My first article on PubMed was published when I was in second-year residency. (disclaimer: I was not the first author. I was just the part of a team). It was a remarkable feat for a foreign medical graduate as it was published in a very credible high impact journal. I start moving among my fellow residents like a king. One day one of my very senior professor level attending stopped me in the corridor and said:
"Listen young man! there are about at least 100 credible science journals in the USA, and each publishes at least 10 new original articles. So each year about 10,000 original scientific articles get published in the USA alone. Even your neighbor may not know about your article. And, eventually, all articles get buried under the dust in the library - well before you change your underwear. There are two kinds of scientists - one who live all their lives to feed their ego and on a quest to prove themselves. They retire and die miserably. Be the second type! Think how it will bring a goodness to humanity and how much it will contribute to the understanding of science. Everything else is a mirage and a trap. Don't fall for it."
Wo din aur aaj ka din - 'academic medicine' ki taraf meri rawish hi badal gai - bulke ab to aksar hasi bhi aati hai, jab PhD level ke logoN ko aapas main laRte jhagRte dekhta hun!
"Listen young man! there are about at least 100 credible science journals in the USA, and each publishes at least 10 new original articles. So each year about 10,000 original scientific articles get published in the USA alone. Even your neighbor may not know about your article. And, eventually, all articles get buried under the dust in the library - well before you change your underwear. There are two kinds of scientists - one who live all their lives to feed their ego and on a quest to prove themselves. They retire and die miserably. Be the second type! Think how it will bring a goodness to humanity and how much it will contribute to the understanding of science. Everything else is a mirage and a trap. Don't fall for it."
Wo din aur aaj ka din - 'academic medicine' ki taraf meri rawish hi badal gai - bulke ab to aksar hasi bhi aati hai, jab PhD level ke logoN ko aapas main laRte jhagRte dekhta hun!
2 comments:
Five years back me and my batch-mates in India were planning to apply for the PhD program abroad. One of our Professors (seeing that almost all of us had rather ambitious goals) advised us to not go into Doctorate program to fulfill the dream of being famous, rich, etc. He said, go for PhD only if you love the subject!
... and while here I can see that Profs here simply love their research. On Friday and Saturday night, while most of the undergrads go for drinking in bars (... and desi grad students go for movies, etc.) I have seen many Profs. (including our own head of department) and couple of grad students working quietly in their office rooms. It is not that they are sacrificing their weekends for better future, many do actually enjoy their work!!
One of my friend (who worked really hard and actually loved her subject) had her favorite quote pasted on office door:
~~~ Some are Born to sweet delight,
Some are Born to Endless Night ~~~
This comment itself deserves a post (will put it tomorrow as a post.
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