The Reluctant Doctor

By Reggie Waldrup

I trudged full force into the medical profession without understanding exactly why
my fate of becoming a doctor was set in stone by a very persuasive Jewish mother. Well
meaning, she brainwashed me to live her dream rather than my own. I rebelled unsuccessfully
to escape this fate, but I was overmatched in the attempt to do so. My highly unusual
experiences along the way were shaped by the child within me trying to meet subconscious
maternal expectations which were resisted by my well disguised inner calling in other
directions. These inner passions later surfaced in unanticipated ways and allowed me
eventually to become the person with whom I could come to terms.

The story starts with my interesting collegiate years at the University of Pennsylvania.
Entering this Institution, I felt totally inadequate to match up to, what I considered to be, "Ivy
League Geniuses". I was relieved when I found out with enough studying, unlike my slacking off
approach to my high school courses, I could not only succeed but excel to do well enough to
gain admittance to one of the best medical schools in the country. My first year in med school
started well enough with me winning the top anatomy award in my class. It quickly changed
when I discovered I did not like the clinical work and actually hated the sight of blood or other
assorted bodily fluids. Totally disillusioned with medicine I took refuge in chasing women and
playing sports for the following 6 years. Many bizarre and hilarious experiences resulted during
my concluding medical school years, my internship in Philadelphia and the following year
returning to my childhood home in the New York City area. Completely disgusted with internal
medicine during that horrific internship year I broke off an engagement in Philadelphia,
relinquishing my apartment to my fianc? and waited for my career changing residency in Long
Island to begin. The year off following my waiting period between internship and residency in
radiology continues to be filled with many unusual and comedic experiences, though some
painful at the time. I candidly admit my addictive crutches along the way during my many
career phases so that my readers can gain an understanding of how apparently successful
professionals make it through the pressure situations they often confront. My future wife
settled me down during our early romantic months followed by our wedding eight months after
we met at a dance in an upper eastside bar in New York City. I was able to turn around my
prior dismal performance in radiology to become one of the best residents and passing my
radiology board exam. It seemed like I had it made with the birth of our first child and passing a
very challenging radiology board exam to be certified in my chosen field. The book concludes
with the move of my expanding family to Baltimore to begin a fellowship. This adventure
begins what is the material of Part 2 of my story.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0BTRFRBKD
• ISBN13: 9798376054857
• Release Date: February 2023
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"