A reflection from Dr. Amit Bagga, President, Essex County Medical Society
Life is about striving for balance...possibly searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
In all spheres of life, we navigate through unchartered territories using our conscience relaying an inner dialogue to pursue a sense of contentment. These spheres may include domains such as education, career, family life, spiritual philosophy, security, hobbies/interests, physical health, kinship and personal goals.
Most life decisions involve a subconscious yet tangible belief that it will lead to a sense of happiness – the challenge being whether this is a transient sense of happiness versus decisions which lead to a more longlasting contentment. Predominantly, the difference is the intentions behind our decisions which, if positive, rarely leaves a sense of regret.
To exemplify, "If I study for the nephrology exam, I will achieve good grades and understand the topics which help my career, even if I have to miss an opportunity to volunteer" versus "if I go to volunteer, I will feel rejuvenated but lose some valuable study time" versus "I will watch TV and not study nor volunteer". The outcome is heavily influenced by the intention rather than the action itself.
Ironically, one of the greatest sources of contentment in life is to give without any expectation nor recognition. It may be simply volunteering at the local food bank and experiencing the life stories of those with financial challenges. It might involve volunteering overseas in areas that can benefit from hands on medical service to providing lectures that empowers local healthcare personnel to implement these concepts at large. Out of gratitude for the many that have taught me the principles of medicine to the subspecialization of Nephrology, it is a source of enjoyment to participate in education whether it be within the first-year nephrology block and experiencing firsthand the tight-knit class camradarie, discussing acute kidney injury with a third-year student in a clinical rotation, or debating the nuances of hyperkalemia management with a senior medical resident on the Internal Medicine Teaching Unit.
Complementing the conventional clinical career path, it is interesting to participate in research projects such as the Water Intake Trial which is being lead by Dr. W. Clark, primary investigator from London Health Sciences Centre, assessing the role of water intake in chronic kidney disease. Furthermore, becoming involved with the Essex County Medical Society has opened another dimension with learning about health care systems, the politics of medicine, social causes, advocacy, involvement with CME programs, as well as heightened awareness of current contentious topics such as medical marijuana, physician assisted death, the syrian refugee crisis and the proposed One Site Windsor-Essex Hospital.
I feel privileged to work with a great team of physicians and colleagues within the network of the Schulich Medicine – Windsor Campus, Windsor Regional Hospital, as well as the Essex County Medical Society, and highly endorse participation and involvement within these collaborative organizations from an early phase in career or, ideally, even in the training phase.
The quest for contentment and life balance is fraught with challenges, however, in the medical profession we are blessed with great opportunities to serve the community with a career with multifaceted dimensions including education, research, volunteer work, political, and administrative roles in addition to the conventional clinical roles served as physicians.
