Without the White Coat
Wala sing guapo
Regardless of your profession, you will experience ups and downs of life. It's the same with those who practice medicine. As they say, "wala sang guapo" or that no one is spared from the brunt of these hard times.
With the opening of classes, parents are burdened with tuition fees, books and other school needs of their children. Thus, they have to wait for the 'ber' months before they could recover.
Thus, extra money stashed away for emergency reasons like health, is always of value. Here in Iloilo, there are fewer admissions in hospitals unless there is an epidemic.
Anyways, the medical practice has its downside, too. Some physicians have thought of finding another career like being a nurse abroad. Even the population of students enrolling in medical schools have declined because they don't find this field lucrative.
Except of course for some who still study medicine because they want to serve humanity.
Doctors are also hounded by consultations done over the phone, a new service that new technology brings. Thus, there will be no professional fee that will be collected if the consultation is done through the cellular phone or text messages. In some cases, the doctor even has to foot the phone bill.
People assume that they can get free consultations from doctors just about anywhere – on the street or the malls.
Well, the doctor's thrust is to serve the patients regardless on whether or not they can pay.
But people should also remember that God did not create perfect doctors. And there are are still hungry wolves out there.
Do you know that engineers earn more than doctors? That is why, nowadays, "wala sang guapo nga doctor".
Some have opted to get into alternative livelihood. Any alternative career is okay as long as it could feed their family.