My Work And My Stammer

The 21st century workplace is so fast-paced that it could easily turn humans into emotionless robots. Could a stammering colleague be a check carefully designed by nature to force us to slow down, think about the next person and have meaningful conversations? Medical profession is one of such fast paced environments and a very challenging one at that. Apart from the voluminous wealth of knowledge one should have, it involves thinking on one’s feet, making quick decisions of dire consequences and communicating such. Add these to the possibility of making mistakes, getting complaints, failing exams, losing one’s medical licence, being struck off the register and so on, and this explains why anxiety, stress and exhaustion are commonplace in this profession. These emotions are amplified for stammering doctors, for whom unlike professionals dealing with computers, clay or pots, verbal communication is inevitable. I am one of those. The following are some of my most challenging workplace sce