Do I Really Want to go to Medical School?

[Falconclaw]

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Okay, I know that many of the members on this site take this extremely seriously, so I'm going to try to frame this as intelligently as possible. I know that by looking at the subject line, many of your initial responses will just be "no," but please hear me out.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a doctor, but probably in large part because of parental pressure. Late in high school, I started having doubts, after realizing what a sacrifice four years of medical school and three years of residency was, and I started to change my mind about this.

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I started college. I was, and remain, very interested in politics, so I thought I would go to law school and try to get a political job, but that soon ended up sounding impractical, since it's not really a great time to apply to law school, being interested in politics isn't the same as working in it, whatever.

When I started thinking about my career more seriously (this also involved me transferring schools from Hunter College to Binghamton University), I was an Accounting major. I'd rather have done finance, but it just seemed too hard to get into, and although I do have talents, I don't think they match up with the talents you need to get an investment banking job. I chose accounting because it seemed like the safe bet, and I would be making money right out of college, with just one extra year to get an MS.

However, towards the end of last semester, and during my winter break, I started really thinking about it seriously. Did I really want to look at Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for the rest of my life? Did I really want an office job? The answer to these questions was no. Although I'm not precisely sure what accountants do on a daily basis, it doesn't seem to be particularly intellectually challenging or meaningful.

I want a career where my work would be interesting, meaningful, and personally rewarding. In addition, and I know you all look down on this and tell these sorts of people to get the hell out and pick another career, but I also want to make a good amount of money. I feel that being a doctor will allow me to accomplish all these things. I would enjoy using special skills to help people, in a way that involves actually thinking.

The problem I have, however, is an incredibly bad work ethic. I know that this is horrible for any career, so you don't have to tell me the obvious. I've gotten used to relying on my natural intelligence to do well in school, but now that I'm taking science classes I realize that IQ won't do me much good; I really have to put the work in. Even with pills like Adderral, it's really hard for me to do. I'm taking science classes my first semester, so I'm not sure how I'm going to do, but I'd probably be happy if my GPA for this semester was a 3.3, whereas my current GPA is a 3.85. Other subjects lend themselves much better to cramming.

Also, I'm still not sure whether I have it in me to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another three. It's very hard for me to make up my mind about one career path and stick to it; the grass always looks greener on the other side. Now that I realize everything I'll have to do to be a doctor, accounting suddenly looks much more appealing than it did before.

What do you guys think? If I continued on my current track, I'd graduate in two years (an extra year than normal since I switched majors), and then hopefully go to med school right after. I know there are a lot of really *****ic posts with this same topic, so I tried to make mine intelligent and analytical.

 

[Jumoke]

Okay, I know that many of the members on this site take this extremely seriously, so I'm going to try to frame this as intelligently as possible. I know that by looking at the subject line, many of your initial responses will just be "no," but please hear me out.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a doctor, but probably in large part because of parental pressure. Late in high school, I started having doubts, after realizing what a sacrifice four years of medical school and three years of residency was, and I started to change my mind about this.

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I started college. I was, and remain, very interested in politics, so I thought I would go to law school and try to get a political job, but that soon ended up sounding impractical, since it's not really a great time to apply to law school, being interested in politics isn't the same as working in it, whatever.

When I started thinking about my career more seriously (this also involved me transferring schools from Hunter College to Binghamton University), I was an Accounting major. I'd rather have done finance, but it just seemed too hard to get into, and although I do have talents, I don't think they match up with the talents you need to get an investment banking job. I chose accounting because it seemed like the safe bet, and I would be making money right out of college, with just one extra year to get an MS.

However, towards the end of last semester, and during my winter break, I started really thinking about it seriously. Did I really want to look at Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for the rest of my life? Did I really want an office job? The answer to these questions was no. Although I'm not precisely sure what accountants do on a daily basis, it doesn't seem to be particularly intellectually challenging or meaningful.

I want a career where my work would be interesting, meaningful, and personally rewarding. In addition, and I know you all look down on this and tell these sorts of people to get the hell out and pick another career, but I also want to make a good amount of money. I feel that being a doctor will allow me to accomplish all these things. I am NOT the type of person that you'll see volunteering at a soup kitchen or otherwise helping poor people for free, but I do think I would enjoy using special skills to help people, in a way that involves actually thinking, and getting paid good money for it.

The problem I have, however, is an incredibly bad work ethic. I know that this is horrible for any career, so you don't have to tell me the obvious. I've gotten used to relying on my natural intelligence to do well in school, but now that I'm taking science classes I realize that IQ won't do me much good; I really have to put the work in. Even with pills like Adderral, it's really hard for me to do. I'm taking science classes my first semester, so I'm not sure how I'm going to do, but I'd probably be happy if my GPA for this semester was a 3.3, whereas my current GPA is a 3.85. Other subjects lend themselves much better to cramming.

Also, I'm still not sure whether I have it in me to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another three. It's very hard for me to make up my mind about one career path and stick to it; the grass always looks greener on the other side. Now that I realize everything I'll have to do to be a doctor, accounting suddenly looks much more appealing than it did before.

What do you guys think? If I continued on my current track, I'd graduate in two years (an extra year than normal since I switched majors), and then hopefully go to med school right after. I know there are a lot of really *****ic posts with this same topic, so I tried to make mine intelligent and analytical.

See a doctor, pref. a psychiatrist to help you with your issues. Then, apply, go to med school & stick with it. Bye bye.

 

[Falconclaw]

Well, that was helpful. Oh well, I tried.

 

[Loveless]

Sounds like you'd be better off taking the Physician Assistant route.

 

[Guero]

Okay, I know that many of the members on this site take this extremely seriously, so I'm going to try to frame this as intelligently as possible. I know that by looking at the subject line, many of your initial responses will just be "no," but please hear me out.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a doctor, but probably in large part because of parental pressure. Late in high school, I started having doubts, after realizing what a sacrifice four years of medical school and three years of residency was, and I started to change my mind about this.

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I started college. I was, and remain, very interested in politics, so I thought I would go to law school and try to get a political job, but that soon ended up sounding impractical, since it's not really a great time to apply to law school, being interested in politics isn't the same as working in it, whatever.

When I started thinking about my career more seriously (this also involved me transferring schools from Hunter College to Binghamton University), I was an Accounting major. I'd rather have done finance, but it just seemed too hard to get into, and although I do have talents, I don't think they match up with the talents you need to get an investment banking job. I chose accounting because it seemed like the safe bet, and I would be making money right out of college, with just one extra year to get an MS.

However, towards the end of last semester, and during my winter break, I started really thinking about it seriously. Did I really want to look at Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for the rest of my life? Did I really want an office job? The answer to these questions was no. Although I'm not precisely sure what accountants do on a daily basis, it doesn't seem to be particularly intellectually challenging or meaningful.

I want a career where my work would be interesting, meaningful, and personally rewarding. In addition, and I know you all look down on this and tell these sorts of people to get the hell out and pick another career, but I also want to make a good amount of money. I feel that being a doctor will allow me to accomplish all these things. I am NOT the type of person that you'll see volunteering at a soup kitchen or otherwise helping poor people for free, but I do think I would enjoy using special skills to help people, in a way that involves actually thinking, and getting paid good money for it.

The problem I have, however, is an incredibly bad work ethic. I know that this is horrible for any career, so you don't have to tell me the obvious. I've gotten used to relying on my natural intelligence to do well in school, but now that I'm taking science classes I realize that IQ won't do me much good; I really have to put the work in. Even with pills like Adderral, it's really hard for me to do. I'm taking science classes my first semester, so I'm not sure how I'm going to do, but I'd probably be happy if my GPA for this semester was a 3.3, whereas my current GPA is a 3.85. Other subjects lend themselves much better to cramming.

Also, I'm still not sure whether I have it in me to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another three. It's very hard for me to make up my mind about one career path and stick to it; the grass always looks greener on the other side. Now that I realize everything I'll have to do to be a doctor, accounting suddenly looks much more appealing than it did before.

What do you guys think? If I continued on my current track, I'd graduate in two years (an extra year than normal since I switched majors), and then hopefully go to med school right after. I know there are a lot of really *****ic posts with this same topic, so I tried to make mine intelligent and analytical.

Considering all the negatives you've listed and your admittedly fickle nature, I'd advise against pursuing medicine.

Your motives are okay. Not every doctor is a genuine altruist. But your motive to help while making good money is certainly a common one among physicians. That said, your biggest impediments to happiness in this field are your fickle tendencies, reluctance to fulfill the lengthy educational requirements, work ethic, and comparatively lower academic performance in the sciences. Combined, it seems clear to me that medicine would not be your best bet.

Can you imagine if you decided against medicine during your first year of medical school or residency after going through all of the effort and spending all of the money? If you're reluctant to invest the time in medical school and residency, imagine how reluctant you'll be when you're studying your butt off to pull 70s on exams and when you're 30 hours sleep deprived during internship while you have your entire hand up a 450 pound, unwashed man's rectum with a decubitus ulcer from lying in bed the last year of his life to disimpact his bowels, a common task for medicine interns.

I'm not sure what would make you happy; but I'm pretty sure you'd hate medicine. If you enjoy helping others, working outside of an office, making a good living, and have knack for math, perhaps engineering might be a good option?

Anyway, I sincerely hope my post has been helpful. Feel free to elaborate on anything I've written; I'd be happy to respond further. Good luck!

 

[Falconclaw]

Considering all the negatives you've listed and your admittedly fickle nature, I'd advise against pursuing medicine.

Your motives are okay. Not every doctor is a genuine altruist. But your motive to help while making good money is certainly a common one among physicians. That said, your biggest impediments to happiness in this field are your fickle tendencies, reluctance to fulfill the lengthy educational requirements, work ethic, and comparatively lower academic performance in the sciences. Combined, it seems clear to me that medicine would not be your best bet.

Can you imagine if you decided against medicine during your first year of medical school or residency after going through all of the effort and spending all of the money? If you're reluctant to invest the time in medical school and residency, imagine how reluctant you'll be when you're studying your butt off to pull 70s on exams and when you're 30 hours sleep deprived during internship while you have your entire hand up a 450 pound, unwashed man's rectum with a decubitus ulcer from lying in bed the last year of his life to disimpact his bowels, a common task for medicine interns.

I'm not sure what would make you happy; but I'm pretty sure you'd hate medicine. If you enjoy helping others, working outside of an office, making a good living, and have knack for math, perhaps engineering might be a good option?

Anyway, I sincerely hope my post has been helpful. Feel free to elaborate on anything I've written; I'd be happy to respond further. Good luck!

I do appreciate the intelligent reply to my post. You make good points. I suppose I'll go ahead and respond to a few of them:
1. I do feel that I can improve my performance in science classes now that I've seen how different they are from non-science classes, but I suppose I'll see.
2. Your example about having to shove your hand up a fat man's ass while being sleep-deprived sounds like something everyone would hate. I'm not even sure I'd hate it more than most people, that just sounds pretty odious.

I suppose you bring up a good point about medicine not really being a good career for the fickle, but then I'd actually have to change majors for like the third time haha. But of course that is better than actually going to medical school and realizing I hate it.

Are you suggesting that most doctors are almost complete altruists, though? Do you really think that if the salary of doctors was, say, cut in half of what it is now, nearly as many people would want to do it? Judging on my experience as a patient, I'd say definitely not.

But yeah, I suppose the fickleness is definitely a weakness I have versus other people, combined with the fact that I'm naturally more interested in things like economics and history than I am in science.

 

[pathologyDO]

Okay, I know that many of the members on this site take this extremely seriously, so I'm going to try to frame this as intelligently as possible. I know that by looking at the subject line, many of your initial responses will just be "no," but please hear me out.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a doctor, but probably in large part because of parental pressure. Late in high school, I started having doubts, after realizing what a sacrifice four years of medical school and three years of residency was, and I started to change my mind about this.

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I started college. I was, and remain, very interested in politics, so I thought I would go to law school and try to get a political job, but that soon ended up sounding impractical, since it's not really a great time to apply to law school, being interested in politics isn't the same as working in it, whatever.

When I started thinking about my career more seriously (this also involved me transferring schools from Hunter College to Binghamton University), I was an Accounting major. I'd rather have done finance, but it just seemed too hard to get into, and although I do have talents, I don't think they match up with the talents you need to get an investment banking job. I chose accounting because it seemed like the safe bet, and I would be making money right out of college, with just one extra year to get an MS.

However, towards the end of last semester, and during my winter break, I started really thinking about it seriously. Did I really want to look at Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for the rest of my life? Did I really want an office job? The answer to these questions was no. Although I'm not precisely sure what accountants do on a daily basis, it doesn't seem to be particularly intellectually challenging or meaningful.

I want a career where my work would be interesting, meaningful, and personally rewarding. In addition, and I know you all look down on this and tell these sorts of people to get the hell out and pick another career, but I also want to make a good amount of money. I feel that being a doctor will allow me to accomplish all these things. I am NOT the type of person that you'll see volunteering at a soup kitchen or otherwise helping poor people for free, but I do think I would enjoy using special skills to help people, in a way that involves actually thinking, and getting paid good money for it.

The problem I have, however, is an incredibly bad work ethic. I know that this is horrible for any career, so you don't have to tell me the obvious. I've gotten used to relying on my natural intelligence to do well in school, but now that I'm taking science classes I realize that IQ won't do me much good; I really have to put the work in. Even with pills like Adderral, it's really hard for me to do. I'm taking science classes my first semester, so I'm not sure how I'm going to do, but I'd probably be happy if my GPA for this semester was a 3.3, whereas my current GPA is a 3.85. Other subjects lend themselves much better to cramming.

Also, I'm still not sure whether I have it in me to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another three. It's very hard for me to make up my mind about one career path and stick to it; the grass always looks greener on the other side. Now that I realize everything I'll have to do to be a doctor, accounting suddenly looks much more appealing than it did before.

What do you guys think? If I continued on my current track, I'd graduate in two years (an extra year than normal since I switched majors), and then hopefully go to med school right after. I know there are a lot of really *****ic posts with this same topic, so I tried to make mine intelligent and analytical.

OK I wont try to pretend that I am awesome at giving advice, but i'll give you my 2 cents. While reading this thread I picked up on the fact that you love politics (at least when you started college), that you would have liked to go to law school, and yet you said your reason for not pursuing that path was simply that:

"it's not really a great time to apply to law school, being interested in politics isn't the same as working in it, whatever."

🙄

Have you considered about trying to go into law school again?

Something to think about...

Right now is one of the most difficult and competitive times in history to get into medical school. For M.D. granting schools you will need 3.5+ (generally this is still low) and an MCAT score of 30+ to have a chance (even still, 50% of students that apply are not accepted to medical school), and that is before the 100's hours of volunteering, shadowing, leadership positions, research, and all the other nice little things that ad coms like to see on an application.

Either way you look at it, law school or med school, you will be spending lots of time becoming a competitive applicant and will need to develop a good work ethic, otherwise you will be doomed to a career in front of an excel spreadsheet.

 

[RedICEE]

Becoming a doctor requires a lot of dedication, money, and time. That's really why people tell those casually interested to not even bother unless they can't see themselves doing anything else. In reality many people are not that certain.

If you're the type of person that is constantly changing their career fields, I would suggest holding off on pursuing medical school for awhile. Consider that there are a lot of other ways to help people, even in the health field, that can be challenging and financially rewarding. Perhaps start with something that requires a small commitment. Discover what part of that experience interests you and find out what you can do to further pursue that interest at more rewarding opportunities. Speak with professionals and ask them how they feel about their job.

Not to go too far off tangent, but it's okay to not have a career that requires years of specialized schooling too. It's okay to be the person that tries their hand at everything or discovers what their true passion is in the middle years of life. A lot of people who do make life-long commitments to careers early in their lives come to wish they had that freedom. For most, pursuing a career as a doctor will close more doors than it will open. Think long and hard whether you are willing to potentially sacrifice those opportunities.

 

[Falconclaw]

Makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

My reaction is a resounding "no." People who are much smarter than you still have to work very hard in medical school. If you don't have a strong work ethic and the ability to delay gratification for a very long time, you will not succeed.

Have you interned in D.C. for a Congressman or political organization? Why not take an internship and see where it goes. Even the crappiest unpaid internship in DC can open up a lot of doors and offer new perspectives on a vague, unexamined "interest in politics."

 

[Xenops]

Also, I'm still not sure whether I have it in me to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another three. It's very hard for me to make up my mind about one career path and stick to it; the grass always looks greener on the other side. Now that I realize everything I'll have to do to be a doctor, accounting suddenly looks much more appealing than it did before.

Here's a hint for you; the grass ALWAYS looks greener on the other side. Even if you're in a job you love, you'll be tempted to think, "gee, being a barista/actor/doctor/accountant looks more fun than my current job". Everyone suffers from it in one degree or another, but we learn to stick with something and be content.

 

[Guero]

I do appreciate the intelligent reply to my post. You make good points. I suppose I'll go ahead and respond to a few of them:
1. I do feel that I can improve my performance in science classes now that I've seen how different they are from non-science classes, but I suppose I'll see.
2. Your example about having to shove your hand up a fat man's ass while being sleep-deprived sounds like something everyone would hate. I'm not even sure I'd hate it more than most people, that just sounds pretty odious.

I suppose you bring up a good point about medicine not really being a good career for the fickle, but then I'd actually have to change majors for like the third time haha. But of course that is better than actually going to medical school and realizing I hate it.

Are you suggesting that most doctors are almost complete altruists, though? Do you really think that if the salary of doctors was, say, cut in half of what it is now, nearly as many people would want to do it? Judging on my experience as a patient, I'd say definitely not.

But yeah, I suppose the fickleness is definitely a weakness I have versus other people, combined with the fact that I'm naturally more interested in things like economics and history than I am in science.

I am in no way suggesting that most physicians are complete altruists; but I am suggesting that many indeed lie somewhere on a continuum of altruism. I consider myself an altruist, but far from complete. I believe everyone has a right to treatment, from the uninsured and illegal aliens to rapists and murderers. It's not my place to judge. However, I sure as hell won't feel good treating a rapist or murderer. And I certainly don't commit selfless and self-sacrificing acts everyday. But if I can help as many people as I possibly can while performing immediate clinical duties and create long-term effects via performing research as a physician, that'll do it for me.

Anyway, as for your responses and the replies of others, I think pretty much everything is laid out on the table to facilitate your decision making process. I wish you all of the luck in the world in whichever path you eventually pursue. Please let us know what you decide. I'm curious. 🙂

 

[Doctor Strange]

Turn away now and do not look back. If you're still set on medicine, shadow several doctors and get a feel for what you'll actually be doing on a day to day basis. Something tells me you'll probably hate it.

 

[Falconclaw]

My reaction is a resounding "no." People who are much smarter than you still have to work very hard in medical school. If you don't have a strong work ethic and the ability to delay gratification for a very long time, you will not succeed.

Have you interned in D.C. for a Congressman or political organization? Why not take an internship and see where it goes. Even the crappiest unpaid internship in DC can open up a lot of doors and offer new perspectives on a vague, unexamined "interest in politics."

I did actually intern for a congressman, the current House Majority Leader, actually. Interns do stupid bitch work and it really doesn't open up any doors at all. My interest in politics isn't vague, and is certainly not unexamined.

As for the people being "much smarter than me," I doubt it, but whatever, I don't particularly care what a random person on the internet thinks of my intelligence.

I have thought about this whole thing and analyzed it on a deeper level than what my original post implied, since I wrote it in the midst of a sort of panic attack about my career path that I succumb to sometimes.

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

I did actually intern for a congressman, the current House Majority Leader, actually. Interns do stupid bitch work and it really doesn't open up any doors at all. My interest in politics isn't vague, and is certainly not unexamined.

As for the people being "much smarter than me," I doubt it, but whatever, I don't particularly care what a random person on the internet thinks of my intelligence.

I have thought about this whole thing and analyzed it on a deeper level than what my original post implied, since I wrote it in the midst of a sort of panic attack about my career path that I succumb to sometimes.

Nothing in your original post implied that you had worked in politics. If you have a clear interest, why not pursue that?

LOL at the Texas sized ego. If you're implying that you won't have to work hard in medical school, you're in for a rude awakening.

 

[Falconclaw]

Nothing in your original post implied that you had worked in politics. If you have a clear interest, why not pursue that?

LOL at the Texas sized ego. If you're implying that you won't have to work hard in medical school, you're in for a rude awakening.

I never said I wouldn't have to work hard in medical school. Of course I would. Everyone does. No matter how smart you are, there is still a lot of stuff you have to memorize and learn.

I'm interested in politics, but not in working in politics. I'd rather work in medicine.

 

[coffeesnob]

I never said I wouldn't have to work hard in medical school. Of course I would. Everyone does. No matter how smart you are, there is still a lot of stuff you have to memorize and learn.

I'm interested in politics, but not in working in politics. I'd rather work in medicine.

If you would rather work in medicine, then apply yourself in that field. Raise your GPA, shadow doctors, volunteer in clinical settings, and take your MCAT. These things require true dedication and passion for medicine. I have noticed that all my friends who start off as premed in college get "weeded out" during the process. I think orgo and mcat tend to suck all the premed idealism. These experiences will tell you if you are serious about this profession. The only way to gauge the suitability of a certain profession for you is to get more exposure to it. This applies to all career paths.

Maybe after applying yourself in the field of medicine, you may realize that MD is not the right path for you (hypothetically). If you still want to stay in the medical field, now you will know enough and have opened doors to other related professions like NP, PA, PT, or vet...

 

[Falconclaw]

If you would rather work in medicine, then apply yourself in that field. Raise your GPA, shadow doctors, volunteer in clinical settings, and take your MCAT. These things require true dedication and passion for medicine. I have noticed that all my friends who start off as premed in college get "weeded out" during the process. I think orgo and mcat tend to suck all the premed idealism. These experiences will tell you if you are serious about this profession. The only way to gauge the suitability of a certain profession for you is to get more exposure to it. This applies to all career paths.

Maybe after applying yourself in the field of medicine, you may realize that MD is not the right path for you (hypothetically). If you still want to stay in the medical field, now you will know enough and have opened doors to other related professions like NP, PA, PT, or vet...

This is good advice. Thank you.

 

[jayoh]

I think I hit a similar road block to you a couple of years ago. I had always said I wanted to go to med school, but as I got closer I think the length of the school and the size of commitment started to weigh on me. I found myself looking at other options (mainly engineering). I definitely had a case of "the grass is greener". I remember thinking that if I really want to go to med school, I have to be 100% committed to that, and I am not 100% committed right now. I changed my major and transferred to an engineering school, even got accepted to a co-op with NASA. I kept thinking in the back of my head, though, that if I take this job, I won't ever be able to go to med school.

I think that's when I realized that no career path is perfect, and that there will be many years of pain involved in pursuing medicine, but ultimately I won't be happy unless I just go for it.

I switched back to pre-med and feel much more realistic and committed than I did before. All in all I'm glad I took the time to explore other options, because I ultimately found that medicine was what I'd rather do.

I guess my point is that it's ok to be unsure of what you want to do, and it's a matter of exploring your options to decide which one you're going to be happy with deep down. No one on here can answer that for you.

 

[bennybrak]

Man, you need to assess yourself in what you are most passionate about; something you wouldn't mind making huge sacrifices in order to become exceptional at, and then stick to it and work your ass to the top. It's too dangerous to be capricious about your career at this age(at least from where I come from).

If you really love medicine, you shouldn't have a problem sacrificing some years of training to become a doctor. Your passion will see you through during the tough times. Ask yourself what you are really passionate about and after you've answered that question, hit that field hard with all your effort and don't look back. You'll definitely smile at the end if you made the right choice. All the best with the self-introspection.

 

[cincincyreds]

Okay, I know that many of the members on this site take this extremely seriously, so I'm going to try to frame this as intelligently as possible. I know that by looking at the subject line, many of your initial responses will just be "no," but please hear me out.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a doctor, but probably in large part because of parental pressure. Late in high school, I started having doubts, after realizing what a sacrifice four years of medical school and three years of residency was, and I started to change my mind about this.

I didn't know what I wanted to do when I started college. I was, and remain, very interested in politics, so I thought I would go to law school and try to get a political job, but that soon ended up sounding impractical, since it's not really a great time to apply to law school, being interested in politics isn't the same as working in it, whatever.

When I started thinking about my career more seriously (this also involved me transferring schools from Hunter College to Binghamton University), I was an Accounting major. I'd rather have done finance, but it just seemed too hard to get into, and although I do have talents, I don't think they match up with the talents you need to get an investment banking job. I chose accounting because it seemed like the safe bet, and I would be making money right out of college, with just one extra year to get an MS.

However, towards the end of last semester, and during my winter break, I started really thinking about it seriously. Did I really want to look at Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for the rest of my life? Did I really want an office job? The answer to these questions was no. Although I'm not precisely sure what accountants do on a daily basis, it doesn't seem to be particularly intellectually challenging or meaningful.

I want a career where my work would be interesting, meaningful, and personally rewarding. In addition, and I know you all look down on this and tell these sorts of people to get the hell out and pick another career, but I also want to make a good amount of money. I feel that being a doctor will allow me to accomplish all these things. I am NOT the type of person that you'll see volunteering at a soup kitchen or otherwise helping poor people for free, but I do think I would enjoy using special skills to help people, in a way that involves actually thinking, and getting paid good money for it.

The problem I have, however, is an incredibly bad work ethic. I know that this is horrible for any career, so you don't have to tell me the obvious. I've gotten used to relying on my natural intelligence to do well in school, but now that I'm taking science classes I realize that IQ won't do me much good; I really have to put the work in. Even with pills like Adderral, it's really hard for me to do. I'm taking science classes my first semester, so I'm not sure how I'm going to do, but I'd probably be happy if my GPA for this semester was a 3.3, whereas my current GPA is a 3.85. Other subjects lend themselves much better to cramming.

Also, I'm still not sure whether I have it in me to go to medical school for four years, and residency for another three. It's very hard for me to make up my mind about one career path and stick to it; the grass always looks greener on the other side. Now that I realize everything I'll have to do to be a doctor, accounting suddenly looks much more appealing than it did before.

What do you guys think? If I continued on my current track, I'd graduate in two years (an extra year than normal since I switched majors), and then hopefully go to med school right after. I know there are a lot of really *****ic posts with this same topic, so I tried to make mine intelligent and analytical.

Honestly, would you go to a doctor who is on drugs to help them concentrate.

 

[afk1994]

Watch this video =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8oopWrRz5A&list=UUt8OnQ7ztuLrPrehlj8ZuuQ&index=33

 

[Anon212]

My instinct is no, this is not the right career for you.

There's nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do. SDN is sort of an odd bubble in that people here seem to have known they wanted to be doctors since birth, but many people don't get to college already positive that they know what they want. That's where you're supposed to figure it out, and it sounds like you've explored some different options already.

The problem that I see with your post is that you have this "meh" attitude about everything. I'm not saying that's how you are, but it's how you're coming off. You liked politics/law but then thought nah, it's a lot of work for no guarantees. You liked finance but then thought nah, accounting is easier and more of a safe bet. You tried the accounting thing and then thought nah, this is boring. You kinda sorta liked medicine but didn't try that hard.

Unfortunately nothing in life is a safe bet, not even medicine- look at the threads about the match this year and you'll see that it's getting tough for everyone. The money is in flux as laws change and the government tries to figure out how much we're worthy of earning, so while I don't really think we're going to be starving any time soon, if what you really want is a "3 year residency" (presumably because it's the shortest and easiest way to get to practice) you may realize once you're done that you would have made more money as an accountant (and would have started years earlier).

Medicine is also a gigantic pain in the butt to get through. It's not just about the extreme example that was already given to you, but it really is drudgery. It's a lot of sitting alone studying and still feeling like an idiot. Yes, I understand that you're smarter than everyone ever, but just in case you're wrong about that, get prepared to be treated like a ***** for a while. Get ready to have nurses treat you like you have no idea what you're talking about (cause you don't), residents make you do stuff you were overqualified for 10 years ago but which you're still supposed to smile and nod about, other classmates who seem like idiots out-score you on tests...etc. It's humbling, and it's exhausting, and it's emotionally brutal (and I haven't even started residency yet! Residency is worse!). I don't know anyone who didn't want to quit at some point, many of us multiple times- and I'm talking about those type a, super committed SDN type premeds who've known they'd be doctors since birth. Even they were smacked down and had to consider whether they were making the right choice a bunch of times. The debt "thankfully" is crushing enough that most people choose to stick it out for the hope of some day making enough money to pay their loans back, but paying them back takes a long time and takes up a good amount of that salary you're a fan of.

All I'm saying is, medicine tests the most committed, chipper and gung-ho students. You have a history of quitting before you start or soon after because something sounds too hard or isn't quite right or takes too long. I just can't see you sticking it out through all this without that total commitment. As others have pointed out, you can go to PA school, go into nursing and become a CRNA, etc and still make a 6 figure salary after a much shorter and less painful path.

 

[Falconclaw]

I think I hit a similar road block to you a couple of years ago. I had always said I wanted to go to med school, but as I got closer I think the length of the school and the size of commitment started to weigh on me. I found myself looking at other options (mainly engineering). I definitely had a case of "the grass is greener". I remember thinking that if I really want to go to med school, I have to be 100% committed to that, and I am not 100% committed right now. I changed my major and transferred to an engineering school, even got accepted to a co-op with NASA. I kept thinking in the back of my head, though, that if I take this job, I won't ever be able to go to med school.

I think that's when I realized that no career path is perfect, and that there will be many years of pain involved in pursuing medicine, but ultimately I won't be happy unless I just go for it.

I switched back to pre-med and feel much more realistic and committed than I did before. All in all I'm glad I took the time to explore other options, because I ultimately found that medicine was what I'd rather do.

I guess my point is that it's ok to be unsure of what you want to do, and it's a matter of exploring your options to decide which one you're going to be happy with deep down. No one on here can answer that for you.

Okay, thanks. It does seem like 90% of the people on this forum though sound like they never had a single doubt in their mind about whether medicine was the right choice for them.

 

[askamsky51]

Watch this video =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8oopWrRz5A&list=UUt8OnQ7ztuLrPrehlj8ZuuQ&index=33

Can this get its own thread, stickied???

 

[Hiangle]

Honestly, would you go to a doctor who is on drugs to help them concentrate.

Honestly, though, several universities have even banned the use of drugs like Adderall. It's considered a form of academic violation.

 

[Falconclaw]

Honestly, though, several universities have even banned the use of drugs like Adderall. It's considered a form of academic violation.

Well, it's prescribed to me, so I doubt I'm ever going to be in violation of anything.

The comment was funny, though.

 

[Lady Netter]

There are plenty of people who come here asking the same question and telling almost the same story. There are some times when I think that it's really more of a confidence issue and they just need the reassurance.

For some reason, I didn't get that feeling when reading your post. If I am going to be honest, it sounds like what you really want is an easy road and an easy answer. Med school isn't it. Maybe it could be it, but you need to do more exploring, like shadowing.

Keep going through whatever schooling you're doing while keeping medicine in the back of your mind. If you're still interested in medicine in two years, then maybe it is where you should be. I would suggest a gap year instead of going straight through just to give yourself some time after school. You could benefit from the time off from school.

It's the end of the semester, and it's finals time. Everyone is probably thinking "WHY AM I DOING THIS?!?" You aren't alone. So don't jump ship just yet. Just keep doing what you're doing. If medicine is where you should be, you'll still be thinking this in two years.

 

[mvenus929]

Okay, thanks. It does seem like 90% of the people on this forum though sound like they never had a single doubt in their mind about whether medicine was the right choice for them.

I get the complete opposite impression. I get the feeling that most people, when they realize just how long this road is, and how expensive it is, take a hard look and determine whether or they want to pursue it. If they don't, they're idiots. The people on this forum who say otherwise are either trolls or haven't hit that wall quite yet, and I'd really hate for someone to hit that wall in their 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd year of medical school. I know a couple people who cracked after spending some time in medical school. I can't imagine what they do after they drop out, now that they're probably 100K+ in debt with no job to speak for at the end of it.

At any rate, at this point, I don't think medicine is right for you. But, in 2 years? Maybe it will be. Maybe then you'll decide that the path is worth it. I don't think you're there yet. My advice to you is simply to explore some other careers. Shadow a physician or two, get their opinion on whether or not this process was worth it. Talk to a PA. Figure out what exactly an accountant does. Attend a career fair or two to explore some other careers.

 

[Guero]

Watch this video =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8oopWrRz5A&list=UUt8OnQ7ztuLrPrehlj8ZuuQ&index=33

Hahahaha, nice! ". . . Medulla Oblongbologna or whatever."

Also, Falcon, regarding what lies ahead as a pre-med, check out this comical but very true video: [YOUTUBE]dYlALIXS2UI[/YOUTUBE] I keep it my signature because it appositely sums up the pre-hell before hitting the hell of med school. I literally cried laughing the first time I saw it.

 

[Jumoke]

I keep it my signature because it appositely sums up the pre-hell before hitting the hell of med school. I literally cried laughing the first time I saw it.

I don't know of any hell worse than my hell of a career right now. And if i find myself in a similar hell, i am ready to deal as long as it's dynamic enough to keep me engaged.

Falconclaw's failure aint got nothing on my failure. I feel like a daily loser even sitting at my computer desk at work right now.

1. I think I have perseverance to pull me through when the torture of med school starts
2. Studying for at least 8 hours in a day after about 8 hours of classes is something I am used to already. As a software developer - i quite often spend 16 hours in a day writing, editing computer code or learning a new pattern of gibberish. I am used to making senseless things stick. But i am sure med school is different, but really what could be worse than my current? I am looking forward to that hell called med school.

I can't deny that the thought is not scary, but the thought of still doing the same thing in this unfulfillment known as failure in the next few years is even more scary I think my limit is December this year - before i go crazy.

If i win millions of dollars today - i'd walk away from this in a heart beat but i'd still go to med school. I'd just be balling in med school in a nice ride and a nice apt - i'd even hire a chef, housekeeper and helpers to make sure i'm serviced while i study to help me concentrate 😀 - ok let me stop day-dreaming 😳

 

[Falconclaw]

I really appreciate the many thoughtful replies to my original post. I've thought a little more about it, and I know the road is going to be hard and long, and but I think I'm gonna stick with it. I saw a thread on how to shadow doctors, and apparently you can just email or call their office, and I live in New York City, so there should be plenty of opportunities for me to do that this summer. The classes I'm taking now are certainly harder than what I was taking before, but I guess that just means I have to put more work in.

At the end of the day, this is what I'm gonna be doing for the rest of my life, so I want a job that's meaningful and interesting, rather than just one in which I'm sitting in a cubicle all day.

 

[Jumoke]

I really appreciate the many thoughtful replies to my original post. I've thought a little more about it, and I know the road is going to be hard and long, and but I think I'm gonna stick with it. I saw a thread on how to shadow doctors, and apparently you can just email or call their office, and I live in New York City, so there should be plenty of opportunities for me to do that this summer. The classes I'm taking now are certainly harder than what I was taking before, but I guess that just means I have to put more work in.

At the end of the day, this is what I'm gonna be doing for the rest of my life, so I want a job that's meaningful and interesting, rather than just one in which I'm sitting in a cubicle all day.

Nicely said.
Remember, it gets hard the minute you start thinking it's hard.
Nothing is hard when you put the work and time in and set your heart on it.
I tell myself this everyday since i have begun this journey (I am taking post-bacc classes in bio/chem as well).

For me, it's the experience of being a med student and learning for the next couple of years i look forward to, way more than the destination. By time i finally become a practicing doctor, i'll prob be so used to the idea i'd be like "what's the biggie"

 

[box8psych]

OP- Have you considered pursuing a career in public health? This field would provide you the ability to channel your political interests to the health care field and avoid the daily grind of a cubicle job. I would recommend taking part in a public health organization on campus and perhaps an off-campus nonprofit as well to see if this would fit. Here is a really informative site for you if you are so inclined:

http://www.whatispublichealth.org

Hope this helps and if you decide to stick with the medical school path, good luck!

 

[Loveless]

Hahahaha, nice! ". . . Medulla Oblongbologna or whatever."

Also, Falcon, regarding what lies ahead as a pre-med, check out this comical but very true video: [YOUTUBE]dYlALIXS2UI[/YOUTUBE] I keep it my signature because it appositely sums up the pre-hell before hitting the hell of med school. I literally cried laughing the first time I saw it.

I spat apple juice on my screen. 🙁

 

[Guero]

I spat apple juice on my screen. 🙁

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I should've warned you. My bad. That happened to someone in my cell bio class when I came in early, hijacked the prof's projector, and played it for the class. He popped in mid way and couldn't stop laughing himself.

 

[ebbandflow83]

Hahahaha, nice! ". . . Medulla Oblongbologna or whatever."

Also, Falcon, regarding what lies ahead as a pre-med, check out this comical but very true video: [YOUTUBE]dYlALIXS2UI[/YOUTUBE] I keep it my signature because it appositely sums up the pre-hell before hitting the hell of med school. I literally cried laughing the first time I saw it.

"And not Rainman ******ed. More like I Am Sam ******ed." 🤣

Funniest video I have seen in a while.

 

[Guero]

"And not Rainman ******ed. More like I Am Sam ******ed." 🤣

Funniest video I have seen in a while.

People underestimate the hilarity of my signature 🙂