Dont you hate it when people ask you what type of doctor you want to be?

[Long Dong]

I always answer the kind like my father and his father before him, I too want to be a jedi knight.

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[paradocs we are]

No it doesn't bother me, but then again I don't walk around with a chip on my shoulder. If someone is asking what my intended specialty is I usually take the ten seconds to tell them that I haven't decided yet because I don't know enough about each one, and that most students don't decide until clinicals in medical school.

If someone is using their breath to inquire, it is always with good intentions. Either they're making small talk, and my answer will suffice, or they're genuinely interested in my future and I am happy to have the discussion.

Yeah I can totally imagine:
Grandma: So dear, what are you studying?
me: Premed
Grandma: oh! that's great! What kind of doctor are you going to be?
me: *rolls eyes* Like I already know?
Grandma: oh...well I just thought that you had some kind of idea, since you're thinking about being a....
me: Look granny, I am sick of the whole grilling thing. What am I, under arrest here?? *stalks out of the house*

 

[etf]

i hate it when people assume what kind of doctor i want to be...it's pretty ridiculous when people say i "look" like a surgeon, whatever that means. with all the stereotypes in the field, it can't be a compliment...

 

[135892]

i hate it when people assume what kind of doctor i want to be...it's pretty ridiculous when people say i "look" like a surgeon, whatever that means. with all the stereotypes in the field, it can't be a compliment...

I would take it as a compliment
Wasn't there some study that found that surgeons were, on average, taller and better looking than their medical counterparts

 

[Long Dong]

I would take it as a compliment
Wasn't there some study that found that surgeons were, on average, taller and better looking than their medical counterparts

No I think that study found them to be just more arrogant then their medical conterparts.

 

[McLovinMD]

This article just reminded me of something...a couple years ago my local paper had an article on recent high school graduates and what their plans for the future were. Right on the front was a picture of some kid decked out in scrubs who planned on specializing in orthopedic surgery . I don't know the kid and maybe he really knows all about what the specialty entails and will end up becoming an orthopedic surgeon...but I'm guessing IF he makes it far enough to med school that he will realize he had no idea what he was talking about and feel like a giant tool when he recalls the article. Or worse, he will be set on ortho, not match into it, and be stuck with huge debt and a specialty he hates.

Or he will be like the vast number of my high school friends, who going into college were positive that they were destined to become doctors (usually neurosurgeons). Until they got crappy grades from excessive partying/slacking and suddenly had an epiphany that medicine was not for them.

Back on topic though, now that I've been accepted I definitely get more questions (from people who already know I'm premed) about what I want to specialize in. I just explain that I'm not sure, and want to keep an open mind during clinical rotations, so I probably won't know for a long time. If people don't know me personally, I just don't tell them I'm premed.

 

[McLovinMD]

i hate it when people assume what kind of doctor i want to be...it's pretty ridiculous when people say i "look" like a surgeon, whatever that means. with all the stereotypes in the field, it can't be a compliment...

Yeah, a pharm rep I know told me he thought I should go into cardiology because my personality reminds him most of the cardiologists he has interacted with...

 

[McLovinMD]

The only thing I do hate is how every Freshman I talk to says theyre going to be a plastic surgeon.

And how they are strongly considering Hopkins for med school, but they are also thinking about Harvard.

 

[Zakaqel]

Well, if you don't know it, then say so. Is that stressing you? And what do you mean by it having no relevance to you at the present time. You're saying you want to be a doctor. Replying with, "What kind of doctor?" is different from, "What kind of tree do you feel like?" Wtf, am I right?

Whatever. You're better off just keeping your mouth shut when the question arises. It's obviously too difficult.

Of course, there is no relevance whatsoever at the present moment! Are you telling me that I should be worryiong about what my specilization is before I even have any basic knowledge of medicine? That's like telling a freshman to worry about what he/she is going to be doing his/her PhD research on.

I usually do say "I don't know" when I get asked this question. It's not like I spit on the person and walk away...

 

[VoiceofReason]

Sometimes people who know me a little will ask me to diagnose their problems and I just say " I don't know.. I'm not a doctor!" then I pull out my tape recorder and play this laughtrack I have.

To answer the OP, no that particular innocent question doesn't bother me.

It's interesting how some people react to being told that one is pre-med, though. My ex girlfriend's friends were all artists and humanities majors and so, while I don't just volunteer the fact that I am (was) pre-med to people, they did eventually find out. I remember one chick's reaction distinctly: she goes "Oh... well" like I had just proclaimed that I was greater than she was in every way. That is annoying. You asked me, bitch.

 

[SB100]

I think the one thing that bugs me more than having family/friends asking what kind of doctor I want to be is when my ailing grandparents think I'm automatically going to be able to cure them of whatever illnesses they have...

 

[lapelirroja]

uhhh, because you get it atleast once a day?? I think its just as bad as when I had surgery on my knee and i got asked like 10 times a day.... so what did you do???


After a while I just started saying "I hurt it"

Haha, I've had 5 knee surgeries, and after my last one this past January, even with a full length knee brace people would say "what did you do to your foot?"

Seriously? My foot?

I completely agree, sometimes I would just rather have walked down the hall in pain rather than stop and talk to everyone about "my foot surgery" and "my foot pain."

 

[MarathonsRcool]

No I think that study found them to be just more arrogant then their medical conterparts.

im sure it was taller and better looking

 

[pride4jc727]

I just tell them I want to get into medicine and after I see everything, then I'll them but that won't be done until a) I get accepted and b) I'm near the end of med school.

 

[whoisthedrizzle]

lol @ "swell gentlemen"

 

[wisconsindoctor]

Well, I’ve been dealing with this for a while now. Most of the people that surround me can be classified as medically illiterate; my family is composed of nothing but computer engineers/programmers. In fact, I once overheard one of my dad’s respectable friends swearing that the government has developed some sort of technology which will allow for “head” transplants. I hear the, “So, what type of doctor do you want to be?” phrase everyday. Everyone seems to not understand that is painstaking getting into medical school and that as a premed your just currently worrying about getting into medical school.

Sometimes, the unfamiliarity of the medical education process goes a lot farther than that. I was enjoying a meal at a fast food restaurant today. I looked to my side and I saw this 70-80 year old women sitting next to me. She greeted me and then continued in the normal old-lady fashion: talking about her grandchildren, the days when all the “swell” gentleman wanted her and how much better the old days were, etc. I really enjoyed the talk until she asked me what I’m currently studying. I replied that I was a pre-med student. She immediately saw it as a chance to ask me a question about her aching back. It took me about 10 minutes to explain to her that I’m actually not in medical school and I know nothing about medicine. For some reason, she kept on insisting that I knew what was wrong with her and I didn’t want to tell her; i.e. I was lying. She left the place angry, without saying bye.

Looks like you need work on your social skills. Maybe the lady just wanted to talk. You may not know that a lot of people who are at the age range of 70 years like to talk because they don't have much else going on.

She may not even know what pre-med really means. But who cares! It doesn't matter at all.

Who cares if the general public, on average, doesn't know what it takes to become a doctor. IT DOESN'T MATTER! The average person on the street doesn't care what it takes to become a doctor. They are more focused on being able to pay for gas so they can get to work the next day and pay the bills.

I swear, some of you need to get thrown out on the street and away from school for a month so you can learn how the real world operates.

 

[aemed724]

No it doesn't bother me, but then again I don't walk around with a chip on my shoulder. If someone is asking what my intended specialty is I usually take the ten seconds to tell them that I haven't decided yet because I don't know enough about each one, and that most students don't decide until clinicals in medical school.

If someone is using their breath to inquire, it is always with good intentions. Either they're making small talk, and my answer will suffice, or they're genuinely interested in my future and I am happy to have the discussion.

Yeah I can totally imagine:
Grandma: So dear, what are you studying?
me: Premed
Grandma: oh! that's great! What kind of doctor are you going to be?
me: *rolls eyes* Like I already know?
Grandma: oh...well I just thought that you had some kind of idea, since you're thinking about being a....
me: Look granny, I am sick of the whole grilling thing. What am I, under arrest here?? *stalks out of the house*

Haha that’s great, at least your grandma knows you’re a premed, my grandma thinks I’m still studying to be a nurse…
Grandma: so how is school going sweetheart
Me: it’s going fine thanks for asking
Grandma: that’s good you’re going to make such a great nurse and make a lot of money (I’m serious she brings that every time we talk about school)
Me: *oh no not again* grandma I don’t want to do nursing any more I want to be a doctor
Grandma: oh that’s fine dear
A few days later
Grandma: you’re going to make such a good nurse
Three of my aunts are nurses so I think that’s where she’s getting it from, and I love her but she’s getting old and forgets a lot of things

 

[EpiPEN]

Haha that’s great, at least your grandma knows you’re a premed, my grandma thinks I’m still studying to be a nurse…
Grandma: so how is school going sweetheart
Me: it’s going fine thanks for asking
Grandma: that’s good you’re going to make such a great nurse and make a lot of money (I’m serious she brings that every time we talk about school)
Me: *oh no not again* grandma I don’t want to do nursing any more I want to be a doctor
Grandma: oh that’s fine dear
A few days later
Grandma: you’re going to make such a good nurse
Three of my aunts are nurses so I think that’s where she’s getting it from, and I love her but she’s getting old and forgets a lot of things

Man... I can't stop myself from laughing but at the same time I feel like such a horrible person for laughing at the fact an elder grandma is losing her memories.

I think I'm a bad person

 

[Long Dong]

im sure it was taller and better looking

I'm sure it was fatter, not better looking and more beat up looking. From eating all the cafetria food not eating regularlly and over eating when ever they got the chance, more bags under their eyes from all those nights without sleep operating, shorter because of the sleep deprivation and overall arrogant attitude.

 

[135892]

I'm sure it was fatter, not better looking and more beat up looking. From eating all the cafetria food not eating regularlly and over eating when ever they got the chance, more bags under their eyes from all those nights without sleep operating, shorter because of the sleep deprivation and overall arrogant attitude.

, do you have some sort of vendetta against surgeons or something

 

[Insulinshock]

Hurricane, please tell me your avatar is a picture of you.

 

[coffeebythelake]

Floating head doctor...

hahaaa... Scrubs was a great show (its pretty crappy now)

 

[da8s0859q]

haha I know right. A friend of mine is going to medical school so she can "make money" and "get power." Not really sure what she means by the latter, but I know she hates the sight of blood and spent about two weekends shadowing a friends' parent that pulled some weight to get her into a school. She's moderately excited about med school, but really stoked she's living in a big house with like 5 people. According to her, "it's going to be just like grey's anatomy!"

good luck to her.

As to the OP, this never bothers me. I have pretty much the same I-like-EM-but-a-lot-changes-in-four-years answer each time.

 

[Zakaqel]

Looks like you need work on your social skills. Maybe the lady just wanted to talk. You may not know that a lot of people who are at the age range of 70 years like to talk because they don't have much else going on.

You don't understant, I didn't offend her...I was nice and everything. I love old people...they're fun to talk to sometimes! After I told her I don't know anything about her back problems, she just freaked out and pretended I was hiding something from her!

 

[Ashers]

Sometimes, the unfamiliarity of the medical education process goes a lot farther than that. I was enjoying a meal at a fast food restaurant today. I looked to my side and I saw this 70-80 year old women sitting next to me. She greeted me and then continued in the normal old-lady fashion: talking about her grandchildren, the days when all the “swell” gentleman wanted her and how much better the old days were, etc. I really enjoyed the talk until she asked me what I’m currently studying. I replied that I was a pre-med student. She immediately saw it as a chance to ask me a question about her aching back. It took me about 10 minutes to explain to her that I’m actually not in medical school and I know nothing about medicine. For some reason, she kept on insisting that I knew what was wrong with her and I didn’t want to tell her; i.e. I was lying. She left the place angry, without saying bye.

Saying that you're "pre-med" was your first mistake, unless you actually have a pre-med major. Why not just say what you're studying, like General Biology or Underwater Basketweaving.

haha.....I do work 1000000 times harder than everyone else, they should name a department building after me...Kitkat Bar? I've been over myself a long long long (long)36 time ago....

There's a difference between being asked a question that is relevant to you and one that doesn't concern you at the present time. If I knew the answer, I would answer it...I don't. Asking me what type of doctor I want to become is like asking a sixth grader what he's going to major in university.

lol @ self-righteousness

I majored in exactly what I said I would in 6th grade, I just didn't end up in the field I was planning on going into (marine biology) or the undergrad school I intended to attend. If you had asked me in 1st grade, I would've been way off because I was going to be a paleontologist, and biology probably wouldn't've worked for that too well.

There's really no harm to asking what type of doctor you want to be; or you can always just say stuff like "NOT internal medicine" (or whatever specialty you've shadowed that you'd rather die that do). I got asked what I planned on going into at every single med school interview. At the interviews, they want to see you've thought about it, even if you have a LONG list of potential interests. (I'll be going into my top interest I had while I was interviewing.)

 

[aemed724]

Man... I can't stop myself from laughing but at the same time I feel like such a horrible person for laughing at the fact an elder grandma is losing her memories.

I think I'm a bad person

No you’re not , it was funny at first, and she even laughed at herself and called herself old. That’s why I posted it, she can laugh at herself which makes her a great grandmother.
Her long term memory is fine. It just seems lately she’s forgetting little things which is just a part of life. Also I don’t think she fully understands the process (she’s never had to deal with someone in her family trying to get into med school because there are no doctors in my family) so I think she thinks of it as what students do to become nurses or something along those lines. Trust me I’ve tried to reason why she says it and I think its old age and a little bit of confusion.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Of course, there is no relevance whatsoever at the present moment! Are you telling me that I should be worryiong about what my specilization is before I even have any basic knowledge of medicine? That's like telling a freshman to worry about what he/she is going to be doing his/her PhD research on.

I usually do say "I don't know" when I get asked this question. It's not like I spit on the person and walk away...

Just tell that to the interviewers who ask what specialty you're thinking of getting into. "Um, what does this have to do with me at the present time?"

Haha, you're a joke.

 

[da8s0859q]

Just tell that to the interviewers who ask what specialty you're thinking of getting into. "Um, what does this have to do with me at the present time?"

Haha, you're a joke.

What the hell? In terms of a response to that post you quoted, isn't this overreacting in a sort of using-nuclear-weapons-to-mow-your-lawn way?

Then again, "no relevance" is a bit much, too, so... yeah.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

No, I'm just poking fun at the OP.

 

[GoldShadow]

If someone asks you for medical advice as a pre-med, you should totally give them bogus answers.

"Friend: Hey man, listen, you're premed right? I've had this rash on my arm for two days now and it won't go away.
You: Yup, looks like flesh-eating bacteria. You'll have to amputate."

"Person: I've been feeling kind of tired lately, and I have this sore on my lip.
You: Looks like cancer to me. I give you 6 months to live."



Disclaimer: Just kidding. This would be unethical.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

I mean, s/he's getting irritated because people are asking a legitimate, logical follow-up question. And then getting mad because they don't understand "the hard road" of a pre-med. What the hell does that have to do with someone genuinely interested in your career goal? You don't think business majors stuggle sometimes? Or psychology majors? Oh, that's right, they'll bull majors in comparrison. It's that high-and-mighty attitude that some pre-meds carry with them, and being displayed here, that I poke fun at.

 

[Chase]

get over yourselves

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Amen.

 

[H_Caulfield]

What's actually worse is the first two years of med school, when everybody's not only asking but expecting you to have picked a field. I answer differently every time, just to stay sane.

 

[da8s0859q]

I mean, s/he's getting irritated because people are asking a legitimate, logical follow-up question. And then getting mad because they don't understand "the hard road" of a pre-med. What the hell does that have to do with someone genuinely interested in your career goal? You don't think business majors stuggle sometimes? Or psychology majors? Oh, that's right, they'll bull majors in comparrison. It's that high-and-mighty attitude that some pre-meds carry with them, and being displayed here, that I poke fun at.

Ooh, hey, I'm a psych major AND premedical! I rock.

(Point well taken.)

 

[135892]

I mean, s/he's getting irritated because people are asking a legitimate, logical follow-up question. And then getting mad because they don't understand "the hard road" of a pre-med. What the hell does that have to do with someone genuinely interested in your career goal? You don't think business majors stuggle sometimes? Or psychology majors? Oh, that's right, they'll bull majors in comparrison. It's that high-and-mighty attitude that some pre-meds carry with them, and being displayed here, that I poke fun at.

Business and psych majors struggle because they are inferior...
These inferiors are the type that go into pharmacy

 

[da8s0859q]

Business and psych majors struggle because they are inferior...
These inferiors are the type that go into pharmacy

Ouch.

 

[Zakaqel]

I mean, s/he's getting irritated because people are asking a legitimate, logical follow-up question. And then getting mad because they don't understand "the hard road" of a pre-med. What the hell does that have to do with someone genuinely interested in your career goal? You don't think business majors stuggle sometimes? Or psychology majors? Oh, that's right, they'll bull majors in comparrison. It's that high-and-mighty attitude that some pre-meds carry with them, and being displayed here, that I poke fun at.

Wait, so you're telling me pre-farmacy(JK) students are a lot different than pre-meds? I have a lot of pre-pharm friends who are probablly way cockier than me. I don't get the notion that all pre-meds are bastards willing to screw everyone over just so they are the best. Half of the people that go to my school call themselves "pre-meds." It's not that all pre-meds are born with the same personality and characteristics...you're just generalizing the bad characteristics that you may have seen in one or two random pre-meds.

BTW, I'm a "he"

 

[radi0headfan]

Why would this annoy you? Oh, that's right, because you're "pre-med" and "special" and have to work 100000 times harder than everybody else. Give me a break. Get over yourself.

If someone told me they wanted to be an engineer, I would say, "What kind of engineer?" If someone said they wanted to go into psychology, I would ask, "What field?" How can you possibly find this irritating? People will be asking you this your entire life.

Seriously, like... ugh. I'm going to make a thread about how pre-med self-righteousness annoys me.

burn!!

 

[AlternateSome1]

Get used to it. Everyone you meet in med school from resident to attending will ask what specialty you are thinking about. Most elderly patients you see will ask what you are going to go into if you are nice to them (after asking if you are the intern). Whenever you meet new people outside of the hospital and get asked what you do (can't say bio or psych or chem major anymore) you will be asked what specialty you are going into.

 

[Long Dong]

, do you have some sort of vendetta against surgeons or something

Yeah I guess after I got mentally beat down by them on my surgery rotation, I never felt so supid for not being able to read their minds.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Wait, so you're telling me pre-farmacy(JK) students are a lot different than pre-meds? Yes. I have a lot of pre-pharm friends who are probablly way cockier than me K. I don't get the notion that all pre-meds are bastards Yes willing to screw everyone over Yes just so they are the best Yes. Half of the people that go to my school call themselves "pre-meds." Delusional. It's not that all pre-meds are born with the same personality and characteristics Oh, look at me I'm pre-med and I can say pre-med twenty times fast and I steal used scrubs from the hospital garbage bin ...you're just generalizing the bad characteristics that you may have seen in one or two hundred-thousand random self-righteous pre-meds.

BTW, I'm a "he" Are you as cool at the cheetah from those chip commercials?

Interesting.

 

[Zakaqel]

Interesting.

Haha, that was funny...

Let me tell you about this program called "health-start" we have at our school. Every year the university decides that it needs some really smart kids aboard so that it can become more respectable. They try bringing in kids by guaranteeing them a spot in the pharmacy school (health-start). So they put them in their own little classes with their own little professors. Luckily, I convinced the university to let me take classes with the "health-start" group. I see these people about 15 hours a week. Do you know what I noticed? They are practically the same as all the other "successful" kids. They talk about how a 95% is NOT good enough for them and how their parents are going to be so upset because they only got runner-up for the departmental chair's award. They would also do anything to stop each other from succeeding; I asked one of them for help on a homework problem one time and they specifically gave me the wrong answer so they could screw me over. Hell, they don't even know how to socialize! You have to realize that every group has people who will do anything to succeed.

 

[MossPoh]

I always say that I'll cross that bridge when I get there and I'm just working on getting accepted now. If they push it then I say surgery to end it.

 

[Wylde]

COMPLETELY off topic:

I just hate it when potentially amazing sayings/quotes are saturated with redundancy and shallow eloquence in an attempt to sound more philosophical or wise. For example, in Paradoc's signature, he has the following quote:

Every new opinion, at its starting, is precisely in a minority of one. ~Thomas Carlyle

-But isn't "every new opinion" and "at its starting" the same exact thing?

-The word "precisely" is also very excessive.

I think it's an amazing saying, but if you rephrase it as:

"Every new opinion is in a minority of one."

It would gain clarity and lose completely unnecessary redundancy.

K, I'm done ranting. That stuff annoys me SOOO much!!! You're not more inspiring if you use more words.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Haha, that was funny...

Let me tell you about this program called "health-start" we have at our school. Every year the university decides that it needs some really smart kids aboard so that it can become more respectable. They try bringing in kids by guaranteeing them a spot in the pharmacy school (health-start). So they put them in their own little classes with their own little professors. Luckily, I convinced the university to let me take classes with the "health-start" group. I see these people about 15 hours a week. Do you know what I noticed? They are practically the same as all the other "successful" kids. They talk about how a 95% is NOT good enough for them and how their parents are going to be so upset because they only got runner-up for the departmental chair's award. They would also do anything to stop each other from succeeding; I asked one of them for help on a homework problem one time and they specifically gave me the wrong answer so they could screw me over. Hell, they don't even know how to socialize! You have to realize that every group has people who will do anything to succeed.

Congratulations on getting "lucky" enough to sit next to the big kids

Let's see...
One of my classmates offered to let me copy her notes for the ONE day I missed class. I took her entire notebook to the copy machine. She was an epic note-taker.

I asked a classmate for their conclusion to a homework problem. I copied down the entire assignment and turned it in.

I don't care about that. I'm taking issue with the pre-meds who feel some sense of entitlement because they are such. Like getting mad at people because they ask you about your PROSPECTIVE specialty, or feel like they are somehow higher up on the undergrad hierarchy compared to other majors, because they're "pre-meds". It's like, I could knock you down with a toothpick while blindfolded. Get over yourself. If you don't now, an attending will do it for you during med school while you're grabbing his lunch and dry cleaning.

 

[GoldShadow]

I think it's an amazing saying, but if you rephrase it as:

"Every new opinion is in a minority of one."

It would gain clarity and lose completely unnecessary redundancy.

No, then it sounds tacky and oversimplified.

 

[Joannavr]

COMPLETELY off topic:

Every new opinion, at its starting, is precisely in a minority of one. ~Thomas Carlyle

I think it's an amazing saying, but if you rephrase it as:

"Every new opinion is in a minority of one."

It would gain clarity and lose completely unnecessary redundancy.

Keeping the "at its starting" in the phrase may be redundant if you over think it, but it also implies that the "new opinion" will gain popularity and be used over a long period of time. Without this modifier, you are not putting forward the full implications that this applies to all ideas. Instead, you're making it a DUH statement.

 

[Hurricane95]

Seriously people...it doesn't matter. As another poster said, if you were studying to do something else, people would STILL ask you what career you want to do, etc. Seriously guys...grow some people skills, there's no need to be all "teen angsty" and moody when people just want to make small talk. Tell them you don't know yet....you haven't decided yet, big deal.

I had a few classmates who would never tell anyone they planned on studying medicine in undergrad. Everyone knew they were "pre-med" because, duh, they're taking all the required classes and showing up to meetings and stuff. I know they both refrained from telling people because they had a HUGE fear of telling and then having to inform people they changed their minds or didn't make it if they for whatever reason were not accepted to medical school. One of them got in this year, and now that's ALL he talks about...go figure . The other guy was flat out-rejected and is doing some full-time volunteer work (i suppose thinking that would raise his mcat somehow?). When asked about his plans, he states he never really wanted to be a doctor because "the lifestyle sucks, nope, not for me." He acts as if HE turned down medical school. I even heard him flat out deny that he had EVER taken any of the pre-reqs....simply because he is so terrified of being judged...gimme a break.

Also some of you need to start worrying less about what other people think of you (especially complete strangers). Don't be so self conscious...it'll backfire in the long run. Who gives a damn what people think of you...just do your thing and mind your business.

And no, this is not my picture in my avatar. I'm a dude (click on my name), I just picked an avatar I would NEVER get tired of staring at, no matter how many times I post on sdn

 

[BlitzSleep]

haha, where do you live?! i've always thought that this kind of thing only happens in the south.... but correct me if i'm wrong.

You are wrong. Stereotyping is pathetic.