I love being a doctor for so many reasons. First of all, it is an honor to be trusted with another human being's health and well-being. Patients trust their physicians with their most personal and intimate matters. In hearing people's stories and helping people at their most vulnerable, doctors have a unique window into the human experience. Another reason I love medicine is that it is a profession in which people continue to learn and grow. Understanding the human body and human disease is a complex and daunting undertaking. There is constantly new information, data, protocols, and standards of care. Staying current is an important and intellectually stimulating aspect of being a doctor. At my hospital in San Jose I spend a significant amount of time training Stanford residents and medical students. I love the teaching aspect of my job. We joke about the residents and medical students "keeping us honest" but it is true; they have many interesting questions and have learned things in class that are a starting point for more learning and discussion in clinic for us all. I am lucky to work with colleagues who are smart, dedicated, and trustworthy and share similar values. My fellow doctors have a shared goal of providing top quality medical care to their patients and alleviating suffering. I am surrounded at work by people I respect and admire. Another unexpected benefit has been that many fields of medicine (like pediatrics) have become flexible and enable doctors to work part-time. This has given me the opportunity to still work at a job I love but also spend time with my 3 children. I did not anticipate this when I chose medicine as my career back in college and began my pre-med courses, but it has turned out to be a real blessing and enabled me to strike a good balance between work and family. Lastly I feel like I am making a positive contribution to my community and society. By training future doctors and providing good medical care to my patients I feel like I have the opportunity to have an impact on others. For me this is a key aspect of happiness and fulfillment in life. Source
