A Med School Memoir

Today I’m a sad Panda. (stolen from an SDN thread.–thanks Depakote!)

I’ve been a long-time reader of PandaBear MD’s blog, so I was saddened today to learn that he’s decided to call it quits.

For those who haven’t read much from Dr. PandaBear, I strongly recommend that you get over there and look through his archives before he takes down his site. In the last couple months, he has posted a series of articles that I have found extremely helpful; if, like me, you’ll be starting med school in the fall, check out his articles on med school’s pre-clinical years, sections 1, 2, and 3. And then spend some quality time browsing the site–you’re sure to find something interesting and/or thought provoking within.

Some have called him pessimistic, some have called him bitter, some have called him a prick, or worse. He’s a staunch conservative and he wears it proudly. He often goes on long-winded rants about things that bother him, including “socialized” healthcare, and alternative medicine, to name a couple. He’s been known to rub many a pre-med and med student the wrong way for his “call it like I see it” frankness. I know that when I was first exposed to him, via the message boards of SDN, I was one of those who found his candor and strong viewpoint to be a little too much to handle, like your first sip of beer: cold, bitter, maybe a little repulsive.

But that was then. I continued to read his posts on SDN and follow his blog, and over time I grew to really appreciate the way he challenged my viewpoint. Furthermore, there is no denying that he is a sharp, witty, and extremely gifted writer. I wish I was half the blogger he is. He is capable of turning out biting prose with wonderful imagery and novel ideas–a truly rare thing in the blogging world. In his final blog entry, he mentioned that he plans on putting out a book one day. With his skills, I’m sure it will be superbly crafted, and I know I will be the first in line to buy it.

Considering that PandaBear is, from what I can tell, one of the most widely-read pre-med/med school/residency bloggers out there, I can only imagine that his announcement today will be met with a collective cry of “why?” from the medical blogosphere. In his final post, he mentions that the stress of blogging, compounded with the stresses of his final year of residency, and his personal financial situation ($250K of debt?!?) have become too much, and he needs to focus more on his family. It saddens me to hear that someone for whom I have so much respect is having such a hard time. While it’s a shame that we will lose such a beloved blogger, the fact is that one’s family, not to mention sanity, should be placed above the demands of a blog.

So, it is with a reluctant acceptance that I wish to bid PandaBear adieu.

PandaBear, if you read this, I just want you to know that I’ve gleaned a lot of helpful information and thoughtful perspective from your blog. I wish you the best. If you ever put out that book, please, please, please, let me know! Best wishes to you and your family, and best of luck with your final year of residency.

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