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Extracurricular passions are important
Editor -Akbar
Lalani's epic marathon across the Moroccan desert is truly
inspiring.1
His total commitment and passion in both the training and the event
remind us all that there is more to life than
medicine.
Frequently, our hobbies
and pursuits are put on the backburner, usually in response to
impending exams. Often these hobbies that we once enthused about begin
to make us feel different; they cannot usually be reinstated with the
same vigour as before. A number of factors may play a part. Students
may feel guilty about pursuing outside interests in the face of an ever
increasing workload. Also the sporadic devotion to an interest may not
allow it to continually progress as it should, leaving nothing more
than a half baked project.
Even in
the face of seemingly insurmountable pressure, however, these passions
should be kept alive. If ever we are in doubt, then we should look
towards students such as Akbar Lalani or David Burckett-St
Laurent, who recently reached the North
Pole,2
who are making great sacrifices in their medical education so that they
can achieve their dreams. Considering the magnitude of their
achievements, the sacrifice is undoubtedly worth
while.
Gordon Burke,St Bartholemew's and the London School of Medicine
Email: dr_gopher@hotmail.com
- HebertK. Profile: desert marathon madness. studentBMJ 2003;11:287.(August.)
- BBC News. Student sent polar bear packing. London: BBC, 2003.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/2966827.stm(accessed 12 Aug 2003).
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