Reaction To “Marrying Medicine“

2 Pages 447 Words

In preparing for this assignment, I found myself interested in all of the four essays. This may seem trivial, or even predictable, if it weren’t for the fact that I honestly can’t remember the last time a read something that wasn’t directly related to passing a medical exam. I was moved by the awkwardness and passion in Tell Me, Tell Me; disturbed by the disclosures in Invasions; and intrigued by the conflict in Case Study: Please Don’t Tell! However, it was Marrying Medicine that really hit closest to home.
Obviously the paper addresses an issue that concerns most female physicians and medical students. As the traditional “caregiver,” I think many of us tend to feel the need to care fully for our patients as well as care for our families. This creates a major source of conflict when time constraints prevent us from doing both. Furthermore, a legal obligation to provide care for the patients often tips the scales away from the people we would probably prefer to care for. As someone who is very close to and reliant on my family and very involved in personal relationships, it terrifies me to think my career choice may prevent me from creating the kind of home atmosphere I’m accustom to.
Reading the essay again, I found another issue that was not quite as apparent, but that echoes a sentiment I’ve often felt. On one hand, Dr. Bannerjee knows what a competent, caring physician she is, and how she is desirable enough to have turned down many suitors. On the other hand, she has serious doubts about why her husband is with her. It’s almost as if she has two distinct personalities: one that is secure, confident, and in control and another that is insecure, doubtful, and fearful. While she is obviously more intelligent and attractive than most women, she still grapples with the insecurities that plague the rest of her gender. On top of it, she has to deal with another duality of her personality: her ambitious, h...