Quitting Medical School - Help...

[andrewtayl]

Hi,

I've been having a bit of an inner crisis and don't really know who to turn you.

I'm coming to the end of my 4th year of Medical school with one more to go (I also intercalated and got a BSc in Physiology last year). Problem is I'm fairly certain that medicine is not what I want to do with my life. I've been feeling this way for months now and feel completely torn up inside and in utter turmoil. I'm 24 and feel like I've ruined my life.

I went into medicine because I wanted a career that was interesting, challenging and worthwhile with good job prospects, financially comfortable and stable. I did work experience before applying and thought medicine was right for me as it provided all of these and also meant that I could work anywhere in the country.

But now I feel like I've completely destroyed my life:

- Medicine doesn't allow you to work anywhere in the country, it just means you can BE SENT to work anywhere in the country, with nothing you can do about it.
- The work isn't challenging, it's overwhelming
- The debt I've accrued with extra years of study, loans and missing out on earning a salary for several years has meant I am in too much debt to do anything else, but wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for medicine
- The working conditions are terrible (low staff morale, unpleasant workplaces, no benefits, high pressure) and are only going to get worse
- The long, anti-social hours are extremely hard work and not worth it
- Added to this having to work non-stop to pass exams, carry out audits, get published, get skills signed off, etc means there's no time for a life

My biggest fear is that I have and will continue to spend my youth slaving away in hospitals for seemingly no reward at the end. The majority of the junior and senior doctors I see are incredibly stressed and tired and I keep thinking to myself - is this really worth it? There's more to life than this. I won't look back when I'm 65 and think 'thank God I spent all my life slaving away in a hospital for this'.

I was just wondering if anyone else has thoughts like this and how they deal with them? I know I only have one year left to go but let's face it finals will be hell and if I decide not to go into foundation training I'll be 25 with huge debts and no work experience of any kind. I know medicine is a hard degree but it's not directly related to anything else and won't look any better than the BSc I already have. I'm seriously considering just finishing off 4th year in a few weeks, applying to masters courses and hoping to God I can get on one and get out of medicine. I am worried how quitting medicine so late on will look though. I've been looking at MSc's in Management. During that year I could at least get some work experience and apply for jobs. When I think of not having to spend any more time on wards I just feel so relieved.

Sorry this is a bit of a rant...

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Arb]

I take it you are in the UK?

- Medicine doesn't allow you to work anywhere in the country, it just means you can BE SENT to work anywhere in the country, with nothing you can do about it.
Are you sure about that? You must have a choice of training schemes and if one is not in an area that you prefer, then don't apply there.

- The work isn't challenging, it's overwhelming
As a student, how can you not find medicine challenging? That's mindblowing. It sounds like it is too challenging and you need some help. Part of your duties is to get things done in a short amount of time and do it WELL. It can certainly be overwhelming but, bear in mind, your experience of medicine will change as you progress. The workload is bottom heavy. Regardless of what you do, if you're having trouble then you will be stressed and won't enjoy it.

- The debt I've accrued with extra years of study, loans and missing out on earning a salary for several years has meant I am in too much debt to do anything else, but wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for medicine
With today's economy don't assume you would be in a position to draw a salary. There are very few jobs that have the security of a medical practitioner.

- The working conditions are terrible (low staff morale, unpleasant workplaces, no benefits, high pressure) and are only going to get worse
That's the general consensus for Ireland and UK. Despite what you think, medicine affords you a tremendous amount of mobility. I would suggest trying for the US and see if it's more suited for you.

- The long, anti-social hours are extremely hard work and not worth it
The hours are long but not anti-social. Medicine is all about teams now. You are surrounded by people all the time. It's up to you to decide on how you wish to interact and if you think the work is worth it. As a UK student you have very few responsibilities and don't practice any medicine so it's hard to see the worthiness at the moment.

- Added to this having to work non-stop to pass exams, carry out audits, get published, get skills signed off, etc means there's no time for a life
Grass is always greener... People in other professions work hard as well. They experience stress, deal with audits, and have to constantly prove their relevance too so you won't escape that by quitting medicine.

You're young and believe me, you don't have a huge debt load. I would suggest you finish medical school considering you are almost done as the degree can open up many doors for you outside of medicine. You can go into insurance, law, business, research, pharmaceuticals, sales, the list goes on. A Medical degree > BSc. Besides, not finishing is a huge red flag in all future applications. Your experience as an UK medical student is not a good representation of the profession and you may just be sick of being a student. I would also suggest doing an elective in the US or Canada to see if that gets any of the desire back as clerkships there are very different.

 

[med2UCC]

I would have to agree with Arb. Talk to someone at your school as well; at UCC there was a student counselling service that was somewhat helpful and confidential. There should be a student health service at your school.
I was totally burned out after my 4th year of med school,partly because I worked full time through the year and partly because 4th year was just awful - poorly planned, oddly scheduled and not very rewarding. I really started to doubt what i was doing. Then I did my family medicine elective in Canada and remembered why I wanted to do medicine in the 1st place. Lots of the Irish students go to Australia to do a year or two of training, and many do a couple of years in the US. This seems to help them when they come back to aply for advanced training schemes.
In the long run, only you can decide if practicing medicine is for you. Finishing the degree will give you more options than a straight BSc, from working in a research lab to marketing. Doing a masters is a good plan too, but finish the primary degree 1st.
Good luck,
M

 

[Nick485]

I know someone who was in your position and ultimately decided medicine wasn't for them. They finished their degree and went into an MBA program. This allowed them to become involved in the pharmaceutical industry and they are very happy (and well off). I would suggest finishing your degree and then making a decision as to whether or not you want to continue in medicine. Your medical degree can be useful to you, even if you choose not to become a practicing doctor. I hope you are able to make a decision that suits your needs. Good luck

 

[irsr]

If medicine is not for you, then it isn't for you and that's that. I'm sure you've had a lot of opportunity to think carefully about the career and its prospects. Given you are in your final year of medical school, I suggest you finish your degree and then go on to do your masters or whatever other degree you decide is more suitable for you. It's not too late. You have not lost your life. You are young and well-experienced. There is plenty of time left. Best of luck.

 

[andrewtayl]

Thanks for all your replies, it's been interesting to hear your views and to see replies from people who have felt similarly.

I know that I'm not going to drop out of the course. Whatever I ultimately decide to do a medical degree will look great, better than a lot of other degrees and certainly better than quitting so close to the end. Next year is going to be extremely tough if my heart is not in it, but I will have to struggle on. I still wish i had never chosen medicine, but there's nothing I can do about the decisions I have already made! Just work and try to improve things.

I have spoken to a careers guidance counsellor about my options, what I want from a career and why I don't think medicine will be able to give that to me. The areas I'm interested in are management/accountancy and will look into applying for jobs in these area during my final year. I have also spoken to a counsellor about managing my stress and anxiety so that i am able to feel less panicked, like a failure and able to focus.

I have a portfolio review next week and am in two minds to discuss my thoughts with her and my hospital dean.

The idea of leaving medicine with at the end of 5th year with no firm other option is scary as I have bank loans to pay back so really do need some sort of other option to pay them back if I don't become an F1!!

 

[Chest Cutter]

Andrewtayl,

After reading your post I have absolutely no idea where your concept of a career in medicine originally came from?? Medicine is supposed to be hard! If it was easy then everyone would do it. I seriously think you should have a sit down with the oldest consultant you can find and ask them what it used to be like. Only then will you appreciate how good we have it now. Trainees back then HAD NO LIFE. They moved around the country, re-applying for SHO posts every 6 months until they got a SpR post. They were then stuck in this limbo until they were lucky enough to get appointed as consultant. They were doing 72 hour in-house on-calls / 3 weeks of nights! Working 1 in 3-4 rotas. One of my consultants was doing 1 in 2 for 24h on-calls as a reg!!! And he still operated the next day!

I’m qualified, earning good pay, all my debts are paid off, I still have fun, and most of all I have job security! None of my non-medical friends have this. In this economy that’s worth a hell of a lot. Yes training is tough, it doesn’t get easier… but it gets better. Everyone whinges now and again but ultimately nobody regrets doing medicine once you start taking appreciation for your own sacrifices.

And finally, medicine is your ticket to the rest of the world! So many of my friends have gone abroad to locum and then travel for a year.

Sorry, this is just my rant.

 

[blkprl]

Hi,

I've been having a bit of an inner crisis and don't really know who to turn you.

I'm coming to the end of my 4th year of Medical school with one more to go (I also intercalated and got a BSc in Physiology last year). Problem is I'm fairly certain that medicine is not what I want to do with my life. I've been feeling this way for months now and feel completely torn up inside and in utter turmoil. I'm 24 and feel like I've ruined my life.

I went into medicine because I wanted a career that was interesting, challenging and worthwhile with good job prospects, financially comfortable and stable. I did work experience before applying and thought medicine was right for me as it provided all of these and also meant that I could work anywhere in the country.

But now I feel like I've completely destroyed my life:

- Medicine doesn't allow you to work anywhere in the country, it just means you can BE SENT to work anywhere in the country, with nothing you can do about it.
- The work isn't challenging, it's overwhelming
- The debt I've accrued with extra years of study, loans and missing out on earning a salary for several years has meant I am in too much debt to do anything else, but wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for medicine
- The working conditions are terrible (low staff morale, unpleasant workplaces, no benefits, high pressure) and are only going to get worse
- The long, anti-social hours are extremely hard work and not worth it
- Added to this having to work non-stop to pass exams, carry out audits, get published, get skills signed off, etc means there's no time for a life

My biggest fear is that I have and will continue to spend my youth slaving away in hospitals for seemingly no reward at the end. The majority of the junior and senior doctors I see are incredibly stressed and tired and I keep thinking to myself - is this really worth it? There's more to life than this. I won't look back when I'm 65 and think 'thank God I spent all my life slaving away in a hospital for this'.

I was just wondering if anyone else has thoughts like this and how they deal with them? I know I only have one year left to go but let's face it finals will be hell and if I decide not to go into foundation training I'll be 25 with huge debts and no work experience of any kind. I know medicine is a hard degree but it's not directly related to anything else and won't look any better than the BSc I already have. I'm seriously considering just finishing off 4th year in a few weeks, applying to masters courses and hoping to God I can get on one and get out of medicine. I am worried how quitting medicine so late on will look though. I've been looking at MSc's in Management. During that year I could at least get some work experience and apply for jobs. When I think of not having to spend any more time on wards I just feel so relieved.

Sorry this is a bit of a rant...

No matter wha,t as everyone has said already you HAVE to finish your degree. Then after you are done decide on whether you want to stay in medicine or not. Other people have suggested doing rotations in Canada,
US or australia...good idea

you can also think about doing a mission trip to a third world country. that might perhaps help you reconnect with the reason why you decided to do medicine in the first place. In the US, a lot of the residency programs particular surgery have incorporated international rotations which helps burned out/disillusioned residents get a perspective on why they decided on medicine in the first place.

Best of luck