The Sustenance of Teaching

It was one of those rare lulls practitioners savor. Brief but refreshing. The piles could wait. The mood invited reflection. The door granted solitude with a gentle nudge.

The allure of medicine had been powerful. How were my classmates? Their stories had been similar. Nurtured by a kindly role model with a healing touch and compassionate smile. Driven by idealism. Awed by the science. Stimulated by the intellectual challenges. Charged by the character and power of its practitioners. Determined to make a difference.

I followed. If they could do it, so could I. Noble aspiration came later.

“Dr. C., they called to reschedule the committee meeting tonight. I still need to talk to you about the new receptionist.”

“Sure. Let's do it after the next patient.”

Reality had been different. The sprint of training was replaced by the marathon …