Varun Patel (India) graduated from RGMU Faculty of International Students (specialty “General Medicine”) in 2010. Now he lives in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, and works as a Clinical Associate at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai:

- I had always been interested in Medicine. When I was younger, I used to love visiting hospitals. People used to tell me that they did not like the smell of hospitals, but it somehow never bothered me at all. When I completed my high school I was confused between Computers and Medicine as I was passionate about both. I chose Medicine because I like interacting with people on a daily basis. I could not imagine myself working in a closed cubical with a machine at hand.

I joined RGMU in 2004 to start my medical career. The deep seated passion for medicine grew even further as I started actually practicing it. It was difficult initially because of a language barrier, but once I started coping up with it, it became fun. The medical career in Russia was an amazing one for me. It was distributed nicely over 6 yrs. There was no rush to cover the syllabus. I learnt the importance of knowing the basics in Medicine. After I passed out in 2010, I had to come back to India and clear the Screening test imposed by Medical Council of India. I completed my internship from Sassoon General Hospitals in Pune in 2012. After working in Government hospital of India, I gained a different perspective towards life and medicine as a field. I realised what poverty is in true sense. I was exposed to harsh reality of society. It was an experience that every Doctor should go through once as it makes you appreciate your life more. After internship, I worked in Emergency Department of different hospitals in India. I grew fond of the specialty of Emergency Medicine after internship. I passed exams of Royal college of Emergency Medicine and gained a degree of MRCEM. Specialty of Emergency Medicine is truly remarkable according to me for many reasons. Being an Emergency Physician you are constantly thinking about Diagnosis and management plan of patients. More than 70% of patients are diagnosed in Emergency Department prior to their admission in ward or ICU. Once you are out of your duty, you are free to spend your life however you want. You are not bound to your work 24x7 like other specialities.Currently I am working in Mumbai in Kokilaben Hospital as a Clinical Associate. I am pursuing my further career in the United Kingdom to complete my Fellowship from Royal College of Emergency Medicine and gain the degree of FRCEM.

If you have already chosen to be a Doctor, then tighten up your seat belts as its going to be a tough and a long ride ahead. Being a doctor you will never stop studying all your life. Only chose the field of Medicine if you like the subject itself. There should be no other reason to choose this field as it needs a lot of patience and interest for you to succeed in this field. Be ready for countless number of sleepless nights. Be ready to sacrifice major part of your youth in studies. I am not trying to scare you, but want you to be prepared. Trust me, if you love the field, you will love the journey too. Once you start practicing, you will realise the immense pleasure you feel when you save a life.

I would like to conclude by saying - "Work hard and sometimes even harder, but always remember, Medicine is just a part of your life, not your life itself - learn to live your life along with your career.