Discontent in Other Forums

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Hello,

For those of you who frequently read through these forums, you have probably noticed the abundance of posts by med students and residents expressing their dismay with their chosen field.

I wonder how many of them have had a regular full time job. A lot of their grievances are similar to what I experience. Granted, I do not have debt in the hundreds of thousands. I am currently employed in accounting and I cannot wait to leave this field. The hours are long...the demands are many...and the pay is low for the number of hours put in.

It seems like those who have had previous careers enjoy and appreciate what medicine has to offer.

Any other comments / thoughts?

 

[DrMidlife]

Definitely, but don't get yourself convinced you won't also have to deal with some misery in medicine. I just think it makes all the difference to have a past (somewhat miserable) career with which to compare the current (somewhat miserable) career. This allows me to identify the variables and keep things in perspective.

I constantly hear stories from people who've only practiced medicine, where they're stunned and astonished and deeply, deeply bothered by administrativia and business practices and organizational overhead and such things. As if that's unique to medicine! Lack of comparative experiences is a big detriment.

 

[J ROD]

Simply put:

Work is work!!
and....

the grass is always greener of the other side.


Perspective usually comes with age and experience.

 

[mfrizzo3]

Good Point. If you look closely, you also always see posts like, "Is 17 to young to want to go to medical school." Quite Possibly.

 

[neurologist]

Definitely, but don't get yourself convinced you won't also have to deal with some misery in medicine.

Much of which is caused by . . . accountants!

 

[njbmd]

Granted, I do not have debt in the hundreds of thousands. I am currently employed in accounting and I cannot wait to leave this field. The hours are long...the demands are many...and the pay is low for the number of hours put in.


Any other comments / thoughts?

You WILL have debt in the hundred thousands (unless you are wealthy now) and you will have the same experiences in medicine. At least you will be used to the long hours, demands and low pay.

 

[Blade28]

There are many reasons for people being upset:

*Relatively low pay
*VERY low pay when calculated hourly (approximately $9.50/hour before tax)
*Huge student loan debt
*Harsh working conditions
*Little gratitude from patients
*Constant harassment from coworkers/colleagues/attendings

 

[notdeadyet]

For those of you who frequently read through these forums, you have probably noticed the abundance of posts by med students and residents expressing their dismay with their chosen field.

You'd expect to hear lots of complaining at that level. Med school is hard and residency is indentured servitude. Keep in mind that med school and residency both thankfully end.

One thing I've noticed is that the practicing physicians I hear complain a lot about their job tend to be the straight-to-medicine crowd. Every non-trad physician I've talked to is happy with their decision.

 

[Perrotfish]

Keep in mind that there's also a sort of buyers remorse with medical students. The ones who get in have, on average, a 3.75 and a 31 MCAT, which means that successful premeds sacrificed a lot of other options to choose medicine. Whatever they choose, they're probably going to at least wonder what it would be like if they had chosen something else. If you want to meet happy medical students, talk to the ones who just barely made it into medical school.

 

[RxnMan]

Hello,

For those of you who frequently read through these forums, you have probably noticed the abundance of posts by med students and residents expressing their dismay with their chosen field...

Try the EM forum. Usually fun, frequently gross, and always welcoming.

 

[notdeadyet]

If you want to meet happy medical students, talk to the ones who just barely made it into medical school.

I can be reached via PM.

 

[speeter]

If you want to meet happy medical students, talk to the ones who just barely made it into medical school.

[Slowly raises hand]

 

[Beau Geste]

I have listened to others' experiences to start, and then set those aside and am taking my own experience one day at a time.

I remember when I first embarked on my pre-med journey - taking classes and working full-time, so many people reported their own feelings of it being a living hell (and most of these reports were from traditional students), and how being a pre-med is so hard. Yes, it was hard, but I was still able to pull A's and a few B's, work full-time, and maintain a marriage. And, most importantly, the world didn't end.

I'm absolutely positive med school is going to challenge me like nothing I've ever done academically, but I'm ready. All I can do is "do it" and let the rest fall into place and keep the right mindset. There's nothing else to do, and I'm not going to drop out before I start because someone else had a bad experience, nor am I going to take med school lightly because I read about someone having a positive experience.

 

[Beau Geste]

This is a quote from njbmd from some thread over in the Allo forum and I think it bears repeating here. In fact, it's one of my favorites of all-time on SDN:

I didn't find medical school or residency training unbearable or painful. I found that I was constantly learning something new every day and meeting/working with some very interesting people.

I also found that if you go into anything (career/life) with the idea that it will be painful, that is exactly what you will find. Medicine is no better or worse than any other career if you generally enjoy what you do. If you don't, like anything else, you will find misery.

Why did you go into medicine or seek admission into medical school? If you can remember why you chose this career, and keep your reasons in perspective then you will likely enjoy what you are doing.

Another valuable lesson that you probably should have learned by now is that you can't believe everything that you read and hear. Keep an open mind and take things as they come.

 

[justletmeinplz]

I wouldn't worry about discontent on an internet message board. I am choosing medicine and my dad is a physician. If it was really that bad I would know, and I wouldn't pursue a career in medicine. I'm sure med school is going to be tough. I'm sure many aspects of residency suck. I'm also sure if you ask a physician that has been in practice for 10 years or so if he/she regrets the decision to become a doctor the answer will be a resounding "no!"

 

[Halcyon440]

I just wanted to say that this very negativity was one of the reasons I waited as long as I did to finally take the plunge. I was on the fence about medicine for 6 years before finally starting my postbacc and even after I was done with it in 2006 I waited around another year. But all is well that ends well and I will be starting medical school in August at one of my top three choice schools. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't wasted that much time worrying about others' perceptions/experiences. You won't really know what it's like until you go through it and if you go through it with a more positive outlook it will likely turn out to be not as bad as you feared. I *know* there will be bad moments but I finally decided that the other alternative (to never go for it at all and wonder "what it" all my life) would be even worse.

 

[QofQuimica]

I have some classmates who are never happy no matter what. This includes people with six figure debt, and it includes people who have full rides. I honestly believe that some people are just malcontents. They would hate any job because what they really want to spend their lives doing involves something you can't usually get paid to do, like playing video games all day or getting drunk or whatever else is their idea of fun. But the thing is, most people in all fields would rather be doing something else besides their work if they could. (I'd stay home and read Harry Potter all day if I could!) Anyone who works at any job has to deal with a lot of bureaucracy and stupidity and hassles. It's not like medicine is any worse than other fields in that regard.

There may be something to the idea that a previous job that was not always fun makes one less discontented in medicine. It's not like every hour of every day that I spent as a chemist was sheer joy; it's a lot of manual labor, long hours, and hard work, and there are just as many annoying personalities and regulations to deal with. Likewise, there are a lot of things I have to do as a medical student that I would rather not do given my druthers, from writing up eight zillion H & Ps to doing eight zillion Pap smears. All I can do is keep reminding myself to focus on the job at hand and do the best I can under the circumstances that I find myself in. The thing is, even if it's not always fun, it's always at least tolerable. And sometimes it actually is fun--though never the Pap smears. At least I know without a doubt that gynecology is not the field for me. 😛

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm also sure if you ask a physician that has been in practice for 10 years or so if he/she regrets the decision to become a doctor the answer will be a resounding "no!"

Well, the point is really that medicine has CHANGED. So you need to ask the person who has been in practice for LESS than 10 years because that is going to better approximate your own field. The folks who got in earlier when the getting was good are going to have a very different perspective. You can basically discount it -- it's not going to be your reality. Talk to someone 3 years out of residency or less, for the straight skinny.

Don't kid yourself -- there is a ton of paperwork and hassles in medicine that you would never anticipate as a premed (regardless of what your parents do for a living). There are very real negatives. But for some, it's still worth it. But not for everyone. And especially not for those who have unrealistic expectations of what it will be like, particularly those notions coming from observing prior generations in the field. You will not have the same kind of career as your father. This is not your father's oldsmobile. The practice has changed, and will continue to change as more politicians jump on the universal healthcare bandwagon. Expect your practice to resemble nothing like your parents. That may not be a totally bad thing, but it does lead to dashed expectations.

 

[DallasMedic]

Coming from someone who has spent the past 5 years working in EMS before finally having the money and support to take the next step for med school, being a doctor is not glamours but there is that rush from helping people and knowing your making a difference in people's life's.

Before a doctor ever complains about the money they make maybe they should take that step back and think of the medics and techs helping you that actually do make $10-$12 an hour and do it for the passion of medicine not the paycheck. Sorry... off my soap box

 

[LadyWolverine]

Before a doctor ever complains about the money they make maybe they should take that step back and think of the medics and techs helping you that actually do make $10-$12 an hour and do it for the passion of medicine not the paycheck. Sorry... off my soap box

Do medics and techs spend 8+ years in school, take out 6 figures in loans, and work 80 hours a week (note: SALARIED) for their "passion"? I don't think so. What a ridiculous comparison to make, Medic. I respect allied health professionals for what they do, but...come on. 👎

 

[kronickm]

No matter how much trash I read I know, 100%, that I will love both medical school and residency. Obviously there will be issues and tough times, but I just plain love medicine, I cannot wait. Nobody is going to deter me and trust me, people have tired.

 

[jlittlej]

I'm in my late 20s. Most of my friends are smart and ambitious and a few years into careers as investment bankers, lawyers, accountants, engineers and management consultants, as well as paths in the health professions. Investment banking and big law jobs, in particular, guarantee doc-like salaries in fewer years - right out of undergrad, in investment banking's case, and after three years of law school with no low-paying residency in an attorney's case. Such positions are not easy to get, but I assume that anyone who can get into and out of med school could jump through the required hoops. Still, both careers require very long hours and much pressure. I-banking generally means living in very expensive cities. Most people don't make partner; I don't really know the career path of someone who doesn't. Still, you can get a primary income earlier and be up to that of a specialist within five years in many cases. As a romantic premed/EMT, I think medicine would be much more rewarding, but I haven't dealt all the pressures yet. As a EMT and ER tech, I'm insulated by many levels.

I am/I'd be much more persuaded by the doc who says they'd rather have graduated with an engineering degree that required much less school and loans but pays $75k/yr and allows for good family time than I am by the doc who acts like they could easily be making $200k/yr and working 40 hrs/wk.

 

[Blade28]

Well, the point is really that medicine has CHANGED. So you need to ask the person who has been in practice for LESS than 10 years because that is going to better approximate your own field. The folks who got in earlier when the getting was good are going to have a very different perspective. You can basically discount it -- it's not going to be your reality. Talk to someone 3 years out of residency or less, for the straight skinny.

Great point. 👍

 

[Flushot]

Keep in mind that there's also a sort of buyers remorse with medical students. The ones who get in have, on average, a 3.75 and a 31 MCAT, which means that successful premeds sacrificed a lot of other options to choose medicine. Whatever they choose, they're probably going to at least wonder what it would be like if they had chosen something else. If you want to meet happy medical students, talk to the ones who just barely made it into medical school.

You know, I'd have to push this up again, because I agree. Struggling to push that gpa, re-take the MCAT for the 4th time, get into that SMP, etc. really puts it in the candidate. I have no doubt there are many talented straight-to-med-school pre-meds that are happy where they are, but I can see where some would wonder 'what if'.

Probably not the 3rd re-applicant or the non-trad. I'm can say that running through it again and looking for ways to improve can only make the experience better.

 

[alpha62]

It's the Mr. Rogers effect. These people have been told from day one, how smart and extra special they are.... now they've found out they were lied to.

 

[lilnoelle]

It's the Mr. Rogers effect. These people have been told from day one, how smart and extra special they are.... now they've found out they were lied to.

Haha, that made me LOL.

I think its a situation where the unhappy people are extra vocal and the happy ones are quiet.

Think about it - when you have a bad day, you vent to whoever you can vent to. But you don't come on and talk about your average days, or your slightly above average days. MAYBE you'll come on when you have an amazing life changing experience with medicine and praise it... but that thread will fall to the bottom of the page very fast - and most comments will be one liners. I don't know about you, but I have many more bad days than days I feel ecstatic and HAVE to share about it.

 

[lilnoelle]

Oh, and I like med school, am excited to start third year rotations next year and am very happy where I am... excited to get out into the world and positively effect the community that I live in. (Still wet behind the ears, I guess).

 

[OncoCaP]

I'm having a great time. I'm a 1st year, and so supposedly I'm still on easy street. I'm looking forward to the pace and demands picking up. There is no way I would be enjoying this anywhere near as much without my work experience. No way. It really helps to be able to keep medical school in perspective (it's an opportunity to learn). I have a family and that helps keep me grounded as well. I'm also amazed at the number of professors and physicians who take out time to teach me; I wouldn't expect many of these individuals to give me the time of day, but somehow they find the time. My classmates are also supprisingly nice and competent.