First yr of Post grad is the one in which most people are least involved in extracurricural activites but it wasn't so in my case maybe due to lesser workload as compared to the other specialities. Thus, I took part in the debate and won the second prize. First, second, third or no prize at all... it won't have made much of a difference to me. It's just that I sometimes love to hear myself on the mike. So, here is the script of my debate:
Merely at the age of 21, when most of us struggling through medical school with books piled up by our bedside and semesters & professionals to look forward to, Mark Zuckerberg the founder & CEO of the world’s largest social networking site, Facebook was already a multi millionaire. Leaving aside the whole FB ,connectU, harvardconnect fiasco he certainly did revolutionized the way we interact with our friends today. From sending friend requests to receiving them, from putting up jazzy profile pictures to changing status updates, from writing on walls to poking, from ‘liking’ to ‘super-liking’ to ‘super-duper liking’ pictures… most of us have done it all.
Respected Judges, teachers, seniors and dear friends, welcome to the world of ‘social networking’. Until sometime back, it was just a mere word. But its transition from just being a ‘word’ to becoming a ‘world’ has been phenomenal!
Accept it or not, Our virtual existence is marked by our Facebook profiles. By ‘Our’, I take the liberty to include more than half the audience present here today. Yes, we do form the small proportion of its 500 million users. No matter how much I hate to accept… but I am a Facebook addict! As soon as the net is connected and the browser is launched there is always… yes… always a compulsion to open our profiles. We may temporary delete our accounts or curse these sites for taking away our valuable time but… you like it or not they have become an INTERGRAL part of our lives!
Actually…On a serious note, these sites are not just merely recreational tools but there is lot more to them. Websites like LinkedIn focus on business and professional networking…. having the right connections can make a HUGE difference in the success or failure of a business. Knowing lots of customers, potential customers & potential partners is always important. In this day and age, the Internet is the place to be…. for everyone . From shopping and selling things, and find what we’re looking for…. Internet seems to have an answer for everything. And if you don’t have a network for selling your product or service… then you certainly are not on the right track.
BTW Are you just being limited to hi5, Orkut, Facebook, big adda or myspace? Well, there is a whole world out there…. There are so many social networking sites dealing with chronic diseases, alcoholism, drug addiction and autism… focusing on helping people… bringing together patients with similar issues and provide valuable information, contacts, peer support, and encouragement. I would not say that misery loves company but it certainly helps knowing how others have fared and faced challenges during the course of their disease.
You definitely can’t ignore the fact that there are social media campaigns going on like the one on micro-blogging site Twitter which was able to raise more than 20 lakh for cancer patients. And not to forget…after all Facebook did fuel the Tunisia uprising and the revolt that toppled it’s authoritarian president.
I would not being doing justice to the topic if don’t mention about one of the popular networking site for doctors… rxpg! During my prep phase for AIPGE… it kept me going. Giving me information about exam notifications, results, counseling and of course the support n help I got from my rxpg friends.
Many of my opponents may argue that these sites potentiate the increasing cybercrime. Well, it is not these sites which are doing harm, it’s the users. Remember, "Guns don't kill people; it’s people who kill people." Had these sites not existed, they would still find ways to harm each other. About the whole privacy issue… I believe it is not the fault of social networking sites, just because of internet’s open nature a lot of information can be gathered from a lot of places. It is we who have to exercise our discretion when posting sensitive information about us. Then again there are features like privacy settings which can easily guard us.
So I again emphasize that the use of social networking sites depends entirely on the individual. It’s a blessing in disguise if we look at it from the development point of view. It’s extremely cost effective and has an enormous reach. All of us are just a click away from each other. We can always stay in touch, no matter how far we may be. And this increased communication definitely strengthens relationships. We no longer have to wait for letters, telegrams, post cards, emails… we are always CONNECTED.
So to conclude, in this fast paced and ever changing world, social networking is a tool and a very handy one.
So tweeple keep the news feeds flowing and the tweets in the twitterverse active!
Thank you!
I wrote this post last year, post entrance exam results, but didn’t publish it on the blog. Now, I believe is the perfect time to do so. Here it goes:
It’s been more than one yr since I last updated my blog!! Reason? Too many to list down. But the most important amongst them being exams.
I had finally got over with med school in Dec 2007. And it sure was a very memorable yr for me. It was the same yr I met Dee ( Dearra ). Never in my life had I come across such a high spirited girl. She was 10 on 10 in everything. Perfect figure, perfect features, perfect singer, perfect guitarist, perfect cook and a very perfect friend. She calls me her angel but the truth is that she is the ANGEL. Oh! I miss her! The times I spent with her I can never forget. Sunz, jayna,
So, in the final year of med school I just wanted to enjoy. After getting a distinction and rank the previous year my mind was at rest. Since it had silenced my critics and some incorrigible lads, I didn’t want anything more. I didn’t put much effort this time as opposed to the 3rd prof. But when I got my result I was unhappy as I missed the 3rd rank by 3 marks and had to settle for the 4th rank. That tiny bit of effort could have made wonders. I had no regrets. But now, when I look back I realize how important a tiny bit of effort is. And in retrospection, I now think that this is what has been keeping me down my entire life! A very negative statement but I think it needed to come out.
I came back home. Started with coaching classes for MCI screening exam. Cleared it in March and the very next day I started with internship. It was hectic! My very own batch mates, who I had spent 5years with, started calling me a cheater, some said I had paid money for starting internship so early, others were hell bent on proving it illegal and some even went to National Board to confirm if it. But they came back dejected.
Not many of you know but Internship in the initial days was a HORROR! So much so that I used to come back crying every single day and wanted to leave it. I had never imagined that being a Foreign Medical Graduate was such a serious CRIME! Though, I’m still living the horror but now I have got a bit impervious to the comments. So if anyone of you is preparing for pre medical tests and planning to go abroad please be ready to face REALITY when you come back.
Then, I started preparing for exams, it didn’t go that well initially but later it was better. I always had Nivs , Shix and my family for support. And I must thank them all for being there for me in those hard times. And now, that I’m over with most exams and have a not so decent rank 365 in Manipal and not so decent score of 124 in COMED-K in my hand, and still to go for the counseling. I’m wondering where did I go wrong? Or rather where have I been going wrong all this time? Why me? Will this ever end? Am I cut out for the competition? Do I have faith on myself…which everyone says I should have? Will I ever be able to prove myself? No, I don’t have to prove anything to anyone but myself...but still. Was it, the tiny bit of effort that was missing or a lot of it? I’m starting to doubt myself as I did 5yrs back. And as I type this I look for answers within me. I’m confused. Lost. Dejected. And sad. When will my time come? When? When? Will it ever come?
PS: The only reason why I wrote this post was to help me get a grip over myself. And now, having done that I’m feeling much better. Lol.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the time has indeed come when I too can walk with my head held high for I have proved to myself that I do have the spark within me and courage to face a challenge. If anyone of you has ever faced a failure or are facing one, do remember this is not the end of life; but rather it’s the beginning of a new beginning! With conviction, dedication and a positive attitude you can achieve what you now feel is unachievable. I did it and so can anyone. So, shine on…
eer me up and motivate me enough to start all over again :-).