Methods to use to test whether you really want to become an MD

[yellowcocopuffs]

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Are there any brutal ways to determine whether I am really fit to become a doctor, or whether I will enjoy being a doctor? (besides the usual, like volunteering and shadowing). How can I ensure that med school is where I want to go?

 

[capo180]

cut off your arm, see if you can put it back on yourself. BEST THING TO DO. great for personal statements TOOO.

 

[CookDeRosa]

Are there any brutal ways to determine whether I am really fit to become a doctor, or whether I will enjoy being a doctor? (besides the usual, like volunteering and shadowing). How can I ensure that med school is where I want to go?

>>

I like to watch House.😍

 

[DoctwoB]

Are there any brutal ways to determine whether I am really fit to become a doctor, or whether I will enjoy being a doctor? (besides the usual, like volunteering and shadowing). How can I ensure that med school is where I want to go?

Shadowing is still your best bet. But not shadowing like show up for a couple hours and follow a doctor around, but SHADOWING. See if you can find a surgery resident who will let you shadow them 24/7 in the hospital for a couple weeks to see the good/bad/ugly/tiring aspects of medicine.

If you can see all these horrible things, along with reading up on the downsides of medicine (huge debt, being a student forever, mid-level encroachment, declining respect/prestige/reimbursement, lack of control over career, etc.) and still want to be a doctor, then go to medical school.

 

[deleted202457]

>>

I like to watch House.😍

This was my soul reason for persuing medicine. And then Scrubs came along and sealed the deal haha

 

[deleted202457]

you could also go to Hospice or something. be around ppl knockin on death's door and see if you wanna deal with that. you're the dr that gives them and their families the news. look at healthy ppl. the hot chick beside you in class. the teacher with a nice family. could you tell them that they have pancreatic cancer, or their father had a stroke? cuz you'll be doing that too. if you can't see yourself handling medicine at its worse then you wont make it through long enough to enjoy it at its best.

 

[DaisyBuchanan]

See how many times in a day you can handle spending time in a room where a patient had a recent bout of bloody diarrhea.

 

[Evergrey]

you could also go to Hospice or something. be around ppl knockin on death's door and see if you wanna deal with that. you're the dr that gives them and their families the news. look at healthy ppl. the hot chick beside you in class. the teacher with a nice family. could you tell them that they have pancreatic cancer, or their father had a stroke? cuz you'll be doing that too. if you can't see yourself handling medicine at its worse then you wont make it through long enough to enjoy it at its best.

Many specialties don't spend every day dealing with mortality.

 

[deleted202457]

Many specialties don't spend every day dealing with mortality.

yeah i know. but i figured a good bit of it is seen during training. and even if not i was just trying to throw out an extreme to help him picture.

 

[zwitter]

Load revolver with one bullet, pull trigger

Still not sure? Put 2 bullets in....stilll not sure rinse and repeat.
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This is how I make most major decisions, such as what type fo cereal I am going to eat at noon on saturday.

 

[Evergrey]

yeah i know. but i figured a good bit of it is seen during training. and even if not i was just trying to throw out an extreme to help him picture.

Yeah I know what you mean. I am just a contrarian sometimes 🙂 I actually want to start volunteering at a hospice to see what it is like, to see if I can handle being in that kind of environment, and to connect with the patients that are in that kind of situation to understand what it's like for them.

 

[unhappytnt]

Shadowing and volunteering are your best bet. But other than that go spend time in the General Residency forum, read FAQs, what the residents & attendings have to say. That'll give you more insight than the pre-med forum.