Greetings to all of Kevin’s readers (and I know you are many)!
Have you ever run into a high school or college student who is interested in becoming a doctor? It would seem that the opportunities for young people to “shadow” a practicing physician or scientist are readily available, and from my experience such exposure can push a youthful mind over the edge into a love and passion for medicine that will create a great doctor. I therefore encourage anyone who is asked to mentor young students to accept the challenge, and let them see what it is you do for a living. Both doctor and protege’ can benefit from taking a peek inside each other’s world.
Back in the day when I was wearing the freshman beanie, however, there were few opportunities for students to work with physicians. During college I just happened to serendipitously find a book published in 1965 by a young family physician describing his internship year. I read it several times, and it certainly influenced me toward a career in the healing art. Reading this book, Intern, by Doctor X, is a fascinating glance back into the past when doctors in training were not bothered by reading CT scans, or wading through a maze of anitbiotic choices, or placing stents – because these choices didn’t exist. Doctors were overwhelmed with work back then – has anything changed?
There have been many accounts of a doctor’s life written, but I believe this is one of the first books to gain popularity with the general public.
