So in medical school we were frequently told we needed to have hobbies outside of medicine, yet were not quite given the space or time to have said hobbies.

We were told it's more important to be well rounded & that we're worth more than just a three-digit number on a test

yet every advisor based their recommendations re what was "attainable," on that very score. Didn't get a 250? Don't bother with orthopedics or plastics. Didn't get a 240? Don't bother applying to this gen surg program. We heard it from our own program directors at our own site

So we spent all our time studying buzzword associations in order to pass the tests & beat ourselves up if we failed to achieve those numbers. We were told that certain specialties were simply not realistic pursuits & to drop them.

I'm 3 years out now & one of my hobbies is

gardening. I love orchids in particular but they can be very expensive. They're priced on the number of stalks & stems they have. The higher the number, the greater the value. But these orchids weren't expensive at all. In fact, they were only $5 each. Because I bought them when

they had zero stalks or stems. They were on the clearance rack looking decrepit with soggy roots & tattered leaves. They were still alive, but barely, having weathered abuse & neglect. Some would have said that they weren't even flowers. Some would have said they weren't worth $5

Yet after being taken out of the environment which caused their demise in the first place, they started to thrive. W/adequate support & a nurturing environment, they bloomed, with more stalks than ever before. So maybe, just maybe, that number never mattered in the first place.

Stay tuned for my newest hobby: #LadyDoctorLearnsGuitar