Best Hopes

I have great confidence in the generation of physicians getting ready to come out in the next 10 years. Being one of them, I'd better be right? I'm excited to be a part of this wonderful group.

The psyche of the modern medical student has changed over the years. After being a party to conversations over the many years, I can say that most students are getting into this field for the right reasons. Some of the more important observations about we medical students (and the future doctors getting ready to take care of the world):

We can be a bit quirky but we are intelligent and highly motivated by intellectual challenges.  We are creative and highly imaginative, and express ourselves in unique ways.  We have high energy and strive to meet challenges with enthusiasm and enough skepticism to keep us safe.

We are intuitive and can sense the needs and feelings of others if we actively engage and listen.  We are resourceful, and can devise ways and means to accomplish things.  We are warmhearted and enjoy doing things for others for the most part.

We are humorous and have an ability to make others laugh.  We are hardworking and have a never-say-die approach to life.  We are willing to take risks and see risk-taking as a form of excitement.

We are loyal, honest, and trustworthy.  We are flexible, and adapt easily to change for the most part. We are change-agents, and like the intrigue involved in change as long as it doesn't hinder our progress.

We are good observers of the world around us, and are able to find quick solutions to complicated situations.

We are productive and effective if we like what we are doing. We are forgiving as long as we haven't lost a limb.  We don't mind the goats and the chickens, the mosquitos and the rain, the lack of everyday pleasures in the U.S. to become the best doctors we can be.

--------------

It's raining on the West Coast of Florida where we are.  Needless to say we are not able to enjoy the beach here.  We are getting feeder bands of rain all the way up here every 10 minutes or so, but I get to write and my daughter is doing her homework for school next week. This storm is huge.  Hurricane Gustav is now a Category 4 and is strengthening and heading toward the west of Cuba, and New Orleans. Katrina was a Category 3 when it hit and flooded over the levies. God help them.