One more day left before my mum and dad can finally shut up about the possibilities of me becoming a doctor. Ever since the young age of six or seven, my parents have always asked me what profession I would like to pursue in the future. As silly as this sounds, I wanted to be a doctor so I could reel in the money, little did I really know how much time and effort would be devoted to survive through university, internship, and then later specialising. A few years back, when that same question was asked, I really had no idea what to pick as a career. I was adamant that commerce was not part of my options. Engineering was definitely out as well. So it really left me toss between Science, Arts , and Medicine (at this point in time I did not even consider Physiotherapy).  Medicine was always the options my parents pushed as the BEST and IDEAL career path to take. And I had been leaning that way through year 11 and 12. Why? I wanted to specialise as a Forensic Pathologist, like Ducky on NCIS and Cam on Bones. There wouldn’t be a need for patient interaction. And I would have a 9-5pm working day. Perfect hours for raising children. So, I guess I was excited by the possibility that I could become a Forensic Pathologist in the future. However, shock horror, came UMAT, and the results. I thought I still would have the chance to enter medicine, and so did my dad as well. But waiting for offers of interview, there was really only dissapointment. So with medicine off the choice list, it would only seem logical to choose Advanced Science  and enter through transfer. I had a chat with my cousin’s wife ( is there a special title I’m supposed to call her by?). They are both doctors, but she completed a science degree before post graduate medicine. She shared her insight into postgraduate medicine, and basically said that if she had the choice to repick her first degree, she would’ve chosen a degree that would allow her to start working, such as Physiotherapy. Her insight really influenced my UAC preferences. I worried about the possibility of not being able to gain entry into medicine through doing an Advanced Science degree.  Then having finished the degree, having no real great employment opportunities, besides research which to me did not seem enticing one bit. So I pulled B.App Sc (Physiotherapy) from the sea of choices which I had previously said no to, and pushed it to number 1, demoting all the other preferences of Medicine, Science/Arts one rank lower. I was satisfied. I’m one of those who don’t like to make hard decisions, so it was easy enough.

Now skipping to UMAT applications 2010, I didn’t really want to move out Physiotherapy. However, my dad was insisting I re-take UMAT one more time to see if I could possibly grasp that last chance of entering under-graduate medicine. I was really reluctant to listen to what my dad said to do but I still applied.  Leading up to UMAT, my preparation consisted of two practice exams provided by ACER, with my dad also doing them so we could discuss methods of thinking in answering the questions. I tried my best during the long 3hours of UMAT, and after it, I really had no expectations of how I would perform. I was only really hoping that I wouldn’t perform well so I wouldn’t have to make the hard decision of picking between two professions which I have alot of respect for. So comes UMAT results, I wanted to know how I went to find out if I would have to apply UAC and complete all the other applications which went to a complete waste last year. I performed the same as last year, which took the weight off my shoulders. No more medicine, for now at least. My dad constantly reminded me that MAYBE, that MAYBE I would be able to secure a place for an interview. Sure I could’ve put in an application through to UAC and all the other universities, but I chose not to. I guess it came down to the difference between undergraduate and postgraduate medicine degrees. I keep hearing stories of fellow Rusians skipping medicine lectures, crashing tutorials just for their own convenience. I just don’t really like this attitude people take towards any degree they are doing, but when it is for something like Medicine, lets just say, there are so many other people who are much more dedicated and devoted to completing that medicine degree than those who think they are on top of the world for getting into medicine. With that said, I have lost alot of respect for the collective medicine undergraduate body, but I really respect those who care, go to all the lectures and tutorials. I would want you as my doctor. As for postgraduates, they’ve actually been through a first degree, and are serious about pursuing medicine as a career. Or even postgraduates in general. Might be my gross generalisation, but they work harder, and are more mature in their thinking, which is totally suitable for doctors.  So with that line of thinking, I really didn’t want to be assosciated with a group of people who have the wrong attitude towards their studies , when in a matter of years they will be in charge of lives.

So this is where this long (short rant) reflection on me and medicine ends. I don’t know if I will take up medicine after I finish Physiotherapy, but if I do, I would become a pretty damn good doctor.