“I am still learning.”
— Michelangelo at age 87

While some of us may not perceive ourselves as full time students, as healthcare professionals we know we are lifelong students. Whether is it continuing education requirements, re-certifications, or additional training courses to change specialties, disciplines, careers or jobs, we are always learning and gaining new knowledge and skills. Some of our education may not be formal or even intentional but rather through day to day engagement and interactions with others, where all of a sudden you think, “Wow, I didn’t know that.”  That’s a student moment, even if you didn’t recognize it.

November 17th was chosen as International Students day to commemorate an incident in 1939 when students of the Medical Faculty at Charles University in Prague held a demonstration to celebrate the formation of an independent Czechoslovak Republic. The event received political push-back and violence and the first observance took place in 1941 at the International Students’ Council in London to honor the student activists. 

It is the perfect opportunity for us to honor students of the world, who are working hard to achieve their career goals and make a difference.  Just as we, as Healthcare Professionals and lifelong students, are also making a difference to so many individuals whose lives intersect with our work.