No One Gets Left Behind

It is that time of the year again for the PART 1 MBBS, and there is so much freaking out going on. Well, on my part, I know I am freaked the hell out. It is so messed up that sometimes I forget to remember that I have not seen this person, or that friend, in ages. I mean, I literally cannot remember what the guy who sat beside me during my debut study session at the library the previous week looks like, even though I spent over 6 hours beside him. I am quite sure I looked at him for less than ten seconds in totality. Now, you are probably asking where any of this tale telling becomes your business. I will enlighten you in a few.

We have all agreed and prayed and hoped that no one gets left behind, but then it begs the question: Will nobody really be left behind? Because it is not all about passing PART 1 MBBS. Please, do not get me wrong – passing PART 1 MBBS is ultra mega important and the next big step of our lives, but there really is no point to scaling through the PART 1 MBBS if you successfully become a recluse and sever those virtual ties that you hold most dear, on the road to said success.

Some will say ‘shit happensʼ, but some ‘shitʼ (forgive me) do not necessarily have to happen. In Dr. Adetonaʼs words, hehe, ‘there’s no time!’ Yes, there is indeed a lot to cover and revise and there are term papers eating away at the little time we have for personal study. It still would not hurt to look in on someone you call ‘friendʼ and see how they are faring. It is quite interesting that along the course of writing this piece, I encountered a lot of people, whose shared thoughts very much consolidated my point.

A friend asked, “After PART 1 MBBS, what then?” A brilliant question if you ask me. We know a lot of people that have taken ill, some mildly affected and other not-so-lucky ones who have had to receive intensive treatment from other health care facilities besides the college hospital. Not to mention those whose illnesses we may never hear of because of a very simple reason – everyone is busy. Do not hide behind the pages. Reach out to that person more often than not. There are many heavy balls to juggle right now but we have got try to help another survive this storm. Med school is not a competition, so there is no harm in assisting that lad/lass and seeing that he/she passes.

Today, the Part 1 MBBS timetable dropped. Believe me, the reality of a test/exam is never so real or so profound as at that moment the timetable is released. I did not know when my heart rate shot up. Even I am tempted to do the very thing I am trying to advice against. Nonetheless, I know now is not the time to isolate oneself from the rest, nor the time to go behind locked doors because of the Almighty MB. Come out, move that pus, teach and be taught. It is all very real now. Needless to state is that you have to stay healthy; and please, do not be alone at this critical time! Perhaps, all these seem a little too rehashed but its importance cannot be over-emphasized.

I do not know it all. I am not perfect and I do not think anyone is. Nevertheless, we can try to do better, to be better. Do not forget to pray; after all, everyone prays in the end. The games have since begun, and may the odds be in our favour.

Scribbled by Ehirim Bruno Uche a 300 level medical student at the University of Ibadan