Why medicine instead of a different health profession?

[kangarooo]

Why have you chosen medicine as opposed to RN, NP, PA, etc? I'm not disagreeing with your choice, I'm just curious about your thought process. What is your reasoning?

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[johnnytest]

Autonomy

 

[2Pints]

I'm more worried as a nurse about preventing HAIs, bed ulcers, falls, titration pain/sedation gtts and cleaning up **** than I am about what's going on with my patient clinically sometimes. So the very stuff that I found fascinating about healthcare takes a back burner. Nursing is very task oriented. The NP route just seemed disorganized to me. How could I expect myself to function at even close to the capacity of an MD with significantly less schooling and clinical training? I don't think that was ever the intention of the NP role (to function at the same level as an MD) but that's what some people have tried to evolve it into and that just doesn't sit right with me.

I'll never forget one night when I had a patient who came in OD'd on morphine (he was in his 80's). Had been given narcan in the ED which had reversed him to an extent but he probably should have been sent up with some prn narcan pushes because he was still really lethargic by the time he came to the floor. I'm in the ICU normally and happened to be floated to the floor that night. Well my patient became more and more difficult to arouse so I paged the on-call doc who sent an NP over. She acted like she had no clue what to do. She was looking up dosages for narcan on her phone asking me what I thought should happen. That's probably an extreme case and she might have been really new. I'm sure I will feel that way in medical school, residency and even as an attending but at least with medicine the system of training has been in place for a long long time.

 

[RedPhys]

The fields have different philosophies (a nurse is not the same as a doctor). Doctors also learn more science, and can end up in more interesting specialties.

 

[caffeinemia]

There are no surgeon nurses, just surgeon PAs. Sadly they're always harvesting the vein graft instead of cracking the chest and dissecting out the coronaries.

 

[Womb Raider]

Physicians are top of the medical hierarchy, more knowledgeable and have a better understanding of the human body than any of the other options you mentioned, more responsibilities, more engaging responsibilities (i.e. more brain power involved).

 

[kangarooo]

Now the real question... (forgive me) what would be appropriate to say if an adcom member asks this?

 

[Doug Underhill]

I think most of those reasons listed above would be acceptable.

 

[hoihaie]

able to do research

 

[2Pints]

Now the real question... (forgive me) what would be appropriate to say if an adcom member asks this?

I actually said that in my interviews minus the cleaning up ****. Seemed to work out well.

 

[Komorebi2]

able to do research

Not a valid reason, IMO. Research should NOT be your primary objective as a physician. If it is, PhD is a far more appropriate path to take.

If you are also interested in the humanistic aspect of medicine, as opposed to just research, you should note that other health care professionals (such as NPs and RNs) can also conduct research in addition to their practice. Many of my close RN friends work as researchers and clinicians in a few of the best health care systems in our country. Think Penn, Columbia, etc.

 

[Komorebi2]

Now the real question... (forgive me) what would be appropriate to say if an adcom member asks this?

The appropriate answer is your personal answer. The answer that is true to you.

If you are sitting there wondering "Why medicine? Why not nursing? Why not a PhD? Why not pharmacy? Why not veterinary medicine?" and the answer isn't quickly apparent to you, you should take some time to figure it out before you apply.

A more appropriate question for any pre-med to answer for him/herself:
"If I can't think of a reason for going into medicine that other fields can't fufill for me...then why would I want to devote years of studying to become a doctor when I can spend far fewer years and be as equally satisfied?"

Is money your objective? Spend 4 years of college getting a ComSci degree and start making 100k a year at 22 yrs old.

Is caring for others your main objective? Spend 4 years of college getting you RN degree and begin caring for patients at 22. The RN is the patient advocate as well and ultimately spends more time with the patient than the Dr.

Etc.

These are just things that you should be asking yourself not so you have some perfect answer for an AdCom, but so you are sure of the life-long commitment you are making.

 

[hoihaie]

Not a valid reason, IMO. Research should NOT be your primary objective as a physician. If it is, PhD is a far more appropriate path to take.

If you are also interested in the humanistic aspect of medicine, as opposed to just research, you should note that other health care professionals (such as NPs and RNs) can also conduct research in addition to their practice. Many of my close RN friends work as researchers and clinicians in a few of the best health care systems in our country. Think Penn, Columbia, etc.

I said research as more of an answer to "why not other health professions", not "why medicine" in general. It's easier to get research funding as MD compared to RN.

 

[2Pints]

I said research as more of an answer to "why not other health professions", not "why medicine" in general. It's easier to get research funding as MD compared to RN.

I think it depends on the level of involvement you want in research. I didn't really have a problem getting a position within a pretty great clinical research trial. If I wanted to, I could stay at this company and do some significant things. Of course, I probably couldn't be a PI, per say, just as an RN, but that degree opened up a lot of doors in research.

 

[hoihaie]

I think it depends on the level of involvement you want in research. I didn't really have a problem getting a position within a pretty great clinical research trial. If I wanted to, I could stay at this company and do some significant things. Of course, I probably couldn't be a PI, per say, just as an RN, but that degree opened up a lot of doors in research.

Yep yep. I don't want to close off any doors to being a PI later on; rather not be just a research assistant/associate.

 

[2Pints]

Yep yep. I don't want to close off any doors to being a PI later on; rather not be just a research assistant/associate.

So then we just circle back to autonomy

Didn't think I would care about that...but turns out I do. And it has nothing to do with thinking I could do a better job than the MDs at my hospital. I just would much rather do what they were doing. Although come to think of it the person at my hospital with the most autonomy is a nurse. Worked her way up to President/CEO of one of the largest hospitals in my state.

 

[Komorebi2]

I said research as more of an answer to "why not other health professions", not "why medicine" in general. It's easier to get research funding as MD compared to RN.

Research alone is not a sufficient reason to choose one health profession over another.

Just because a person wants to do research does not mean that they will be happier as a physician than a nurse, for example. Researh only is a part of what a researcher/clinician does. If someone will be unhappy as a Dr but want to conduct research, that doesn't warrant pursing an MD/DO.

For example, I worked for an MD/PhD who loathed working as a physician. He explicitly said once that he only went into the field for better research funding opportunities. He talked everyday about how much he hated seeing patients. He should have just gotten his PhD.

A person's decision to pursue medicine should be much more thoughtful and meaningful than just "able to do research." I simply add this commentary so that anyone reading this considering an MD/DO over nursing or over a PhD for the sake of research takes the time to seriously consider the commitment they are really making.

 

[senzen]

If an interviewer were to ask, "if not medicine, what else would you pursue?" how would you respond?

I can't tell if they would be upset if one were to state another health care profession or not. Because there's a chance it might make them question one's commitment to medicine.

 

[hoihaie]

If an interviewer were to ask, "if not medicine, what else would you pursue?" how would you respond?

I can't tell if they would be upset if one were to state another health care profession or not. Because there's a chance it might make them question one's commitment to medicine.

I think you can identify a reason why you're pursuing medicine and answer with a profession that will also allow you to do that.

For me I'd say a teacher or professor because I love teaching and that is one of the reasons for going into medicine.

 

[PlaqueBuster]

Prestige, Money, and hot gf/wife....I know you are all thinking this but afraid to say it

 

[Komorebi2]

Prestige, Money, and hot gf/wife....I know you are all thinking this but afraid to say it

Ha ha ha. You slay us all with this highly original joke. So glad you've made this contribution to the thread.

 

[NickNaylor]

Prestige, Money, and hot gf/wife....I know you are all thinking this but afraid to say it

Good luck with the "hot gf/wife" thing. I have a feeling that you're going to be sorely disappointed.

 

[SkipJunior]

Good luck with the "hot gf/wife" thing. I have a feeling that you're going to be sorely disappointed.

surely there are some gold diggers who are hot? As long as one is okay with having a gold digger for a gf/wife (make her sign that prenup!) then it shouldn't be a problem right?

 

[Komorebi2]

Can the sexist jokes end here, please?

 

[NickNaylor]

surely there are some gold diggers who are hot? As long as one is okay with having a gold digger for a gf/wife (make her sign that prenup!) then it shouldn't be a problem right?

Lol, yeah, sure.

 

[Godspeedyou]

Can the sexist jokes end here, please?

Loosen up sweet cheeks

 

[Komorebi2]

Loosen up sweet cheeks

My cheeks may be sweet, but your witless misogyny sure as hell isn't.

It's 2015. Jokes onjectifying women are akin to jokes about race and sexual orientation. Funny only to the ignorant.

 

[caffeinemia]

I personally am content being someones hot husband. I will, however, require her to buy me loooootttttts of pizza.

 

[SkipJunior]

I personally am content being someones hot husband. I will, however, require her to buy me loooootttttts of pizza.

NY style pizza is groce. I'd much rather have a pan pizza from pizza hut!

 

[Godspeedyou]

My cheeks may be sweet, but your witless misogyny sure as hell isn't.

It's 2015. Jokes onjectifying women are akin to jokes about race and sexual orientation. Funny only to the ignorant.

I also remember when I took my first Women's Studies course. Someone says hot gf/wife and all of a sudden every tumblr feminist on SDN comes out of the woodwork to scream injustice.

 

[caffeinemia]

NY style pizza is groce. I'd much rather have a pan pizza from pizza hut!

To each his own poison.

 

[BrooklynBulls]

Ha ha ha. You slay us all with this highly original joke. So glad you've made this contribution to the thread.

It's hardly a joke.

 

[Psai]

Man there are few things more annoying than a self important feminist on the Internet that just has to share their opinion on an unrelated thread

 

[2Pints]

So it probably wasn't PC of my nursing instructor to admit that most of her friends admittedly went to school for their MRS degree rather than their BSN? Guess she was slightly making fun of herself since she'd married a doctor as well.

 

[fancymylotus]

NY style pizza is groce. I'd much rather have a pan pizza from pizza hut!

........

 

[KillaKitteh]

Competence.

I'd hate for doctors primarily concerned with gaining prestige, accruing money, and acquiring women whom they deem attractive (or any other self-serving reasoning, for that matter) to be making the decisions on the wellbeing of patients.

Medicine is about serving others.

 

[Bacchus]

Let's stay on track. Back to the original post.

 

[NickNaylor]

Competence.

I'd hate for doctors primarily concerned with gaining prestige, accruing money, and acquiring women whom they deem attractive (or any other self-serving reasoning, for that matter) to be making the decisions on the wellbeing of patients.

Medicine is about serving others.

I agree, but just for the sake of argument the two aren't necessarily exclusive.

 

[gyngyn]

If an interviewer were to ask, "if not medicine, what else would you pursue?" how would you respond?

I can't tell if they would be upset if one were to state another health care profession or not. Because there's a chance it might make them question one's commitment to medicine.

This question is designed to evaluate adaptability not commitment.

 

[BDUS]

The role of a nurse and the role of the doctor are different but both important for the care of the patient. As the doctor you have take in all the information about each patient and interpret that info. The nurse is valuable in that they can tell you the vital signs, results of blood work etc, deliver medications, but in the end you as a doctor has to interpret that information and make treatment decisions.
You may be the doctor that is in charge of 20 different patients whereas a nurse may be taking care of 3-4. The nurse is at bedside doing specific tasks. You as the doctor have to remember all the patients, their problems and make sure your orders are being carried out correctly by your nurses.
The doctor needs to be a leader, work well with others, enjoy problem solving and use thee skills to care for people

 

[Psai]

The role of a nurse and the role of the doctor are different but both important for the care of the patient. As the doctor you have take in all the information about each patient and interpret that info. The nurse is valuable in that they can tell you the vital signs, results of blood work etc, deliver medications, but in the end you as a doctor has to interpret that information and make treatment decisions.
You may be the doctor that is in charge of 20 different patients whereas a nurse may be taking care of 3-4. The nurse is at bedside doing specific tasks. You as the doctor have to remember all the patients, their problems and make sure your orders are being carried out correctly by your nurses.
The doctor needs to be a leader, work well with others, enjoy problem solving and use thee skills to care for people

You know more than I did back then

 

[SSSMDt]

Among other reasons, right now for me I have a strong motivation to spend some time working in medicine in underdeveloped areas of the world. And whether or not I actually pursue that, it appears to me that becoming a physician opens more doors with respect to that and thats something important to me.

 

[EasternMer]

Good luck with the "hot gf/wife" thing. I have a feeling that you're going to be sorely disappointed.

+ 1. Probably the most shallow reasons for entering this profession that I've seen so I really hope you are joking. But @NickNaylor I would say that most Med students that I've seen take care of themselves, which is beside the point.

To address the OP's question, I strongly considered Opt/Pharm before Medicine. Didn't like Pharmacy because of the monotonous, detail-oriented nature of it (plus, I didn't want to work for Walmart). And Opt was a serious career path for me until I realized the sheer impossibility of paying back your loans when your starting salary is at 70K. That coupled with saturation made me go away.

I chose Medicine because it's a profession that allows reasonable clinical autonomy, makes you at least Middle Class with whatever specialty you want to pursue, and at it's core, is still a service-oriented profession (which is probably the biggest factor for me, as I'm currently working as a teacher, and wanted to continue serving my community).

 

[Dandine]

My reasoning (feel free to pick at it...it's a good writing exercise for me).

I absolutely admire nurses. The nurses I've seen while volunteering are such patient, friendly people (knock on wood!) and they're on top of their patients' care. After observing many nurses, however, I realized that I don't have that kind of stamina. I guess it's because I'm much more short-term (or at least have a shorter attention span). Physicians do have to spend lots of time with patients regularly, but for me to keep checking on the same people on a prolonged basis would tire me out. Plus, I think I would be more interested in the prescribing and providing of treatment options than constantly attending to them. Again, not saying I'll never do that, but I would prefer concentrating on what's causing an ailment rather than giving the treatment for the majority of the time.

I decided against physician assistant mainly because of the autonomy aspect, although part of me wonders if there's a super huge difference between that and a trainee doctor. Someone care to enlighten me?

Pharmacy would be really cool, I admit. But I think the management part of working with patients is more interesting, personally.

 

[jqueb29]

Autonomy, respect, and money are all positives medicine has over different health professions. But my biggest thing was that you obtain waaay more knowledge in medicine than those other fields. I really like to be as smart as I can.

 

[senzen]

This question is designed to evaluate adaptability not commitment.

So you would like to hear some other professions? If the question were more phrased like "what would you do if you didn't get into medical school this year?" wouldn't it be a more veiled attempt at trying to see if the applicant knew what was wrong with their application?

Like if they had a weak GPA and clinical experience, I thought it shows dedication to the field if they were to say something along the lines of "I'll get a SMP and continue to get more clinical exposure to prepare myself for the field of medicine and re-apply."

These questions have endless possibilities!

 

[2Pints]

My reasoning (feel free to pick at it...it's a good writing exercise for me).
I absolutely admire nurses. The nurses I've seen while volunteering are such patient, friendly people (knock on wood!) and they're on top of their patients' care. After observing many nurses, however, I realized that I don't have that kind of stamina. I guess it's because I'm much more short-term (or at least have a shorter attention span). Physicians do have to spend lots of time with patients regularly, but for me to keep checking on the same people on a prolonged basis would tire me out. Plus, I think I would be more interested in the prescribing and providing of treatment options than constantly attending to them. Again, not saying I'll never do that, but I would prefer concentrating on what's causing an ailment rather than giving the treatment for the majority of the time.
.

I'm confused by this shorter attention span/lack of stamina. I don't know if that's really the point you are trying to make. If this is really the case for you, then I would suggest nursing over medicine. Less schooling. Less pressure. Less responsibility. When my shift is done it's done and I don't think about my patients. And even though I bust my butt during my shift, I have downtime. The intensivists, however, will follow with these patients over the course of their stay in the ICU. They have to concentrate a lot harder on what's going on with the patient bc it's their responsibility. And from what I can tell they are working a heck of a lot harder than I am. Unless I work back to back shifts, I don't have the same patients. So it's really only 12 hours and then I walk into a new set of pts. And I'm hardly checking in on my same patients over and over and over again feeling bored or tired by it. Usually, it's putting out one fire and then the next and then getting pulled into a room across the unit. I know something about all the patients on my unit and can't just stick to my two patients.

I think the point that you made towards the end is actually more important. You'd rather determine treatment options then give the actual treatment.

 

[The Buff OP]

Why have you chosen medicine as opposed to RN, NP, PA, etc? I'm not disagreeing with your choice, I'm just curious about your thought process. What is your reasoning?

I like to lead, I like to be the one that knows things.

 

[The Buff OP]

I also remember when I took my first Women's Studies course. Someone says hot gf/wife and all of a sudden every tumblr feminist on SDN comes out of the woodwork to scream injustice.

Oh, settle down, sugar-belly.

 

[sazerac]

The year before I applied, a friend of mine got asked this question, and she really couldn't come up with an appropriate response. She could not justify why she shouldn't just become a nurse instead. Result: rejected.

So I put in a line in my personal statement that nipped this question right in the bud. It was something about how being a doctor would put my resources (history of studying, hard work, science acumen, desire to help, etc) to their most efficient use to maximize the benefit for everybody. Result: accepted.

Why not a different health profession? Well I could, but it would be a less efficient use of what I bring to the table.