Great responses by several SDN people. I concur. Do what you want to do, do what drives you, do what makes you passionate. Ignore the naysayers. Most physicians I contacted prior to applying to medical school (I've worked with thousands) told me NOT to do it. They are bitter, dour, depressed and frankly, need to retire. These are the physicians that gave us the mess we have today. These are the physicians who gave us HMOs (a 1980s anomaly), which gave us PPOs and now the real mess we have today: staggered 90+ days reimbursement schedule. It is pathetic. Those physicians who tell people like us NOT to go into medicine should be slapped down (figuratively). If they whine in front of me, I give it to them. "You are dour. You are part of the problem. Make room for people like me who want to be in medicine. Leave already". That shuts them up quickly
I told a specialist this recently, a former boss no less, when I recently shadowed him. He was sitting in his office talking to a young pre-med who was starry eyed to be in his presence, and he called me into his office to talk about the state of Medicine. i stopped him in 30 seconds. He stared at me as I told him, "remember, I am not 23 years old, like this young pre-med. Sweetheart, you are about to get quite an education by watching our interaction so take notes. Jim (fake name), I am older and I have no intentions of shutting up when people like you speak so dismally of medicine. I'll stand up to you and put you in check in a heart beat because I know better. You need to retire. Make it soon. I want your job. Stop complaining. You've made a go run at it. Perhaps it's time to make room for new blood"
and so forth.
Today I got my letter of reference from his secretary. It was glowing. He respects me and reads my blog regularly. You don't have to be an as*wipe to go into medicine. Know when to listen. If you are older and command respect, share a few thoughts with your audience. They might need to hear them. But make sure you have earned "the right to close"....going for the kill takes a skill, an earned opportunity b/c you have put in your time with your audience.
Dont let these buzzards keep you down. However, if you are going into medicine because of money, I would ask you to run for Congress instead. They make far more money and there are scores of people waiting for your admissions seat.
I am old(er) and I am thrilled with my past experiences. I wake every morning excited to be in medical school and look forward to my week, my year, my rotations and Residency....and Fellowship if it comes to that. Because medicine should be about a Journey.......not about arriving.
Salut!
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