Now here today, this room is full of medical students
Don't let them anesthetize you. Don't let them numb you out to the miracle of life.
Always live in awe of the glorious mechanism of the human body.
Let that be the focus of your studies, and not a quest for grades...
which'll give you no idea what kind of doctor you will become.
[ Man ] Please try and address the board.
Don't wait till you're on the ward to get your humanity back.
Start your interviewing skills now. Start talking to strangers,
Talk to your friends, talk to wrong numbers, talk to everyone.
- Mr. Adams ! - And cultivate friendships...
with those amazing people standing at the back of the room-- nurses that could teach you.
They've been with people every day. They wade through blood and shit.
They have a wealth of knowledge to share with you, and so do the professors you respect--
the ones who are not dead from the heart up.
- Share their compassion. Let that be contagious. - Mr. Adams.
l demand that you turn and address the board.
Sir, l wanna be a doctor with all my heart.
l wanted to become a doctor so l could serve others...
and because of that l've lost everything...
but l've also gained everything.
l've shared the lives of patients and staff members at the hospital.
l've laughed with them, l've cried with them.
This is what l wanna do with my life.
And as God as my witness...
no matter what your decision today, sir...
l will still become the best damn doctor the world has ever seen.
Now you have the ability to prevent me from graduating.
You can keep me from getting the title and the white coat.
But you can't control my spirit, gentlemen.
You can't keep me from learning, you can't keep me from studying.
So you have a choice; you could have me as professional colleague...
passionate...
or you can have me as an outspoken outsider, still adamant.
Either way, l'll probably still be viewed as a thorn.
But l promise you one thing.
l am a thorn that will not go away.
ls that all ?
l hope not, sir.
We'll adjourn briefly.
[ Chuckles ]
[ Laughs ]