Not everybody gets to spend an hour talking about himself in front of a roomful of strangers.  But every year, I get to.

Each week, second-year medical students at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Grand Forks break into teams to study a different medical condition. The students themselves are responsible for much of the research that goes into their education.  It must be a very interesting way to learn.

On Fridays, a physician and a patient join them to answer student questions. This week, Altru Health System urologist Dr. R. Tony Highshaw and I talked about prostate cancer. Clearly the students appreciated Dr. Highshaw’s energy and enthusiasm.  I tried to keep  up.

After the “wrap-up” session,  one of the students said to me, this is the time of year when he gets a little weary of the books.  My heart melted when he said, “But you reminded me why I went into medicine in the first place.  It’s about helping people.”