Why am I here?

These last couple of days in Marseille have provided so much useful information, moving stories, and meaningful interaction. From lively discussions between residents to meaningful and gripping personal accounts, it’s been a flood of data, emotions and relationships, enough so that at first it seemed overwhelming! Today, however, in the afternoon session, something started to coalesce for me. That ‘something’ is the answer to the question, why am I here? In Marseille, in family medicine, in medicine at all, what is my purpose here? Thinking about that question has taken me on an introspective, reflective journey regarding how my motivations have evolved over the last 10 years.

When I initially decided to become a doctor I was driven by the heroic and not uncommon notion that I wanted to save lives. I pictured myself dramatically inserting some kind of tube in some orifice, shouting orders… Continue reading →