Does this piss anyone else off?

[Faze2]

I am sure that all of us have heard the whole, "Do not go into medicine, become a nurse, CRNA, PA, etc." I know that a lot of these doctors are just trying to help and give a little hindsight, but for some reason it pisses me off sometimes when some of them say it. The reasons they give piss me off too. "You'll make more money and have a life and so on being a CRNA or whatever." I know a lot of this is true, and I am not saying that being any of those things is not fulfilling and great, but I want to be a DOCTOR!!! It's something I've always wanted to do.

If for some reason I never get to be one, those others would be a great second choice for me, but I am that guy who would rather go to a Carribean school and take the chance of not getting a great residency than be anything else. And I think that it is annoying when doctors just basically try to step on your dream and tell you not to do it. I know they are just trying to help, but don't they realize too that a lot of us know about all the "bull****" that goes along with being a doctor, and have still chosen this pathway despite all of this. I don't knwo really where this is coming from, cause most of my experience has been positive with Docs, but their are those who try to disuade you.

To me it's like someone who wants to play football, and someone tells them, "No play baseball. You don't get as hurt, you get paid better, it's much better than football." But if that person wants to play football he is not going to be happy playing baseball. I explained this to a doctor once, that if God came down right now and said I can make you become anything you want, you can be any profession for the rest of your life, I wouldn't choose famous actor, or sports star, or musician. I would choose doctor. And I am a musician. I love it, but I think that I would be happiest as a doctor. It sounds crazy, and I am sure all that fame and money are awesome and the women, good God the women, and I'm sure I would LOVE it and be happy, and believe me I would love to be a famous musician, don't get me wrong, but I think I would be happiest as a doctor. And that is why I think that if I ever get that chance that I am going to be a great one.

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[efex101]

First of all, most physicians that are telling you to do X or Y are probably telling you this not to "step on your dreams" but to give you some honest to God advice. There is no way YOU can know about all the BS that comes along with this pathways no matter what you say. You may *think* you know based on your limited experience. I think most of them are just trying to make sure that you are aware of the way things can turn out...medicine is NOT what it used to be and for many of these docs who became physicians in the golden era these changes have brought forth may heartaches. So give them a break and try to see yourself in their shoes.

 

[Faze2]

As I said in my post, I know they are doing it to help and give you a realistic view of what medicine is. And I certainly do not claim to know even close to all of the amount of BS they deal with. I wasn't saying that. And I am not saying that doctors shouldn't do that, cause they most certainly should, escpecially today because some people have an incorrect view of what being a doctor means. They watch Grey's Anatomy and think that surgerical residencies just have sex all day, or watch ER and think that every patient that comes in is a trauma, which it is not. I work in an inner city ER and a lot of the people that come in are BS and do not need medical treatment, let alone emergency treatment. I am simply saying that is pisses me off sometimes, not cause they say it, but how they say it and why they say it too. The fact that they tell you to "just become a nurse, or a CRNA" like that is just fine to not be what you've always wanted to be.

I have thick skin, so it does not effect me when I hear people say these things to me, but for someone who is maybe not so sure of themselves or whatever, hearing some of the stuff doctors say could be very detrimental to them, especially if they are already in the middle of the process of apps, classes, etc. And might even scare them out of going to med school. It almost happened to my ex girlfriend. She had a lot of docs telling her to not go to med school and become a PA instead. One of them was really rampant about it. She almost listened to him cause he scared the **** out of her. But instead, she went to med school, is in her second year, and says that she would be devistated if she would have chosen PA school over med school. She obviously is not a doctor yet so who knows what she will think 10 years from now, but med school is something that if you let pass by, their is a chance you never get that opportunity again.

 

[efex101]

Yes some can be ass wipes about this whole deal *but* if you are that "on the fence" or you are that easily swayed from this path then "maybe" it is not for you. Like you said no matter how many times you heard this you are still like a dog with a bone...and that is good. Medical school is for those types of folks and not for those who are not thick skinned.

 

[Faze2]

So give them a break and try to see yourself in their shoes.

Seeing myself in their shoes is exactly what I want to do.

 

[Faze2]

Yes some can be ass wipes about this whole deal *but* if you are that "on the fence" or you are that easily swayed from this path then "maybe" it is not for you. Like you said no matter how many times you heard this you are still like a dog with a bone...and that is good. Medical school is for those types of folks and not for those who are not thick skinned.

Agreed. I think computers don't let you say all that you want to. And if I become a doctor I will definately tell aspiring docs the whole deal and not sugarcoat it, but I will also encourage them to do what they think will make them the happiest.

 

[Beau Geste]

To the OP - your analogies of football and baseball are great. Why not use those same analogies with those trying to dissuade you? I have met some docs who have tried to dissuade me from med school (even my own mother!) because of all the red tape involved, but I just have to laugh. They complain that I have it easy as an SLP - a solid salary and "how nice" to run my own business without all the red tape they have, and how nice to have "normal" working hours!

THEN tell them about my current situation, where I'm a healthcare provider (speech-language pathologist) in a solo practice, where not only do I have to deal with the downsides (and upsides thank God there are some) to the clinical realm (patient care, returning calls, reports, physician/PA/NP liasion, etc.), but I am also my own billing person (dealing with 3rd party payors, run-around from Medicaid, and being a collections agent), medical records person (typing, filing, running interference, semi-care coordinator), and secretary (scheduling, answering service, paperwork goddess extraordinaire).

I tell the doctors (mostly primary care since that's who I have the most exposure to) that THEY have it easy by doing mostly clinical work and having a staff of nurses and office personnel to take care of the rest. They may have long days, but most docs don't have to drive 3 hours a day to make the living they make (90% of SLP jobs involve driving at least 1 hour a day excluding to the office). When I work full-time (e.g. prior to going back for pre-reqs and during school breaks), I drive up to 180 miles round trip and work 12-14 hour days (but the pay IS good). Most docs also defer to their nurses communicating with me (orders, referrals, approvals, etc.).

Sure, I could stop being my own boss and go work for a nursing home or school system and make 40K a year with a caseload of 60. No thanks. I love to see people get better, but if I'm going to work my butt off like that I want to be saving lives not fixing lisps.

I remember the first time a doc (not my mom) gave me the sob story and I gave it right back. He quickly saw my reasons for not staying the the SLP field, not to mention the job of being a physician is cool as hell.

 

[efex101]

Agreed, encouragement can also be done with a good coating of BS proof teflon. Good luck!

 

[Beau Geste]

Yes some can be ass wipes about this whole deal *but* if you are that "on the fence" or you are that easily swayed from this path then "maybe" it is not for you. Like you said no matter how many times you heard this you are still like a dog with a bone...and that is good. Medical school is for those types of folks and not for those who are not thick skinned.

This is a very good point to make. Others that have had interviews for med school as non-trads can fill in here, but I'm sure that one of the primary questions asked to us is "why the change" or "why medicine". You have to know that you are dedicated to this career and not in it because of the money or because of time constraints (e.g. PA school is only X years while medicine takes a lot more).

If you are truly medicine-bound, you won't crumple when people ask the hard, but inevitable questions, and your reasons will put you in the in-file.

(now I just hope I'm one of those this coming year!)

 

[NineShadows]

I am sure that all of us have heard the whole, "Do not go into medicine, become a nurse, CRNA, PA, etc."

You know, thankfully, I haven't had any of the doctors I discuss my goals with try to dissuade me. The problem I do have is with my family and friends trying it. They say the exact same thing the OP quoted.

For a couple of years I even tried to follow that advice, applied to nursing school and started with those prereqs. What a waste of my time and hard earned money. The whole idea behind this was that I would have a solid profession to fall back on if I didn't get into medical school.

I worked nights in a hospital as a nursing assistant through the whole thing, and this gave me the opportunity to observe both nurses and doctors in the clinical setting. I was miserable with my choices, and this led to several really heated arguments with my husband and my mother over the whole thing. I wanted to be a doctor since I could remember, and working towards a BSN only made me feel like I was moving away from my goal instead of helping me get it. They felt I was being irresponsible for wanting to return to my original undergrad major: microbiology.

The truth is that if you really have passion for medicine, you should take naysayers' advice with a grain of salt. While most people who give you the sort of comments you describe are trying to help you avoid the negative parts of pursuing medicine, they don't realize what their well-intentioned words do to your morale and self-confidence.

I married a man who didn't know what career to pick at the beginning of college, so he picked a career that he was good at. He's now a successful engineer that has his pick of some of the best companies in industry if he wants a job, however he's discovered that he absolutely hates it! He would rather be a school counselor or researcher instead, so every time he brings up the suggestion of trying nursing school again, I remind him that one miserable person in the wrong career is enough for one household.

 

[Faze2]

Okay, I am an Eagles fan, but after seeing that Patriots/Colts game, I take back everything I say. Forget being a doctor, I am quitting school, going to work out six days a week instead, and just become an NFL quarterback. That seems like a much more reasonable carreer plan.

Obviously kidding, but it wouldn't be bad to be Payton Manning right now.

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

I am sure that all of us have heard the whole, "Do not go into medicine, become a nurse, CRNA, PA, etc." I know that a lot of these doctors are just trying to help and give a little hindsight, but for some reason it pisses me off sometimes when some of them say it. The reasons they give piss me off too. "You'll make more money and have a life and so on being a CRNA or whatever." I know a lot of this is true, and I am not saying that being any of those things is not fulfilling and great, but I want to be a DOCTOR!!! It's something I've always wanted to do.

If for some reason I never get to be one, those others would be a great second choice for me, but I am that guy who would rather go to a Carribean school and take the chance of not getting a great residency than be anything else. And I think that it is annoying when doctors just basically try to step on your dream and tell you not to do it. I know they are just trying to help, but don't they realize too that a lot of us know about all the "bull****" that goes along with being a doctor, and have still chosen this pathway despite all of this. I don't knwo really where this is coming from, cause most of my experience has been positive with Docs, but their are those who try to disuade you.

To me it's like someone who wants to play football, and someone tells them, "No play baseball. You don't get as hurt, you get paid better, it's much better than football." But if that person wants to play football he is not going to be happy playing baseball. I explained this to a doctor once, that if God came down right now and said I can make you become anything you want, you can be any profession for the rest of your life, I wouldn't choose famous actor, or sports star, or musician. I would choose doctor. And I am a musician. I love it, but I think that I would be happiest as a doctor. It sounds crazy, and I am sure all that fame and money are awesome and the women, good God the women, and I'm sure I would LOVE it and be happy, and believe me I would love to be a famous musician, don't get me wrong, but I think I would be happiest as a doctor. And that is why I think that if I ever get that chance that I am going to be a great one.

My answer short in simple is NO, it doesnt piss me off. Disgruntle angry people are miserable so dont let them make your life miserable. By the way one Hedge Fund Manager made a salary of 1.08 BILLION in one year, no ****. So go into investment banking, why waster all your youth hood to study medicine j/k

 

[Law2Doc]

I am sure that all of us have heard the whole, "Do not go into medicine, become a nurse, CRNA, PA, etc." I know that a lot of these doctors are just trying to help and give a little hindsight, but for some reason it pisses me off sometimes when some of them say it. The reasons they give piss me off too. "You'll make more money and have a life and so on being a CRNA or whatever." I know a lot of this is true, and I am not saying that being any of those things is not fulfilling and great, but I want to be a DOCTOR!!! It's something I've always wanted to do.

While I've not heard the CRNA, PA thing, I do know an orthopod who regularly tells me that becoming a PT is the better choice (and what, in retrospect, he would have done) because you work with patients, earn a nice salary and are home for dinner every night. Docs who tell you this kind of stuff are helpful, as they make you think about why you are really on this road. And if it's just to "help people", earn bank, and get to wear a white coat, there are several easier and more lifestyle friendly options. So these questions should make you do soul searching, and think long and hard as to why you are doing this, not pis$ you off.

 

[Faze2]

Yeah I know. And maybe "piss off" is the wrong phrase. Maybe I could have phrased it better. Like I said earlier, I think that doctors should warn students about the realities of medicine. I guess what I had a "problem" with, if that is even the right word, is that they said to go into another profession. I know I mostly listed CRNA, PA, etc., but I've even heard some doctors tell students to get an MBA instead of and MD, and they were dead serious. That I think is ridiculous, and I don't care what anyone says. Telling a student that wants to get a medical degree to get a business degree instead is crazy. The CRNA, PT, PA I can understand, but what makes anyone, doctors especially, think that an MBA will give the student the same satisfaction as an MD/DO? And the "you'll make just as much money in much less time" does not work for me b/c anyone who LEGITAMATELY wants to become a doctor is not doing it for the money. It is a nice perk of being a doctor, but it is not, I believe, the primary motivation for most of us.

 

[smugtroll]

Here we go...

Again with the "CRNA alternative"; As if a nurse and can raise a hand and *presto* your a CRNA. It ain't that simple. The ratio of applicants to seats in CRNA school is like 30:1. Everyone and their mother wants to be a CRNA and there are limited seats...interviews...selective...on call...high pressure....

and guess what.....your still a technican following orders.

 

[Wackie]

Here we go...

Again with the "CRNA alternative"; As if a nurse and can raise a hand and *presto* your a CRNA. It ain't that simple. The ratio of applicants to seats in CRNA school is like 30:1. Everyone and their mother wants to be a CRNA and there are limited seats...interviews...selective...on call...high pressure....

and guess what.....your still a technican following orders.

My mother was a CRNA. Yeah, good job and stuff. Lots of stress. LOTS of stress. Constantly proving yourself and then OR dynamics type stress.

 

[Faze2]

Wacky, I like the ER quote under the text in you posts. I work in an ER too and people come in and act like it is a free clinic or a primary care facility. I work in a city so I know some people do not really have other options, but others are just too lazy and won't call their primary. And then they're the ones who have "Cold Symptoms" and then make a scene when they have to wait hours to be seen.

Guess what, you don't need emergency medicine for a cough and a runny nose, so you're gonna wait.