just an observation...

[saki0005]

growing up, i'd be like "i'm going to be a doctor" and people were always like "wow. that's great!" and they'd seem so supportive.
now people are all like "how's the application process going?" and I give them the "8 no's, 18 I don't know's, waiting for a freakin' interview, not sure what's going to happen, etc." and the response is always the same..."why would you want to go to school for so long? my 4th cousin twice removed's wife's uncle was a doctor and he hated it. oh and my doctor is terrible...she only spends like 2 minutes with me...and she's broke because she has to pay malpractice insurance...blahde blah blah blah."

i just try to avoid those particularly negative people at work. i just hide from them in my cube or try to dodge them in the hallway. doesn't always work though...

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[MWillie]

If I were you, I'd just stop discussin' medical school with them.

 

[DrWorkNeverDone]

you know that is wierd.....i never realized that, but I agree you shouldn't talk to them...THEY ARE THE WIERD ONES Really though, my bosses know that I am going through the whole premed stuff and all they do is talk about how great it is going to be and show me off to the district bosses Makes me feel pretty good since they dont talk about what other people are doing in school. "This is ----- yeah she is our future doctor" makes me warm and fuzzy in side

 

[twicetenturns]

One thing that I have noticed regarding this phenomenon is that as people get older they get more jaded and equivocate past decisions. For example: The "Why would you want to go to school that long?" question? Honestly, there comes a time when the majority of people who thought they were going to be doctors when they were younger decide that it isn't right for them. This can happen for a great many different reasons, but many people claim its because they never wanted to be in school that long, or deal with all the malpractice, etc. They focus on the negative aspects of the career to make themselves feel better about choosing not to pursue the life. While these reasons are certainly valid, they are also often used to cover other reasons that might speak to a lack of commitment, unwillingness to suffer the stress, or any other phrasing that might look unfavorably upon their character. Honestly, it takes a certain type of person to be able to put up with all of this in the pursuit of their dream. It's not for everyone who thought it might be when they were younger. When people naysay, often they just envy your stalwart determination, and eventual achievement of a goal that they proved unwilling to undertake despite an initial desire. ... Come to think of it, perhaps I just say all this to make myself feel better about the arduousness of the process despite the naysayers ... hmmmm. I don't know for sure but I found it best to listen to yourself not to them.

 

[saki0005]

Honestly, it takes a certain type of person to be able to put up with all of this in the pursuit of their dream.

this is what i say in my defense everytime i get a negative comment. why i feel the need to defend myself to these lab rats or to certain family members? i dunno...

 

[americanidiot]

They focus on the negative aspects of the career to make themselves feel better about choosing not to pursue the life. While these reasons are certainly valid, they are also often used to cover other reasons that might speak to a lack of commitment, unwillingness to suffer the stress, or any other phrasing that might look unfavorably upon their character.

I think this is a great point. Medicine is hard to argue against as a theoretical career choice: the feeling of actually helping people in a fundamental way, high stable wage, community respect, the list goes on...Often people try to knock it in order to justify their own high paying jobs because many of the other high-paying stable professions often involve 1) no real help to actual people 2) low amounts of respect outside of the respect people have for the wealthy. So many of my highly paid finance/business friends comment on how meaningless their work is - they essentially make rich people richer. No amount of flashy cars, houses, and corporate banquets could make up for this simple fact.

Please note - I am not saying that all high-paying non-medical jobs are this way - but I have noticed a plethora of this variety.

 

[Sarikate]

Unfortunately, one or two of my friendships have dwindled over the past few months, starting in June when I began studying for the MCAT. It was devastating to me. When I talked with those who do support me, they seemed to think that my friends who faded away were intimidated by this lofty goal of mine, but I think it was certainly exacerbated by my inability to go out and do fun things with them over the summer. My family has been marginally supportive, but my sister just finished her family practice residency and is having trouble finding a job, so she has very few positive things to offer; my father doesn't believe I'll get accepted this year; my mother pretty much shuts down when I start talking about it. I live and work where there are very few students, very few people pursuing graduate degrees...it's been hard to find external inspiration, so I've simply had to feed off myself, which has been a good lesson for me.