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Richard Soper MD – The Personal Challenges Which Doctors Face

Richard Soper MD is one of the finest doctors that I know and he has built a fantastic career in medicine. Richard is also a neighbor of mine and someone who I have had the great pleasure of conversing with about a huge range of subjects. Society views doctors like Ricard with a huge amount of respect, as well as certain levels of expectancy when it comes to our own medical issues. What most of us don’t see however is the personal struggles which every doctor goes through in order to make their career a success. I have spoken to Richard many times about his own experience and that of his colleagues, and here are some of the challenges which they face.

Sacrifice

Doctors work an extraordinary number of hours and that comes with a huge amount of personal sacrifice. Divorce rates amongst doctors are very high because they don’t spend time at home, they miss birthdays, weddings and parties, they miss important moments in their children’s lives and they miss out just about any personal time which they may have. They do this because of their passion for medicine and to care for their patients, a great sacrifice indeed.

Emotional Turmoil

Many of us believe that doctors don’t get attached to their patients and that they simply treat the human body in the same way that a mechanic would treat a car. To some extent this is true but the reality is that spending your days seeing gruesome sights and witnessing the heartbreak of death is not something which they can simply brush off. We have to remember that doctors are not robots, they do have feelings and often they will be emotionally damaged by something which has happened in their job. Imagine if you were a doctor with kids and you see a parent’s anguish watching their own child die, how would that make you feel? Doctors are human, they feel and they hurt and whilst they may have thicker skin than the rest of us, it is not made of teflon.

Pressure of Mistakes

Mistakes happen in almost every job, the difference with a doctor making a mistake is that it could potentially cost someone their life. The pressure of this is absolutely massive and doctors have to try their best to ignore the pressure of a potential mistake. Failure to be able to work under this pressure could lead to a higher chance of making mistakes, which is why staying cool and calm is something which doctors always focus on. Working well under this pressure is one thing but when they walk away from the job, they will still feel the effects of that pressure, which is why many doctors have stress issues. Doctors must find a way to relieve the stress which they are working under, which is not always easy.

These men and women do amazing work for us all, we must remember that they too are facing up to some serious personal challenges.

Bogoljub Karic – Tips on Making a Cross-Culture Relationship Work

My buddy Bogoljub Karic has been in a relationship with a Mexican girl for a number of years now and he was the first person I wanted to talk to when I met a girl from Mexico City last year. Relationships are not easy at the best of times but with the added complication of two cultures colliding, there is much more to take into account. The world we live in today is much smaller than ever before and it is not uncommon at all to meet a couple from two different backgrounds. Nonetheless, this can pose quite a challenge and if you happen to meet someone with a different cultural background to yourself, here are some tips on making it work.

Language

In most cases one party can speak the other person’s language better than the other way around but this is not to say that communication is easy. Even someone who is from another country can speaks great English for example, this is not too say that they are always going to completely understand what you are feeling or what is going on. This is why it is so important that both parties try their best to speak the language of their partner, so that they can properly express themselves.

Patience

Patience is so important in any relationship but even more so when it comes to a relationship between two people from different cultures. You have to remember that your partner has been raised in a completely different situation to you and you must respect that and have patience with them. Patience takes on a whole new meaning when you date a latina of course given their issues with punctuality, but I am really referring to the wider relationship and the importance of being patient.

Joining in

Some cultures have different events and traditions to us and instead of ignoring them it is important that you embrace them as your own. In my situation for example things like Day of the Dead and Independence Day aren’t something which we celebrate back in the UK, but that doesn’t mean that I should simply ignore their existence. When you start to date someone from a different culture it is up to you to be understanding in terms of their cultures and their traditions.

Maintaining

There is a temptation to change who you are in order to make the relationship work but this is not something which is recommended and in order to make the relationship work best you should stay exactly who you are. When you welcome someone from a different culture into your life you suddenly realize a little more about your own identity and that is a good thing. You should absolutely celebrate who you are and how your background has shaped you, in order for both of you to maintain your own identity and embrace each other’s.

These relationships can provide you with a lot, the key is to learn that you must approach them differently.

Carter Boyle Duke Senior on Applying For Duke University

Carter Boyle Duke senior and an official representative for the student body of Duke University knows all there is to know about this university and there has been a certain even in the last year which has shone a big spotlight on this college, his name was Zion Williamson. The Duke basketball player became the latest in a line of freshmen to go straight to the NBA, as number one draft pick no less. the buzz around the man has created a buzz around the university which is why we spoke to Carter about the application process for this college, who should apply and what is expected of those who do. Let’s take a look.

Why Duke?

Duke offers a huge range of benefits to any student and it is one of the most diverse and welcoming colleges that there is. This is a college which works hard and plays hard, evidence of which can be seen through their approach to both academics and athletics, with both playing major roles for students at the college. Duke has an impressive sports program and its range of academic courses seek to get its students ready for the real world. Duke is a college which will ensure that you are equipped for whatever life you plan to embark on.

Who Should Apply?

Those who are intelligent, talented and highly competitive should apply for Duke University. This is an elite college which only accepts the very best and just 13% of those who apply actually get accepted. This low rate is simply because there are so many who are looking to come to this prestigious college. If you are smart and hungry to work hard and learn more then you are a perfect candidate for this traditionally high level university. Naturally you will have to back this up with more than just test scores, as we are about to look at.

What the College Requires

The fact that just 13% of admissions are accepted means that you must ensure that your application is whiter than whiter, describes you well and is packed with reasons as to why you should be chosen ahead of the rest. Officially Duke look at 6 main factors when their admissions team are assessing applications, and here are those first 6 areas which they will look at.

  • The rigor of a candidate’s academic program
  • Academic performance as measured by grades in academic courses
  • Letters of recommendation from two teachers and a counselor
  • Extracurricular activities
  • The quality of thought and expression in the application essay
  • Standardized test scores

These 6 factors make up the first round of reviewing the application forms, using these metrics they will cut the large majority of the applicants, to get down to a smaller list for them to choose between. Once this is done, the next round will still focus on the requirements above, although they will go into much more detail in order to select those who make the final cut.

It isn’t easy to get into Duke University, and nor should it be, if you are good enough however, you will get there.