Is it possible to be "too nice/sensitive" to be a successful PA or Physician?

[coffeespeechrepeat]

I recently found this forum and it's been very helpful. I'm currently making the switch from Pre-SLP to Pre-PA and I've noticed a big difference in the personalities that I encounter in the medical/pre-medical field compared to the speech-pathology field. I'm actually realizing that people that I've met are very sterile and sometimes kinda mean towards me if I have questions. I've even been told that I'm too soft to be a PA.
I suppose I am still quite bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, which might ruffle feathers of the more experienced. But I can't help but wonder if maybe I'm not tough enough for medicine. Sometimes I feel like this field will chew me up and spit me out if I don't grow very thick skin very fast...

Does this "tough-ness" come with time?

Anyone else? Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks in advance.

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[DOdoc92742]

Depends on what you mean by "too nice"

The trials of medical school and life struggles in the past few years brought on my tough skin. I'm towards the end of medical school and can say that I understand the pressure makes diamonds analogy much better now. It's good you're starting to think about this. I was always too nice and sometimes a pushover. Over time, I've learned to have hard boundaries, prioritize myself, be assertive, to guard my time strictly, to tell people off if they're crossing lines I don't like, etc. but I'd like to say I'm still polite, smile a lot, and nice to others. But I draw the line with not being too nice to be taken advantage of.

I've also met a lot of strong, independent, assertive women in the medical field that are kind, love getting questions from students, and enjoy mentoring students. And then there are other attending doctors that are mean to their students because they are trying to get them to have thicker skin... or whatever their reasoning is. Mean and nice people both exist in the hospital setting.

What do you mean when you say "sterile and kinda mean towards you"?

 

[Hosut]

"you can please some of the people all the time, all the people some of the time but not all the people all the time,,,, let me expound--some people you'll never pleasel". just quickly learn who is who, learn what they have to teach and then dont waste your time/energy on people that dont respect you. I spent the first 10 years of my career trying to make everyone happy. It a tough roll to fill, however, it cannot be done. LOL. So if you can learn to be ok without pleasing everyone, you'll be fine. If you want, feel free to message me.

 

[deleted1005514]

I recently found this forum and it's been very helpful. I'm currently making the switch from Pre-SLP to Pre-PA and I've noticed a big difference in the personalities that I encounter in the medical/pre-medical field compared to the speech-pathology field. I'm actually realizing that people that I've met are very sterile and sometimes kinda mean towards me if I have questions. I've even been told that I'm too soft to be a PA.
I suppose I am still quite bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, which might ruffle feathers of the more experienced. But I can't help but wonder if maybe I'm not tough enough for medicine. Sometimes I feel like this field will chew me up and spit me out if I don't grow very thick skin very fast...

Does this "tough-ness" come with time?

Anyone else? Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks in advance.

You’ll get tougher with time, but don’t listen to anyone’s opinion of your personality in reference to your field of choice. If you don’t take criticism well you might work on that, but no patient has ever complained that their doctor/PA/nurse had too good of a bedside manner.

 

[LunaOri]

No, it is not a flaw to be “too nice”. You will need to learn not to take criticisms too personally, and you will need to learn to set limits and say “no” when you need to. Being kind and having empathy is an asset, not a weakness.

 

[Laradd]

It's advantage if you are "too nice" but yeah sometimes not.

 

[DadIsFat]

There are kind and not-so-kind personalities in both fields. I have worked as a SLP in the medical side of the profession for several years but am starting medical school this fall. I have met wonderful people in both fields and people I did not connect well with in both fields. Don’t worry about it. Find a group of people both in and out of your field to hang out with. It’s great to have a support system that understands what you are going through and can help with academics, etc; it’s also great to have friends that have nothing to do with work. Best wishes going forward!

 

[Attending1985]

It’s not something that will hold you back and could be an asset in the end. However, the medical field is tough and you will encounter many difficult people. Niceness can comingle with people pleasing and need for approval. I would suggest finding a really good therapist to support you along your journey. It will pay off in spades.