To the joys of cubicle-dom

In the last three hours, I reviewed two weeks of biochemistry, reviewed a business plan for a fuel cell company, set up meetings for a book publishing company in China, finished a budget for a clinic in Burundi and collated names for a gift exchange I’m organizing. All in the name of productivity.

Somehow in the midst of thinking about what specialty I want to do, memorizing detailed biochemical pathways, writing outlines to organize elusive physiology concepts and digging around in cadavers to find obscure arteries and nerves, it is refreshing to feel productive writing emails, reading business plans and advising entrepreneurs. Business concepts seem to come so much more naturally to me than being a med student.

I like multitasking. When life seems too simple, I complicating the heck out of it. I like feeling like I am a part of a thousand different things, relationships, opportunities at once. I like networking. The thought of finding suitable business partner for people, doing favors for someone else so that they may someday help me. I like believing that friends can be business partners and I love making introductions that work. Most of all, I like the thought of being a part of something that is being created. I like starting new things, meeting new people, brainstorming new ideas.
As I build a new life around being a med student, learn new knowledge and meet new people headed in a wholly new direction, I am reminded on days like this what I liked most about business, working in a cubicle, cranking out emails and making phone calls . . . Is it more important to spend little effort, “feel” important and make a small difference to society or to spend lots of effort and actually accomplish something really meaningful for other people??

Well, here I am, pencil in hand with a laptop on my lap and a stack of notes on my desk putting in a lot of effort. Isn’t life crazy?