The Learning Process: Were You Robbed?
Many would assume that people who pursue post-undergraduate education must love to learn. Why subject yourself to Socratic methods and difficult testing? Does that not make you incredibly uncomfortable? Absolutely! When it comes down to it, students
love to learn but
endure learning. The process of learning does not occur on your terms. You are stretched, challenged, humbled and pushed. Who would willingly subject themselves to that sort of process?
Those who love to learn do so by their own initiative. It takes a hungry mind to read more, stay late, ask questions and fine tune practical skills. Each and every PA student enters PA school with a passion to learn; however, the learning process can easily mask the desire. Do we need reminders of this delight? Yes. Yet still, we must not equate our enthusiasm to learn with the feeling of learning.
I have said this before: We never stop being students. Will that eagerness to learn be present after graduation? Or will it be jaded by the learning process? We do our patients and supervising physicians a disservice by losing this desire. PA school is one continual learning process that can simply rob your craving to learn. The process is inevitable. You will experience pain, humility, introspection and disillusionment. Nevertheless, the ones who love to learn will get up and try again. Your passion is imperative to the field of medicine. Do not lose it during the process!