![\"Matiram](\"http:\/\/www.bmj.com\/columns\/icons\/matiram_pun.jpg\")
I developed a strong interest in medicine and becoming a\u00a0doctor at the beginning of\u00a0high school. I liked the idea of being of service, the social respect doctors are afforded, and the bread and butter (financial reward) was fair enough.<\/p>\n
So I worked hard to realise my dream. There is no substitute for hard work and believing in oneself. It paid off. I got a scholarship and started\u00a0medical school, which I enjoyed very much.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, though, something else comes along and\u00a0you think: “Perhaps I’ll start this and will enjoy it more.”<\/p>\n
While learning basic science at medical school, the\u00a0professor who taught me physiology\u00a0was a board certified clinician from the US\u00a0who was involved in a number of physiological and clinical research to do with\u00a0mountain medicine and high altitude physiology.<\/p>\n
His name is\u00a0Dr Buddha Basnyat from Nepal.\u00a0He did a\u00a0thesis-based Masters degree in physiology\u00a0from Calgary, Canada,\u00a0and then internal medicine, as well as a fellowship from the USA.<\/p>\n
Armed with\u00a0these degrees, he returned to Nepal to teach medical students, practice medicine, and\u00a0do research. Now he mentors young doctors and medical students who are\u00a0researching\u00a0mountain medicine, high altitude physiology and tropical medicine.<\/p>\n
His different style of thinking (combined with a\u00a0traditional way of teaching which he\u00a0juggles with a\u00a0busy clinical practice), and the encouragement he gives to\u00a0young doctors, has inspired many of us to think about resarch and publication.<\/p>\n
In 2003, a Nepali society of mountain medicine (Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology) was established. He guided and supported to the young doctors.<\/p>\n
The society is active\u00a0in research, organising workshops and journal clubs in Nepal. It has enabled us to\u00a0know what research is and how a research paper is written.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0introduced us to Student BMJ, BMJ, Lancet, and\u00a0many other journals. He always encouraged us to read and write rapid responses.<\/p>\n
His strategy has already borne fruit.\u00a0Two of the society’s members (Kausha Raj Pandey and Siddartha Yadav) have already become BMJ Clegg Scholars. Some have\u00a0started publishing in very good journals. This is amazing.<\/p>\n
So I got fascinated with all these and involved myself\u00a0in many activities. Research seemed something that we can enjoy contributing to alongside\u00a0clinical medicine.<\/p>\n
This is why I’ve now joined a thesis based graduate program in Mountain Medicine and High Altitude Physiology (MMHAP) at the\u00a0University of Calgary, Calgary (Canada).<\/p>\n
So, being a hard-working doctor from the very competitive third world is fantastic. I’m\u00a0practicing\u00a0clinical medicine, but undertaking\u00a0research is even more fantastic.<\/p>\n
As I can see many Westerners do master’s in physiology or even PhD before entering medical school. I’m just doing it a different way round.<\/p>\n
By the way, I’m not going to quit clinical medicine.\u00a0I like the idea of doing clinical research alongside. In the mean-time, I’ll be concentrating on the program.<\/p>\n