So I met someone new. Not exactly a romantic thing right at the start or anything, but I think there's a mutual good feeling of sorts. I'm not sure where things might be headed, but this made me think of how workaholics like us in the medical field have to adapt, having Medicine as a possessive, selfish, jealous lover.
Workaholics in a relationship, or those interested in pursuing one (where I am right now) just have to work harder. We might have to sleep less and better manage our time so we feel like we're still in control of it. We'll have to work more efficiently, round faster, manage our time better, and make sure we have enough time for the other person. One reason I haven't dated wasn't just because the good were odd at medical school, but because I felt like it was rather selfish to bring in someone along into this whirlwind, busy world where you belong to Medicine.
This girl I've met is neat, she's absolutely beautiful, really nice,a positive person, not crazy, not overly busy, not stressed out, all because she's not from the world of medicine. Some people might wonder if they should date/marry someone in medicine, or outside, and there are both benefits and drawbacks to either option. There are methods for damage control, however.
Outside of medicine:
1. They won't understand how busy you are or how stressed out you are unless you actually discuss things with them. It helps letting them know your role on the medical team and what all you have to do, as well as what your schedule is like.
2. Hopefully they're well-adjusted and like having time to be on their own. However, you do have to see this person and not maintain a relationship through texting. That's a disaster waiting to happen.
3. They'll probably think what you do is really interesting if they're outside the medical field, but personally in my experience, women won't flock to you just because you're in the medical field (then again, I'm a broke medical student, maybe that's why, ha).
4. A potential problem is your partner "not feeling good enough" when they're dating someone who is highly educated and trained. I've seen this happen before and I'm not sure there's a whole lot you can do about it. You're better off finding someone who is secure and has good self-esteem, and passionate about what they do in life.
Within Medicine:
1. A benefit is that they understand how busy you are. A drawback is that they'll be busy as well, and you know how difficult it can be just trying to meet another doctor for a consult.
2. There's plenty of burn out and stress in medicine, which can be a problem, especially for a couple. Go for a run, walk, cycling together, or do something active.
3. Common interests are good, but I personally would go crazy if all we talked about was disease. I think a lot of people meet in medicine, and from what I can tell, it works out. I've heard of divorce rates in surgery being around 100%, but really, you should ignore all those depressing statistics and pursue what makes you happy, and make that relationship work. It might take sacrifice of sleep, reading articles, but a sure way to have a life lacking balance is being 100% medicine.
We'll see how things go with this new person. Chromosomes crossed, but only during meiosis.
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