Share Your Most Valuable Experience Before Starting Med School

[MDodgerMD]

Here's an inspirational and thought provoking thread for all those meditative or procrastinating in the forum!

Tell everyone about the one thing that you did before you entered medical school that was most important to you.

What specifically was it? Where? How long?

How did it (or didn't it) reinforce your desire to become a doctor?

Most of all, why is it so integral to your being an individual!

Enjoy!

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[jhk43]

Originally posted by MDodgerMD
What specifically was it?

My first lay.

Where?

Jellystone Nat'l Park

How long?

Felt like a minute and an eternity at the same time.

How did it (or didn't it) reinforce your desire to become a doctor?

A park doctor introduced us to the magic of birth control.

Enjoy!

It was o.k.

 

[StrngoutAS]

It's the constant battle of sarcasm vs. sincerity on SDN... I love it.

 

[ocean11]

Being sick throughout my undergrad re-enfoced my desire to become a doctor. Knowing what it was like to be a patient and spending quite some time with various specialists and in hospitals re-affirmed that this is what I wanted to do.

 

[Kimmer]

Sarcasm reared it's ugly head, but sincerity wins. How nice for us.

I think international travel changed me a lot. I became more self-reliant on my own backpacking everywhere. How long? 5 months, then 3 weeks, then 4 weeks.
Working in a nursing home changed me too. There were a lot of people there who would be out having real lives if they had the money to afford special therapy, or modified housing. It was a large dose of reality. It was hard seeing people nothing could help as well. Like the folks with Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. Dealing with the families was even harder than dealing with the patients. I was only there for 3 months because I got a job that payed more. That was a mistake though. I learned tons more doing the stuff no one wants to do at a place no one wants to be. I would recommend it!

 

[missbonnie]

hmm, hard to pick a particular experience. i think i may have lost the actual Q of this thread. But here goes. Over the past few years I've developed some close friendships with people significantly older than me. I must admit - I used to have some age discrimination, or maybe , like many others, I'm just caught up with "youth." Anyway, through these friendships - hanging out with them, etc. - I've learned a lot, such as that age is meaningless. They are some of the youngest people I know, and I can only aspire to be so full of life and vigor at their age (60+). They really inspire me to live life fully. I also see the physical limitations of their bodies. This is where the reinforcement of why medicine for me. Whatever field I utimately choose, I'm going for a preventive bent. I'm also aware that they may die soon. I haven't had anyone close to me die so it's had me look at death. They also give me alot of perspective on life - to not to take anything too seriously and that it's not who has the most toys/money at the end, it's who has the most fun.

 

[hakksar]

Search and Rescue, where else could you jump out of a hovering Blackhawk helicopter, reuinite a mother with her lost child, feel the tragedy of recovering deceased persons, and be an integral part of a team in saving countless lives of sick or injured people. All this before the age of 25! Wouldn't trade it for the world!

Edit: and to answer the original posters questions

How Long: 9 years, started when I was 16

Where: Throughout Colorado

Reinforcement in decision about medicine: Was the original motivating factor, every time a Paramedic would say "All we can do for him is get him to a Doctor" my decision was confirmed.

How it made me, me: Taught me self reliance, how to handle pressure, and how to lead effectively

 

[uclacrewdude]

getting laid was very valuable.

seriously, i had to take out an emergency loan just to finish paying for it.

 

[MoCookiess]

I also find a good lay to be very motivational.

 

[felipe5]

Originally posted by MoCookiess
I also find a good lay to be very motivational.

Really??? I find it to be quite UNMOTIVATIONAL........usually I just want to sleep right afterwards. or eat a sandwhich

But, I guess the next day is a completey different story , so I guess you guys are right

 

[lotanna]

Medical mission trip to Nigeria March 2004.
2 weeks
we saw over 4000 patients, conducted multiple surgeries, I was able to scrub in several surgeons in the OR, dental, eye care, HIV awareness program.

Showed me that success is relative and there's nothing like seeing the joy on a person's face, thats my personal satisfaction. That even when treatment isnt available, compassion is the best option, and that when u change 1 person's life for the better, you are changing not just them, but everyone around.
I know med schl/the whole processwill be hard, but if this is the outcome waiting for me, its all worth it to me. I can clearly saw that as long as I can put food on my table and handle basic needs, it really wouldnt matter how much I make.

Regardless of how long I've been in the US, I'm Nigerian, so it felt good to be able to be able to reach back. I know now that I made the right choice with medicine, there's no other option for me. I know that patient care is very important to me, and that whatever specialty I pick has to be applicable to a global society, and that I wouldnt gain any satisfaction being a radiologist or dermatologist(no disrespect intended).