Thread by @DrSeunO

For a reason I can't seem to fathom, I woke up this morning in a solemn mood. This is my usual mood when I introspect on myself, my life or my profession and sometimes all.

This time however, it was about my my profession; Medicine.

I remember Prof. Oremosu and his constant "brilliant student" chant whenever we get something right, constantly urging us on.

His first anatomy lecture... The only thing I picked up in that 2 hours lecture was "DUNCAN LINE". Duncan line was minimum pass mark in my school (College of Medicine, University of Lagos). Duncan line is now the minimum acceptable standard that I now offer my patients.

I remember Prof. C. NURHONA, who in the course of one of her lectures in embryology said "You will lose patient, it will hurt you, you will feel sad, some of you will be angry. Take a moment to reflect and see what you could have done better. But more importantly, learn from it"

I remember Prof. Lesi, who said "in the battle of life, no question is a stupid question and no answer is the wrong one, while it may not be the right diagnosis, it will surely rule out the wrong ones.

I remember Prof. Mbakwem who said "be careful your reliance on investigation, for you do not treat investigation result, you treat humans"

In this mood, I always remember Dr. Amayo Adadevoh, who epitomised the hippocratic oath at a time her country needed her. Who in her selfless act saved an entire nation, a nation of 180 million people.

I stumbled on a scribble I made while watching a series about 3 weeks ago, the scribble is in itself an extract of the hippocratic oath.

"First, DO NO HARM"

"Respect those physician in whose step you walk and gladly share knowledge with those who follow"

"Remember that you do not treat a chart or an illness, but a sick human being, whose illness affects their family and economic stability. My responsibility include those related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick."

"Remember that there is art to medicine as well as science too; that warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drugs"

"Tread with care in the matter of life and death. This awesome responsibility must be faced with great humility and awareness of my own fraility"

"May I always preserve the finest tradition of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help"

Dr. Heather Panecky (Fictional Character) Code Black S2E15.

I end this my soliloquy by standing at attention to those before me, not just doctors but all health workers. To all who have died in the line of duty; the doctor who died in ilorin from Lassa fever, the nurse who died during the Ebola incident.

And to my colleagues who are still alive, who are still fighting, fighting the battle against death. For death is a master chess player, we it's opponent must pull strength from each other.

I hope that when it is my turn, I will have the best of hands and best of minds doing that battle against death.

"YOU ARE IN THE ARM OF ANGELS, MAY YOU FIND COMFORT IN YOUR SILENT REVERIE, OUR FALLEN HERO'S"