For years, a doctor’s handwriting has been a topic of mockery. As a dental student, I finally realised the reason behind the illegibility of a doctor’s handwriting… My examinations just ended and what a challenge they had been: volumes to study and write. We practically script a new textbook in the 180-minute limit! Once the words “Your time starts now!” are uttered, the stop-clock starts ticking; it seems the clocks run faster than usual! We don’t even have the time to take a deep breath!
Much to my surprise, my handwriting —which adorned my record books and helped cover mistakes back in school — took a turn for the worse. I wonder what my examiner is making of what I’ve written; probably playing guessing games with the shape and style of the letters! I tried my best to finish my paper. There is no time to think and answer, thanks to the revised exam pattern! The pen keeps rolling and rolling!
Practical exams take their toll too! We have these spotters to identify and hardly a few seconds to do so! The worst adrenaline rush I experience is the run up to the moment when my result will appear on my computer screen.
Thanks to all this pressure, budding doctors just aim to finish the paper; forget the calligraphy. And this trend continues at their clinic too. Most pharmacists are used to this.
SRUTI MURALI, II Year, BDS, Sri Venkateswara Dental College
