What is the most important attribute in a Doctor?

this question was asked during one of those friendly breakfasts we have with our superiors after ward rounds.

Knowing how to prioritise?

Honesty and Integrity?

Competent in your skills?

Good communication skills?

Be Hardworking?

there're so many possible answers... but one answer (i din come up with it) caught me and it's something really really simple and down to earth:

you just hafta CARE about the patients.

not care about ur work... care about ur increment or promotion... care about covering ur backside... but CARE abt these fellow human beings who have come to you for help.

this is really fascinating... cos it really helps to know that whatever s#@* work i've been doing these 2 weeks all somehow contributed to the well-being of somebody else. haha... strange of me to think this way but i kinda like to imagine myself with a halo on my head... u know, be a good person, contribute to the society, help other ppl around, etc... and what other job will gimme a bigger halo than this?

so yup... as expected, during these 2 weeks i've been disillusioned a few times especially when i'm still struggling with stuff at 9.30 at night!! and as expected, i started to re-evaluate what all these S#*$ is for... and thanks to the enlightened surgeon who brought everything back to light for me.

CARE abt patients... this is prob why so many drs remain passionate abt their job for 40, 50 years. this is what they live to do...