Suportahan Taka

I love this TV ad. Had this been popular during my Anatomy days, I would have mustered the courage to leave med school and pursue my hidden desires of becoming an engineer. I had a miserable time studying Anatomy, barely passed it after a semester but I guess I knew that being a doctor is so much more than memorizing the origins and insertions of those muscles and knowing the nerves that innervate them.

I've had my share of unpopular decisions in my lifetime and it really took me a lot of courage to take those risks and face uncertainty. I've always had that fear of displeasing my parents, whom I knew have invested so much in me so I may pursue my choice of profession.

I left the first training program that I entered barely four months after I started. The decision may seem trivial for some but it was so hard for me to quit something that I knew I could finish and I cringe at the thought that people might label me as a quitter. I had hoped that the situation would improve and my chief resident was kind enough to give me a short vacation leave just to think things over. I was hoping that time and space would allow my mind to rest and to put my heart at ease. I was hoping for things to improve but everything felt the same.

I realized that I wasn't happy.

The situation was wrecking havoc on my mental and emotional health. I was being engulfed in a system that doesn't allow me to be the doctor that I want to be.

I took the courage to turn my back and walk away. I had no idea where to go after leaving but I knew I had to get out before something bad happens to me or before I do something bad to myself. I knew that there is another position waiting for me, in an environment that would allow me to flourish and be the best that I can be.

Learn to take risks and see where your brave heart will take you. The best is out there for you to find.