Member-only story
Let’s stop glorifying competition
It’s giving us a false sense of our own importance
In a few months’ time, my husband will officially be a doctor (an anaesthesiologist if you must know).
Twelve LONG and arduous years as a medical student, working endless hours and night shifts very often at the expense of seeing his family and missing out on a few christmasses and holidays.
Here in France, even getting into medical school is a feat unto itself. This involves going through an entrance exam that wannabe doctors have to sit through after having spent one whole year of their lives studying topics ranging from the human anatomy to statistics.
After a year of virtually no social life whatsoever as they’re busy memorising the latin names of bacteria from their cheat sheets, they finally sit for the much dreaded entrance exam, knowing full well that their odds of success aren’t great. Depending on the year, as little as 10% will be deemed worthy enough to study medicine.
Those who don’t succeed have a second shot. This means waiting (studying) another full year before taking the exams again.
If they fail yet again, their chances of studying medicine in France is zero. Two years gone waging a fierce competitive battle that often leaves many exhausted, lost and…
