Open your horizon

I know it's beyond the border.
So you can see better :)
Ouh. But this picture got nothing to do with the issue.

Assalamualaikum wbt

Today's date gonna be exactly 3 months before my graduation day. It's a good time to look back on what I've been through all this while, especially when the SPM results was just released a few days ago. 

So, which pathway are you gonna choose next?

Medicine? Em. 
You sure? No regret?

Since the previous years until now, medicine never fails to attract those SPM high achievers to choose this field as one of their most desired career. Well, at this moment, if you were to ask me whether you should choose medicine or not, I would advice you to think about it again. Have you read enough stories and comments from people in the medical field about what are they facing everyday? Have you been aware of the current condition about houseman, MO's or even the specialists or consultants on the problems they are dealing with currently-the glut of doctors and the ineffective systems?

Well, don't get me wrong. I am not writing this post to criticize your option to join medical field-in fact I'll be one of the people in the system too by end of this year insyaAllah. Medicine has been my passion since I was young. Being given the chance to study medicine is a great gift from Allah. But of course, with hard work and tears before I am able to call myself a medical student. 

My parents didn't ask me to become a doctor. I made the choice on my own. The funny thing is when I was in 4th med, I asked ummi whether she would allow any of my sisters to follow my career pathway. Her answer was expected.
'Takpalah, cukuplah kamu seorang je yang jadi doktor dalam keluarga. Jenuh ummi tengok.' 
Huhu. Thanks to my family for supporting me throughout the journey. I'm almost there!! ^_^

I'm sorry if I've gave you a negative thoughts about medicine. It isn't that bad actually, if you stay being positive at all times. The people around, the workloads, sacrifice and the agony will definitely test your patience. A reminder for you and me: keep having faith in Allah, and be a good Muslim doctor. 

I believe a lot of people has been writing on this issue once SPM results was out. Open your horizon, medicine is not the only available field for your tertiary study. There are a lot more things to learn and experience other than medicine and engineering(these two courses are commonly chosen by the science school students. There were 30 students in my form 5 class back in 2006, and if im not mistaken 16 of us already/will be graduating as a doctors. Waa). If you don't like medicine, please don't do it. If you're forced to do medicine ie by your parents, I hope you'll get some help to persuade them to allow you to follow your interest. Because at the end of the day, it is YOU and the PATIENT who will suffer the outcome.

Talk to your seniors, go to any career talks, refer to internet sources about the courses, universities etc. And last but not least, I highly recommend you to come/tell your juniors/spread the word around about this event (refer picture below). Part of my mind setting and motivation before I started my tertiary education was gained after I attended this program in 2007. 

Excellence is not about having good grades.
It is about having the knowledge and experiences that turns you into better person, and benefiting the ummah.
'Alim mujahid.