Am I really meant to be a Physician?

[mrjayy24]

I remember a few years ago I was on YouTube and somehow I came across a video of an autopsy. I watched it from beginning to end, and I thought it was amazing. It made me look at the human body and human life in a completely different way, so much so, I immediately fell in love with medicine.

Fast forward to about now. Since then, I always do research about anything medical related and I like to teach myself here and there and I like to watch open heart surgery videos and to this day I still think it’s a beautiful sight. I’m in high school right now, but never took Chem or Physics but I plan on taking Chem next year so going into college would be just a little bit smoother as far as taking pre req science courses go.

Before I go into my question, I feel like medicine is my calling because I’m willing to give up my life for this career, and I understand I will be working many many many hours a week, and I understand that I’m gonna have to miss many family occasions. I’m willing to lose it all to become a doctor because I know what comes with it.

I love math and science, especially math. However, I don’t really find Chem or Physics or those pre requisite classes really interesting, but I find medical science such as anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, etc. to be very interesting. I know taking the pre reqs is just one of the hurdles needed to get over to get to medical school. I’m just concerned that just because I don’t find pre req sciences interesting, will that make it harder for me to the point that should I reconsider my career choice?

(By the way, I don’t see myself doing anything else.)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[longhaul3]

That's awesome. It's great to be interested in science and medicine at a young age. It's also great that you're thinking about the path to being a physician.

Nobody is really "meant to be a physician." You don't need to give up your life to be a doctor. It's a career, and yes, it takes more time and sacrifice than most careers, but no doctor has to give up his/her life or a chance to have a family, etc. Medicine is a hugely diverse field with tons of different career and lifestyle options ranging from brutal to truly luxurious.

If you don't find those prerequisite courses interesting, no big deal. Maybe you will struggle a little, but lots of people struggle on the premed path.

Take it one step at a time. At minimum you're 5 years from med school, 9 years from being an MD, and 12 years from being a practicing physician. Presumably that's over 2/3 of your current age, my point being that a lot is going to happen between now and then. I also didn't see myself doing anything else when I was in high school, then I meandered down a totally different career path in college and for a number of years afterwards before eventually finding my way back to medical school.

 

[deleted480308]

I remember a few years ago I was on YouTube and somehow I came across a video of an autopsy. I watched it from beginning to end, and I thought it was amazing. It made me look at the human body and human life in a completely different way, so much so, I immediately fell in love with medicine.

Fast forward to about now. Since then, I always do research about anything medical related and I like to teach myself here and there and I like to watch open heart surgery videos and to this day I still think it’s a beautiful sight. I’m in high school right now, but never took Chem or Physics but I plan on taking Chem next year so going into college would be just a little bit smoother as far as taking pre req science courses go.

Before I go into my question, I feel like medicine is my calling because I’m willing to give up my life for this career, and I understand I will be working many many many hours a week, and I understand that I’m gonna have to miss many family occasions. I’m willing to lose it all to become a doctor because I know what comes with it.

I love math and science, especially math. However, I don’t really find Chem or Physics or those pre requisite classes really interesting, but I find medical science such as anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, etc. to be very interesting. I know taking the pre reqs is just one of the hurdles needed to get over to get to medical school. I’m just concerned that just because I don’t find pre req sciences interesting, will that make it harder for me to the point that should I reconsider my career choice?

(By the way, I don’t see myself doing anything else.)

just get good grades, be a nice kid, and don't get arrested for something stupid. That's pretty much your job right now

I don't buy this being a calling that someone is "meant for". It's a job. A hard one, an interesting one, an occasionally draining and usually well paying one. You don't have to love ever step of this journey

 

[mrjayy24]

That's awesome. It's great to be interested in science and medicine at a young age. It's also great that you're thinking about the path to being a physician.

Nobody is really "meant to be a physician." You don't need to give up your life to be a doctor. It's a career, and yes, it takes more time and sacrifice than most careers, but no doctor has to give up his/her life or a chance to have a family, etc. Medicine is a hugely diverse field with tons of different career and lifestyle options ranging from brutal to truly luxurious.

If you don't find those prerequisite courses interesting, no big deal. Maybe you will struggle a little, but lots of people struggle on the premed path.

Take it one step at a time. At minimum you're 5 years from med school, 9 years from being an MD, and 12 years from being a practicing physician. Presumably that's over 2/3 of your current age, my point being that a lot is going to happen between now and then. I also didn't see myself doing anything else when I was in high school, then I meandered down a totally different career path in college and for a number of years afterwards before eventually finding my way back to medical school.

just get good grades, be a nice kid, and don't get arrested for something stupid. That's pretty much your job right now

I don't buy this being a calling that someone is "meant for". It's a job. A hard one, an interesting one, an occasionally draining and usually well paying one. You don't have to love ever step of this journey

Thank you both for your answers I really appreciate it. I will keep everything the both of you said in the back of mind as I go along.