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This leads me to question whether ancient legends of fantastic life span for humans may not have a basis in reality. For exam- ple, thousands of years prior to the biblical era, a Sumerian legend relates the tale of a hero-type figure by the name of Gilgamesh who travelled far and wide in his quest for eternal life. He finally found a plant growing under water that was able to bestow the immortality that Gilgamesh sought. As the tale goes, however, instead of consuming the plant, he fell asleep. During his slum- ber, a snake ate the plant—hence the mythological explanation for snakes constantly shedding and renewing their skin. The moral lesson of the story is, I suppose, "you snooze, you lose". Due to Gilgamesh's carelessness, humankind was denied the secret of eternal life.” Alas, mythological descriptions of the "plant," if that is what it was, are not sufficient to make a positive identification. This leads me to question whether ancient legends of fantastic One day I was summoned to the dean's office and told that there life span for humans may not have a basis in reality. For exam- was "something wrong" with my performance in a particular ple, thousands of years prior to the biblical era, a Sumerian legend class. Since my grades had been good in this class up till that relates the tale of a hero-type figure by the name of Gilgamesh point, I was taken aback. I asked the dean to tell me precisely who travelled far and wide in his quest for eternal life. He finally what I was doing wrong and who had made the criticism. I also found a plant growing under water that was able to bestow the asked why the person making the complaint had taken it to the immortality that Gilgamesh sought. As the tale goes, however, dean instead of addressing me directly as per school protocol. He instead of consuming the plant, he fell asleep. During his slum- refused to answer and became agitated. I replied that if indeed I ber, a snake ate the plant—hence the mythological explanation for was doing something wrong I had the right to know the precise snakes constantly shedding and renewing their skin. The moral nature of the complaint as well as the identity of the person mak- lesson of the story is, I suppose, "you snooze, you lose". Due to ing it. The dean's reply was that I had no such right because his Gilgamesh's carelessness, humankind was denied the secret of office was not a courtroom. This was to become a fairly standard eternal life.” Alas, mythological descriptions of the "plant," if that line of defence for the medical school administration. is what it was, are not sufficient to make a positive identification. Despite my initial good grades and evaluations, the situation deteriorated as I progressed through clinical clerkships. Despite MEDICAL SCHOOL REALPOLITIK the fact that my performance outshone that of many other stu- One would have thought that a student dents, I found myself receiving negative eval- capable of doing research such as this would uations. Many of these evaluations were be a cause for great enthusiasm at any med- from individuals that I never served under, ical school. My faculty advisor described and hence, were pure fabrication. On other me as "the most motivated student he has evaluation forms, the signature of the evalua- ever had." Alas, however, I would soon tor was either absent altogether or was so learn that there were individuals who con- illegible that even the clerkship coordinator sidered me a threat rather than a prodigy, claimed not to know who the person was. and I was soon to be plunged into a con- This was an obvious attempt to shield the frontation with forces that, at the time, I individual from litigation. Protesting this could not comprehend. wl was soon to be kind of outright fraud to medical school Between my first and second year of med- plunged into a administration fell on deaf ears, and only ical school, I was summoned to the office of . . resulted in new criticism charging that I was a school administration — official. confrontation with being "defensive." In classic witch-hunt fash- Conversation quickly turned to my research. | forces that, at the time ion, any attempts by me to show that the This raised my interest, as this offi- , , charges against me were false were only cial's duties did not include oversight I could not reinterpreted as additional evidence of comprehend. of student research programs. He my guilt or even psychopathology. I declined to answer when I asked the was referred to a psychologist and put identity of the person that had through a battery of personality invento- informed him of my work. He asked ries. When these came back normal, the why I had decided to create my own school administration simply ignored research project rather than simply the results and proceeded to make me signing on to one of the many existing jump through an infinite series of new projects offered by faculty members. hoops in order to make me appreciate This was, in his words "what most stu- my status as persona non-grata. This dents did." I answered that I was not treatment finally resulted in my leaving "most" students and that I had entered medical school partway through my medicine because I wanted to find new third year. My antagonists realised that solutions to problems that convention- I could not afford legal aid and thus felt al research had failed to find. Rather than eliciting praise and secure that their machinations could not be effectively countered. encouragement, my answer only seemed to make him impatient Other more mysterious goings-on seemed to swirl around my and agitated. He enquired as to what was wrong with the avail- research while at medical school. One faculty member refused to able research projects. I responded that they were mundane and address me in the halls and made a point of walking out during too limited by conventional paradigms to yield anything of impor- conferences when I presented my research. On more than one tance in our battle with disease. I now went on the offensive and occasion, I entered my lab to find that my possessions had been asked what was wrong with my research, especially in light of the searched. To top things off, I received phone calls from someone fact that I was bringing money and positive publicity to the claiming to be my friend. This person informed me that things school. He replied that "of course there was nothing wrong", and would "only get worse" for me at medical school unless I this concluded our meeting. I could not help but be left with the "stopped playing God". He refused to give his name or to explain impression that this official did not accomplish his aims. My precisely what he meant by his admonition. inquiries to other students revealed that no one else had under- As one can imagine, my leaving medical school was like lifting gone such an experience. a huge weight from my shoulders, despite the fact that I had to This encounter was a turning point in my sojourn through med- discontinue my research. The oncologist that I had worked with ical school and the subsequent campaign of behind-the-scenes later perished ostensibly of a heart attack while on vacation. persecution and harassment levelled against me left me thinking that someone was taking lessons from the Malleus Maleficarum. Continued on page 77 plunged into a confrontation with forces that, at the time, I could not comprehend. JUNE — JULY 2005 NEXUS +29 ...1 was soon to be Continued on page 77 www.nexusmagazine.com