Personal Narrative: Family Traditions

I belong to a family where being a physician has become a tradition. Not long ago, none of my forefathers were educated. It all changed when my grandfather had a problem with his knees. The best doctors in the country advised a biopsy and a sample was taken and sent to the U.K. My family was shocked when the results reported a malignant growth and doctors advised an above knee amputation. How could a young, healthy and athletic man like my grandfather have such a deadly disease? A hero appeared, in the unlikely form of a doctor from my small hometown of Umerkot. Back then, the city was pre-industrial; and most people lived without basic amenities like electricity and a municipal water supply. Therefore it was not to be expected that doctor from such a backward area would say that a lab result could be wrong. Given my grandfather’s young age and contradictory symptoms he urged a repeat of the test. The doctor from Umerkot was right! The results came back negative this time. Not only was my grandfather able to live longer, but he lived without ever having any surgery. Indeed the doctor was a hero! As a result my father became a physician. Not only that but when he got engaged to my mother, who came from an area where women were denied an education, the …show more content…
In fact, as a child I did not want to be a physician. I resented all the time my parents spent serving patients, it took them away from me. As I grew up I began to understand what effect they had on their patient’s lives. My eyes were opened and my heart when I saw many stories of changed lives, that lady with tears of joy when she conceived after ten years, and an old man who recovered after getting a proper treatment for his tuberculosis. The difference they made in people’s lives made me realize that it is an honor and pleasure to serve people and then I decided to follow in their footsteps to become a successful physician and I made it a lifetime