In their darkest of days, people often turn to physicians to be their light. physicians symbolize more than just healing and health— they symbolize hope. They may not always be able to heal to complete health, but they do their best to give someone a life they wish for. For so many students, this is what they wish for. Being able to walk out of the operation theater and tell a patient’s family that the patient is okay, or even just seeing a child smile after they realize they can now move their leg without pain, is a dream for aspiring physicians. Physicians have consistently performed feats that seem otherwise impossible. We, as students whose role models are medical professionals, find inspiration in how physicians change lives.
One example of physicians changing lives is the true story of the Bollywood movie Traffic. In the movie and in real life, a young woman suffers from critical conditions and urgently needs a heart transplant or else she would die. Tens of miles away, a family agrees to take their son off life support and donate his heart to the woman. However, in order to get the heart to her before she dies, it would require immense speed. Along with this, hearts cannot be kept alive for more than 30 minutes after death. With the traffic conditions in India, along with the sheer amount of distance between the two, it would be almost impossible for the woman to survive. The medical team did not let that stop them. They devised a plan to get the heart to her in time, saving her life and offering her a second chance at life. The initial 45 minute drive was shortened to just 11 minutes. Without the pure determination and commitment to saving lives, the physicians would not have been able to save her.
Although this is one of the rather extreme patient scenarios, it still proves as a strong reminder to why physicians are considered hope in the eyes of civilians. The physicians who saved the young woman’s life were the cause of mass change in India— they inspired the Green Corridor concept, a rule that enforces the sea of traffic to part for ambulances, a common sight that we see here in America. Through their incredible act, not only did the physicians save a life, but they also enabled change that will continue to save lives.
The process of becoming a doctor is a long and arduous one. Many times during the medical journey, one may question if the work is equal to the reward. Sometimes the spark dies out a bit, and one may be tempted to choose another path. But sometimes all you need is a reminder of why you’re doing this. That reminder comes in many forms, from inspiring medical stories like the one I mentioned to seeing someone you love require medical attention. It’s important to remember why you’re doing this, and then the spark burns back to life.
I encourage you to look into other inspiring stories and maybe watch a couple medical movies if you ever need extra motivation. Maybe one day you’ll be able to live out those experiences too.
Thank you for reading!!
Sejal Kaushik
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