There's a Fire Starting in My Heart

Over the summer, I had my first encounter with future colleagues of mine, these, of the MD variety. The student housing I reside in is also used for guest lecturers and temporary guests. Several M.D. students attending a two week course on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) were housed here over the summer. This is an opportunity for traditional medical students to be exposed to a holistic approach to healthcare.

They seemed excited about "alternative" therapies and learning about the medicine. Their instructor specialized in herbology and exposed them to several of the modalities offered through naturopathic medicine that are not part of the M.D. curriculum.

One evening we were gathered around the kitchen sharing experiences. The D.O. student did a few osteopathic manipulations, an M.D. student spoke of his father, a cardiac-surgeon, who used lifestyle counseling, and I explained how the naturopathic school was organized. At this point of the conversation it was hard not to notice the smirks they were not so successfully suppressing. Inside I immediately became defensive and angry at their demeaning display. I shrugged it off as ignorance and felt even more determined to get the most of school so I could "prove" to them at some point in time that they were ignorant and wrongfully judgmental.

While I want to say that the resentment that I feel for them will help me study harder, I know that I need to let this go, be myself and not let the opinions of others affect my decision to be what I will ultimately become. Yes, this is the classic rise above! But in reality, it's more than that; it's not about N.Ds versus M.Ds. As both our professions advance I hope we will learn that this is not an us versus them situation. Really the only thing of concern is what is the best care for the patients and how can each healthcare practitioner tailor their gifts to meet these needs.

So, while the there is certainly a fire in my heart, it is not burning with a conviction to outdo my M.D., D.O., N.P, P.A., etc. colleagues, it's burning with curiosity for healing and understanding.