- Joined
- Apr 8, 2018
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 8
I have always dreamt of becoming a doctor. In the Philippines, most kids rely on their parents for everything until they get their degree and marry off. Work is frowned upon (unless you are within poverty line), scholarships are scarce, and parents pay for school so no one really does loans/ get into student debt. Everyone is expected to go to college straight after HS. It’s common to take 18-26 credits a semester. So when I was in my last year of premed in the Philippines, while my classmates were working on their medschool applications.. I encountered a recruiter in the US (during a family vacation) and decided to enlist in the US Army. It’s because I realized I had not gained any life skills and wanted to make sure that it was the right career path for me. I come from a family of doctors, dentists, and lawyers so I knew part of why I wanted it was being influenced by family. I was also the only one born in the states (since my father did a lot of his fellowships and specializations here) and I craved the independence. Sure enough, I have not regretted my decision. I have gained so much experience and knowledge over the past 6 years since leaving home. I currently serve as a US Army medic and have graduated with honors with a biology degree at my local university.
After completing my Active Duty contract, I decided to join the National Guard and am now working part-time at civilian medical clinics as a medical assistant. I’ve seen the toll and frustrations the docs have with the healthcare system as a whole. I find myself increasingly getting tired by it while balancing medschool app preparations. I also realized how much I dislike certain people/ patients. I try my best to be understanding and empathetic all the time but I’m not sure if I can handle that for the rest of my life. I am now second-guessing if I should pursue medschool (since being part of the medical field for a while now and leaving my home to work towards it) or completely change careers..
After completing my Active Duty contract, I decided to join the National Guard and am now working part-time at civilian medical clinics as a medical assistant. I’ve seen the toll and frustrations the docs have with the healthcare system as a whole. I find myself increasingly getting tired by it while balancing medschool app preparations. I also realized how much I dislike certain people/ patients. I try my best to be understanding and empathetic all the time but I’m not sure if I can handle that for the rest of my life. I am now second-guessing if I should pursue medschool (since being part of the medical field for a while now and leaving my home to work towards it) or completely change careers..
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