Article: To become a medical specialist
I saw Dr. Lekovic for a pre-surgery consultation this morning. While I waited, a young Asian lady I had never seen before introduced herself as Dr. Lekovic’s assistant Adeline. At House Clinic, medical graduates come in as fellows and work exclusively with a doctor to learn the specialty from him. During the fellowship program, usually about two years, these students also sit in as the doctor’s assistant who helps to manage his patients’ cases.
In fact, that’s how medical specialty is taught all over the United States. Students first obtain a four-year bachelor’s degree in any liberal arts subject followed by another four years in medical school to earn an M. D. Upon getting their medical degree, graduates participate in one hospital residency program that lasts another two years. After that, they can apply to any medical institution’s fellowship program that offers them an opportunity to learn different specialties. So to become a doctor in the U.S. one needs at least 10 years of tertiary education.
Anyway, Adeline sat in during my consultation with Dr. Lekovic. The cheerful girl with black-rimmed glasses must have been about 30 years old. She could be herself and it’s obvious that she enjoys learning here. Seated beside the doctor with a curious slouch, Adeline giggled heartily at our jokes. It was as if we were friends meeting up for coffee.
I could not help comparing this scene with my observations in Malaysia. Whenever someone complains about the compulsory 5-year government service imposed upon medical graduates irrespective of where we studied at, someone is bound to compliment the valuable learning opportunity that abounds! Because our government hospitals are so crowded that it seems like doctors have a lot to learn too.
Actually, I think the opposite happens. When too many Housemen are assigned to a doctor, they learn less. I remember the two years when I was a patient undergoing surgery at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, a possession of housemen would go around the wards visiting patients and following the footsteps of an operating surgeon. They moved in a daze, the furthest guy was probably still asleep. If the surgeon imparted any knowledge at all, he must have accomplished it through telepathy. It might be possible that the students learn some empathy for their patients by spending years serving at these government hospitals with meager pay, but the degree of their clinical experience is another thing altogether.
Longer years in training do not necessarily mean better doctors, as is the case with Malaysia.
Longer years can also weed out those less inclined to become doctors and provide the special few with opportunities to become outstanding through hard work and perseverance – as it is here in the U.S. After all, the U.S. graduates needs to be the one applying to his choice of fellowship programs himself! So you only have to learn what you like.
