And a new doctor is loosed on the world

So today I got my final grade sheet filled out. At this point, I have officially fulfilled all of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School. My registrar handed me a copy of the Hippocratic Oath and we read it aloud together. While I technically still need to graduate, which will happen on Friday, 3 June, I am, for all intents and purposes, a doctor. I'm still coming in to clinic tomorrow morning, though.

It's a rather curious sensation, I have to say. I've wanted this for more than ten years. Every action, move, and decision of mine was always backgrounded by this goal.

It's been a long and strange journey, to be sure. I didn't realize I'd finish it as openly gay, or having leaned to spin fire, having earned a Masters degree along the way, or in London, where I'm surrounded by friends. There were many who said I'd never make it; that a guy with ADHD couldn't possibly withstand the rigors of medical school. But many more believed, and they supported me, they celebrated my triumphs with me and comforted me when I hit setbacks. To all of you, my most heartfelt thanks.

It's a bit scary, really. I'll be able to write prescriptions and I will be responsible for the errors I make (and I'll make them). But I also know that I will not be dealt anything that I cannot handle and by the Oath of Hippocrates I am bound to ask for help when I believe that a situation exceeds my abilities to handle it. I intend to make good use of that clause.

And so here I am, a brand-new doctor. And yet at this point there isn't anything I can do today that I couldn't do yesterday. I don't have a prescription pad, I can't practice on my own... I just have two new letters on my name. And yet it means something.

Among other things, it means I can remove the '(in training)' from my sigline and title and I can make just a teensy change to my HOP name.

And for the first time in my life, I can say:

I am Michael L. Ginsberg, M.D., M.S.

But please call me Mike.

Hey congratulations... you must be really proud of yourself.... im sure i can speak for most HOPers here when i can say that we are proud of you 2! xxx

congrats Mr. Lightning, sir!

or Mike, if you prefer

congrats

Hugs Doc Lightning

Biggest congratulations cake with huge candles. Well done!!!!

oh congratulations! i got a bit emotional reading that, just that feeling of working up to something for so long and finally achieving it, and the mixture of feelings that come with it.

well done Dr. Ginsberg!

Well done! My brother is doing medicine too, he's in his 4th year but he's deferring and doing his honors and all this other stuff too. Anyway..

I can't imagine how much work and stress it would be and I admire you for it.

Take care and enjoy your career!

Congratulations and well done!

Qualifying as a doctor is a huge achievement for anyone, and I'm so glad that you didn't listen to those people who thought someone with ADHD wouldn't cope. As a teacher I get fed up of being told that 'so and so has ADHD' as if that makes it a bad thing to have them in your class, or treating those kids as less able (and of some of the sufferers using it as an excuse to not work). Well done you for proving all the idiots wrong!
(Sorry, that sounded really patronising, I hope you know what I meant )

Thanks to all of you. And Adya, surely that's 'Dr. Lightning.'

Kat, not patronizing at all. Makes me sick to see people with ADHD use it as an excuse for anything and those without it using it as an excuse to write someone off. It's because I refused to do the first and tolerate the second that I got here.

Hey Mike HUGE congratulations t must feel odd because it's an ending and a beginning all at the sametime. Here's to your very bright and happy future

You're such a big part of HoP and we're all inordinately proud of you!

Congrats Mike- (or Dr. Mike :P)

I'm really happy its all worked out for you-

Just think- your career is only just beginning!

Chutney

AWWWW! :hugs: congrats Doc Lightning... sooo proud of you!!

So, what kind of doctor are you?

nice one Doc Lightning

Jo.

Hanz, I'm a pediatrician.

Jem and Chutney, see you tonight at Spittyz?

your signature and member status thing don't look the same without 'in-training'.

i'm adverse to change and feel uneasy.

please prescribe strong drugs to fix my ills.

or you can hug it all better


congratulations mike


cole. x

Nice one dude

So are you a good doctor like Dick Van Dyke's character in Diagnosis Murder?
or are you an evil and horribly disfigured doctor, like Doctor Doom?

see ya at spitz

aww... pediatrician??? aww... thats cute... sad, but cute..

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww



well done matey.

I've been following your story since 2001 and I feel honoured - you made it Doc

Congratulations!!

I know we've not really spoken much, but I feel (as do a few others, I'm sure) that I've taken every step with you. Its been great that you've been comfortable enough to share your ups and downs with us all.

WoW! Thats great news. Congratulations Doctor Lightning. Well done.


Now go find a cure for M.E.

This deserves a woot:

Woot!

i second that! Woot!

Congratulations Dr. Lightning! You are now my favorite doctor.

Oh, and remember, there's a PARTY on FRIDAY 27 MAY... In London?

You know, the one I've been ranting and raving about for a year now? Yeah...that one.

Party?? Its the first I've heard of this, why haven't you mentioned it before!?

How many birds can I get stoned with one...

Wait... that's not how it goes...

Well, mike, uhem mr doctor sir, I wont be at spitz and I wont be at the party two deadlines and a couple of hundred miles away at the moment grumble

unless its moved to Bournemouth, its not THAT far away

woo-hooo!!!!

I'll warn you. The first time someone actually calls you Dr. Ginsberg, you will wonder who that is. It will eventually sink in that that is you, but it will still be weird for the first week. (this is of course unless people have been calling you that while you were still in med school since you've had patients to deal with). I know it took me ages to get used to my boss introducing me as Dr. Spratt.