Med studets, residency, and doctors... was it worth it??

Started by Daniel312
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Daniel312

Daniel312

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Alright... my goal is to get into a med school. I was a certified nurse assistant in High School, so I am familiar with the healthcare industry.... I'm a college student right now... however, I really want to know just from yalls experience... was it worth it all? All the science, studying for the MCAT, etc... do you ever regret going this route- do you sometimes wish you had just done an easier major and went straight into work or to grad school? Obviously, I'm sure there are regrets at times, even if you LOVE your work... but I just want to be sure this is what I want to do before I start this...

Hearing from your experienes would be most beneficial.
 
How were you a nurse in high school?

Yes it's worth it.

Anka
 
Have you tried looking at the threads on this forum? There must be dozens related to this topic. There are many who are very happy and many who regret going this route. Do you like to work very hard, often for many days at a time? Do you ever get so absorbed in your studies that you are disappointed that you should probably try to get some sleep? Do you find the thrill of being able to help a patient well worth countless hours of study and training? If so, then you'll probably like it. Look at many of the better atheletes ... they are constantly training, bugging the doctor about when they can return from an injury, etc. You don't find a football player complaining about being knocked out in a tackle or getting a big cut on his arm. They walk it off and tape it up and can't wait to go back in ... that's motivation. The people who are unhappy tend to be too hard on themselves (e.g., are stunned to find themselves at the bottom of the pack) or are just in it for the money / status. You need to have a very strong motivation to enjoy this field.
 
Certified Nurse Assistant I should say...

we had a class at our school that allowed us to do our training and exams at the school- as well as our clinicals at la ocal hospital and nursing home.
 
Daniel312 said:
but I just want to be sure this is what I want to do before I start this...
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This is a question only you can answer for yourself. Whether it is worth it is going to depend on you, not the path. For someone who enjoys it, finds it interesting, then sure, it is worth it. If you have other motivations, then perhaps not. It's not like everyone has the same wants and goals and so what is worth it for some, might be a terrible choice for others. So I'm not sure hearing that some strangers on the net are happy with their choice, while others might not be is going to help you in your choice. You need to do some soul searching here.
 
Law2Doc said:
This is a question only you can answer for yourself.
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Obviously. I wasn't asking for everyone to tell me whether or not to be a doctor... of course thats a decision I will make for myself. However, I was looking for a general perspective to see how rewarded people felt after they got in, or finished med school.
 
Sure its worth it, even if I go off the deep end and don't practice medicine in the end, I will have an immense pool of knowledge about human anatomy, physiology, pathology, etc. I find the gain of knowledge right now to be very fulfilling. (No PhD program would ever provide the basic science breadth that I am getting right now).

As for medicine itself, I'm sure I will find that fulfilling too, but M1 and M2 are obviously more about intense studying than taking care of patients.
 
Right now, no. I'll get back to you when rotations start though.
 
Is it worth it is definately a very individualized thing. There are a lot of threads discussing this too. It depends on the person, the point in career, and amount of sleep the person has had when you are asking.
 
No, it was not worth it for me. I was attracted to medicine because of my love of biology and pathophysiology. However, when I started my 3rd year in medical school I realized that I made a BIG mistake. I hated the "medical system", and was depressed working with ungrateful patients who have no respect to anybody. I am a person who likes energy and the outdoors. I felt VERY VERY depressed and restricted within the dark hospital walls.

To me, clinical medicine SUCKS. The physician these days is no more different than a resturant server. The resturant server serves food. The physician serves treatment. Totally depressing, especially that medicine was my plan B.

I really wanted to be a Pilot (Air Force or civilian). However due to physical and political reasons (I came to the US as a refugee as an adult) I was unable to accomplish and achieve by REAL career goal. And by the time I become a US citizen, it would be already too late. I am a 30 year old FM resident with $250,000 in debt. I HAVE to continue what I started. Very depressing. As soon as I become a US citizen, I will join the Air Force as a flight surgeon. Although I might not be a pilot ace, at least I will be working next to them.

Did I make a mistake? Not really. Medicine was my "Plan B". Flight was my "Plan A". I cannot possibly get my Plan A due to politcs, so I went with my Plan B. But I HATE my Plan B.
 
OncoCaP said:
Look at many of the better atheletes ... they are constantly training, bugging the doctor about when they can return from an injury, etc. You don't find a football player complaining about being knocked out in a tackle or getting a big cut on his arm. They walk it off and tape it up and can't wait to go back in ... that's motivation. The people who are unhappy tend to be too hard on themselves (e.g., are stunned to find themselves at the bottom of the pack) or are just in it for the money / status. You need to have a very strong motivation to enjoy this field.
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I really love your sports analogy.

I also think some people tend to be unhappy no matter what. Some people are unhappy for specific things, but some people are going to be unhappy no matter what. Not only is the water glass half empty for some people, the other half is full of a substance that can be lethal (such as drowning in water) if inhaled.
 
...and some people try to rationalize the crap that they are in, instead of being honest with themselves, or brave enough to admit that they are unhappy. They are like clowns, putting out a smiley face, misleading others and fooling themselves. The first step to solving a problem, is to admit that there is a problem...a very tough thing to do for the ego. By the way, rationalization, is an ego defence mechanism for all of you pre-meds. It is a way people use to protect their ego.

To the premeds, do your homework. Ask and experience before you plunge. Be honest with yourself. Have a specific goal. Then follow your reason. And if you become unhappy along the way...be BRAVE enough to admit it, so that you can do something about it.

Remember that our career preference changes as we age. What you like now might not be what you will like in 20 years from now.
 
Changed careers from banking to pursue medicine. Took me almost FIVE years to get into med school (1.5 years research at NIH, then Physio grad program, then MPH while working full-time). Even then I got in off the waitlist the day before orientation!

Now I'm a 4th year med student. Just matched residency a couple of weeks ago.

Yes, it was very worth it. Every minute of it.

G'luck to you. Hope you find your calling like I found mine.
 
I think that people who don't consider it worthed shouldn't try to convince others that they will have the same experience, it's just not ethic and fair to create a bad perspective for someone who wants to give it a try in medicine, let them do it, they'll figure it out, it's their decision.
In my opinion it is actually totally worrthed, Im only a MSII and loving it!!! ...And the "good part" hasn't even started yet!! Can't wait to start my clinical rotations...😀😀... When I get there...hell yeah!! LOL LOL
 
Thus far, I think it's worth it. Worth it in that I can't imagine doing anything else with my life. I think I woudl have been deeply unhappy had I not done med school. Will I say the same thing in five years time? Maybe. Maybe not. People change. Priorities change. Right now, I am starting to wonder if I would have been married w/kids (I'm a nontrad) had I stayed on the path that I was on before I (re)started my medical journey. And I'm sure my priority will change again in the future and perhaps I'll come to truly regret not sticking with my old career. It's hard to say. Then again, had I not done med school, I'd probably be pining over med school when I'm 35. It's so hard to satisfy myself. 😀
 
This person is not asking because they want people to talk them in or out of the profession. I completely get where they are coming from, as a person who was just accepted to an MD program I am getting cold feet. I love the science and enjoy working with the people treatmentwise (I am aware that there will be miserable ****s but I will deal). The problem with medicine is that it is not financially worth it to do this without being absolutly sure but while you are running to the tree (getting into school) you ignore the fact that the forest (the time until you are practicing comfortably) is huge and scary and that there are large spiders (lawyers...spiders can suck blood) and that it will take you 7 to 14 years to climb through the forest depending on where you want to go. Its a tough decision because it is one of the few that will effect you the rest of your life and that is gonna cost you dearly if you wanna take it back. It takes courage or blind stupidity, but its easier to do it with stupidity.
 
Exactly Bonesaw45, you said it for all of us. It is difficult to know if medicine is worth it when there are so many factors that make it hard to know. I will never know unless I go through with it. I think that the only way medicine will be worth it is the reward/feeling you get by helping someone to get better, feel better, live, etc. I think as long as that outweighs all the negatives at the end then it will be worth it. So ultimately its the feeling of helping someone. But I'm questioning if I can be just as happy doing something else where I am helping people but either in a slightly different or totally different way while having less of the stress that comes with medicine. I know I would feel rewarded but I wonder if the feeling is the same, if so I might as well go with that while having more time with family and activities. The extra attraction to medicine for me is the skills that you learn, maybe I can learn that on my own somehow just for self knowledge through books and videos.

I'm looking to be likely around 280k in debt if I go through with medicine, currently in no debt. If I go into medicine, right now I'm thinking about family medicine its something I think I will enjoy but may change in school. But with the finances of doing FM and the huge debt, not sure that it is wise. I do not want to do those loan repay programs. And by the looks of the economy, there is likely to be another great depression that will be spreading worldwide. The big question everyone is asking is when..
 
Looking back, if I had known everything that I would go through and all of the loops and hurdles: It was not worth it. I was much happier before and I could have taken many career paths 4 years ago. I thought this was a field of altruism, but it is about numbers and trying to one-up each other (not the fault of students, mostly admins at med schools). By the time the 4 years are up, people are looking for the specialty where they can do the least and get paid the most. All of the compassion is beat out of a lot of people. The only ones who seem completely (or mostly satisfied) are the ones who have physicians as parents or who knew since they were 2 years old that they wanted to be a physician. I wish you luck and please get as many opinions from those you know in the field and in med school before you embark on this long and tedious journey. I wish you luck
 
FPLover said:
By the time the 4 years are up, people are looking for the specialty where they can do the least and get paid the most. All of the compassion is beat out of a lot of people.
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True for many. You get tired, beat down. The ideals and altruism fades. You see your friends/siblings making 6 figures after brief stents in business school, while you look ahead to another 3-7 years of residency. You feel trapped in a situation in which you are heavily invested financially. You see attendings who are tired, overworked, taking call on holidays and weekends, who are tied to their patients and find it difficult to leave for even short vacation. You see a lifestyle that is burdensome and different from the ideal with which you may have started.

That being said... Should you choose medicine, you will be in a field that is constantly stimulating, and you will have a secure job, as health care becomes greater in demand. This alone may be worth the costs.
 
No, it is not. Go to dental school and do a dental residency. A buddy's gf just finished her orthodontics residency (2.5 years after dental school). She got offered 300k for 3 days/week, 9-5. No call. You won't appreciate how evil call is until you experience it. Maybe only derm has it as good in terms of lifestyle and income as orthodontics or endodontics. Best part is you don't have to worry about these damn midlevels who are constantly lobbying to do more of what you do for their piddling 2 years of medical education.

Medicine made a huge mistake getting into bed with the government through Medicare. If you look around, the most competitive medical specialties like derm, plastics, repro accept no or very little insurance money. Dentists still operate in that fee-for-service model that medicine enjoyed in the 80's.
 
There are a lot of things wrong with medicine now, and the "fixes" being proposed are even worse.

Don't go into this field if your goal is to make money, have a cushy lifestyle, enjoy the respect of your peers, or be your own boss. The money gets worse every year (another 10% cut is due this year), the hours are miserable, the profession gets less respect since everyone blames doctors for the problems of the healthcare system. And of course you will not be your own boss as you take orders from the MBAs who run the hospital and the insurance companies.

So you want to do it to help patients, then? Well, hope you work fast, as you will be getting 10-15 minutes per patient at most. Due to the realities of medicare and insurance, it is simply not realistic to spend any more time per patient than that. The model is "Diagnosis, Pill." ("Oh, your fasting glucose is elevated? Here's some metformin. Check back in 3 months. Kthx. Next!")

Oh yes, and unless you are a surgeon, your job is threatened by an NP who will do your job for half the pay, half the training and half the qualifications.

I can't see myself doing anything else. That is the primary reason why I'm here. If you aren't *completely* focused on this, you are better off pursuing a cush career as a PharmD, dentist or NP. (or sell your soul and go into hospital/insurance management.)
 
Isn't orthodontics equivalent to radiology or dermatology in medicine? Not likely to get into..... but yes, the general dentist is likely to have a more comfortable, mild to low stress life compared to physicians. At least I believe so..


Taurus said:
No, it is not. Go to dental school and do a dental residency. A buddy's gf just finished her orthodontics residency (2.5 years after dental school). She got offered 300k for 3 days/week, 9-5. No call. You won't appreciate how evil call is until you experience it. Maybe only derm has it as good in terms of lifestyle and income as orthodontics or endodontics. Best part is you don't have to worry about these damn midlevels who are constantly lobbying to do more of what you do for their piddling 2 years of medical education.

Medicine made a huge mistake getting into bed with the government through Medicare. If you look around, the most competitive medical specialties like derm, plastics, repro accept no or very little insurance money. Dentists still operate in that fee-for-service model that medicine enjoyed in the 80's.
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maxbaner said:
Isn't orthodontics equivalent to radiology or dermatology in medicine? Not likely to get into..... but yes, the general dentist is likely to have a more comfortable, mild to low stress life compared to physicians. At least I believe so..
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Yes, you are very correct. My fiancee(sp?) is graduating from dental school this spring. She's the smart one in the family. Great money. Great hours. Low stress. Fee for service. You're still helping people and relieving pain. Jeebus, I made the wrong choice!!
 
Even general dentistry is not bad. If you know what you're doing, you can make 200k+, fee-for-service, 9-5, no call, get done and start working in 4 years.
 
Interesting responses. I am hoping in 3 years I find it worth it still. So far I do. I loved doing clinical rotations. I loved studying and learning all that crap. One of the more rewarding things is when I got my medical diploma, I know it was the first time my mom was ever proud of me and I am glad we had that moment before she dies. She is in her 80's and I am in my 40's and we have always had a bit of a strained relationship. I am grateful to have had that experience. 10 years ago, an orphan friend of mine taught me how important parents will always be.

I have been pretty happy in all my work; whether doing menial labor on a farm or selling shoes. As long as there are no real a-holes in my general vacinity whose goal is to just ruin my day its all good. I think medicine will make this better because I think it will be the first job I have had where I will feel like I can really make a difference at times in someones life.

I really like working in general - most days I prefer going to do something for work as opposed to just doing nothing (as long as I get some time with my family). Granted 100 hours/week is a bit odious and I prefer ideally working less than that-but I really enjoy work. I feel so much better about life when I am working. I am grateful to have a chance to do a line of work that can be so rewarding : financially as well as emotionally. I know many on here feel underpaid if they make anything less than 6 figures; from my background I cannot understand that - however my wife grew up in a very wealthy environment and has helped me appreciate the fact people have their own comfort levels. To me anything above 6 figures is just fine.

I know there are some here who feel medicine really does not make a difference, or its just following pre-planned alogorhythms and you are just a technician or robot when you are in primary care, and others who feel MD's are not appreciated. I feel contrary - I think there is some good decision making opportunities and I feel many people really respect and appreciate MD's.
 
I am a third year student and most days I regret my decision to pursue medicine. I did very well in the first two years of school. I loved the bookwork part of medicine. I thought I would love the clinical rotations. So far third year has been a huge disappointment to me. I think it's a combination of long hours and being forced to complete rotations that I have no interest in, that has has worn me down. I've finally switched to outpatient rotations now, which helps a little bit. But, overall I'm absolutely dreading residency and I have spent many hours trying to think of another way to pay off my debt. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would definitely find something else to do. But, that's just my experience. I have many colleagues who are very happy and loving their clinical experiences. It's a very individual thing.
 
The people who are best suited to answer this question have not been posting here- the attendings. How can we really know until then? For myself I know it's worth it @ this point ONLY because I have found a specialty I like. There's a risk that you won't find that if you go to med school, which is lame, lame, lame....
 
I am 44 and in medicine as a second career. I do not regret a moment of the time or money it has taken me to be where I am today. I have about 16 1/2months left of residency and already have a job lined up. I will be working in a rural community and making very good money, but I will also be doing something I have always wanted to do. Deciding if something is worthwhile to do is a very personal thing, and really depends on where you see your self in 10 or 20 years. I wanted to make a difference in some small way, and though there are always those difficult patients, I have had a few successes along the way.

To Daniel312... what interests you most? Animals? Plants? People? Computers? The stock market? What is it about that thing that interests you most? Teaching it? Playing with it? Growing it? Learning how it works so that maybe you can fix it? I hope you truely love whatever you choose to do.
 
I am a MS3 and been reading all of these responses. I find it surprising that so many people have made up there minds on whether it has been worth it or not. I currently don't know. I thought rotations was going to be heaven because finally I would be able to see patients, which is why i wanted to go into medicine. but, i never realized the impact that residence and attendings above me would have on me. I am tired of people treating me so poorly and rolling their eyes at me just because I am having difficulty answering one of their questions; does that make them feel smarter because they know something a third year doesn't? I enjoy seeing my patients, and it seems medicine has a lot to offer, but it also seems the people you work with are just as important as the job you do.
 
Whether I think it was all worth it or not varies depending on the day. It's a long road, and there are lots of things I could have done that wouldn't have taken 9 years of training after college. Would I have liked them as much? I can only speculate. Do try to get as much exposure to different medical settings (both inpatient and outpatient, as well as different specialties) as you can before you make the plunge. It can never fully prepare you, but it can give you a better idea of what you're getting into.
 
Med school was alot easier than I thought it would be. College is what really kicked my butt. So yes, it was worth it.
 
Hells yeah, med school was worth it. Did I enjoy medical school? Hells no. I hated almost every second. I came from a liberal arts college where people actually thought and wrote about issues, into a medical school that pretty much required conformity and intellectual regurgitation. But somehow, I found my niche in pediatric emergency medicine, I found a great residency and I found a great job.

I am thankful every day that I don't work a JOB, but I have a place. I see, play with and treat kids every day. I have fun. And yeah, sometimes the kiddos have something truly terrible that I can't fix. And that sucks.

I do have several hundred thousand dollars worth of debt. I could make more money with less responsibility. I did hate med school.

But I found the light at the end of the tunnel. I have no idea if any of ya'll will be able to find the same satisfaction I've stumbled into, but I hope so. I started medical school naively believing in "helping others" and "people are inherently good". I've learned better since then. Money talks and people suck. Somehow, tho, my pediatric patients stay rewarding.

I know, I sound like an evangelical. Sorry about that.

I just like what I do.
 
doctawife said:
I came from a liberal arts college where people actually thought and wrote about issues, into a medical school that pretty much required conformity and intellectual regurgitation.

But I found the light at the end of the tunnel. I have no idea if any of ya'll will be able to find the same satisfaction I've stumbled into, but I hope so. I started medical school naively believing in "helping others" and "people are inherently good". I've learned better since then. Money talks and people suck.

I just like what I do.
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I agree with the first paragraph
I wish I could say I agree with the second and the third...Congrats! Thanks for verbalizing many of my own "issues". Anyone else gets knots in their stomachs? I really wish I could say I like what I do when I become an attending.
 
I enjoyed the first two years of medical school. Third year and fourth year medical school pretty much made me realize i should have gone to dentistry or pharmacy school or continued to medical sciences. I always thought that being a physician is like being a medical scientist supreme.. all this knowledge... all these reasons to do things in certain way to save/help lives. It was all a process of regurgitating information over and over and over again. The early med students dont know this yet. They feel that "oh if only I can get through Step 1 or if only I can get through the Surgery Shelf then I'm home free." You are never home free, every day is an audition and your career can collapse, even when you are an attending (not everyone passes the specialty board exams, someone has to fail and good luck with the insurance when you become not-certified anymore).

They beat the joy of medicine out of you. Luckily, some specialties beat you less than the others, so you get to choose your poison.
 
For me, absolutely not. Show me something I could do with my MD degree that will allow me to pay off my $300k student loan debt without doing a residency, and I'd JUMP. No research, of course!!

First and second years were just like college stuff. I didn't love them, but they were run of the mill, just what I expected. I looked forward to third year so much, "because I'd actually be doing something for once," I thought. Little did I know. So many people on here say "just wait until 3rd year, you'll start loving it then," but third year was my downfall.

I hate the hierarchy crap. I know most career fields have a hierarchy, but the one in medicine especially sucks. Stupid surgeons who throw their phone across the OR, breaking it, and then thinking it's funny the next day. Not mature. Treating M3s like crap just because they were treated that way....total hazing. Waking up at 3:30am, working 14h days, dreading the next consult or new admit, hiding from your team because you know they're going to make you scrub in if they find you, etc. For me, it was torture.

Trust me, if I could change my career path, I would. Simple fact is that I go to one of the most expensive medical schools in the country, and no other field that I could go into would allow me to pay down that massive debt (unless my hubby lands a nice client -- he's a sports agent, haha). Plus, I would consider it a serious waste if I went through all this for my MD and didn't use it.

I'm making the best of it....I love kids, they're the only thing I think is worth it. So I'm going into pediatrics, trying to find a chill residency with great people back in sunny SoCal. When I get out, I'll be a primary care pediatrician, hopefully be able to work part time if my husband can make enough money. Kids and family are more important than anything, so I also plan to make some babies, soon. Any field that keeps me from having children, I will resent forever, though.

It's been really helpful to read these posts. Everyone I've encountered is SO positive about the med school experience. It's really comforting to hear other people share my sentiments....😳
 
doctawife said:
Hells yeah, med school was worth it. Did I enjoy medical school? Hells no. I hated almost every second. I came from a liberal arts college where people actually thought and wrote about issues, into a medical school that pretty much required conformity and intellectual regurgitation. But somehow, I found my niche in pediatric emergency medicine, I found a great residency and I found a great job.

I am thankful every day that I don't work a JOB, but I have a place. I see, play with and treat kids every day. I have fun. And yeah, sometimes the kiddos have something truly terrible that I can't fix. And that sucks.

I do have several hundred thousand dollars worth of debt. I could make more money with less responsibility. I did hate med school.

But I found the light at the end of the tunnel. I have no idea if any of ya'll will be able to find the same satisfaction I've stumbled into, but I hope so. I started medical school naively believing in "helping others" and "people are inherently good". I've learned better since then. Money talks and people suck. Somehow, tho, my pediatric patients stay rewarding.

I know, I sound like an evangelical. Sorry about that.

I just like what I do.
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You inspire me 🙂

I really pray that I turn out like you. That I can say once I'm an actual attending pediatrician that it was worth it. I'm just so scared that I've screwed up my life....but I know I have to think positive!!
 
Perhaps there is a reason why medical sschool tuition is so high. Once you realize you make the wrong choice, you are too far deep in debt to get out. I mean, how many interns would drop out if they had no debts.
 
the ungrateful patients have been increadibly heart breaking....because at the end of the day you tell yourself that the reason that you aren't in Hedge funds is because you want to help people. when those people spit that back in your face, it really hurts.
 
Yes.

The path getting there though was probably far rockier than it needed to be. Part of the problem is that you dont really know what specialty you want to do until far into your medical education. Agreed, 3rd year was a lesson in two things

1) How talented you are in practical things (organization, perseverance, studying for shelf etc.)
2) How good you are at workplace politics (how to please people, how to be a team player, etc.)

The good thing is now I think I've found a direction worth pursuing which is really exciting -- namely pathology with a clinical/basic research bent. I do wish I knew where I wanted to go in my career earlier, it would have saved me from significant life stress...
 
Totally worth it. I am currently a 3rd year and have no worries. The reason is that I have never thought about how life would be better if I was a 3rd year, or graduated or an attending or this and that. I just look at it as a journey which is to be thoroughly enjoyed. Granted I have had a few rotations where they were hell bent on destroying my peace with too much crap, rudeness etc - you name it. Lets just say that I didnt put up with them and got myself in a little bit of trouble. In my opinion, this hierarchy crap is to be followed only when the attending (or whoever) has earned respect and doesnt demand it (like surgeon tantrums). But mostly I have had a really good experience.
I think the real issue is that most pre-meds or 1st yrs are too naive and expect life to be magically great once they are doctors. Besides having unrealistic expectations, they tend to live in the future- dangerously so, forgetting that their life NOW determines their outlook. How many of us will admit studying every friday night or missing out on partying because we just had to get THAT grade so we could just get THAT residency-- all for what??
 
I'm also a third year student and also don't know yet "if it's worth it."
But, I do know I never would have guessed the experience thus far to be what it has. Nothing really captures it other than living it. If I had known, I may very well have chosen another professional path. But had I chosen another professional path, I know that I would have always wondered about (and maybe regretted?) not following the path to becoming a physician. Catch 22, eh?
While I would like to advise a pre-med student to be toooootally sure and devoted, it's hard for me to do because I never was. So, I will advise this, have a concrete reason to want to be a doctor, a reason that will keep you going when your alarm goes off at 2:22am or when you get yelled at for not knowing a random fact. Or, for the first two years, for spending so(!) much time memorizing and regurgitating. Also, though, a reason to be grateful when you are the only one who can explain a procedure to a patient or when you tie the perfect knot with 4.0 monocryl or when you ace a test you worked hard for...
Here's the thing, it's a journey, like others have said, there is no "home free," each step is only a step and enjoying the journey, whatever you decide, makes it interesting, maybe even worth it.

daniel312, will you tell us what you decide to do?

and thanks to doctawife and buckley for posting what you did. well said and good to hear.
 
thewebthsp said:
The good thing is now I think I've found a direction worth pursuing which is really exciting -- namely pathology with a clinical/basic research bent.
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these may be a strange questions, but how did you come to realize what you wanted to do? is there anything you could have done to speed up the process?
 
-There have always been 'problems' in medicine. The problems today may or may not be the problems in 10 years. You need to understand that no job is perfect, this one is frustrating at times and you must have your eyes opens to the good and bad.

-I would do it again.

-medicine is a great field. get some experience shadowing and decide if the pluses and minuses weigh out for you.
 
Jendizzle said:
For me, absolutely not. Show me something I could do with my MD degree that will allow me to pay off my $300k student loan debt without doing a residency, and I'd JUMP...

So I'm going into pediatrics, trying to find a chill residency with great people back in sunny SoCal. When I get out, I'll be a primary care pediatrician, hopefully be able to work part time if my husband can make enough money...
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Pediatricians in general make way less than their adult care counterparts (80K-120K vs 160K-200K to start depending on where the job is). If you really like Peds AND want to make enough to pay off your loans then doing a Med-Peds residency may be a better choice. You would then be a fully trained pediatrician and make the pay of an IM doctor (in which you are also fully trained). Finding a group with whom you could work part time is not as big an issue. There are lots of them out there.
 
ekydrd said:
Pediatricians in general make way less than their adult care counterparts (80K-120K vs 160K-200K to start depending on where the job is). If you really like Peds AND want to make enough to pay off your loans then doing a Med-Peds residency may be a better choice. You would then be a fully trained pediatrician and make the pay of an IM doctor (in which you are also fully trained). Finding a group with whom you could work part time is not as big an issue. There are lots of them out there.
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Too late to change now....hoping for a successful match into peds in a week!! 🙄

I really didn't know too much about the Med-Peds field when I decided on what I was going into, though. It would have been nice to have that option. Adults still gross me out, though, so who knows 😉
 
Jendizzle said:
Too late to change now....hoping for a successful match into peds in a week!! 🙄

I really didn't know too much about the Med-Peds field when I decided on what I was going into, though. It would have been nice to have that option. Adults still gross me out, though, so who knows 😉
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You can do a year in peds then change to med-peds. We are graduating a resident this year that did that. And adults piss me off more than gross me out. Kids don't have a choice on how to take care of themselves, but adults do, so you can imaging how ticked off you can get at a perfectly healthy but obese adult who you have advised to lose weight to stave off the impending HTN or DM-2, who now wants a power scooter because they don't want to walk 😡. But the ones who truely want to get healthy make up for it.

Good luck next week!!!!!👍
 
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