THE DOCTOR
The doctor is a respectable person in our society. After all he has devoted six to seven years to studying medicine and surgery and has spent thousands of rupees to gain the skill to serve the society. For the common man a Ph.D. even a D.Litt. is not the real doctor. But the physician who has no doctorate degree to his credit is the real doctor.
The doctor is the real humanitarian if he chooses to be. He is the only person in the society who saves the precious life given by God. By saving the lives of human beings he saves the creation of God. Thus he serves the Divine. The teacher imparts knowledge; the saint awakes the slumbering spirit in man. This mental and spiritual development is possible only if the body is retained. The doctor retains the body that is instrumental to all types of achievements.
Sometimes it looks rather strange that the modern doctor has realized his importance beyond the expectations of the society. There is no doubt a doctor has to sacrifice his convenience the most. He may be called at any odd hour. A surgeon may tensely remain occupied with his patient for hours together. He is the happiest man when he saves his patient. But he has to be a stoic when the patient is dead. He can’t afford to be sentimentalist.
Realizing his importance he mints his knowledge now. A half an hour operation costs the patients thousands of rupees. A consultant may charge Rs. 100/- and sees hundred patients a day — a roaring practice. Then he has his commission from x ray clinic, the chemist and the pathologist. But if the doctor works according to the medical ethics he is next to God.