Don't worry guys, adcoms aren't secretly grading you on your response. The real answer for 99.9% of people is absolutely not. Medicine is a job. It's the best one out there IMO, but it's still a job. That means 85% of the time it sucks and 15% of the time you are doing the things you set out to do in the first place. If I won the lotto I could easily find a way to help my fellow man in a clinical setting through a path that didn't involve me going through the hell of medical school/residency/9-5 work.
I see your points and those of others that tend to agree with you. I actually appreciate your candor. At the same time, don't be hating on those that do NOT feel the same way. It's unfair to trivialize their level of commitment to this area of work. In fact, some people actually like work. Not saying you don't, just making a general statement. Of course it must be balanced with other fulfilling aspects of life. And I think this is what snags a lot of people that pursue medicine. They begin to resent the lacking of balance with regard to other areas of their life. It can get frustrating. But as
@QofQuimica has pointed out, she used to work lots of extra hours and realized that she actually needed more balance in her life. It doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy what she does--I don't know if she does or not--or at least to what degree she enjoys it. But people have to find a way to forge out a life that gives them the right balance. I mean if you have 100's of millions or even billions, you still need a balanced life--ask Bill Gates.
So, again, I appreciate the candor. I just think you have to accept that there are those that actually like if not love what they do in medicine or healthcare. They might not like a lot of stupid admin and other stuff, but they put up with it, b/c they actually do really feel fulfilled and feel committed to dong what they are doing.
The trouble is, for many if not most in medicine, it's not a simple thing to say "Well, if you like it/love it, then you like/love it; and if you don't, you don't. If you don't just exist stage right." It's not like many can just walk away from it after committing so much time, money, and energy. And that's the tricky thing.
That's why people poo poo the idea of getting hoards of clinical exposure, but I say it is quintessential.
Also realize that you may find even after MS and 1st years of residency, that actually do enjoy a lot of what you do. It's just that right now, the pressure is on and it's hard to see the forrest for the trees.