I really really really need help..what should I do?

[GreekIsleSunset]

I really really need help...what should I do?

How can a person possibly make the decision to go into medicine? I'm freaking out because half of me loves the idea of being with patients and the other half doesn't like the gross aspects. Do people overcome the 'grossness' and realize that the patient needs help, or are certain things always nasty?

I cannot for the life of me make a decision. I have tried talking to physicians, shadowing them, reading everything I can get my hands on, and checking out these posts, but to no avail. I am still split. I am not sure I want to go into medicine but I know for sure that I do not *not* want to, meaning I feel I should at least try. Please, help people. Please.

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[indo]

I know how you feel. Earlier tonight I couldn't decide between a vodka tonic or a rum and coke. It was awful.

 

[virilep]

I really really need help...what should I do?

How can a person possibly make the decision to go into medicine? I'm freaking out because half of me loves the idea of being with patients and the other half doesn't like the gross aspects. Do people overcome the 'grossness' and realize that the patient needs help, or are certain things always nasty?

I cannot for the life of me make a decision. I have tried talking to physicians, shadowing them, reading everything I can get my hands on, and checking out these posts, but to no avail. I am still split. I am not sure I want to go into medicine but I know for sure that I do not *not* want to, meaning I feel I should at least try. Please, help people. Please.

ya... know, honestly. i know it's a tough decision to go into, but the road just keeps getting harder and harder. if your heart isn't completely set on it, i'd spend my life trying to get on that nice greek isle. because when your studying for biochem in the wee hours of the morning or on call fo 36 hours, you can't ask yourself the questions you just asked yourself without getting crazy.

 

[GreekIsleSunset]

I know how you feel. Earlier tonight I couldn't decide between a vodka tonic or a rum and coke. It was awful.

You know, important decisions like those really make boys into men. Best have chosen the rum and coke, or else no for you! You'll be on the couch with a girl back at the bar.

 

[Cheerfulgrrl]

Sometimes these things become clearer over time. I will say that even though I wasn't confident enough to pursue medicine earlier in my life, that desire was always present, if a bit obscured. And knowing that keeps me going even when it is tough. So, I agree with Virilep in that you may not want to decide to pursue med - right now. In other words, perhaps you are burned out or have been overthinking this...unless your school requires you to committ to pre-med (and even in that case) discover what really interests you now. If you want to be a doctor, that will only become more clear as you pursue OTHER things.

best wishes to you.

 

[Sarikate]

Virilep! Cheerful! Two of my favoritest people on SDN! So nice to see you in the same thread! Sorry for interrupting this thread just to emote like that!

 

[virilep]

Virilep! Cheerful! Two of my favoritest people on SDN! So nice to see you in the same thread! Sorry for interrupting this thread just to emote like that!

we keep it gangsta

 

[indo]

You know, important decisions like those really make boys into men. Best have chosen the rum and coke, or else no for you! You'll be on the couch with a girl back at the bar.

I'm going to put it on my resume: "excellent decision making skills under pressure"

btw, a Kenney Chesney song came on the radio and left me parched for a margarita.

 

[gary5]

You say that you love "the idea" of being with patients. Forget that. Occupation is not a concept. If you like working with patients (not just the idea), the do medicine. You can always specialize in an area that is less gross.

 

[Sanctuary]

As a general life rule, if you're having serious doubts about something (ie, romantic relationship, future career that requires MANY years of training, a specific car to purchase, etc.) then you should NOT do it. Can you be wrong sometimes? Yes. But it is better to be wrong and not do something, and instead go do something else that you like, rather than do something you have serious doubts about and end up hating. Sheesh that last sentence was a fragment and a half! Anyway, do something that you really want to do that you have little to no doubts about. I like to use my tried and true analogy:

People who really love Star Wars don't question themselves about seeing the new one (Revenge of the Sith), which comes out in 5 days, 21 hours, 43 minutes, and 12 seconds. They just go see it because that's what they were put on their earth to do. Those who wonder if they should see Star Wars, probably SHOULDN'T go see if opening night and take up a seat that a die-hard fan could be sitting in. (God I'm a loser)..

 

[siempre595]

I actually think the more you learn about the science behind the "gross" stuff, the less it bother you. Yea, some stuff really is just still gross, but it's odd how after taking 2nd year pathology I think of it more on a "this is happening so it looks like that," then "damn, thats' just gross."
You may find that with more knowledge it becomes a biologic process, rather than just grossness.
That said, if you have a major aversion to blood or bodily fluids, you may want to consider a different route in life, or else go into psych or something with a low grossness level. But honestly, I think we all have a liitle of that in us, the "omigod that's disgusting" moments. But you just get over it and deal with it. If you really can't get over it, you're probably not going to manage for a lifetime as a doctor.

 

[LizzyM]

You get over the smells, eventually, just as you may have gotten over the smells in college labs.

I'm not one for things that look gross (patients with full thickness burns come to mind) but I found that if I could look into a person's eyes, and not at their lesions, I could do what I needed to do.

Being the parent of a young child has a certain grossness factor to it and you don't see that stop people from having kids.

 

[GreekIsleSunset]

Thanks so much everyone. Most of those comments were heatfelt and I appreciate it. I like the idea of seeing things as biologic processes as well as relating to the patient as a person via their eyes rather than seeing him/her as a "thrombosis" or a "burn". Muchas gracias!

 

[FutureOrthoDoc]

I have said it once,I'll say it again. If you have any doubts, dont't do it.