Is getting into medical school a curse or a blessing??

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Dedikated2liftn

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I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

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I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

Boo Hoo. Be more confident in what you want to with yourself or let someone else take your place. Go be a damned I-banker. So much for Dedikation?

You do not get a vote of sympathy: 1
You do get a vote of sympathy: 0
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

It's natural to be cautious about career decisions due to the large investment of time, resources, energy, etc. But your thread begs the question of whether or not you're sure you want to be a doctor. You've obviously convinced yourself and others enough so to apply successfully and be accepted, but if a thread on a pre-med forum is enough to shake your confidence about your choice, you might need to take a long look in the mirror.

Granted, this is not an easy path, and it's gonna be a bumpy ride. If you have med school friends, doctor friends, doctor mentors, etc., start asking them the tough questions so that you make the most informed decision. But ultimately, the choice will still rest on you. Take a little time to relax, soak in the satisfaction of having the option to go to med school, and then think about why you put yourself through this hellish process in the first place. Whenever I feel frustrated with applications or the health care system in general, I try to think back to why I started this in the first place. When that stops working is when I will reevaluate. But it's kept me going so far.

Best of luck, and for what it's worth, I think it's important to question this path a little. I don't think people do it enough, which often leads to unhappy students riddled with debt.
 
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law is a better option. its a cash cow. no third party payers. you make a spectacular salary upon graduation from a 3-year program and the ceiling is much higher in terms of earning potential. equity partners in Big Law are loaded. of course you are a lap dog of Satan.... but at least you can get the plasma TV.
 
law is a better option. its a cash cow. no third party payers. you make a spectacular salary upon graduation from a 3-year program and the ceiling is much higher in terms of earning potential. equity partners in Big Law are loaded. of course you are a lap dog of Satan.... but at least you can get the plasma TV.
But Medicine has the highest basement.
 
law is a better option. its a cash cow. no third party payers. you make a spectacular salary upon graduation from a 3-year program and the ceiling is much higher in terms of earning potential. equity partners in Big Law are loaded. of course you are a lap dog of Satan.... but at least you can get the plasma TV.

This is a premed forum so I feel safe saying this. It seems like any idiot can get into law school.
 
Seanes, I was looking for helpful advice, not a bash in the face. I think it's natural to question a path that requires such a huge commitment. And honestly, it isn't an issue of money (didn't mean to come off that way), that's why doing law, something I was involved with in the beginning of my undergraduate career, is one thing I can't see myself ever doing. Thanks to all others who've responded a bit more positively. :rolleyes:
 
law is a better option. its a cash cow. no third party payers. you make a spectacular salary upon graduation from a 3-year program and the ceiling is much higher in terms of earning potential. equity partners in Big Law are loaded. of course you are a lap dog of Satan.... but at least you can get the plasma TV.

True.

And a 100+ channels of HDTV.

:horns:
 
I think the attitudes with which you're meeting is due to the fact this is in the pre-allo forum, where many posters would KILL for an acceptance right now. This is probably better off in the allo forum now, save yourself some angry retorts.


Plus, with a big, burly name like "Dedikated2liftn" I would hope you would be able to suffer the slings and arrows of some of our more bitter bretheren.
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

It is a blessing for many but a huge curse for some. If you truly want to be a doctor then go for it. If you truly understand what you are up against then you already have a leg up. It is that fool that only focuses on MCAT and GPA that is going to have a rude awakening.
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

i don't agree with what most people have posted, but i am not going to give why, i feel you are lookingly too heavily into the money. if you want to learn a lot of money stay out of medicine, if your reason is something beyond money then go for it, the answer should be obvious then.
 
i don't agree with what most people have posted, but i am not going to give why, i feel you are lookingly too heavily into the money. if you want to learn a lot of money stay out of medicine, if your reason is something beyond money then go for it, the answer should be obvious then.
Hey Shzao...I disagree too... :)
 
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i don't agree with what most people have posted, but i am not going to give why, i feel you are lookingly too heavily into the money. if you want to learn a lot of money stay out of medicine, if your reason is something beyond money then go for it, the answer should be obvious then.

There is a huge difference between the love for money and the fear of debt. Those OP's concerns are perfectly normal for any "normal" thinking person who is about to borrow 130K+ to finance a 7+ year education. Not to mention uncertainty(nobody knows what specialty they are going to land in) and the difficulty of the education.
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

The person who posted the offensive thread that you referred to clearly had an agenda. Please keep that in mind.

How impulsively did you make the decision to want to go through with becoming a doctor? How impulsively are you considering throwing it away?
This is not a decision to make lightly either way. Once you turn it down, it may not come your way again. However, to accept and begin medical school does not doom you to a live of displeasure because you can always elect to change your mind. Many have done this.

I can empathise with your angst, but try to take a deeper look if you can.
 
I'm a bit frustrated and feel like people are missing the point.

YES...the OP's concerns ARE legitimate. However, seeing as how he/she has already been accepted to medical school and managed to convince an admission committee and maybe several others that he/she wants medicine very badly, it's hard to symathize. When you get interviewed for medical school you would think that the admissions committee has tried to gain insight into whether a person is passionate about medicine, whether they have thought about what they are getting into and whether or not they can make it through all those years of hard studying and long hours.

What concerns me is that the OP has convinced people of this, yet he now sits here and has his feathers ruffled by a thread on SDN. Granted, I too find some of these threads slightly disappointing or concerning, but they don't really worry me. Like Shzao said...I'm not going into medicine for the money...there are more efficient ways in this world to make money, and if you aren't passionate or have amazing drive, then you may end up being very unhappy with your career chioce.

In short: these concerns would have been legitimate, but since you convinced an admission committee that this is what you want...maybe you should have researched some of this stuff earlier on. I don't doubt your desire for medicine, OP, because if that's your dream then stick with it and don't worry about money. But, if you are too distracted by the negatives, then back out now and let someone have that acceptance who really wants it.
 
The person who posted the offensive thread that you referred to clearly had an agenda. Please keep that in mind.

How impulsively did you make the decision to want to go through with becoming a doctor? How impulsively are you considering throwing it away?
This is not a decision to make lightly either way. Once you turn it down, it may not come your way again. However, to accept and begin medical school does not doom you to a live of displeasure because you can always elect to change your mind. Many have done this.

I can empathise with your angst, but try to take a deeper look if you can.

Great point sir/mam. That is why I have the "before you screw yourself" thread to discuss how people can prepare for that same change without returning to SDN to bug-down others with their failure stories.
 
I'm a bit frustrated and feel like people are missing the point.

YES...the OP's concerns ARE legitimate. However, seeing as how he/she has already been accepted to medical school and managed to convince an admission committee and maybe several others that he/she wants medicine very badly, it's hard to symathize. When you get interviewed for medical school you would think that the admissions committee has tried to gain insight into whether a person is passionate about medicine, whether they have thought about what they are getting into and whether or not they can make it through all those years of hard studying and long hours.

What concerns me is that the OP has convinced people of this, yet he now sits here and has his feathers ruffled by a thread on SDN. Granted, I too find some of these threads slightly disappointing or concerning, but they don't really worry me. Like Shzao said...I'm not going into medicine for the money...there are more efficient ways in this world to make money, and if you aren't passionate or have amazing drive, then you may end up being very unhappy with your career chioce.

In short: these concerns would have been legitimate, but since you convinced an admission committee that this is what you want...maybe you should have researched some of this stuff earlier on. I don't doubt your desire for medicine, OP, because if that's your dream then stick with it and don't worry about money. But, if you are too distracted by the negatives, then back out now and let someone have that acceptance who really wants it.

Most applicants do this effectively without really "meaning" what they say.
 
Seanes, I was looking for helpful advice, not a bash in the face. I think it's natural to question a path that requires such a huge commitment. And honestly, it isn't an issue of money (didn't mean to come off that way), that's why doing law, something I was involved with in the beginning of my undergraduate career, is one thing I can't see myself ever doing. Thanks to all others who've responded a bit more positively. :rolleyes:

Sorry if you took it as a bash in the face, I'm in a crappy mood. I just find it frustrating when so many people I know sweat balls trying to get into medical school. These people look to SDN for advice all of the time. When someone who has been blessed enough to get an acceptance begins a thread questioning their career path in medicine (and apparently taking for granted their fortune) it can seem arrogant and offensive. This may be a discussion you keep to yourself and maybe your family because all of the answers, outcomes, benefits, and shortcomings are so obvious and expounded upon in SDN that you need not start yet another query. We don't really know you.
 
Most applicants do this effectively without really "meaning" what they say.
I know...it just plain sucks...

And, I also don't mean to bash you in the face, OP. I am just frustrated too. I hope that you look into these issues in medicine that bother you and try and make sure you've resolved this before making a decision. :)

Good luck to you.
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

I know that it has been a blessing for me. Everything has a price, but for me the benefits of going to med school GREATLY outweigh the negatives. I don't really understand why so many people complain about how difficult this process is, how medical school is hell, matching residencies is hard etc. That's the reality of the situation and by now hopefully you know what you are getting yourself into. There is nothing ironic about being forced to perform at a high level. Students with dedication and intelligence are chosen because that's what med school and being a doctor require. And as far as the financial aspect goes, we'll talk in 20 years and we'll see where you stand in comparison to your friends. Yes, having an enormous debt sucks now, but I guarantee you that if you ever become a semi-decent doctor you won't have to worry about paying your children's education the way most people do.
 
when this whole process started, i was incensed by the amount that we have to pay for a higher degree, when other professional programs will pay you (a pittance) and keep you from having to go in debt. but after thinking about it...really medicine has hurdles in place to keep the wrong people out. Yes, money is decent, yes, the lifestyle seems glamorized, but you have to wade through geriatric LOLs (little old ladies), drug addicts, homeless, and all other sorts of people in addition to helping the idealized american family. medicine needs exceptional people who are able to deal with these harsh realities and in the end rationalize these situations as opportunities to help regardless of someone's background. medicine in short, needs people who are called to the practice above the many and varied reasons to not go into it. i am shocked that you haven't considered these issues before now and that you weren't asked to consider these events in an interview. maybe it is only real now to you, but seriously think about it if you haven't done so. this is a marathon that isn't for the weary, many even end up hating their choices later on. please figure it out so you don't resent your life's choices.
 
I appreciate everyone's input and think that the majority of you guys have made some awesome points. And honestly, I did not mean to sound arrogant and offensive by my first post; I probably shouldn't have mentioned the acceptance, probably would've kept things a bit more unbiased in terms of readers. Anyway, I know there are a lot of people who would kill to get into medical school, and until a couple of days ago, I was one of those people. Consequently, maybe it's like one of the earlier posters said, that with the acceptance came the reality of the decision, and I'm now forced to see it as a geniune possibility. Regardless however, I cannot really see myself in any career other than medicine, so maybe I'm feeling angst for all the wrong reasons and should focus more on what's to be gained than cost of getting there....
 
Once you turn it down, it may not come your way again. However, to accept and begin medical school does not doom you to a live of displeasure because you can always elect to change your mind. Many have done this.

If you are borrowing a lot to attend med school, then changing your mind isn't without costs. There is a more significant "golden handcuffs" in this route than most. Finalize your decision before you start, if you can.
 
There is a huge difference between the love for money and the fear of debt. Those OP's concerns are perfectly normal for any "normal" thinking person who is about to borrow 130K+ to finance a 7+ year education. Not to mention uncertainty(nobody knows what specialty they are going to land in) and the difficulty of the education.

debts can be paid of if your willing, there is a reason why people lend to med students. i feel if you care about debt, then you care about money, haha but that is just me. i also feel the difficulty of education is not that high, as long as you wish to invest the time. its far less risky than PhD in terms of difficulty.

either way, if you found something really worthwhile, then going into debt should not be an issue for you, at least that is my opinion.
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

i am in my second year of med school. what you are experiencing is something that any sane person would contemplate, as i and just about everyone i know did when we got accepted. it is very easy to lose yourself as a premed, dilegently working to get the best gpa, mcat, shadowing, research, etc., etc. it's a multi year process and then one day a letter comes and it's like, "holy cow, i got in!" if you didn't take a step back and examine if you are still the same person, with the same aspirations, as when you began the journey, then i think that would make you a foolish person. you are not just making a decision on "what you want to be when you grow up", it is a lifestyle, not merely a profession. it is very easy to get caught up in chasing the dream, fully convinced that it is what you want, and then wonder if it is really what you want once you have met your goal. people change over the course of 4 years, whether the wish to or not. you are in the enviable position to now decide if your dreams today are the same as they were when you began. like i said, most people go through this. in the end, you will probably find, like most everyone else, you are a bit overwhelmed by the enormous opportunity which you have been given and the commitment which accompies it, but that the passion for medicine is still in you....it's just covered by a little fear of the unkown right now.

is med school a curse or a blessing? the truth is it is a little of both. it is an absolute blessing because it is the path which will one day lead you to your dream of caring for people. it is a curse because of the sacrifices you make along the way. i KNEW med school was going to be the hardest thing i had ever done, but i don't think anyone can appreciate just how hard it is without actually doing it. there is a reason why lots of doctors tell premeds to stay away from medicine. i am just 1.5 yrs into the process, and i already have an appreciation as to why they say this. it is the mother of all grinds, and the pressure is always on because you want to make the best grades you can so you can get the residency you want. at the beginning of first year, lots of people i knew said they wanted to do family practice, including myself. now nobody i know wants to. i'll probably get flamed for this by the idealistic premeds, but after seeing just how extremely hard you have to work in med school and how much debt you are actually racking up, you want to be rewarded for your hard work. now i'm not saying $160,000 (last year's average for a fam practice doc) isn't good money. but when you see you could have the opportunity to make $300,000 or $400,000 AND do something that is way more interesting than family practice, well attitudes change. we have all set high goals for ourselves by even attempting to get into med school, it is only natural that we would continue to set high goals for ourselves after we get in. in the end, the competition does not end by getting into med school. it is your grades and board scores which will be the deciding factor on what residency you will obtain.......hence the pressure. the past few months i have been driving myself and those around me crazy obsessing over grades. finally, last week i said screw it. i'll do the best i can and let God sort it out. she'll put me where i need to be, and if that is family practice then i'm sure i will love it and be great at it. yeah, i won't be living as large as most of my friends in med school, but maybe i will be a happier person. also, as you mentioned it is very hard seeing your undergrad friends who didn't go into medicine making some decent bucks while you are slaving away. when i was at the pivotal point which you now find yourself, i asked myself one question, "can i see myself happy doing anything else but medicine?" that answer led me to where i am today, and when get frustrated because i can't go to vegas for the weekend with my friends, that answer puts things back into perspective for me. med school is filled with highly inteligent, highly motivated people who could and would make bank at anything they chose to do in life, but in the end most of us are here because we want to care for people. these are just the growing pains we have to pay for our choices. nothing worth anything in life comes easy. i know that 20 years from now (when i am still paying off my loans :laugh:) i will look back and know that med school and all that accompanies it was a pure blessing which molded me into person i am.

sorry for the length of this post, and any cheeziness therein, but i hope it was as helpful to you as it was cathartic for me. good luck with your decision, and more importantly good luck in med school ;)

i am the G.O.A.T.

:luck:
 
when this whole process started, i was incensed by the amount that we have to pay for a higher degree, when other professional programs will pay you (a pittance) and keep you from having to go in debt. but after thinking about it...really medicine has hurdles in place to keep the wrong people out. Yes, money is decent, yes, the lifestyle seems glamorized, but you have to wade through geriatric LOLs (little old ladies), drug addicts, homeless, and all other sorts of people in addition to helping the idealized american family. medicine needs exceptional people who are able to deal with these harsh realities and in the end rationalize these situations as opportunities to help regardless of someone's background. medicine in short, needs people who are called to the practice above the many and varied reasons to not go into it. i am shocked that you haven't considered these issues before now and that you weren't asked to consider these events in an interview. maybe it is only real now to you, but seriously think about it if you haven't done so. this is a marathon that isn't for the weary, many even end up hating their choices later on. please figure it out so you don't resent your life's choices.

You make a good point but I don't like the whole medicine is a "calling" thing. Sometimes we like to present the profession as some cult. It really is just another career(difficult one) and needs to be approached as such. It is really unhealthy to brainwash youself into believing that you have a calling for something that you have never done. We don't even know what kind of doctor the OP might become. For all we know the OP might end up happier in medicine than some of the bravehearts showing up on this thread.
 
debts can be paid of if your willing, there is a reason why people lend to med students. i feel if you care about debt, then you care about money, haha but that is just me. i also feel the difficulty of education is not that high, as long as you wish to invest the time. its far less risky than PhD in terms of difficulty.

either way, if you found something really worthwhile, then going into debt should not be an issue for you, at least that is my opinion.

I have to say, I feel this is a bit of a naive view of money and debt. We can say all day that we don't care about the money, we'd still go into medicine without it, etc., but the reality is money is an important function of our society. It is, at least in some amount, necessary for a successful, pleasant lifestyle. I'm amazingly excited to become a doctor, but if I knew that doing so would put me in a position to have trouble supporting myself and, more importantly, my future family, I would have a hard time deciding to do it. Now I know that isn't the case, necessarily. There are obviously plenty of physicians doing just fine for themselves and their families. But taking on that amount of debt always comes with some level of financial risk, and that is something that has to be considered. Caring about debt doesn't mean you're all about the money - it means you've given the issue practical, logical thought, and you understand and have a healthy fear of the financial burden you are about to undertake. Just my $.02 on the issue.
 
You make a good point but I don't like the whole medicine is a "calling" thing. Sometimes we like to present the profession as some cult. It really is just another career(difficult one) and needs to be approached as such. It is really unhealthy to brainwash youself into believing that you have a calling for something that you have never done. We don't even know what kind of doctor the OP might become. For all we know the OP might end up happier in medicine than some of the bravehearts showing up on this thread.

replace "calling" with "empassioned to pursue" and i think you'll be happy...semantics. note, i never said that the OP wouldn't be happy in medicine, I only asked him to evaluate his decisions more carefully.
 
hahaha, well the OP wants to become an orthopedic surgeon...so hope that helps a little. Thanks to GOAT, your post, although lengthy, was the kind of advice I was looking to receive. Much appreciated!!
 
I have to say, I feel this is a bit of a naive view of money and debt. We can say all day that we don't care about the money, we'd still go into medicine without it, etc., but the reality is money is an important function of our society. It is, at least in some amount, necessary for a successful, pleasant lifestyle. I'm amazingly excited to become a doctor, but if I knew that doing so would put me in a position to have trouble supporting myself and, more importantly, my future family, I would have a hard time deciding to do it. Now I know that isn't the case, necessarily. There are obviously plenty of physicians doing just fine for themselves and their families. But taking on that amount of debt always comes with some level of financial risk, and that is something that has to be considered. Caring about debt doesn't mean you're all about the money - it means you've given the issue practical, logical thought, and you understand and have a healthy fear of the financial burden you are about to undertake. Just my $.02 on the issue.

i agree, but coming from a fairly poor background, which i ate fish once a year and drinked soda once a ear, money though important, i can do with a lot less than most others. this is not to say, i am not going to watch out for my debt, its just i will work hard to pay it off, but the career decision i make is not going to be dependent on how long it takes me to pay it off. beside, i cheap out on everything, except my happiness (money != happiness).
 
i agree, but coming from a fairly poor background, which i ate fish once a year and drinked soda once a ear, money though important, i can do with a lot less than most others. this is not to say, i am not going to watch out for my debt, its just i will work hard to pay it off, but the career decision i make is not going to be dependent on how long it takes me to pay it off. beside, i cheap out on everything, except my happiness (money != happiness).

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Dude I am not laughing at you, it's just funny that you measure poverty by fish consumption.
 
i agree, but coming from a fairly poor background, which i ate fish once a year and drinked soda once a ear, money though important, i can do with a lot less than most others. this is not to say, i am not going to watch out for my debt, its just i will work hard to pay it off, but the career decision i make is not going to be dependent on how long it takes me to pay it off. beside, i cheap out on everything, except my happiness (money != happiness).

If I ever meet this man, I am taking him out for a filet o' fish.
 
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Dude I am not laughing at you, it's just funny that you measure poverty by fish consumption.
lol, well, I remember being poor although we ate fish very often even then (actually, I'm like 99% sure that we ate fish MORE when we were poor and hardly eat it now). I do get the whole drinking soda once a year thing though, since my mom would basically say it's all a waste of money for anything junky (You don't know how many years she would continue to insist that we can only buy Breyer's ice cream when it was under $1 for a half gallon. Needless to say, I did not get to eat very much Breyer's ice cream-which, was the only brand she would ever consider buying [also, in retrospect a fairly healthy decision]. I don't think I managed to convince her to drop this ridiculous policy until I basically just started buying the damned things myself for $2.49-and I don't even like ice cream that much, lol)

In retrospect though, she had a point. But all those years of wanting random soda and crappy drinks led them to be like, these awesome glorious things I could never have. So I ended up drinking way too much of that garbage when we finally had some money and I had my own spending money to waste.

Anyways, in a way it's actually a good thing that he could only drink soda once a year. Although I do know I didn't realize this until very recently lol.

So yeah I'm not really sure why being poor and eating fish are correlated :laugh: Fish isn't even that expensive (well it does depend on what kinda fish, but still).
 
If I ever meet this man, I am taking him out for a filet o' fish.

lol i am just saying, when i was young we were really poor in china, now that even if i have money i dont' even know how to spend it
 
I want to reply to the comment that it "seems like any idiot can get into law school." I am an attorney and graduated from Georgetown Law. I do mainly medical malpractice. I am now considering going to medical school as well to improve my career.

Just because you are having a hard time getting into medical school doesn't give you the right to bash people who are trying to get into law school. It IS hard to get into law school, and I have had many brilliant friends who have struggled to get accepted, especially in the more selective schools. And law school and the bar exam are no picnic either. Until you have tried applying to law schools, you can't call prospective lawyers idiots. I know you may be insecure about getting into med school, but that is no reason to criticize those who are or who are trying to become attorneys.
 
I want to reply to the comment that it "seems like any idiot can get into law school." I am an attorney and graduated from Georgetown Law. I do mainly medical malpractice. I am now considering going to medical school as well to improve my career.

Just because you are having a hard time getting into medical school doesn't give you the right to bash people who are trying to get into law school. It IS hard to get into law school, and I have had many brilliant friends who have struggled to get accepted, especially in the more selective schools. And law school and the bar exam are no picnic either. Until you have tried applying to law schools, you can't call prospective lawyers idiots. I know you may be insecure about getting into med school, but that is no reason to criticize those who are or who are trying to become attorneys.

The prior poster really shouldn't be labelling folks going into other professions idiots. But speaking as a lawyer, I would actually suggest that there are so many more law schools than med schools that the range of people who can get into law school is pretty huge by comparison. If you really want to go to law school, there is probably someplace out there that will take you. Not Gtown caliber, but someplace.
 
the past few months i have been driving myself and those around me crazy obsessing over grades. finally, last week i said screw it. i'll do the best i can and let God sort it out. she'll put me where i need to be, and if that is family practice then i'm sure i will love it and be great at it.

i am the G.O.A.T.

:luck:

I'm sorry but i just noticed you referred to God as "she", not that there is anything wrong with that!! :laugh:
But thanks for an excellent post though!
 
it is a lifestyle, not merely a profession.

I mentioned this fact during most of my interviews. I understand it's a lifestyle from just looking at my dad. One night I stayed with a student at an unnamed med school that I don't plan to attend. Right before my interview she pretty much said I wouldn't get into any of the schools that heard this come from my mouth because they would assume that "lifestyle"=a high paying job and would think I was in it for the money. I got into all of the schools where I mentioned this. What an *****!!!!!!!!!

GOAT, best post I've read on SDN so far!
 
law is a better option. its a cash cow. no third party payers. you make a spectacular salary upon graduation from a 3-year program and the ceiling is much higher in terms of earning potential. equity partners in Big Law are loaded. of course you are a lap dog of Satan.... but at least you can get the plasma TV.

This definitely is not the case. If you want to make big money in law right now you pretty much have to go to a top top law school or do something amazing at a lower tier law school. Even then, it depends on what you do with it and where you work. Plus, it's almost as expensive and there are far less programs implemented to pay for schooling. Law is definitely not a cash cow for a large number of people attaining their degrees...you can work your butt off and still not make a ton of money, whereas it's pretty much guaranteed with medicine. Granted, getting into medical school is about a thousand times harder than getting into law school.
 
Law is definitely not a cash cow for a large number of people attaining their degrees...you can work your butt off and still not make a ton of money, whereas it's pretty much guaranteed with medicine. Granted, getting into medical school is about a thousand times harder than getting into law school.

Agree with your post but would suggest that comparing averages in law and medicine is "apples and oranges" due to the vastly different number and range of people going into law and medicine. It is likely an equivalent number of people do very well in both law and medicine, but that number does not constitute the majority or average of law, whose ranks dwarf those in medicine.
 
I mentioned this fact during most of my interviews. I understand it's a lifestyle from just looking at my dad. One night I stayed with a student at an unnamed med school that I don't plan to attend. Right before my interview she pretty much said I wouldn't get into any of the schools that heard this come from my mouth because they would assume that "lifestyle"=a high paying job and would think I was in it for the money. I got into all of the schools where I mentioned this. What an *****!!!!!!!!!

Nice BS call, I hate to admit that I would have probably listened to her.
 
Okay children, let's sit down with 'ol Uncle LifetimeDoc and analyze this post, shall we?

I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it.
This person is obviously a gunner who applied to medical school not because he wanted to be a physician, but because he wanted to be better than everyone else.

It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life.
Again, a gunner. He is upset that he has sacrificed so much to pursue the profession he desired without really wanting it anyways. He isn't interested in the goal, but the chase towards that goal. Now that he has attained that goal, it doesn't satisfy him and it doesn't compare favorably to other professions out there.

Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel.
Ahh, okay...
He went into medicine for the money... but he wants it all now! He wants to abort the dream of becoming a physician and "helping people" because his friends have money and he doesn't.

Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:
Maybe you should have thought about what you were getting into before you took a slot at medial school from somebody who wants to be there. I see another Panda Bear in the making...
 
"Any idiot can get into law school"

Please.
 
hahaha, well the OP wants to become an orthopedic surgeon...so hope that helps a little. Thanks to GOAT, your post, although lengthy, was the kind of advice I was looking to receive. Much appreciated!!

:laugh: Every other premed, M1 and M2 wants to go into ortho. Around M3 it all starts to change....:laugh:
 
I've just recently been accepted into medical school and after reading the thread "Before you Screw Yorself" and the link contained within it, I am really starting to question whether or not working your ass off in undergrad just to get accepted to med school is worth it. It seems ironic that those individuals who demonstrate that highest level of dedication and intelligence are forced to pay such an outrageous cost (not just financial) in order to do what they want to do in life. Even my friends, who are in their early 20s, are successfully starting their lives financially while I'm forced to drive myself deeper into debt, chasing a distant light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. Maybe I'm looking at the glass as half-empty, but I know there must be others (fellow SDNErs) out there who can empathize with what I'm feeling. :confused: :scared: :confused:

Well - I can remember one instance in my life where I felt this way and I must say when the worry and fear hit me it shocked me! I was married 3 years and we were trying for about 6 months to start our family. It was all we thought of and all we wanted. When I found out I was pregnant it was the happiest moment of my life.........until I started worrying about finances, how we'd be as parents, the responsibility for another person's life, then sacrifice and hard work on our part-EVERYTHING!The list is endless of what went through our minds. Having a baby was the first and foremost plan in our lives for years, and yet for awhile there when pregnancy became a reality we were SCARED! very SCARED. Once that initial worry was over - we were back to where we were all along - this child was going to be worth every sacrifice, every amount of energy we'd expend, worth everything to us. For what it's worth - sometimes I think in life we invest so much energy and planning into something that when it arrives we freeze up for awhile and worry ourselves silly. Just my 2cents.
 
Of course being accepted to medical school is a blessing.

I am a pre-med, and I am absolutely thrilled at the prospect of attending med school, especially my state school (UAB) which is super research intensive.

Medicine is a wonderful field -- especially, I think, if you end up at an academic research center, which is my goal. In particular, the prospect of being able to research pathophysiology of an illness is so fascinating. You're not just treating an illness -- you're defining the illness on the molecular level. How cool is that? How cool is it to be able to work in a lab one day defining an illness and then treating someone with that illness the next day at your clinic? You're being a solution to the problem on all fronts.

So, yes, medicine is a wonderful field. It provides a good living, is intellectually stimulating, provides enough training to work in academia and a clinic, and allows you to be a solution to health problems on all fronts (in my case, I hope to become a psychiatrist, so depression is my main interest).
 
Of course being accepted to medical school is a blessing.

I am a pre-med, and I am absolutely thrilled at the prospect of attending med school, especially my state school (UAB) which is super research intensive.

Medicine is a wonderful field -- especially, I think, if you end up at an academic research center, which is my goal. In particular, the prospect of being able to research pathophysiology of an illness is so fascinating. You're not just treating an illness -- you're defining the illness on the molecular level. How cool is that? How cool is it to be able to work in a lab one day defining an illness and then treating someone with that illness the next day at your clinic? You're being a solution to the problem on all fronts.

So, yes, medicine is a wonderful field. It provides a good living, is intellectually stimulating, provides enough training to work in academia and a clinic, and allows you to be a solution to health problems on all fronts (in my case, I hope to become a psychiatrist, so depression is my main interest).

what if you don't, and instead end up in a primary care facility located in a heavily uninsured county, and get sued by one of your non-paying patients. You ever thought about that?
 
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