Jump off the conveyor belt

The most interesting thing about the past three months is the variety of reactions to telling people that I am taking a year out from medicine. “But what will you do?” is a common first question. “Well … travel. And then … I don't really know,” is usually my answer. “Won't you get bored doing that?” Well, once you get bored with living it is a sorry state of affairs.

Sometimes I feel sorry for our generation. In one way we have everything we need: opportunities to study, travel, and achieve what we want, if we work hard enough, are better than ever before. Despite his efforts, my grandfather would not have been able to study medicine and become a doctor. It was a source of great pride for him that I made it to the first step. But the world of medical school can easily become a hothouse, leaving you fighting for space to breathe. Medics are …