting .So let my first blogpost be my post from a different medium whose responses and comments encouraged me to start this blog. 

A friend asked a question - "If I were given the choice to choose another profession , what will it be?" This question really got me thinking and I decided to answer in detail and here it it..........

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What would I be if I were given a choice to chose a career again? Well! A good question but before that why did I become a doctor should be answered. 

The year was 1995 the year I had to chose which stream I need to be in. Growing up in a business environment at home. Hearing stories of how my dad who came from a village made it big beyond imagination in a short time. The number of lives he was able to uplift amongst his family members , both near and distant. The respect he commanded at home and in our native place. The general feeling was to take over. 

But to my surprise my Dad called me and said "Don’t get into business.". He narrated his struggles that he had to face and was still facing. The bank troubles. The kind of people who took him for a ride. And the ever hanging fear of losing everything that he had and the difficulties that we as a family could be subjected to if we lost lost everything because we were used to a certain degree of lifestyle. And the severe toll it had on his health.

So No Business , Become a Professional!

Ok I took Science with Math. Lucky to have scored well in the exams in 1997 and had options open up again. Had BITS Pilani and KMC . So it was my Dad again who went like this.  “What will you do after you become an engineer? Work for someone else. You will be reporting to someone.” Remember he was risk averse of starting an own enterprise but was still too proud to be reporting to someone. Bang he said “Become a Doctor. You can be your own boss. Nobody can take away anything from you. Even if all is lost all that you need is a 10 by 10 room and you will make a more than decent living. But more than anything just the Doctor Tag will open up doors for you , make even the most powerful respect you and you will always be an A Lister.”

Now let me see what has happened post 1997

1)I am a Doctor - Dad happy - Tick

2)I make a more than a decent living - Tick

3)I can connect with people who are worth crores and are much more powerful yet  they will give me an audience and mingle with me because of the respect - Tick

4)I am my own boss - Tick

5)I am happy - Tick

And as a bonus I found my life partner in Medical School - Double Tick

Yes agreed , Divya and I have been earning well enough to maintain a very high standard of living. And that too within 10 years of starting our careers. I repeat we have been earning and not creating wealth which should be my focus from now on. Well that is to leave a cushion for my kids and also leave something for our sunset years. I could lead a much more economical life , but that is not what I want. For me, it is earn hard to lead a very high standard of living. After that start creating wealth. I now know I have hit the maximum in what I can spend and anything beyond that it is not going to bring in any additional happiness other than being a means  to show off. I know there are proponents of the opposite. But I strongly believe in the maxim “Hey it’s just one life , Live it!” 

I think I digressed too much. So to answer your question What will I do if I were to chose again? Definitely a Doctor Again , because it has ticked too many boxes that are close to my heart and it still looks promising to let me do what I want to do.

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This was a heartfelt , genuine and true narration of why I chose medicine and why I will still choose to be a doctor. Hope you liked it and if you want to tell me what career would you choose now ,if you were given an option again do it in the comments section.

Bye.