What am I bringing to medicine – one word only, thanks.
August 12, 2011 11:41 AM Subscribe
Help me answer in one word, "what I will bring to medicine," for my white coat ceremony.
So I'm starting medical school and doing my white coat ceremony this afternoon. Apparently the school thinks it's a great idea to ask each student (out of an entering class about 150) 'what they will bring to medicine' summed up in one word.
While I'm a creative person, I think that there will be far too many instances of 'compassion' and 'caring,' and I want have a word that's unique (ironic right, that I'm coming to you guys), but I figured the hivemind > my mind in this case.
Help me pick a word that's unique, but not too far out there. (Last year's entering class had an instance of bringing 'sexy back' which I found funny, but really don't want to do.)
Thanks!
So I'm starting medical school and doing my white coat ceremony this afternoon. Apparently the school thinks it's a great idea to ask each student (out of an entering class about 150) 'what they will bring to medicine' summed up in one word.
While I'm a creative person, I think that there will be far too many instances of 'compassion' and 'caring,' and I want have a word that's unique (ironic right, that I'm coming to you guys), but I figured the hivemind > my mind in this case.
Help me pick a word that's unique, but not too far out there. (Last year's entering class had an instance of bringing 'sexy back' which I found funny, but really don't want to do.)
Thanks!
Well, why don't you tell us what you think you will bring, and then we will condense it? It's hard for us to give you a word based on your post so far.
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:45 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:45 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
integrity (I hope so)
posted by uans at 11:46 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by uans at 11:46 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Science
Logic
Thought
Insight
Skepticism
Open-mindedness (if hyphenation makes it one word)
Determination
Vigilance
Perseverance
Passion
Or, you know...
A stethoscope
Debt
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:46 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Logic
Thought
Insight
Skepticism
Open-mindedness (if hyphenation makes it one word)
Determination
Vigilance
Perseverance
Passion
Or, you know...
A stethoscope
Debt
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:46 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
my suggestions:
- lamp
- rage
- pain
- bills
- confusion
- cancer
posted by fozzie33 at 11:47 AM on August 12, 2011
- lamp
- rage
- pain
- bills
- confusion
- cancer
posted by fozzie33 at 11:47 AM on August 12, 2011
Rigour is inappropriate right?
posted by unlaced at 11:47 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by unlaced at 11:47 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Humility
posted by jon1270 at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by jon1270 at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
In a Mr Burns voice, "Exxxxxcelllence"
posted by teleri025 at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by teleri025 at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
It.
posted by dirtdirt at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by dirtdirt at 11:48 AM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Humanity.
posted by julthumbscrew at 11:49 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by julthumbscrew at 11:49 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Patients
posted by Garm at 11:50 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Garm at 11:50 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Irony. (Then stare thoughtfully into the middle distance.)
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 11:50 AM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 11:50 AM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
"The willingness to buck the rules, swim upstream, and think outside the box."
posted by villanelles at dawn at 11:51 AM on August 12, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by villanelles at dawn at 11:51 AM on August 12, 2011 [6 favorites]
Too bad "this white coat" is three words.
posted by activitystory at 11:53 AM on August 12, 2011
posted by activitystory at 11:53 AM on August 12, 2011
Best answer: The fact that you're able to solicit advice from random strangers who know nothing about your actual goals just shows what an empty exercise this is going to be.
I see 2 possible approaches. Either say what everyone else is going to say: determination, passion, integrity, diligence, etc. Or give a jokey answer to stand out, e.g. stethoscopes.
posted by John Cohen at 11:53 AM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
I see 2 possible approaches. Either say what everyone else is going to say: determination, passion, integrity, diligence, etc. Or give a jokey answer to stand out, e.g. stethoscopes.
posted by John Cohen at 11:53 AM on August 12, 2011 [3 favorites]
Hope!
posted by headspace at 11:59 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by headspace at 11:59 AM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Awesomeness.
posted by elizardbits at 12:01 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by elizardbits at 12:01 PM on August 12, 2011
Life
posted by Ufez Jones at 12:09 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by Ufez Jones at 12:09 PM on August 12, 2011
I dare you to say "crabs"!
posted by jabes at 12:09 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jabes at 12:09 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
"panache"
posted by rmd1023 at 12:09 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by rmd1023 at 12:09 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Billables.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:12 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:12 PM on August 12, 2011
I do like "gravitas."
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:15 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by GenjiandProust at 12:15 PM on August 12, 2011
Science. Or, alternatively: epistemology (i.e. "the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion").
posted by jedicus at 12:17 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by jedicus at 12:17 PM on August 12, 2011
One of the great ideals of the Italian Rennaisance:
Sprezzatura
the ability of the courtier to display “an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that went into them.”[2
In other words, you will work so hard and be so outstandingly excellent you'll make it look easy-or as if you were born to it, if you prefer.
All my best doctors have had this, and I think they knew it, too.
posted by jamjam at 12:23 PM on August 12, 2011 [9 favorites]
Sprezzatura
the ability of the courtier to display “an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that went into them.”[2
In other words, you will work so hard and be so outstandingly excellent you'll make it look easy-or as if you were born to it, if you prefer.
All my best doctors have had this, and I think they knew it, too.
posted by jamjam at 12:23 PM on August 12, 2011 [9 favorites]
Leeches!
posted by bcwinters at 12:24 PM on August 12, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 12:24 PM on August 12, 2011 [7 favorites]
Myself.
Everything.
Dedication.
Devotion.
Intention.
posted by kate blank at 12:25 PM on August 12, 2011
Everything.
Dedication.
Devotion.
Intention.
posted by kate blank at 12:25 PM on August 12, 2011
Awesomesauce.
But actually, integrity for sure.
posted by The Michael The at 12:27 PM on August 12, 2011
But actually, integrity for sure.
posted by The Michael The at 12:27 PM on August 12, 2011
"Debt"
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:29 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:29 PM on August 12, 2011
Crowdsourcing
posted by turaho at 12:30 PM on August 12, 2011 [11 favorites]
posted by turaho at 12:30 PM on August 12, 2011 [11 favorites]
Care.
posted by specialnobodie at 12:33 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by specialnobodie at 12:33 PM on August 12, 2011
Best answer: Penmanship.
Ha, no. I second Hope.
posted by mochapickle at 12:36 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ha, no. I second Hope.
posted by mochapickle at 12:36 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Do you have any particular facial or clothing-based features?
In front of a crowd of people who only know you by appearance, you might get a laugh if you have a ponytail and you say "hair," if you stroke your beard and say "grooming," or if you're tall and say "farsightedness."
posted by randomination at 12:38 PM on August 12, 2011
In front of a crowd of people who only know you by appearance, you might get a laugh if you have a ponytail and you say "hair," if you stroke your beard and say "grooming," or if you're tall and say "farsightedness."
posted by randomination at 12:38 PM on August 12, 2011
Mintiness.
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:45 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jeffamaphone at 12:45 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Say "these", and then pull two fake machine-guns (or kittens) from inside your coat.
posted by novalis_dt at 12:52 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by novalis_dt at 12:52 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ethics
posted by BuffaloChickenWing at 12:55 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by BuffaloChickenWing at 12:55 PM on August 12, 2011
If you're feeling a bit misanthropic: Schadenfreude.
posted by Homo economicus at 1:09 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by Homo economicus at 1:09 PM on August 12, 2011
Flair. Just make sure you're wearing the minimum 15 pieces.
posted by Felicity Rilke at 1:30 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Felicity Rilke at 1:30 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
Lollipops.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 1:49 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 1:49 PM on August 12, 2011
Cold hands. Or warm hands, depending on which one you think is funnier. I am also a fan of "snacks."
posted by Polyhymnia at 2:18 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by Polyhymnia at 2:18 PM on August 12, 2011
iPad.
posted by GastrocNemesis at 2:59 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by GastrocNemesis at 2:59 PM on August 12, 2011 [1 favorite]
Research
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 3:42 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 3:42 PM on August 12, 2011
Kindness
posted by googlebombed at 3:46 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by googlebombed at 3:46 PM on August 12, 2011
woozlewuzzle
posted by a robot made out of meat at 3:52 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by a robot made out of meat at 3:52 PM on August 12, 2011
Brevity.
posted by sleepingcbw at 4:04 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by sleepingcbw at 4:04 PM on August 12, 2011
Best answer: FYI, there will be a med-ed professionalism person whose job it is to scowl at vaguely humorous statements, because WCS is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER. Be prepared.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 4:50 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by a robot made out of meat at 4:50 PM on August 12, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm thinking you may have left for your ceremony already, but if not...
Jokey:
Perfection
Style/flair
Hippocracy (okay, that only works in print)
Talent/skill
Serious:
Mindfulness
Assiduousness
Selflessness
Consideration
posted by janerica at 5:01 PM on August 12, 2011
Jokey:
Perfection
Style/flair
Hippocracy (okay, that only works in print)
Talent/skill
Serious:
Mindfulness
Assiduousness
Selflessness
Consideration
posted by janerica at 5:01 PM on August 12, 2011
Honors.
posted by GastrocNemesis at 5:28 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by GastrocNemesis at 5:28 PM on August 12, 2011
I hope you let us know what you choose and how it goes.
posted by beccaj at 6:43 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by beccaj at 6:43 PM on August 12, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you all for your suggestions, as I was waiting in line at my white coat ceremony I was frantically paging through this thread on my smartphone and trying not to roll my eyes at the fifth mention of 'compassion'.
While some of you indicated that I had provided no background information, that was intentional. John Cohen hit the nail on the head. I felt the procedure was the sort of non-question that was more of a formality/tradition than anything that could really represent what I actually 'am bringing' to medical school. Thus, I was fishing for more 'humorous' things to make the crowd laugh. Especially after hearing a hundred or so 'compassions, empathy, etc' from most of the students, I figured the parents would appreciate a good chuckle.*
(*I believe that compassion, empathy and other similar qualities are indeed key to medicine, btw)
Thanks mochapickle! I felt that the penmanship one was especially hilarious, (having worked and volunteered with doctors for years) and apparently a lot of the medical professionals in attendance found that to be the case as well. Also I'm really glad I found that online, as I was something like tenth to last or so.
And a robot made out of meat was dead-on. The assistant dean had this hilarious scowl on his face as I made my way from the microphone to shake his hand.
posted by kurosawa's pal at 6:47 PM on August 12, 2011 [7 favorites]
While some of you indicated that I had provided no background information, that was intentional. John Cohen hit the nail on the head. I felt the procedure was the sort of non-question that was more of a formality/tradition than anything that could really represent what I actually 'am bringing' to medical school. Thus, I was fishing for more 'humorous' things to make the crowd laugh. Especially after hearing a hundred or so 'compassions, empathy, etc' from most of the students, I figured the parents would appreciate a good chuckle.*
(*I believe that compassion, empathy and other similar qualities are indeed key to medicine, btw)
Thanks mochapickle! I felt that the penmanship one was especially hilarious, (having worked and volunteered with doctors for years) and apparently a lot of the medical professionals in attendance found that to be the case as well. Also I'm really glad I found that online, as I was something like tenth to last or so.
And a robot made out of meat was dead-on. The assistant dean had this hilarious scowl on his face as I made my way from the microphone to shake his hand.
posted by kurosawa's pal at 6:47 PM on August 12, 2011 [7 favorites]
Best answer: Oh yay! Glad it worked -- it's all in the delivery, I think! Good luck in school.
posted by mochapickle at 7:39 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by mochapickle at 7:39 PM on August 12, 2011
So you did say penmanship, in the end? I love that--funny but playful, not disrespectful. Good luck in school!
posted by sweetkid at 8:32 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by sweetkid at 8:32 PM on August 12, 2011
Late to the game: equanimity.
posted by scalespace at 10:44 PM on August 12, 2011
posted by scalespace at 10:44 PM on August 12, 2011
As a consultant in the medical field I have to say penmanship is both funny and pertinent. It is a real problem that compromises patient care.
Glad it got a good laugh too!
posted by French Fry at 9:14 AM on August 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
Glad it got a good laugh too!
posted by French Fry at 9:14 AM on August 14, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by OmieWise at 11:45 AM on August 12, 2011 [4 favorites]