Strive to be the best you can be – Dr Davy

The field of medicine is becoming more and more difficult to work in, but once you choose to become a doctor, you must adopt a positive attitude and strive to be the best you can be.

Those words of advice were spoken last Friday by Dr Jose Davy, specialist in infectious diseases.

Dr Davy was at the time delivering the keynote address to MD4, the name given to a number of students at the Arnos Vale based Saint James School of Medicine, {{more}} who on Friday, December 9,took part in their White Coat Ceremony (WCC) at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.

The WCC marks a medical student’s transition from the study of pre-clinical to clinical health sciences.

Davy told students that in her opinion, life at its best is difficult and no longer is the medical doctor revered. She said that tools like Google search and incidents where angry patients take out their frustration on doctors are making the profession harder.

“We have had a change in morals and have to compete with Dr Google, and believe me he is a hard contender and I really feel sorry for us going forward, because what Dr Google says is correct and you have a hard time convincing patients otherwise,” said Davy, who also told students that practising medicine will not make them happy.

“The reality is that this career can suck the life out of you if you are not careful…. You would watch the old die and sadly you would watch the young die as well. There is a certain degree that happens to a physician after he or she has practised medicine for a while; you become a little cold and the reason why it happens is because you have to wake up the next day to face more of these gruesome realities and it’s the only way sometimes you get by,” said the medical professional.

She, however, told the aspiring doctors that despite some of the harsh realities associated with the profession, “all is not lost”.

Students were told that they must wake up each day and count their blessings, while investing time with friends and family and learn at an early stage how to manage stress and not ignore it.

“When you have, no one should know and when you do not have, no one should know…. Learn how to separate things in life; differentiate between the urgent and the important, the patient screaming more than likely is not the one dying; the one dying more than likely is the one who is very quiet,” said Davy.

She also encouraged the aspiring physicians to develop their spiritual lives, not as it relates to religion, but by knowing themselves.

“Take responsibility for your actions and don’t blame anyone else. Control your thoughts – you are what you think you are; if you think you are no one, believe me that’s your reality; if you are the best at what you do, that’s your reality,” said Davy, who encouraged the students to have a little ego, but don’t go too far.

“…You have to have a little ego, because there you are saying to a patient, this is your diagnosis and this is how I am going to treat it.”

Davy also told the students that they must always listen to their patients, as people who are hurt sometimes try to hurt others and once this is understood, one would understand why some patients are rude to doctors.

“…please remember that the attitude is not really for you, but it’s just them trying to reach out because of their situation. Forgive, as it keeps you from being stuck in the past. If there are persons making your life complicated, they have to go. The happiest people in the world don’t have anything; they just make the best of everything. Your attitude can change everything,” advised the medical specialist.

The White Coat Ceremony was also addressed by dean of Student Affairs Dr Maxim Crasta; president of the Student Government Association (SGA) Michael Massei and vice-president of the Saint James School of Medicine Raj Mitra. Prime Minster Dr Ralph Gonsalves appeared at the ceremony as a guest speaker.

Addressing the gathering, which included parents and other family members of the students who had travelled from as far away as Canada and the United States of America (USA), Dr Crasta said that the three years since the school opened its doors here with 14 students has been interesting.

“…two years down the line we have matured into a full-fledged medical school by establishing a robust and progressive basic science programme on the island with 200 students on campus,” said Dean Crasta who commended the Government and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines for their tremendous support.

He told students that by accepting the white coat and taking the Hippocratic Oath, they were making a commitment to transform themselves into a health care professional with integrity.

The Prime Minister Gonsalves, in his remarks, said that Saint James has made remarkable progress and he is happy to see how fast the school is growing. He told the students that in being the best, they have a commitment and must “stand a little askance of those who are only showing you passionate intensity.”

Gonsalves said that doctors, no matter their religion, must be just, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

“I hope you prosper and I hope that one or two of you found potential spouses and come back and add to the quality of the breed,” said Gonsalves, while wishing off the students.

The students will now move to Chicago where they will pursue the next step in their medical careers.(LC)