You and others can continue to misuse this term, but it’s not my intention at all to “troll” in this thread. I’ve shadowed probably 10 different specialties besides EM before this volunteering experience and I’ve never seen patients who look like some of the ones who’ve walked into the ER. What’s even more offensive is the ER staff seriously expecting me to get involved in disgusting, base tasks like making physical contact with people who are abnormally and detestably overweight and sweating like pigs. It’s amazing to me that so many of you in this thread are comfortable with this sort of stuff. I guess it’s just different strokes for different folks. Personally, I’m glad I stay as far away from this stuff as possible. Nurses make decent money, but I’d rather drink gasoline than do what they do for a living. Just sick.
You should have a bit more respect for them, if this is the case. You seemed to belittle them and their roles in the earlier pages of this thread.
Trust me, they've earned my respect. For the life of me I cannot figure out how people willingly choose to do these jobs every day. I'm sure they could have done other things and made similar money.
At most I'd say I'll be doing one year of it (during 3rd year). Highly doubtful that I do this during residency.
That's definitely a reason why shadowing is really really important. This process helps you to see the work of a doctor at many different levels and in many different areas. Sometimes medicine is not pretty.
You mean to say you'd prefer to do busy work than actually be useful? You'd rather run errands that associate with the patients? That's why I don't get why you want to be a doctor.
Please dude... imagine a 350+ pound greasy oaf who's wet with his own sweat all over. Can you seriously tell me you'd be ok touching someone like that? It's one thing to ask him questions or give him a meal... but that is crossing the line, plain and simple.
Simmer down there, sparky. Why so sensitive all the time? You'd think I was insulting your family member or something the way you react to my posts. I'm just describing my short time in an activity all pre-meds participate in before they apply to medical school. This is how I feel about my experience there. If you feel differently, that's good for you. We're all unique.
Keep your distance for hygienic purposes? So sick people have to be clean to be cared for??? Idk man if you are disgusted by obese or "dirty" people I think you're going to have problems but that's just me
"foully rancid creatures," huh? You must be a troll
That would be ideal, but the other people there were using their bare hands so it would be sort of awkward if I was the only one requesting gloves. So I instead just said no, which I suppose is even more awkward, but whatever. It is what it is.
Not cared for, touched. There's a difference. I have no problem with diagnosing any patient, no matter how he looks/smells. But touching is a different story.
You act as if all of these people are genetically predisposed to these "sicknesses" as you call them. A lifestyle of sloth and unrestrained Burger King binges is more likely the reason.
People are people. Calling a person a creature is a very offensive thing to say. We find it a bit off-putting.
OP, it's not simply that you raised this question, which is weird to begin with, but that you continue to describe ill patients as you do. I mean, they came into the ER because they're not feeling well.
Well, hopefully I match into Pathology or something else that requires ZERO patient contact then.
Well, the question was asked because I wasn't sure if I needed to actually interact with patients in order for this experience to qualify as "clinical" volunteering. Ideally any sort of volunteer work in a hospital/clinic could be considered clinical volunteering. As far as the whole "smell the patient" thing, well... I am doing so, but I'm intentionally avoiding doing much more than that because it disturbs me greatly to be in the vicinity of certain types of patients.
You have to get into medical school first and that's not going to happen. Don't start whining at me now. Since you've read all the responses to this thread, you know why you'll never be a physician.
You sure about that? I have a beastly 3.92 gpa, I smoked the ACT and SAT and thus should have no trouble with the MCAT, and I should have at least average clinical experience by next year. I'd say I'm a lock. Many of you overestimate how difficult it is to get in.
All these standardized entrance tests are all fairly similar to some degree. You don't really see someone who obliterated the ACT/SAT getting handled by the MCAT. The MCAT requires more studying and a larger knowledge base, but it shouldn't be that bad. And again, my GPA alone would easily get me into medical school as I'm sure it's in the >99th percentile for the majority of schools. It's going to be easy getting in.
From a fellow SAT smoker who plans to rock the MCAT, 'no trouble' is hilarious.
Those are not even similar tests...the SAT isn't even a studyable/study-worthy exam!
Well, you'd see the outlines of them. Still pretty scary, eh?
Disagree. The MCAT requires studying, while the SAT requires absolutely ZERO studying. If someone is smart and a good standardized tester, but sucks at studying, they can easily rock the SAT and blow the MCAT.
I couldn't agree more. You sound like you're having fun! Being a doctor is pretty sweet then?He can't live with only one day of videogames.
He NEVER talks about time with other people. OR working out/exercising. Hell, he never talk about video games with other people or playing sports(only talks about watching sports like an armchair QB).
Balanced life is a happy life. It might cause him an MI to know there are people who work hard, and PLAY hard. I work my butt off, play videogames, watching sports now(March Madness FTW), and have a date set up next week. Life is good, and his "high amount of free time" means nothing to me whatsoever. I'm still smiling every day
Good work. You mastered high school content.
Not necessarily. And there's also psychiatry, which is not a competitive specialty at all. Pathology is moderately competitive at best.Sounds like you would be a best fit for rads/path.
which means you need to bust your ass for 80+ hours for the four years of med school with insane studying, research, and working long hours on rotations to get the best possible residency to earn your chance to to work in the rads room or path lab seeing no sweaty fatty mcfatties.
Remember, your grades don't matter if your ECs aren't tip top. As you know, you need HIGHLY strong ECs, and your GPA means nothing for the MCAT. Until you take a practice test, then you will know. As you already know, you need to spend countless hours to max out your MCAT as high as you can.
Plus, interviewing. You need to express to them a broad amount of interests/hobbies(no adcom gives a **** about videogames or sports), and go in depth on your long hours of research and clinical experience. It's not bad, but a lot of work
Noooooooo
Says the guy who works 80 hours a week.He can't live with only one day of videogames.
He NEVER talks about time with other people. OR working out/exercising. Hell, he never talk about video games with other people or playing sports(only talks about watching sports like an armchair QB).
Balanced life is a happy life. It might cause him an MI to know there are people who work hard, and PLAY hard. I work my butt off, play videogames, watching sports now(March Madness FTW), and have a date set up next week. Life is good, and his "high amount of free time" means nothing to me whatsoever. I'm still smiling every day
The standard salary of a psychiatrist who works 45 hours is somewhere around 170K, an internist who works 45 hours is 185K, an EM doctor who works 45 hours is 250K, etc. It's very basic. Just scale down the salary in a way that is commensurate to the fewer hours worked and you will see how EASY it is for doctors to clear six figures working bum hours.
I highly doubt you killed your ACT (no offense). And of course you studied. You memorized the necessary formulas from your geometry, algebra and trigonometry classes because you couldn't possibly do the math section without knowing certain equations. There is much more to study on the MCAT, which is the difference. Most of the studying is done by learning the material in your classes the first time. Since there is much more material on the MCAT, more time is required for studying. Simple.
That doctor seems pretty self actualized to me. That is something that has clearly eluded you and I don't think you will achieve it with your current mindset.Says the guy who works 80 hours a week.
I don't envy your "balanced life" that involves getting up at 4:30 am every day and coming back home to 1 hour of free time one bit. Never have and never will. My life's going to be waaaay better.
