“Show me the medicines”

I was doing my internship those days. Fresh from medical school, I was extremely enthusiastic and keen to apply the textbook knowledge to real-life situations. There were so many things to learn. I enjoyed working with a particular consultant who was always up to date with his specialty. He appeared to be very kind and was in every way, a role model. I very much liked his way of explaining prescriptions to his patients. In addition, he would always ask patients or relatives to get back to him and show him the medicines they purchased and then take the opportunity to reinforce the dosages and other details before concluding the consultation. He would get very upset if the patients did not show him the medicines. I would also copy this style in his absence, putting that extra bit of effort in a very busy hospital out-patient department. The stethoscope, the caring hand, the admonition if the medicines were not shown to me, and the opportunity to pretend to be wise, knowledgeable and in command a perfect setting for a new intern.

One day, I learnt that this consultant had a lucrative deal with the chemist next to the hospital. Because patients were asked to show the medicines they purchased, they would obviously buy from the nearby chemist shop rather than from shops nearer to their homes or elsewhere in order to avoid travelling all the distance again. I felt cheated like never before. The patients, I guess, would never know.