Anybody come from a culture that forces you to go into medicine?

[Judah_Ben-Hur]

Anybody come from a culture that basically raises you with only one career option? Parents that will only assist with your undergrad and grad school bills if its geared toward getting an MD? Basically I think that Jews, Middle Easterns, and Asians (including Indians) fall into this category (SORRY IF I SOUND STEREOTYPICAL, HELL THATS THE MAJOR PORTION OF DOCTORS OUT THERE, HAHAHA). Anybody else?

Oh yeah how do you feel about being forced (sorta) into medicine. Me, I actually wanna do it for myself.

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[Fermata]

You're Indian, aren't you?

 

[DrYo12]

*eats popcorn watching Harold and Kumar go to White Castle*

 

[Judah_Ben-Hur]

nope, not indian.

 

[footcramp]

no, i come from a progressive culture in which TWO career options are acceptable. (i.e. medicine and law)

 

[swifteagle43]

I come from a culture where you are either an engineer or a doctor. The failure of the family is a business man. Our failure goes to wharton.

 

[Shaz]

I come from a culture where you are either an engineer or a doctor. The failure of the family is a business man. Our failure goes to wharton.

I used to think I came from that culture...then I look around, and notice that I'm the only one out of fifty other dudes/chicks that I know that's actually fulfilling it. For some reason, a lot of people are going into public health.

 

[flash]

In my experience with family and my parents friends (who are pretty "progressive", lived here for 40 years), Indian parents don't really pressure young children toward med, engineering anymore. They've seen people be successful in all areas of work and various careers, and students are much more likely to pursue their interests. I think it is an overblown stereotype from 10-20 yrs ago or in pockets today.

 

[Fermata]

In my experience with family and my parents friends (who are pretty "progressive", lived here for 40 years), Indian parents don't really pressure young children toward med, engineering anymore. They've seen people be successful in all areas of work and various careers, and students are much more likely to pursue their interests. I think it is an overblown stereotype from 10-20 yrs ago or in pockets today.

10 to 20 years ago isn't a long time in the past.

 

[medic170]

Parents that will only assist with your undergrad and grad school bills if its geared toward getting an MD?
Oh yeah how do you feel about being forced (sorta) into medicine. Me, I actually wanna do it for myself.

I come from "poor people culture". My parents will not help with undergrad, grad, or med school because they HAVE NO MONEY!!

The lesson, you are far from forced if finances are the form of coercion. Stand on your own!!!

 

[bigdan]

Yikes. I'm REAL low on the totem pole - my parents were thrilled that I didn't get any felonies (like each of the rest of my siblings). This here medical career thing is just gravy...

dc

 

[medic170]

Yikes. I'm REAL low on the totem pole - my parents were thrilled that I didn't get any felonies (like each of the rest of my siblings). This here medical career thing is just gravy...

dc

I hear that

 

[~~premed82~~]

Not to be judgemental or anything. But all of my Paki/Desi friend's are premed, the rest are medical student's. I'm confused by the whole thing, because it's like what my friend said to me, the "Desi Legacy". Most of them when I ask them what makes them choose medicine as a career, it's always because, " My parents told me to". I'm like dude if you don't want to do it, don't. It's a joke in the Desi communities, Phd=Poor Hungrey Doctor, MD= Money Doctor. I was doing clinical's last week and the physician I shadow is from Pakistan he and his partner, both cardiologist. As we were walking through the hospital, on the way to the cath-lab I looked at the names on the offices and all I saw were name's like, AbdurRazzaq, Mirza, Ahmed, Ayoub! I laughed to myself, and I ask the physician I was with, "what made you choose medicine", he said, my parent's.

I just thought that was so funny, yet sad. But hey he's not complaining.

 

[Blake]

no, i come from a progressive culture in which TWO career options are acceptable. (i.e. medicine and law)

 

[avinash]

the desi culture does that....

 

[docbill]

My parents tried to force all 5 children into either Medicine/Law/Engineering.
Results: -1 hair dressing, -1 electrician, -1 Criminal record/jail time, -1 sociology.. last but not least one..in medicine. Even though I wanted to do medicine since 8 years old or something like that, because they try to force on me, I refused for a long time.

Here is the catch...there was no financial/emotional support...

When I see people forcing their kids in to something I laugh and tell them to live their own dreams... let their child live his/hers.

 

[goheel]

Phd=Poor Hungrey Doctor, MD= Money Doctor.

Brilliant

 

[jules0328]

Judah-Ben Hur. I dont think that's Indian. Watch the movie. Its a classic.

 

[GATORade]

I come from a culture where not coming home bloody from a bar fight was the best gift I can give my mom (a school bus driver) on the weekends. When I was accepted to undergrad my father (a small business owner) reacted as if I won the lottery. Both my sister and I were never pushed to pursue anything but happiness. As a result, she became a teacher and is currently working on her dissertation for a PhD In Arabic studies (we’re Italian), and I will be attending Medical School in the fall. We were both given the opportunity to push ourselves into the fields that we love. If you're doing it for someone else, especially something as grueling as medicine, you will be absolutely miserable. Be your own person and pursue a career that will make you happy. It's your life, not mommy and daddy's. I hope I didn't offend anyone by writing this, but come on! Isn't it time to grow up and make decisions of your own?

 

[dancinjenn]

My dad liked to live vicariously as well. He was an engineer but he thought that I should be a school teacher so that I could get my summers off...something he always wanted.

 

[bidster]

the desi culture does that....

And schools know it....At over half my interviews, my interviewers asked something along the lines of whether my father (who's a doctor) had anything to do with my going into medicine or what he thought of my going into medicine. Slightly irritating because my parents are pretty progressive and didn't coerce me into anything, but I can understand (sadly) why schools would ask.

 

[Cerberus]

Yikes. I'm REAL low on the totem pole - my parents were thrilled that I didn't get any felonies (like each of the rest of my siblings). This here medical career thing is just gravy...

dc

heh, sounds like my family. "well at least your not selling drugs like your cousin"

 

[JDAWG07]

I'm Jewish and I've wanted to go into medicine since I was very young. None of my parents or close relatives are in medicine and I never felt pressured to pursue it by my parents. In fact, my dad often tells me all he wants is for me to be safe and happy. Those are his only requirements. However, once I got accepted to medical school, both of my grandmothers were so proud... It was weird because they acted that way purely because I was going to be a doctor, not because I was achieving my goals and going after my dreams. That generation of American Jews simply views doctors very highly and I know that many Jews in my parents' generation are in medicine because they were pushed into it. Those that didn't follow that route went into law, academics, or politics.

I'm glad that the culture has shifted a lot over the past few decades. Many of my Jewish friends today are going into music, the fine arts, education, engineering, and the humanities. We still get our share going into law and medicine but I think it has more to do with a cultural emphasis on education and making a difference in society and less on the prestige of particular careers.

 

[PreMedAdAG]

I'm a white jock...............bam, that's really all, no pressure from parents. A girl on my team once said, "Wow Og, I didn't know you were smart" after hearing that I was sitting out some practices so I could study for the MCAT.

 

[Iain]

I come from the exact opposite - my family raises businessmen, and politicians. I would not say that was the reason I got my business degree, as at that time I had slightly different aspirations, and was certainly not mature enough to pursue medicine. Now I am a couple years older, I am applying for a post-bacc course. My parents are indifferent about it, it is my own money so they are not going to say anything, and they will definitely be pleased to see me succeed at this, if it is a little step like gaining a good mark on a test, or gaining admission to medical school - however if they had total control over my happiness, I would be back in England at the young conservatives convention shaking all the right hands.

 

[Quynh2007]

.

 

[Fantasy Sports]

Well, if we're going to stereotype, we might as well mention that each race kind of has its own "ideal occupation" it pushes for. If you disagree with my list, absolutely fine with me, these are just TRENDS Ive noticed (not absolutes at all):

Medicine- Indians
Law- Jews
Business- Jews
Engineering- East Asians
Computer Programming- Indians
Sports- African-Americans
Liberal Arts PhDs- Caucasians
Science PhDs- East Asians from Asia

 

[medic170]

Well, if we're going to stereotype, we might as well mention that each race kind of has its own "ideal occupation" it pushes for. If you disagree with my list, absolutely fine with me, these are just TRENDS Ive noticed (not absolutes at all):

Medicine- Indians
Law- Jews
Business- Jews
Engineering- East Asians
Computer Programming- Indians
Sports- African-Americans
Liberal Arts PhDs- Caucasians
Science PhDs- East Asians from Asia

So what do Native Americans do? Casino Manager?

 

[ravi]

My dad liked to live vicariously as well. He was an engineer but he thought that I should be a school teacher so that I could get my summers off...something he always wanted.

Dito!!! My father was an engineer and he wanted me to become a school teacher so that I can spend more time with the family.

 

[avinash]

And schools know it....At over half my interviews, my interviewers asked something along the lines of whether my father (who's a doctor) had anything to do with my going into medicine or what he thought of my going into medicine. Slightly irritating because my parents are pretty progressive and didn't coerce me into anything, but I can understand (sadly) why schools would ask.

Really? damn haha that sucks, we neither of my parents are docs.
What schools were they?

 

[NYCmed]

These stories are simply amazing. Some of them make me grateful I have such strong family support; I've been saying I was going to be a doctor since I was 3, but my parents never pushed me on the issue. When it became obvious I meant it, they began acting like I already gained my degree--beaming as they tell other people I'm going to be a doctor , although my mother thinks cardiothoracic surgery is more prestigious than anesthesiology for some reason (long story.)

 

[priyanka]

Anybody come from a culture that basically raises you with only one career option? Parents that will only assist with your undergrad and grad school bills if its geared toward getting an MD? Basically I think that Jews, Middle Easterns, and Asians (including Indians) fall into this category (SORRY IF I SOUND STEREOTYPICAL, HELL THATS THE MAJOR PORTION OF DOCTORS OUT THERE, HAHAHA). Anybody else?

Oh yeah how do you feel about being forced (sorta) into medicine. Me, I actually wanna do it for myself.

I'm Indian, but it doesn't work that way for me.
1) Parents don't want me to be a doctor.
2) They aren't supporting me through undergrad (loans loans!)
3)They want me to get done in two years and get married (HAHA), as if thats happening! What a waste of life to get married at 20

Oh well, they never quit making their "unfruitful" efforts and I don't quit keeping up to my goals !

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
I am the tenth physician in my family (with two still in medical school and one yet to start making a total of 13 physicians) and the second to do the MD-JD route. We have three generations of physicians with everything from Family Practice to Interventional Cardiology to Neurosurgery. (I am going to be a Vascular Surgeon). My mum is from Manchester, United Kingdom and my pop is from Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I was born in Virginia, USA so there goes your stereotypes.
njbmd

 

[Aero047]

It really depends on the family. I'm Indian but my parents really don't want me to go into medicine.

 

[Karine04]

Well, if we're going to stereotype, we might as well mention that each race kind of has its own "ideal occupation" it pushes for. If you disagree with my list, absolutely fine with me, these are just TRENDS Ive noticed (not absolutes at all):

Medicine- Indians
Law- Jews
Business- Jews
Engineering- East Asians
Computer Programming- Indians
Sports- African-Americans
Liberal Arts PhDs- Caucasians
Science PhDs- East Asians from Asia

What about Russian-Jewish immigrants? There are lots of us around these days! My family immigrated when I was 5 yrs old and we have an assortment of occupations in my family, including engineers of various types, *many* computer programmers, one physician (my mom), a couple of college professors (both science & liberal arts PhDs), and a few in business. My mom is one of the most highly respected of the bunch as an MD, but there hasn't been a lot of pressure on me to go into any certain field - so long as I become a professional of some variety with an income that will support my (hypothetical future) children, they'll be happy. They don't value my brother, a physics major in undergrad who will probably go onto physics grad school, any less.

 

[priyanka]

Hi there,
I am the tenth physician in my family (with two still in medical school and one yet to start making a total of 13 physicians) and the second to do the MD-JD route. We have three generations of physicians with everything from Family Practice to Interventional Cardiology to Neurosurgery. (I am going to be a Vascular Surgeon). My mum is from Manchester, United Kingdom and my pop is from Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I was born in Virginia, USA so there goes your stereotypes.
njbmd

Are the neurotransmitters causing the REM cycle alpha waves, triggered by those "Medicine genes" you house in yourself? I'm so assuming that you learnt vasular surgery while dreaming, till this point of your life!

 

[denty]

I totally agree I come from a family like this. They even are pushing my brother (who is only 10) that a doctor is the only thing to be!!!

 

[Judah_Ben-Hur]

Judah-Ben Hur. I dont think that's Indian. Watch the movie. Its a classic.

Thank God you have common sense unlike the first two posts and seen a couple of movies.

 

[icebrat001]

I got a good laugh on your post. You made Diana Ross look bald. Now that's BAD! lol

Hi there,
I am the tenth physician in my family (with two still in medical school and one yet to start making a total of 13 physicians) and the second to do the MD-JD route. We have three generations of physicians with everything from Family Practice to Interventional Cardiology to Neurosurgery. (I am going to be a Vascular Surgeon). My mum is from Manchester, United Kingdom and my pop is from Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I was born in Virginia, USA so there goes your stereotypes.
njbmd

On another note...

You have a neurosurgeon in your famiily. That is great. I've wanted to become a neurosurgeon since I was 7. Anything bad I should know about neurosurgery residency and african american women in neurosurgery?

Have a good weekend

 

[medic170]

I got a good laugh on your post. You made Diana Ross look bald. Now that's BAD! lol




On another note...

You have a neurosurgeon in your famiily. That is great. I've wanted to become a neurosurgeon since I was 7. Anything bad I should know about neurosurgery residency and african american women in neurosurgery?

Have a good weekend

Alright! Way to resurrect a thread from last Christmas

 

[icebrat001]

Alright! Way to resurrect a thread from last Christmas

I actually meant to post this somewhere and I didn't realize where this was until after I hit submit.

Oops

 

[AnotherDork]

I'm Jewish, never felt pressure to enter any one profession or another, but EDUCATION is the most important thing in most Jewish families, I'd say. As long as you're getting educated in something you enjoy or find value, that's the most pressure you will get (Obviously not the case for all families).

But this topic reminds me of an old Talmudic (Jewish Law) discussion:

Question: According to Talmudic Law, when is a mother's fetus viable?
Answer: When it graduates from medical school.

 

[pakidoc]

Not to be judgemental or anything. But all of my Paki/Desi friend's are premed, the rest are medical student's. I'm confused by the whole thing, because it's like what my friend said to me, the "Desi Legacy". Most of them when I ask them what makes them choose medicine as a career, it's always because, " My parents told me to". I'm like dude if you don't want to do it, don't. It's a joke in the Desi communities, Phd=Poor Hungrey Doctor, MD= Money Doctor. I was doing clinical's last week and the physician I shadow is from Pakistan he and his partner, both cardiologist. As we were walking through the hospital, on the way to the cath-lab I looked at the names on the offices and all I saw were name's like, AbdurRazzaq, Mirza, Ahmed, Ayoub! I laughed to myself, and I ask the physician I was with, "what made you choose medicine", he said, my parent's.

I just thought that was so funny, yet sad. But hey he's not complaining.

loll i liked your post premed82. ive gone thru the same thing w/ the pakistani & indian doctors names.

hahaaa never heard these before
Phd=Poor Hungrey Doctor, MD= Money Doctor
adding to the list: PHD = Phira Hua Dimag (messed up brain)

 

[Without Wax]

This is a very interesting post. I just wanted to add that this is not just a cultural issue, but also immigrant issue.

Many Asians are recent immigrants to this country, so they believe that being a professional (doctor, lawyer, engineer) is the only way to become successful and have a decent life. Not being a part of mainstream creates a fear because you do not have the important connections.

 

[veridisquo]

Possibly. Growing up, my father (who is middle eastern; phd in computer science/engineering) told me I was going to be a doctor. My mother, who was born in the states, didn't really care. At 9, 10, 14 years old, all I knew that doctor = science, and I didn't like science. As I got older, I became interested in mental health, pharmacology, complex systems, etc. I like to think that my personal interests ultimately caused me to pursue medicine, but I suppose my father had a lot to do with it. He gets excited when I tell him I got an A on an exam or won some award. Now that I think about it, I guess i'd feel guilty if I was doing something he wouldn't approve of... He wants be to be a cardiac surgeon. I told him I want to be a psychiatrist. He tells me I'm wasting my time.

My father has loosened up over the years. For my 12 year old sister, career options have been expanded to include veterinary medicine.

 

[Premedtomed]

This is a very interesting post. I just wanted to add that this is not just a cultural issue, but also immigrant issue.

Many Asians are recent immigrants to this country, so they believe that being a professional (doctor, lawyer, engineer) is the only way to become successful and have a decent life. Not being a part of mainstream creates a fear because you do not have the important connections.

You can still have important connections! Some of the immigrants have achieved tremendous success as businessmen/entrepreneurs.
You have to make connections.

 

[~~premed82~~]

Really, you've never heard that term among your friends (desi)? Just last week I asked my friend if she would do a Phd, she's like "Hells No", "I dont want to be a Poor Hungrey Doc." I'm like man is that all you care about! I guess I can't talk to much about other peoples names, it's just that it seems like those are the names I come acorss the most.

loll i liked your post premed82. ive gone thru the same thing w/ the pakistani & indian doctors names.

hahaaa never heard these before
Phd=Poor Hungrey Doctor, MD= Money Doctor
adding to the list: PHD = Phira Hua Dimag (messed up brain)

 

[tigress]

I'm Jewish, never felt pressure to enter any one profession or another, but EDUCATION is the most important thing in most Jewish families, I'd say. As long as you're getting educated in something you enjoy or find value, that's the most pressure you will get (Obviously not the case for all families).

But this topic reminds me of an old Talmudic (Jewish Law) discussion:

Question: According to Talmudic Law, when is a mother's fetus viable?
Answer: When it graduates from medical school.

lol, funny joke

But I totally agree, mostly Jewish families focus on education of any sort, even just for the sake of education. My husband and I both have a few doctors in our family, but I don't think they are held in any higher regard than others. And my parents are lawyers, but my husband's are a high school teacher and a translator, and in my extended family my aunt is a teacher, another aunt is a business executive, another is a stay-at-home mother, etc. Oh, and my cousin is the CFO of Citybank (or however you spell that). I don't know if this is typical or what, but just within our families you have a huge range of professions, and I don't think anybody was pressured to do anything. On the other hand, we were pressured to get good grades and do well in whatever we chose to do. Education always being a topic of conversation and a focus in our families. Also my husband's extended family is all religious Jews (we are Orthodox), and in this culture education for its own sake is key, with learning Talmud being very important. This attitude extends (at least among modern Orthodox, other denominations, and secular Jews) to learning of all kinds, which is why you would perhaps see more post-graduate degrees in general among Jews.

 

[KiKat37]

Possibly. Growing up, my father (who is middle eastern; phd in computer science/engineering) told me I was going to be a doctor. My mother, who was born in the states, didn't really care. At 9, 10, 14 years old, all I knew that doctor = science, and I didn't like science. As I got older, I became interested in mental health, pharmacology, complex systems, etc. I like to think that my personal interests ultimately caused me to pursue medicine, but I suppose my father had a lot to do with it. He gets excited when I tell him I got an A on an exam or won some award. Now that I think about it, I guess i'd feel guilty if I was doing something he wouldn't approve of... He wants be to be a cardiac surgeon. I told him I want to be a psychiatrist. He tells me I'm wasting my time.

My father has loosened up over the years. For my 12 year old sister, career options have been expanded to include veterinary medicine.

LOL My Dad is middle eastern and I have had the same experience... Each time I go home to visit my parents, we sit at the dinner table and we have the same conversation. Dad always asks me what kind of doc I wanna be. I always say Ob/gyn, and he always gives me a look of despair... He wants me to be a neurosurgeon.

 

[redclover]

So you wouldn't say I'd meet too many Jews in med school? Im trying to marry w/in the religion...and the med school classes are sooo small...is it hopeless?

lol, funny joke

But I totally agree, mostly Jewish families focus on education of any sort, even just for the sake of education. My husband and I both have a few doctors in our family, but I don't think they are held in any higher regard than others. And my parents are lawyers, but my husband's are a high school teacher and a translator, and in my extended family my aunt is a teacher, another aunt is a business executive, another is a stay-at-home mother, etc. Oh, and my cousin is the CFO of Citybank (or however you spell that). I don't know if this is typical or what, but just within our families you have a huge range of professions, and I don't think anybody was pressured to do anything. On the other hand, we were pressured to get good grades and do well in whatever we chose to do. Education always being a topic of conversation and a focus in our families. Also my husband's extended family is all religious Jews (we are Orthodox), and in this culture education for its own sake is key, with learning Talmud being very important. This attitude extends (at least among modern Orthodox, other denominations, and secular Jews) to learning of all kinds, which is why you would perhaps see more post-graduate degrees in general among Jews.