The Reluctant Doctor

I trudged full force into the medical profession without understanding exactly why

my fate of becoming a doctor was set in stone by a very persuasive Jewish mother. Well

meaning, she brainwashed me to live her dream rather than my own. I rebelled unsuccessfully

to escape this fate, but I was overmatched in the attempt to do so. My highly unusual

experiences along the way were shaped by the child within me trying to meet subconscious

maternal expectations which were resisted by my well disguised inner calling in other

directions. These inner passions later surfaced in unanticipated ways and allowed me

eventually to become the person with whom I could come to terms.

The story starts with my interesting collegiate years at the University of Pennsylvania.

Entering this Institution, I felt totally inadequate to match up to, what I considered to be, "Ivy

League Geniuses". I was relieved when I found out with enough studying, unlike my slacking off

approach to my high school courses, I could not only succeed but excel to do well enough to

gain admittance to one of the best medical schools in the country. My first year in med school

started well enough with me winning the top anatomy award in my class. It quickly changed

when I discovered I did not like the clinical work and actually hated the sight of blood or other

assorted bodily fluids. Totally disillusioned with medicine I took refuge in chasing women and

playing sports for the following 6 years. Many bizarre and hilarious experiences resulted during

my concluding medical school years, my internship in Philadelphia and the following year

returning to my childhood home in the New York City area. Completely disgusted with internal

medicine during that horrific internship year I broke off an engagement in Philadelphia,

relinquishing my apartment to my fiancé and waited for my career changing residency in Long

Island to begin. The year off following my waiting period between internship and residency in

radiology continues to be filled with many unusual and comedic experiences, though some

painful at the time. I candidly admit my addictive crutches along the way during my many

career phases so that my readers can gain an understanding of how apparently successful

professionals make it through the pressure situations they often confront. My future wife

settled me down during our early romantic months followed by our wedding eight months after

we met at a dance in an upper eastside bar in New York City. I was able to turn around my

prior dismal performance in radiology to become one of the best residents and passing my

radiology board exam. It seemed like I had it made with the birth of our first child and passing a

very challenging radiology board exam to be certified in my chosen field. The book concludes

with the move of my expanding family to Baltimore to begin a fellowship. This adventure

begins what is the material of Part 2 of my story.