Docs from doctor families?

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

BORNagainSTDENT

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
196
Reaction score
0

Members don't see this ad.
I was curious of the percentage of doctors who come from doctor families. I know this could be researched but can't find it at the moment. I'm in the middle of a family situation. Thanks

Also was curious what percentage work while in prereqs or in med school? Sorry but thanks?
 

little rock

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
70
Reaction score
0
I was curious of the percentage of doctors who come from doctor families. I know this could be researched but can't find it at the moment. I'm in the middle of a family situation. Thanks

Also was curious what percentage work while in prereqs or in med school? Sorry but thanks?

I come from a family of doctors and was taught while growing up that blood/sweat/tears makes life's successes more rewarding. Also had it drilled in my head that saving money >>> spending money on material things. No handouts.

I worked during the summers and am working full-time right now as I (im)patiently wait to hear back from med schools.

Medicine isn't easy and neither is being a doctor, so why should the road to medical school be easy, either? :)

I'm not really sure what you're trying to accomplish with this thread or what you've hinted at but haven't explicitly said. I'm curious to know what family situation you are currently going through.
 

Raryn

Infernal Internist / Enigmatic Endocrinologist
10+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2008
Messages
8,766
Reaction score
8,957
I'm from a family that has multiple physicians in it. I've worked part time through my junior and senior years of college, and whily my parents definitely do help out (like with the application process), I'm relatively independent. Merit scholarships cover the vast majority of my school expenses.
 

katarina90

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2008
Messages
255
Reaction score
1
My father was a doctor (passed away several years ago), and my mom is a registered nurse; I came from a family where books were always in ample supply (especially medical books-lol). Most of the premeds I have met don't have physician parents, but they seem to be doing as well nonetheless.

I worked my first semester of college, a seasonal (miserable) retail job, but I haven't been working since. I do think that working affected my GPA negatively, but I think that can be counterbalanced by choosing hours wisely (I had come straight out of high school, and was starry-eyed and naive and not as assertive about calling off/asking for less hours as I should have been). It has been my experience that most of my premed friends are working either part-time or even full-time, though. I have a scholarship that covers about half of tuition, and also I go to school in NV which has one of the cheapest universities (second only to Washington, D.C.)
 

littlealex

little tiny alex
10+ Year Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
2,099
Reaction score
8
You guys make it sound like being supported by the family is a bad thing. Free handouts are awesome. I thought about working once, and then I thought maybe not.

I do see the value of those that work hard and pay for their own colleges, but I don't see the point in purposely making my life harder when I have the cash.
I will take the Audi and the tuition money please.
 

little rock

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
70
Reaction score
0
You guys make it sound like being supported by the family is a bad thing. Free handouts are awesome. I thought about working once, and then I thought maybe not.

I do see the value of those that work hard and pay for their own colleges, but I don't see the point in purposely making my life harder when I have the cash.
I will take the Audi and the tuition money please.

I never said there was anything wrong with taking handouts. It's really the mindset that I care more about.
 

DrYoda

Space Cowboy
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
13,815
Reaction score
129
You guys make it sound like being supported by the family is a bad thing. Free handouts are awesome. I thought about working once, and then I thought maybe not.

I don't have a problem with people's parents supporting them. I support myself because 1. I can without taking out loans and 2. I have younger siblings who I'd rather see the money going to.

If I was accruing debt I'd be happy to let my parents help me out, i'm sure it's way better than paying the bank interest.

To the OP: No doctor parents, work full-time.
 

murfettie

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
565
Reaction score
8
anatomy books were interesting
my little friends would all go "wooo.. ahhh" at the scary looking dissection photos...
woooo.. ah...
parents pay for living.
tuition taken care by school.
now i'm working.
 

bigman225

Full Member
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2007
Messages
362
Reaction score
0
There has to be data on this, I'd maybe check out some of the work done by social historians on medicine
 

BORNagainSTDENT

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
196
Reaction score
0
thanks for the replies. I was kind of in a bad mood when I wrote this from some one trying to discourage me. I was also drunk from drinking wine during holiday dinner, and did not explain my self well. The replies I have received from all of you really touched on a thread I was planing on starting later, when I had the time to fully articulate my whole situation.

I guess I really need some advice on what to do for work and how that fits into medical school etc. I do not need to work for the money but more for my self esteem and experience. I'm 26 and will be finished with my bachelors this semester but now want to go back to school for a post Bach.

I really need more time than I have right now(class all day tom), so I will have to really spend some time on explaining things clearly Wednesday. I apologize for making you read this before then, and look forward to getting some advice from all the helpful people on this forum.
 

Forbes

K20A2
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
102
Reaction score
0
IMO having Physician parent's who pay for everything is a huge advantage for anyone, and I fall under this category. Instead of working I volunteer so I can at least do something for others while I am well taken care of. I also think it helped that my older sister was paid (No joke) to go to college and law school so there was only one child that needs to be paid for.

I have never been criticized, nor seen any normal people criticized, for living off of parental handouts. I do understand that most people do not have the same advantage that I do. I try not to be pompous/cocky/whatever about it, and have never run into issues.

The problem lies when people who are babied beleive they are entitled to things. That really grinds my gears haha.
 

Aladdin

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2008
Messages
346
Reaction score
1
You guys make it sound like being supported by the family is a bad thing. Free handouts are awesome. I thought about working once, and then I thought maybe not.

I do see the value of those that work hard and pay for their own colleges, but I don't see the point in purposely making my life harder when I have the cash.
I will take the Audi and the tuition money please.

Haha I love it! :thumbup:
 
Members don't see this ad :)

parafilm

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
100
Reaction score
0
I don't come from a family of doctors... my dad has a french literature phd and my mom is a news producer, so they really couldn't be much further from science.


I've worked since I was 16, and continue to do so while in school. My parents still support me in most senses--they pay tuition and split rent, but everything else is on me. I expect that once I'm out of undergrad, it's no more $$ for me unless I absolutely need it.
 

drcarter77

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
151
Reaction score
0
My dad, grandfather, and grandmother are all docs. They pay for my undergrad schooling, but have made it clear I'm paying for med school. I've still ended up working as an undergrad though as i've been lucky enough to find research and teaching assistant jobs that pay.
 

MossPoh

Textures intrigue me
10+ Year Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
7,984
Reaction score
49
Dad is a doc. Mom was an xray tech. My dad is first generation american and my grandparents worked their arse off for him to be able to go to college, so it has kind of rubbed off on me. Many people it doesn't make a difference. Their parent is a doctor and that is all they know. I think my dad being a radiologist and having the telerad system was really was made me aware of it much more. By 4th grade he let me sit there and try to pick out what I thought was wrong. He took me to medical conferences and every year since I decided to pursue medicine gifts me with his old textbooks. They hold a sentimental value to me. Something exciting about seeing his name stamped into the old coffee stained anatomy book and knowing that 48 years ago, he was experiencing what I am/will be experiencing right now. There is no way i could've supported myself in college. I worked jobs but it was for spending money and part of my bills. It was more of a principle thing since I hate feeling like I am taking from his hardwork.

My dad is going to help me a little with med school. They might pay for my apartment or something. He wants me to have some sort of financial investment in my own education but also doesn't want me to be burdened by the debt for longer than necessary.
 

sarahl86

Full Member
10+ Year Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
1,598
Reaction score
2
I don't have a problem with people's parents supporting them. I support myself because 1. I can without taking out loans and 2. I have younger siblings who I'd rather see the money going to.

If I was accruing debt I'd be happy to let my parents help me out, i'm sure it's way better than paying the bank interest.

To the OP: No doctor parents, work full-time.

Definitely second that rationale, because that's why I opted to go to a state liberal arts college instead of the more science-oriented schools I was also accepted to. They wanted science people, and I got an awesome scholarship out of the deal.

My dad is an organic chemist and my mom is a nurse practitioner, but that hasn't really helped me a whole bunch in this process. I learned early on I have to bust my own hide to get what I want and not rely on my parents to foot the bill for me. It just turned out to be coincidence that sciences were my thing...but needless to say, it kind of sucked working two jobs during my undergrad and working full-time now but I learned a lot about myself in doing so.
 

PeepshowJohnny

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Messages
1,958
Reaction score
10
Based on four years of medical I'd say the breakdown usually looks like this to me.

About 1/3 of people have parents or brothers or sisters who are a doctor.

About 1/3 of people have non-immediate family members who are doctors (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins) OR immediate family members who are in the health care field (pharmacists, nurses, technicians, etc.)

About 1/3 of people have no connection to the medical field at all in their family
 

BORNagainSTDENT

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
196
Reaction score
0
I'm suprized every one was so productive with replies, despite the unorganized drunk first question. I was expecting to get flamed when opening this up today.

I guess the issue is that my past record with school is not a good one. I'm very interested in being a doctor and plan to go for the post bac pre reqs. I'm not full confident that I can make it.
however I have never really worked a real job because I was told to focus on school because of my poor grades.

Now I just turned 26 and I would like to work, but I have no work experience. I will have a completed bachelors in business managment in 3 weeks, but poor grades.
I don't know what I should do for work. I could get supported by my parents while pursuing post bacc classes, however that route has really affected my self esteem up till now.

I live in nyc and need something that would allow school to be my priority. If I dont end up going to med school 2 years from now, I could be a 28 year old with no career.

I have more to add but need to think some more about it, I have to go and work on a school presentation right now. Thansk for the help
 

fizzle

New Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Messages
1,033
Reaction score
4
No one in my large family works in any healthcare-related position (we're all engineers and accountants), and I'm going to be the first (accepted today)! Hurray!
 

katarina90

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2008
Messages
255
Reaction score
1
Dad is a doc. Mom was an xray tech. My dad is first generation american and my grandparents worked their arse off for him to be able to go to college, so it has kind of rubbed off on me. Many people it doesn't make a difference. Their parent is a doctor and that is all they know. I think my dad being a radiologist and having the telerad system was really was made me aware of it much more. By 4th grade he let me sit there and try to pick out what I thought was wrong. He took me to medical conferences and every year since I decided to pursue medicine gifts me with his old textbooks. They hold a sentimental value to me. Something exciting about seeing his name stamped into the old coffee stained anatomy book and knowing that 48 years ago, he was experiencing what I am/will be experiencing right now. There is no way i could've supported myself in college. I worked jobs but it was for spending money and part of my bills. It was more of a principle thing since I hate feeling like I am taking from his hardwork.

My dad is going to help me a little with med school. They might pay for my apartment or something. He wants me to have some sort of financial investment in my own education but also doesn't want me to be burdened by the debt for longer than necessary.

Awwe, that made me smile. I have some of my parents' old medical books too (my mom's anatomy book from nursing, assorted psychiatry ones that were my dad's--and also his old stethoscope : )) so I can relate to the sentimental-value thing. (My dad was also a first-generation American.) Its kind of comforting and inspiring when I'm frustrated about school to remember that they've been through it before.
 

whoknows2012

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
1,233
Reaction score
570
No one in my family...even my extended family is a Doctor. Many of my family members are successful and I attribute that to the values that are instilled within most of us. As of today, I will be the first Doctor in my family (I'm still waiting to hear from MD schools I interviewed at but I got into a DO school this afternoon) and my parents have supported me throughout college. I work about 20 hours a week, however, only bout 8 of those hours are paid(I am an EMT and volunteer for my school's EMS) and although medical school can obviously get very expensive, my parents have intimated that they would be supporting me through that chapter of my life as well.
 

BORNagainSTDENT

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
196
Reaction score
0
I am 26 and I guess its the working class enviornment I live in that makes feel guilty about not having a job or career at this point in my life.
 

med10333

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2008
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
almost every guy on my dads side is a doctor. i pre-med and praying that im not the first to not make it
 
Top