Delusional Non-Trads.

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
onestopshop

onestopshop

Membership Revoked
Removed
10+ Year Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Members don't see this ad.
Why cant you see that medicine is just another regular job. An incredibly time-consuming, repetitive, ****ty job. I know in the back of all your minds you think "oh if I can just get to be a doctor, I will finally be validated". It is mostly a scam, 300k in debt to do this crap is ridiculous. Going into this much debt at age 30+ just to be a doctor is the most idiotic thing one could ever do. ITS JUST A JOB people, not a calling, not some magical career that will solve all your problems and feelings of inadequacy, JUST A JOB that will consume your life.
 
LOL - care to share some of your backstory etc.? You will probably have more of a shot at influencing people if you do. 🙂
 
A sobering assessment. I can't speak for anyone else, but you have convinced me.
 
onestopshop said:
Why cant you see that medicine is just another regular job. An incredibly time-consuming, repetitive, ****ty job. I know in the back of all your minds you think "oh if I can just get to be a doctor, I will finally be validated". It is mostly a scam, 300k in debt to do this crap is ridiculous. Going into this much debt at age 30+ just to be a doctor is the most idiotic thing one could ever do. ITS JUST A JOB people, not a calling, not some magical career that will solve all your problems and feelings of inadequacy, JUST A JOB that will consume your life.
Click to expand...


First off, it's only like 120k for me. And secondly, the school said I will get magic powers when I graduate. Think about it, only 120 grand for powers!

Unforunately, you don't get to pick which power you get. I'll probably get stuck with being able to turn into a basketball or something (Internal Medicine). If I'm lucky though, I'll get to fly (dermatology).
 
I already have magical powers, so I get a discount on tuition. I already cleaned up the poop, too, so now I know to put an alcohol wipe in my mask next time I help change someone's colostomy bag.

Fun times!
 
Which specialty again is it that will grant me powers to turn into a unicorn and spit rainbows out at everyone?
 
OneStopShop

One Stop Shoppppppp to a purpose? or One Stop Shop to burnout? Sounds like you're burning...

There are some of us who do in fact believe that medicine is a calling, a moral act, if you will. Whether or not you believe that-- is your prerogative. But emotional vomiting on SDN, well, that accomplishes nothing.
 
Well, golly onestopshop, I really appreciate that you thought of us for your first post. Thanks for sharing.
 
Just venting, sorry. However, everyone should honestly assess whether it really is for them. Remember it is a just a job, so dont glamourize it.
 
true that it's just a job. but i think a lot of people who are going back to school actually want to do something that make them happy, like helping people. thus, they don't want to have 'just a job'. they want a job that means something to them. get it? Why are you going back to school anyway?
 
lol you guys are funny, even the person that started the thread.

i do agree though. I don't think any job is THE answer to anything, like making you happy, validation, respect or even meaning. just the answer to money, food, shelter and perhaps contributing something to society with the natural skill set you were born with. i think that's part of the reason so many people become disillusioned with any career. expecting it to give them something that in my opinion (and it's going to sound cheesy and new age) can only be found inside. then you can fully contribute to your profession, without having any unfair expectations and then blame the profession when your expectations are thwarted. it's not the profession's fault cause it never had THE answer you wanted to begin with. in my humble opinion.
 
Last edited:
Trismegistus4 said:
I'm just posting to say that I rated this thread 5 stars and I recommend everyone else do the same.
Click to expand...

I like onestopshop better than trismetigus4. Catchier. Easier to remember. You should just use that one.
 
Nasrudin said:
I like onestopshop better than trismetigus4. Catchier. Easier to remember. You should just use that one.
Click to expand...

Nas, once again you made me laugh out loud.
 
Nasrudin said:
I like onestopshop better than trismetigus4. Catchier. Easier to remember. You should just use that one.
Click to expand...

Why do people assume that any time anyone expresses a negative sentiment in the non-trad forum, it must be me in disguise?

And I would change my username, but you have to be an SDN donor to do it and I'm too cheap to pony up the dough.
 
I would say about 80% of the non-trads on here are delusional.
 
onestopshop said:
I would say about 80% of the non-trads on here are delusional.
Click to expand...

Onestop, Tris, whichever.

I like the subtle (read:not subtle) presupposition in your OP. Of course we (non-trads, since we are all exactly the same 🙄) are all unfulfilled waifs needing validation. Who exactly are you trying to convince anyway?

:troll:
 
That's a pretty high percentage don't ya think? And what's your end goal here? Is this a public service announcement? Are you trying to warn people of the fraud that is medical school? What I'm trying to get at here is....Do you have some kind of point or are you just typing furiously because your pissed that life sucks?
 
onestopshop said:
Why cant you see that medicine is just another regular job. An incredibly time-consuming, repetitive, ****ty job. I know in the back of all your minds you think "oh if I can just get to be a doctor, I will finally be validated". It is mostly a scam, 300k in debt to do this crap is ridiculous. Going into this much debt at age 30+ just to be a doctor is the most idiotic thing one could ever do. ITS JUST A JOB people, not a calling, not some magical career that will solve all your problems and feelings of inadequacy, JUST A JOB that will consume your life.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think it's just a job and not a calling as well, but it's a job that interests me so I want to do it.
 
jpagano said:
There are some of us who do in fact believe that medicine is a calling, a moral act, if you will. Whether or not you believe that-- is your prerogative. But emotional vomiting on SDN, well, that accomplishes nothing.
Click to expand...

So are you one of the few americans who supports socialised health care?

(This is a genuine question, I'm in Australia where we have socialised healthcare, our doctors get paid well and our healthcare system is WONDERFUL, i dont understand why so many americans be hating the concept!)
 
A career may not make you happy but puppies, bunnies and kittens will definitely do the trick.



Is puppy snorgling covered under socialized medicine? Maybe Obama should ask the people at cuteoverload.com for some advice.
 
sunshinevet said:
So are you one of the few americans who supports socialised health care?

(This is a genuine question, I'm in Australia where we have socialised healthcare, our doctors get paid well and our healthcare system is WONDERFUL, i dont understand why so many americans be hating the concept!)
Click to expand...


It is a good question...sorry to make light of it.

While some countries have had success (which can be measured many different ways) with a public health system, many countries continue to struggle with executing such a plan. Personally (and I don't presume to speak for anyone other than myself), I currently do not have confidence in our political leaders (both democrats and republicans). I have concerns about their ability accomplish this successfully given our national debt load and the partisan political climate. Not saying “right” or “wrong,” just saying “not like this.”

I'm sure other threads have covered this and will lead you to a more constructive response on why it is right or wrong for America.
 
I'm going out on a limb to say that onestop is a nontrad who just finished receiving his last rejection letter and is pissed off.

In that vein, everything is just a job. Even pornstars get up and are mad that it's monday and they have to go to work. So what. It's a job that people want to do. It's a lot of school, and the debt is large, but what is the difference between being a rich 40 year old and being a rich 45 year old? or 50 year old for that matter? "Ooohhh, why would you start a medical career just to have to wait to live in absolute luxury until you're almost 50?"

lame.

Though, I am sorry to hear that you didn't get in this time around onestop. You'll get there. Just keep working at it and don't give up.
 
sunshinevet said:
So are you one of the few americans who supports socialised health care?

(This is a genuine question, I'm in Australia where we have socialised healthcare, our doctors get paid well and our healthcare system is WONDERFUL, i dont understand why so many americans be hating the concept!)
Click to expand...

I deeply, deeply miss Australia's health care system...but there was grumbling about it when I was over there (by Ausie's)....while I was wide eyed with sheer awe.....really, emergency room visit on Anzac day with fully luxated patella and I am seen and treated in a few hours and the cost, even as foreigner, was $200, including radiographs, drugs, etc.
 
DocArmy said:
I'm going out on a limb to say that onestop is a nontrad who just finished receiving his last rejection letter and is pissed off.

In that vein, everything is just a job. Even pornstars get up and are mad that it's monday and they have to go to work. So what. It's a job that people want to do. It's a lot of school, and the debt is large, but what is the difference between being a rich 40 year old and being a rich 45 year old? or 50 year old for that matter? "Ooohhh, why would you start a medical career just to have to wait to live in absolute luxury until you're almost 50?"

lame.

Though, I am sorry to hear that you didn't get in this time around onestop. You'll get there. Just keep working at it and don't give up.
Click to expand...


lol... I was going to say a traditional student who finished this long path after having blinders on the whole way only to realize being a doctor does not bestow magical powers and fix your life.

If is the case, sorry it turned out as such.

Nontrads are no less 'blinded' than traditional students; in fact, given that most of us have had careers in other professions, we are at a vantage point of being able to see the fact that medicine is a career and have semi-realistic ideas of the expectations involved. And that being said, it is what you make of it. If you aren't happy in an urban setting, perhaps a rural setting is more appropriate.
 
deleted.



onestopshop said:
Why cant you see that medicine is just another regular job. An incredibly time-consuming, repetitive, ****ty job. I know in the back of all your minds you think "oh if I can just get to be a doctor, I will finally be validated". It is mostly a scam, 300k in debt to do this crap is ridiculous. Going into this much debt at age 30+ just to be a doctor is the most idiotic thing one could ever do. ITS JUST A JOB people, not a calling, not some magical career that will solve all your problems and feelings of inadequacy, JUST A JOB that will consume your life.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Wow....that's a pretty sad story with the loans girl. although partly her fault, i still can't fathom the exorbitant amounts of money it requires to go to college in America. Blows my mind.

Times like these makes me glad my family immigrated to Canada instead of US. where tuition for one year med school is $7000-8000 instead of $30,000+. craziness. pure craziness. Although a free post secondary education in Europe is more ideal, i can't complain.
 
passerby is right (about the job/career not being able to make you internally happy if you are/were basically unhappy to start off with). For a lot of us, we get a good part of our identity from our job/career and it is important to have one that we like, but without other things in life, the job by itself isn't going to make you happy (except maybe for a tiny minority of people who really don't want to do anything but work...those become brain surgeons or CT surgeons...LOL!).
 
Threads like this are why I'm glad I joined this site and will stay.

I'm a nontraditional EMT student I guess, since I'm 47.

I have super powers already, actually, so it's a surprise to me that med school hands 'em out 😛 They're kinda odd super powers although two of them are pretty cool, and I appreciate all of them except one, that one is useful in a veterinary setting but as useful as it is, I could do without it!

I think a basic problem is the belief in two equations: Doctor = money. and Money = happiness. These were not true more than 50% of the time when the economy was good, and now it's bad.

I think a lot of nontraditional students and students in general if they have their heads screwed on right, are training in what they like, or have a knack for, or both. My last class session was with an instructor who said he felt his job, Paramedic, was the best job in the world, approachable, maybe, by rock star or pro surfer. He was not joking. That's how he feels. That's a "do what you do" kind of guy. That's the guy I'd want making $30k a year, scraping ME up off the road at an accident site. Me, overall I like to fix stuff, and figure stuff out. I've helped people. And I've not helped people, because I was a kid and didn't know what to do. And when I did, 911 thought I was some damn kid making a prank call, I think, because my voice was so calm. Other times I guess I saved the day. The last one, I realized I ought to get more training. Since I'm gonna do the stuff, and it's interesting anyway, I like the training. I may never make much money in EMS or any money. But I have an interest and I memorize stuff well and am good with my hands, and while I can freak out when things get a little bad, I get really calm when things are really bad. I'm a good fit.

I think the OP is hitchin' 👍 on the road to Burnoutville and needs to go skiiing for a week or join a boxing gym or something. Burnout sucks.
 
all this talk of superpowers makes me think of that family guy episode where the all got superpowers.... and meg's was her amazing ability to grow her fingernails quickly...

"is that all you can do?"
*meg scratches him on the arm with a nail*
"ow! that really hurt! is that bleeding?? no.. no i guess it's not. but OW!"
 
southpawcannon said:
Which specialty again is it that will grant me powers to turn into a unicorn and spit rainbows out at everyone?
Click to expand...
1804430.jpg
 
Throwing my smelly two cents into the pile.

That chick being $550,000 in debt made a lot of stupid financial moves to get her in that bad of a situation. Not to be bagging on someone who is half a mill in the hole, but the shear amount of financial ignorance to reach such a point is simply baffling. The worse part of the story was how she said that only half of it is her fault…the loan agencies and banks did nothing illegal. If you borrow money, you pay the cost…and in her case, keeping paying.

As for medicine being a job, well duh. Everything is a job, living is job most of the time. However, compared to job that I currently have, IT/IA Auditor extraordinary, I don't imagine a career in medicine will be as bad. For example on a GOOD day, when something exciting happens, I get to compare the trial balances for purchasing accounts to the supporting invoices and then document the results of my review in a work paper. My bad days rivals watching grass grow and painting a fence for excitement. Yeah, give me a job in medicine any day of the week.
 
Honestly, I agree with you to a certain degree. I have always said that you can do something you absolutely love, but once someone starts paying for for it, it just becomes another job that you will hate. Is this true for medicine....Ill let you know in a few years.

As for medicine not being a calling, I completely disagree. I have tried to talk myself out of medicine at every corner. I worked in the field for 6yrs, then I ran away from it with hopes to never return. But here I am, pre-med, doing everything I possibly can to get into this elite club. I believe it is a calling, its your choice whether to answer it or not, but I knew if I didnt I would never be satisfied with my professional life.
 
Corpsman Up said:
Honestly, I agree with you to a certain degree. I have always said that you can do something you absolutely love, but once someone starts paying for for it, it just becomes another job that you will hate. Is this true for medicine....Ill let you know in a few years.

As for medicine not being a calling, I completely disagree. I have tried to talk myself out of medicine at every corner. I worked in the field for 6yrs, then I ran away from it with hopes to never return. But here I am, pre-med, doing everything I possibly can to get into this elite club. I believe it is a calling, its your choice whether to answer it or not, but I knew if I didnt I would never be satisfied with my professional life.
Click to expand...

I tend to look at things the way you do. It's a calling because literally it's calling. I've tried to shut it up. I've told it all the negatives. I've kind of tried to sabotage it. It's still there, so while it will inevitably be hard, and politicky, and obnoxious, and I'll complain, and even genuinely want to throttle it many a time, I do think more and more that it is really for me. If I can be more aware of so many of the negatives of this field than I ever was for my current field, and still get excited and feel driven for it, then what can I say? I guess I'm in 🙂
 
onestopshop said:
Why cant you see that medicine is just another regular job. An incredibly time-consuming, repetitive, ****ty job. I know in the back of all your minds you think "oh if I can just get to be a doctor, I will finally be validated". It is mostly a scam, 300k in debt to do this crap is ridiculous. Going into this much debt at age 30+ just to be a doctor is the most idiotic thing one could ever do. ITS JUST A JOB people, not a calling, not some magical career that will solve all your problems and feelings of inadequacy, JUST A JOB that will consume your life.
Click to expand...

Did you, perchance, come from one of the pre-allo "the non-trads/URMs/space aliens are taking my med school slot"?
 
Fizzpig I LOVE that episode and was thinking about that while typing.

OK so I should mention my stupid superpowers to assuage a little curiousity.
(1) I seem to have this strange marksmanship power. If I work at it, I'm world class in pistol. Cool? Yes! Useful? *shrug*.
(2) I'm not sure if I still have this one at age 47, but I had a substantial body of evidence to support the supposition that I'm physically indestructable. I've been in a ton of motorcycle crashes when younger, and I mean, flying over cars and remodeling pickup trucks with my fullface helmet and going and getting my chin sewn up with chromic gut and ethilon and calling it a day. I've left a trail of reconfigured vehicles and bikes in my wake. THESE DAYS I RIDE LIKE AN OLD MOTORCYCLE SAFETY INSTRUCTOR ON THEIR WAY TO A PTA MEETING 😳
(3) I seem to have perfect pitch. *shrug*
(4) The veterinary one .... I can smell parvovirus. It's an awful smell, I can't describe it, imagine being really creeped out by an H. R. Giger painting, now imagine what that feeling would smell like. I put the "nose" in "diagnose" and could tell right off if a dog just beginning to get sick was a parvo case, giving our hospital an advantage in these cases and a better cure rate than others because we'd know when to get aggressive with treatment.

OK boring, boring.

About the calling thing.... yeah, some of us are nuts who are GOING to help if someone needs helping. I'm not nutty enough to carry a big ol' medical kit with me and try to be Dr. Ross, but I'm the one who will keep people from trying to get a victem on their feet, will make sure someone calls 911, will stay around until the medics show up, actually notice that someone is in trouble, etc. I probably ought to carry a 911 phone, some glucogen, a flashlight, some basic simple stuff with me, but I'm not a whacktastic light-chasing nutball. I'm just one of those people who's going to help. Thus, EMS or possibly something that branches off of EMS is a good place in life for me. Heck for a job even dispatcher is OK with me, they get no respect but their job is a very important one. No hero complex here.

I think ultimately if a person feels they ought to try to become a doctor, why not? If the banks will loan 'em the money, why not? It's better than spending the rest of their lives thinking about what might have been. These days they're not gonna loan you the money unless they feel you're a pretty good risk. Bet your house on it? Why not? Lose your house? At least you'll have gotten med school out of the bargain, since people are losing their houses anyway.

Go for it. 👍
 
Well, thank you so much for that substantial and thoughtfully constructed position.

You are one of the great illuminators of life!

Now all of those involved in the medical forums and such at SDN can finally close down their efforts and jump from this sinking ship called medicine.

You have saved the day as well as our lives, fortunes, and sacred honors!

How can we ever thank you enough! :bow: 🙄🙄:bow:
 
Ah'm gonna take someone's JERB!

Actually I"m probably gonna take the kind of jerb the young, tall, goodlooking EMTs/medics don't want.
 
ArkansasRanger said:
Yeah, I think it's just a job and not a calling as well, but it's a job that interests me so I want to do it.
Click to expand...

I heard voices telling me to follow this career path, so it's definitely a calling for me. Delusional, what a relative term.
 
It's a job and calling if you want it to be. If you want it to just be a job then it probably will be. That's my take on it anyway.
 
After I get my MD, all the "delusional non-trads" can come see me when they need help dealing with stress from their 500k student loans -- but as I have the magic power of pooping rainbows, (and sometimes skittles), we can sit around and shoot the s%*t about the days when I was a "delusional non-trad." 🙂

Non-trads are actually some of the most well-adjusted pre-meds I know! I'm sure they will certainly make the best doctors because they already know the secrets: money doesn't necessarily make you happy and there's a difference between a job and a calling.
 
Trismegistus4 said:
Why do people assume that any time anyone expresses a negative sentiment in the non-trad forum, it must be me in disguise?

And I would change my username, but you have to be an SDN donor to do it and I'm too cheap to pony up the dough.
Click to expand...

Come on, Tris, you know we love you, you old grump.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Anthodite
Being non-trad is so bitter sweet
Replies
3
Views
415
Wamuu
Wamuu
U
Non-Trad/Reinvention Help; Any Advice Greatly Appreciated
Replies
1
Views
398
Faha
F
B
Hello! New Non-Trad - About Me - Seeking Advice
Replies
4
Views
826
BongoBongoIsBack
B
D
Non-Trad/Reinvention Help! Any advice appreciated <3
Replies
6
Views
668
Faha
F
M
Low Stat, Non-Trad, Career Changer first cycle Acceptance
Replies
5
Views
1K
Wamuu
Wamuu
Top