I graduated from Medical School two weekends ago.  For those of you non-doctors imagine your college graduation plus winning the Nobel Prize and the Super Bowl.  That’s how you are treated by friends, family and people who would like you to think of them as friends or family.  The best though is the love you get from doctors…the same ones who will be treating you like garbage once residency begins. But for now it’s all good.

All the attention though attracts it’s fair share of haters and the numbers are multiplied when for whatever reason people think you don’t deserve what you’ve got or getting what you’ve got would have been harder for them.  Think Obama’s Nobel Prize or Eli Manning’s Super Bowl.

Once again there is no easy answer. I am not going to tell you to hide your accomplishment like it’s something to be ashamed of and I am not going to tell you to proclaim your greatness extra hard because some are trying to cover their ears.

You should be sensitive i.e. Don’t show up at an unemployed person’s parent’s house, even if they are not there. You will be the subject of a phone call and your popularity with that person will plummet. You should also stand your ground – don’t let some random acquaintance tear you or your vocation down and proclaim in a self-righteous fashion they would NEVER do what you’re doing (yes this happens to doctors too) in order to justify not being as accomplished as you.

Are you a birthday person? If you are the type that settles for nothing less than an all out birthday party complete with gifts, invitations, cake, a meal and at least two activities than you probably want to and should celebrate your graduation with the works.  If you’re the type that normally just has a nice dinner and a glass of wine on your big day than you should probably make do with the smattering of cards from Aunts and a knowing smile from your parents.

Finally it’s more likely than not if you’re a longtime reader of this site you are probably on the other side of this coin.  It sucks, it’s not fair and I can’t imagine. Now congratulate the graduate. They will understand the fact that you can’t take them out for drinks or spring for a crazy roadtrip to AC. If the graduation has given them a big head and all they do is chatter about their future salary please don’t take it personal 99% of the time they don’t know what they are doing. Give it time and hopefully they will go back to normal – and if not their loss.

Finally, as you well know, you can graduate today and be on skid row tomorrow. Doctors aren’t immune either. We are always one lawsuit away from ruin and we still don’t know what affect healthcare reform will have.  If a graduate is pulling a Mike Triforce there is a good chance his comeuppance are on the way. In the meantime don’t hate me cuz I am shinin’.