Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

My grandfather’s death: What I’ve learned about life

Munera Ahmed
Education
December 30, 2021
Share
Tweet
Share

My grandfather passed in the early hours of December 11 and was buried the next day. It all happened very quickly. The last time I saw him was eight years ago. And that was the final time because I couldn’t make it to his funeral. Hopefully, when I look back at this, I’ll always remember to cherish my time with family, no matter how busy medical school or residency gets.

My grandfather was 100 years old, yet I still thought I had more time. More time to tell him I was starting medical school. More time to show him my hard work and make him proud (he always told us to work hard). Although he was in great health for his age, I should have known better realistically. But I didn’t. I took time for granted.

As I was driving over to my parent’s place the night my grandfather passed, I realized that all the things that I normally try to get done on a tight and regular schedule to maximize my time and efficiency – none of it mattered at that time. That will all get done. And it did get done (I’m writing this about a week later).

But time missed with loved ones, you don’t get that back. So if you’ve been thinking about your loved ones but haven’t been able to “make time” – make the time. Call them. Drive to their place if you’re lucky enough to live close by.

As medical students (current or soon to be) and future doctors, there will always be something going on, and that something will probably be pressing. But don’t let it become all-consuming. Don’t feel guilty for stepping back or taking some time off. I know there will be times where this won’t be possible. But always remember to make time to find your balance. Whatever that means to you.

In the end, we’re not going to look back and remember that we had a hectic week sometime in mid-February, and we didn’t get XYZ done. Most likely, it’ll be the time spent with our loved ones and memories made with them that will stick with us.

Munera Ahmed is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

How writing fiction can free physicians [PODCAST]

December 29, 2021 Kevin 0
…
Next

The death of empathy

December 30, 2021 Kevin 13
…

Tagged as: Geriatrics

Post navigation

< Previous Post
How writing fiction can free physicians [PODCAST]
Next Post >
The death of empathy

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

  • A father and grandfather: A patient’s life lived in full

    Ton La, Jr., MD, JD
  • Ethical humanism: life after #medbikini and an approach to reimagining professionalism

    Jay Wong
  • The life cycle of medication consumption

    Fery Pashang, PharmD
  • My first end-of-life conversation

    Shereen Jeyakumar
  • There’s no such thing as work-life balance

    Katie Fortenberry, PhD
  • Are the life sciences the best premedical majors?

    Moses Anthony

More in Education

  • Why a fourth year will not fix emergency medicine’s real problems

    Anna Heffron, MD, PhD & Polly Wiltz, DO
  • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

    Anonymous
  • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

    Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo
  • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

    ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD
  • In the absence of physician mentorship, who will train the next generation of primary care clinicians?

    Kenneth Botelho, DMSc, PA-C
  • The moment I knew medicine needed more than science

    Vaishali Jha
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

      Anonymous | Education
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • Registered dietitians on your care team [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • ER threats aren’t rare anymore—they’re routine

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • JFK warned us about physical fitness. Sixty years later, we’re still not listening.

      Alexandre Bourcier, MD | Conditions
    • The silent threat in health care layoffs

      Todd Thorsen, MBA | Tech
    • Why true listening is crucial for future health care professionals [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

      Anonymous | Education
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • Registered dietitians on your care team [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • ER threats aren’t rare anymore—they’re routine

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • JFK warned us about physical fitness. Sixty years later, we’re still not listening.

      Alexandre Bourcier, MD | Conditions
    • The silent threat in health care layoffs

      Todd Thorsen, MBA | Tech
    • Why true listening is crucial for future health care professionals [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...