Coaching or Learning

Today is the last day to pay the fees at IMS for their last CAT Batch for 2007 CAT. Yes, after a lot of contemplation I decided to take a chance in chucking my Medical career and give the CAT a shot. I was going to give GRE and GMAT anyways; I thought I'd prepare for the mother of all exams and give the baby exams as a bonus.

I was never a fan of coaching classes. I think they spoon-feed you all the detail; and leave you with the sole task of mugging up the data they serve you. No thanks, I'd rather learn.

Unfortunately, that ideological approach did not serve me well during my 10th or 12th std. board exams. For my 12th I decided to try doing Maths and French on my own. My aim was, perhaps only to pass - which I eventually did - but not without sacrificing a lot of time from the other subjects, which I needed to concentrate on very badly. Not to mention the arrhythmias I used to suffer in the period between the Board Exams and the results. I was confident of failing. You know, I hadn't passed a single exam on my own in Maths or French in the two years I studied it. Maths, at least I was in the borderline- but in French, my marks used hang around in the 10% area.

I realized - the mistake I made was not asking for help when I needed it. In this case help cam with hefty fees, but I should have gone for classes. That's how it is in these competitive days, you can't afford to waste time figuring out things for yourself.

IMS. After some research I came to the conclusion that all the MBA Coaching classes are more or less equal - it depends on how much work the subject is willing to put in. Like all classes, I suppose. I wasn't going to consider IMS because it was a wee bit more expensive than the others - but I attended a counselling session which they had and I was left spellbound. They wanted to concentrate on basics. They wanted to teach me concepts. They were not interested in formulae or short-cuts. I thought, maybe, this might just work out.

To quit my medical career is a decision I made with a very heavy heart. I visited Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai) yesterday and I had a lot of difficulty in convincing myself that I would be better off in Management. I know I can become a good clinician. I also know that the current hospital I am in does not provide me with any skills, opportunities, nor goals which will make me want to stay in this field.