Why GC?

I must admit this is a very different kind of a post from my usual ones where there is a sarcastic take on different issues. But this thought has been bugging me for quite some time and I have not been able to decide if I am business minded or not. How did I start thinking about this? So by profession I am a genetic counselor, well a recently graduated genetic counselor to be precise. So a lot of my work deals with working with patients, usually with some genetic issues. So when I work I have to be this politically correct person, using appropriate language, not giving an opinion (which for someone like me who is very opinionated is very difficult), etc etc. And I must admit, I enjoy my profession to a large extent. Yes, there are days that I do feel drained, but that's a part and parcel of any profession I would think.

The problem I have is that most genetic counselors I have met try to (and I say try to b'coz I dont know if they truly believe in what they say!) portray this image of being philanthropists (well not technically, but you my point na). It's almost like, "Oh I choose this profession b'coz I want to do good to mankind"..blah blah blah... And fine 2-3% of people in the world may be like this, but I find it difficult to believe that more than 98% of people in a certain profession echo the same sentiments. I will stick my neck out and say I choose this profession for two reasons, first my love for genetics and second I want to earn money. Now I realize the first of the two reasons sure is being fulfilled, the second one, umm maybe there isnt as much money in this profession as I thought ther would be...but that's another story altogether.

Clearly I am doing this because I like to do this. I am doing this because this is how I am going to earn money. I am doing this because it gives me the intellectual satisfaction that otherwise I do not get. I like being the 'person who will talk about genetics and diseases' with patients. Secretly deep down inside me it gives me a thrill I am one of the few people who have the capability of discussing issues with patients that most other (most being the important word, have not said all) health care providers are not comfortable with.

Another issue I have very strong feelings about is money. Whenever it comes to the health care providers, people always seem to have a problem paying. They have all the moolah when they want to go out shopping, and even though they complain about the steep price of clothes, it doesnt deter them from buying them. But when it comes to paying the health care providers, money always becomes an issue. When their children want some obnoxious looking stuffed toys which are priced probably 10 times more than what I spend on my weekly gorcery, they seem to have the money. But when it comes to shelling out money to us, no it's an ongoing complaint, "Doctors and other health care providers should not charge this much, it's a nobel profession". Why?? Dont we have our own needs, dont we want to live a comfortable life, and yes dont some of us also want to spend money on that same obnoxious stuffed toy! I think medicine should also be treated like a business, after all we are also here to make a living. If you dont have a problem with Ambani's swimming and probably drowning in money why do you have a problem with people in my profession who at least dream of tying to float in money???