How do you know for sure?

[metalkaren]

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Hi. I am seriously considering a career in medicine, as a non-trad student (I'm 28) and no science background whatsoever. I realize this is a huge decision and I'm trying to make the right one, but how can I know for sure whether this is the right thing for me? People tell me that you need a real "passion" for medicine, but how can I know if I have one without actually trying it out?

From what I understand, non-trads have to do a lot of answering about why they chose this career so late in the game. What if I didn't have any dramatic life-changing experience? What if I finally just grew up, and decided that I was unhappy with a mediocre job and an empty social life and I wanted to do something important with my life? What if I just starting thinking about medical school out of the blue, and suddenly I felt like my whole life was falling into place for the first time? Is this common?

I realize I probably need to try volunteering at a hospital or something, but honestly, I am so intimidated to just jump straight in like that, and I don't want to scare myself off. I have spent very little time around hospitals/sick people in my life, so this is a really huge change for me. Obviously I will need to adjust to that over time, but is that something I should do right off the bat or ease myself into somehow? I'm not even sure what kind of things hospital volunteers do. Are my apprehensions normal or am I totally not cut out for this?

 

[CoffeeFreak]

I suggest..Spending an evening, 3-4 hours, reading the posts to get a feel for the process of admissions.

 

[metalkaren]

I suggest..Spending an evening, 3-4 hours, reading the posts to get a feel for the process of admissions.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have already read a lot of the forums and I am trying to continue to absorb as much as I can. I think I'm pretty familiar with the admissions process though, as I've read a few books on that already, and these forums.

My undergrad/grad grades are excellent and I do have confidence in myself academically. I think if I really want this, I can do it, and do it well. Right now I'm more concerned with figuring out if a lifetime commitment to the field of medicine is the right thing for me.

Do most people go for medical experience first, or start with the prerequisite science classes?

 

[LincolnMass]

Are you looking for someone to validate your interest? Enrouragement, confidence, wisdom, or reasons why?

 

[nontrad314]

Volunteering, shadowing, consulting with physicians, and working with patients might be worth considering.

I say that because that convinced me to make the career change, which is how I look at what I'm doing. Making a choice about the kind of work I want to do. So, getting exposure to the actual work itself was one of my interests.

If I wasn't pursuing medicine I would still be directing my career in a way that will make me happiest.

It just turns out that to do this I have to go back to school. But people pursue MBAs MS / other professional degrees in order to advance / modify their careers all the time.

I don't know. The work itself and the clinical exposure was interesting for me in terms of making the final decision. For others the final decision might happen in other respects.

 

[Beau Geste]

From what I understand, non-trads have to do a lot of answering about why they chose this career so late in the game. What if I didn't have any dramatic life-changing experience? What if I finally just grew up, and decided that I was unhappy with a mediocre job and an empty social life and I wanted to do something important with my life? What if I just starting thinking about medical school out of the blue, and suddenly I felt like my whole life was falling into place for the first time?

These all sound like good reasons to think about switching. Apart from my own misfortunes earlier in life, I can identify somewhat with the last part of your post here. The other posters are right - you should do some shadowing or volunteering to get a feel for the actual commitment to medicine. It will help you decide if you really want to go through with it. If you don't have any previous coursework in Bio/Chem/Organic Chem/Physics/Math, you will have to take these courses to do well on the MCAT and as prerequisites.

Keep us posted on how you are coming along! Good luck!

 

[metalkaren]

These all sound like good reasons to think about switching. Apart from my own misfortunes earlier in life, I can identify somewhat with the last part of your post here. The other posters are right - you should do some shadowing or volunteering to get a feel for the actual commitment to medicine. It will help you decide if you really want to go through with it. If you don't have any previous coursework in Bio/Chem/Organic Chem/Physics/Math, you will have to take these courses to do well on the MCAT and as prerequisites.

Keep us posted on how you are coming along! Good luck!

Thanks very much. How would I go about finding information on shadowing in my area? How does it work exactly? Is it a one time thing with a particular doctor, or is it ongoing like volunteering?

 

[Anastasis]

It can be something very fluid. There's not really a set way to go about shadowing. I hear alot of people say start with your general practice doc since they already know you. If they are busy or don't want to have you shadow ask for suggestions from them for other doctors who may be more willing. Also see if a new practice has opened up in your area. Without the patient load other practices have they may have more time for you. Also if you volunteer at a hospital that will put you in contact with doctors who might be willing to have you shadow.

BTW, I am starting the whole shadowing thing myself. I had the hook-up because my dad is a doctor so if there is a family member who is a doctor that's a really good resource to tap.

 

[Wednesday]

Hi metakaren,

Unforunately the answer to your question is that you can't know for sure until you're actually doing it yourself which pretty far into med school (or residency). Shadowing is a good idea, but it's not the same. The best thing you can do is gather as much information as you can to make a realistic decision about what you are getting yourself into. I would suggest reading the residency forums (as opposed to preallo) to get an idea of what things people complain about. One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of people in med school/residency have never had a real job to compare medicine to, so they think it's terrible but don't realize that lots of jobs are terrible.

I came to my decision much the same way you did, it sounds like. Don't worry, they don't expect nontrads to say "I have always wanted to be a doctor" and don't necessarily look for moments of epiphany. Your personal statement will be all about how you decided to do this and you will likely be able to find a thread in your life that makes the decision make sense. You should spend some time in a hospital or health care setting. You will need this not only for you and your decision making process but to convince the adcoms that you are making an informed desision. Don't stress too much about it, volunteers don't usually do much, but it will get you around health care workers, which is at least a start.

Since you don't have the science prereqs yet, you should start those ASAP, while you find shadowing and volunteer opportunities. Again, the prereqs will give you information about your desire to take this road--you will have to study a lot and you will have to study science. Things some people don't end up liking.

Sorry for the long post. I think my point is that it's great that you're thinking about medicine and it sounds like you might be at the point to take the next step. You still have a lot of preparing to do, precious time for you to do as much research and soul searching as you can into whether or not you really want to do this. In the end, I think it's a leap of faith, but it never hurts to be as informed as possible.

Good luck!

 

[thirdunity]

Hi. I am seriously considering a career in medicine, as a non-trad student (I'm 28) and no science background whatsoever. I realize this is a huge decision and I'm trying to make the right one, but how can I know for sure whether this is the right thing for me? People tell me that you need a real "passion" for medicine, but how can I know if I have one without actually trying it out?

Here are some questions to ask yourself. They apply to just about everything, not just being a doctor.

* Is there anything else you could become, and still be happy?
* Would you be happier doing something else?
* If you did something else, would you feel like you settled and never became what you REALLY wanted to become?

There are lots of ways to get your feet wet. You can work in health care for example. You need a job, you need experience, why not? It's win-win.

Finally, there are as many "how I became a doctor" stories as there are doctors.

Example:
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0507/feature1/assignment2.html

Max Aguilera-Hellweg, after a successful career as a photojournalist, got bit by the medicine bug in his late thirties. All he had was a high school diploma, to my knowledge. At 39, he enrolled in pre-algebra, and now he is an MD. He was in the middle of his residency when National Geo offered him this assignment.

For me, I have always had a strong intellectual interest in medicine and bioscience, however it never occurred to me to enter the health care profession until the dot-bomb hit.

Since I am still finishing my undergrad education, I figured I would have to go back to school to be employable. I worked in graphics, and after the dot-bomb, places started really looking for that BFA degree and a fat portfolio for even the simplest production jobs.

But the longer I took classes to stay employed in my field - computers, graphics - the more I felt like, this just wasn't the right choice for me. When I worked in graphics and computers, I spent a lot of time reading about medicine. At the time, I thought I was just a person with a weird hobby. I was never even happy enough at any one of these jobs to perform well, and each time I thought I would be happy if only I got a better job or more prestige or something. I am very thankful for the dot-bomb because it is the best thing that ever happened to me, it got me out of a line of work that I really didn't like.

Finally, it occurred to me, if I had to start from scratch anyway and earn a degree, why not do it learning something I REALLY want to do?

After overcoming my math phobia, I realized I could finally actually get through science and math classes with some determination and tutoring.

And since I need a job ANYWAY, and had spent more time in computers on unemployment than I ever spent working, I decided that getting my Phlebotomy and EMT-B certifications was by no means a waste of my time. I mean - I need to get a job. Furthermore, it would help me get clinical hours. A win-win scenario, all around.

I'm 31 and just starting my prereqs next semester, and hopefully transferring to Davis in another year. I've already taken the majority of my liberal arts GEs.

Hope this all helps.

 

[ockhamsRzr]

metalkaren,

I agree with what others have advised, but I would look at in a few different ways, all of which will inform your interest and ability to succeed in med school. I am also along the path doing pre-reqs and am 35. Here's some of what I've learned in about a year or so since I had the epiphany, realization, whatever, that you just had about medicine...oh, and get used to jumping in.

EXPERIENCE:
1. Shadow, like everyone else advised, but get a job if you can! Start in the volunteer department or translation, or at your own PCP's office. Any position that gets you into the world of patient care. The point is to then meet Doctors or NPs or PAs who will let you shadow them as they work. The more people you can meet and let know you are a premed the better your opportunities will be. I was very lucky to get a great clinical research assistant position at Harvard. If you can get an actual job as a tech (LAB or ED) then you will be "plugged into a network" (as an Admissions Director at an Osteopthic med school put it when I told him where I worked), and the opportunities for real patient experience and diverse exposure are considerable. Motivation is key!

2. Talk to the people who work at the hospital or office, Doctors included. Ask why they chose their speciality, what their training is, are they happy? What are their frustrations? Ask if they'd do it again, at your age. Be professional, but sincerely ask people and they will tell you. I found Doctors to be the most willing to tell you all sorts of things about their lives...very informative.

3. Do something that appeals to all parts of the career-chamging pre-med goals: get basic medical skills, prepare for real patient interaction, and increase appeal to potential employers and ADCOMS -- become an EMT-B. You will learn a crash course in how to think medically (skills, assessment, basic functioning of the body). You will learn a bit about yourself.

ACADEMICS:
1. If you never had the premed sciences in your previous degree, you'll need to take a year of bio, chem, physics and organic chem. That's a good first test. Take 2 classes with labs while working part time and pulling As is a good practice run. This also is a good measure of your academic commitment at least.

So, the experience will speak to a lot of your preconceptions and expectations about being a doctor and the road to get there. Medicine is, i've found, no panacea. It is the hardest road to the hardest profession that exists IMO. The rewards sometimes eclipse the work and sometimes don't come close to equaling the sacrifice.

So, take a dive. Basically if you're curious about the path and wonder if you can do it, it really takes about 3 months to know. Take the above-mentioned courseload (chem I and Bio I for example), 20 hours working/volunteering in something healthcare, and take the EMT course (3 months, $500-1000). If after that time you are pissed off, failing chem and asking why, freaked out by so-and-so patient you saw while shadowing, and sick of doctors asking why you want to go med school--then move on.

If, on the otherhand, you're pyched, cruising your courses, considering a specialty because you met Dr. so-and-so, and stoked when a surgeon asks if you want to shadow in his OR, then it's time to officially join this rag-tag bunch called "non-trads".

Good luck (but you gotta jump in),

ockhamsRzr

Hi. I am seriously considering a career in medicine, as a non-trad student (I'm 28) and no science background whatsoever. I realize this is a huge decision and I'm trying to make the right one, but how can I know for sure whether this is the right thing for me? People tell me that you need a real "passion" for medicine, but how can I know if I have one without actually trying it out?

From what I understand, non-trads have to do a lot of answering about why they chose this career so late in the game. What if I didn't have any dramatic life-changing experience? What if I finally just grew up, and decided that I was unhappy with a mediocre job and an empty social life and I wanted to do something important with my life? What if I just starting thinking about medical school out of the blue, and suddenly I felt like my whole life was falling into place for the first time? Is this common?

I realize I probably need to try volunteering at a hospital or something, but honestly, I am so intimidated to just jump straight in like that, and I don't want to scare myself off. I have spent very little time around hospitals/sick people in my life, so this is a really huge change for me. Obviously I will need to adjust to that over time, but is that something I should do right off the bat or ease myself into somehow? I'm not even sure what kind of things hospital volunteers do. Are my apprehensions normal or am I totally not cut out for this?

 

[metalkaren]

Thank you so much. These posts were wonderful and really helped me a lot.

I am actually less concerned about the academics than the experience and interest in the field. If I was sure I really wanted this bad enough, I know I could do well. I'm a very organized and disciplined person so I'm usually a pretty great student, and have had very high GPAs in the past. Granted, I am a little scared of science classes, since I don't even know what they're like (the last one I took was probably 9th grade), but I think general study habits and learning abilities will help me excel in any class as long as I put in the effort. MCATS are a little scary since I do not have a great track record with standardized tests, but that's a long way off and there's just no way to test the waters there. If I don't nail them, I'll just have to keep trying.

To the person who suggested getting a job...I would love to do this. I have applied for a few writing/marketing/communications type positions at hospitals, which would be totally ideal for me since this is my field of expertise right now, so it would be a great segue. But with absolutely no healthcare experience or knowledge, I am less competitive and I can't seem to get anywhere with it. I guess volunteering is the first step, but as I said, I'm really scared and intimidated. Not even sure why exactly, but eventually I will build up the courage and just do it.

To the poster who used to read a lot of books on medicine, can you recommend any interesting ones? I learn really well through reading and I'm currently reading a lot of stuff on what it's like to be a doctor/med student, but some books on actual health topics would be great.

Thanks again everyone.

metalkaren,

I agree with what others have advised, but I would look at in a few different ways, all of which will inform your interest and ability to succeed in med school. I am also along the path doing pre-reqs and am 35. Here's some of what I've learned in about a year or so since I had the epiphany, realization, whatever, that you just had about medicine...oh, and get used to jumping in.

EXPERIENCE:
1. Shadow, like everyone else advised, but get a job if you can! Start in the volunteer department or translation, or at your own PCP's office. Any position that gets you into the world of patient care. The point is to then meet Doctors or NPs or PAs who will let you shadow them as they work. The more people you can meet and let know you are a premed the better your opportunities will be. I was very lucky to get a great clinical research assistant position at Harvard. If you can get an actual job as a tech (LAB or ED) then you will be "plugged into a network" (as an Admissions Director at an Osteopthic med school put it when I told him where I worked), and the opportunities for real patient experience and diverse exposure are considerable. Motivation is key!

2. Talk to the people who work at the hospital or office, Doctors included. Ask why they chose their speciality, what their training is, are they happy? What are their frustrations? Ask if they'd do it again, at your age. Be professional, but sincerely ask people and they will tell you. I found Doctors to be the most willing to tell you all sorts of things about their lives...very informative.

3. Do something that appeals to all parts of the career-chamging pre-med goals: get basic medical skills, prepare for real patient interaction, and increase appeal to potential employers and ADCOMS -- become an EMT-B. You will learn a crash course in how to think medically (skills, assessment, basic functioning of the body). You will learn a bit about yourself.

ACADEMICS:
1. If you never had the premed sciences in your previous degree, you'll need to take a year of bio, chem, physics and organic chem. That's a good first test. Take 2 classes with labs while working part time and pulling As is a good practice run. This also is a good measure of your academic commitment at least.

So, the experience will speak to a lot of your preconceptions and expectations about being a doctor and the road to get there. Medicine is, i've found, no panacea. It is the hardest road to the hardest profession that exists IMO. The rewards sometimes eclipse the work and sometimes don't come close to equaling the sacrifice.

So, take a dive. Basically if you're curious about the path and wonder if you can do it, it really takes about 3 months to know. Take the above-mentioned courseload (chem I and Bio I for example), 20 hours working/volunteering in something healthcare, and take the EMT course (3 months, $500-1000). If after that time you are pissed off, failing chem and asking why, freaked out by so-and-so patient you saw while shadowing, and sick of doctors asking why you want to go med school--then move on.

If, on the otherhand, you're pyched, cruising your courses, considering a specialty because you met Dr. so-and-so, and stoked when a surgeon asks if you want to shadow in his OR, then it's time to officially join this rag-tag bunch called "non-trads".

Good luck (but you gotta jump in),

ockhamsRzr

 

[ockhamsRzr]

Becoming a Doctor by Mel Konner. It is slightly older (1983 I think) but is a great tale of a non-trad telling the story of mostly 3rd year. I felt it was honest.

Ockham

Thank you so much. These posts were wonderful and really helped me a lot.

I am actually less concerned about the academics than the experience and interest in the field. If I was sure I really wanted this bad enough, I know I could do well. I'm a very organized and disciplined person so I'm usually a pretty great student, and have had very high GPAs in the past. Granted, I am a little scared of science classes, since I don't even know what they're like (the last one I took was probably 9th grade), but I think general study habits and learning abilities will help me excel in any class as long as I put in the effort. MCATS are a little scary since I do not have a great track record with standardized tests, but that's a long way off and there's just no way to test the waters there. If I don't nail them, I'll just have to keep trying.

To the person who suggested getting a job...I would love to do this. I have applied for a few writing/marketing/communications type positions at hospitals, which would be totally ideal for me since this is my field of expertise right now, so it would be a great segue. But with absolutely no healthcare experience or knowledge, I am less competitive and I can't seem to get anywhere with it. I guess volunteering is the first step, but as I said, I'm really scared and intimidated. Not even sure why exactly, but eventually I will build up the courage and just do it.

To the poster who used to read a lot of books on medicine, can you recommend any interesting ones? I learn really well through reading and I'm currently reading a lot of stuff on what it's like to be a doctor/med student, but some books on actual health topics would be great.

Thanks again everyone.