Mind changer

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robgarcia

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Hi guys, I want to confess something. A problem I've had since...I can't even remember. I tend to change my mind a lot! I don't know if this is a serious problem or not, but I'm always insecure and having second thoughts on things(everything to be literally precise) I really want to be a person that stands on solid ground and have strong beliefs on things.


For example... my career...medicine...

I love it...I can't visualize myself doing anything else...but really, I lose motivation so fast I get afraid of the future, what's gonna happen etc...I'm always (luckily haven't done it) considering changing my major... but I can't because like I told you...I can't visualize myself in anything else.

I do this with almost everything🙁every single little stupid thing I can imagine)

Music
Movies
Books
Religion
Style (as in, type of clothing, music(again) and everything that can go inside this classification,etc)

I say I like it then I say I don't
I say I believe in something then I say I don't



Is this a problem...or is it something normal?

It's being getting really frustrating lately.
 
Hi guys, I want to confess something. A problem I've had since...I can't even remember. I tend to change my mind a lot! I don't know if this is a serious problem or not, but I'm always insecure and having second thoughts on things(everything to be literally precise) I really want to be a person that stands on solid ground and have strong beliefs on things.


For example... my career...medicine...

I love it...I can't visualize myself doing anything else...but really, I lose motivation so fast I get afraid of the future, what's gonna happen etc...I'm always (luckily haven't done it) considering changing my major... but I can't because like I told you...I can't visualize myself in anything else.

I do this with almost everything🙁every single little stupid thing I can imagine)

Music
Movies
Books
Religion
Style (as in, type of clothing, music(again) and everything that can go inside this classification,etc)

I say I like it then I say I don't
I say I believe in something then I say I don't



Is this a problem...or is it something normal?

It's being getting really frustrating lately.

Your future patients will expect you to make important life altering decisions so you either grow a pair, or realize this is the wrong profession for you.

Honestly though, I was the same way (in terms of deciding a career), until I came across the idea of become a physician. Since then, I can not see myself doing anything else. So I bust my ass to ensure that I get there. GL👍
 
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Hi guys, I want to confess something. A problem I've had since...I can't even remember. I tend to change my mind a lot! I don't know if this is a serious problem or not, but I'm always insecure and having second thoughts on things(everything to be literally precise) I really want to be a person that stands on solid ground and have strong beliefs on things.


For example... my career...medicine...

I love it...I can't visualize myself doing anything else...but really, I lose motivation so fast I get afraid of the future, what's gonna happen etc...I'm always (luckily haven't done it) considering changing my major... but I can't because like I told you...I can't visualize myself in anything else.

I do this with almost everything🙁every single little stupid thing I can imagine)

Music
Movies
Books
Religion
Style (as in, type of clothing, music(again) and everything that can go inside this classification,etc)

I say I like it then I say I don't
I say I believe in something then I say I don't



Is this a problem...or is it something normal?

It's being getting really frustrating lately.

Sounds like you are insecure bro.. Just be more assertive! If you want something, then do it!
 
Sounds like you are insecure bro.. Just be more assertive! If you want something, then do it!

Your future patients will expect you to make important life altering decisions so you either grow a pair, or realize this is the wrong profession for you.

Honestly though, I was the same way (in terms of deciding a career), until I came across the idea of become a physician. Since then, I can not see myself doing anything else. So I bust my ass to ensure that I get there. GL👍


Well normally when you are having these conflicts its about things that affect you and are based on what you are feeling/in-to. When you are treating patients you are thinking about what to do to them (not yourself, does not affect your life all that much) and is based on applying science and not your personal emotions. I know a physician who works absolutely brilliantly, but when it comes to her personal life she worries constantly. Some people are like that when it comes to themselves, but they can still be fantastic physicians.

I guess I have to...for my personal life's sake then.
 
Get some clinical and research experience. This might help you figure out your true interest. See if that motivates and persists you to go for medicine.
 
Get some clinical and research experience. This might help you figure out your true interest. See if that motivates and persists you to go for medicine.


I've done this before, (2 years hospital volunteer) and I really do like it, it's just...I'm too desperate sometimes I guess...I don't like waiting, and I try to always take the short way out.
 
Try being more objective when you are making decisions and see how that works.
 
I've done this before, (2 years hospital volunteer) and I really do like it, it's just...I'm too desperate sometimes I guess...I don't like waiting, and I try to always take the short way out.

Medicine is a long haul.

You will need to do lots of work and be an active learner not just to get to med school, not just to get through med school, not just as an intern or resident, but for your entire professional career.

It's normal to be uncertain about your future and to have worries/concerns/doubts, but taking the 'short way out' is not compatible with being a good physician.

When I was applying, I wasn't sure if I could make the personal commitment that medicine requires, so I explored related professions through work or volunteering (I became a wilderness first responder, worked as a mountain guide and primary backcountry healthcare responder for teenagers, I volunteered with a recreational therapy program for chronically ill kids, became an outdoor emergency care technician, was a ski patroller, worked as a park ranger and taught high angle rescue, etc). In doing so, I realized that other careers that interested me didn't fulfill all of my professional desires. (I realized that first responder style work, although exciting, lacked the patient interaction and continuity I was attracted to, I realized that helping sick kids have fun was an amazing feeling, but I hated that physical therapists arrive on the scene after the upper limit of outcome has been established...as a result of these "rule out" experiences, I became far more confidant in my decision to pursue a career in medicine.

Don't just do things so you can put them on your application, do things that will help you be certain that medicine is what you want...think about other careers that might make you happy and volunteer in them...I talked about all those experiences in interviews and essays, and although they aren't traditional volunteer work, I'm sure they made my application stand out andthey allowed me to be exposed to a variety of facets of healthcare while still building my CV.
 
It's great that you are willing to try new things and that is something you should not give up. However, with medicine, there are SO MANY people who are fully set on this career path that you cannot afford to be indecisive about it for a second. Commit to the career path, or get out. It's fine to switch things up with style/music/etc however, just not here.
 
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Hi guys, I want to confess something. A problem I've had since...I can't even remember. I tend to change my mind a lot! I don't know if this is a serious problem or not, but I'm always insecure and having second thoughts on things(everything to be literally precise) I really want to be a person that stands on solid ground and have strong beliefs on things.


For example... my career...medicine...

I love it...I can't visualize myself doing anything else...but really, I lose motivation so fast I get afraid of the future, what's gonna happen etc...I'm always (luckily haven't done it) considering changing my major... but I can't because like I told you...I can't visualize myself in anything else.

I do this with almost everything🙁every single little stupid thing I can imagine)

Music
Movies
Books
Religion
Style (as in, type of clothing, music(again) and everything that can go inside this classification,etc)

I say I like it then I say I don't
I say I believe in something then I say I don't



Is this a problem...or is it something normal?

It's being getting really frustrating lately.

In a lot of ways I'm the same - I tend to change my mind a lot when it comes to my personal life. For a period of time, my family had almost convinced me I didn't want to be a doctor and I contemplated grad school. Literally every week I had a new idea about what I wanted to get a PhD in ranging from philosophy to biochemistry to astrobiology. I even thought about joining the military. When I came back to medicine, there were no doubts, no thoughts that I wanted to do something different. I also cannot imagine myself in any other field. I know a lot of people wonder if medicine is right for them and I think the cost and time investment are most of the reasons for the hesitance. If you really can't see yourself doing something else, than medicine is for you!

If you have trouble making decisions in a professional setting (ie: when the decisions are not about you) that might be something to seriously work on before med school.
 
In a lot of ways I'm the same - I tend to change my mind a lot when it comes to my personal life. For a period of time, my family had almost convinced me I didn't want to be a doctor and I contemplated grad school. Literally every week I had a new idea about what I wanted to get a PhD in ranging from philosophy to biochemistry to astrobiology. I even thought about joining the military. When I came back to medicine, there were no doubts, no thoughts that I wanted to do something different. I also cannot imagine myself in any other field. I know a lot of people wonder if medicine is right for them and I think the cost and time investment are most of the reasons for the hesitance. If you really can't see yourself doing something else, than medicine is for you!

If you have trouble making decisions in a professional setting (ie: when the decisions are not about you) that might be something to seriously work on before med school.


Thanks! 🙂
 
Please elaborate on the underlined points so that I do not misunderstand you on those last two sentences.

It's fine to pursue new and different areas of music/clothing/art/etc... but while pursuing medicine (your future CAREER) you have to be 100% committed.
 
I disagree with people who say that you should not second guess your decision. I think it is healthy to do so and that a lot of people end up wishing that they did.
 
no, this is not a problem. you will just end up being an 80-something year old that still has no idea what he wants to do in life:shrug:
 
I disagree with people who say that you should not second guess your decision. I think it is healthy to do so and that a lot of people end up wishing that they did.

i agree, it shows that you are still rational.
 
I disagree with people who say that you should not second guess your decision. I think it is healthy to do so and that a lot of people end up wishing that they did.

I agree. But this should be done early on. Unless you don't mind applying as an older student.
 
I agree. But this should be done early on. Unless you don't mind applying as an older student.

Yea, I mean you obviously need to make up your mind at some point. I do think that people rush when it is not always necessary. I am 23 and will be applying in a year or two and I feel the extra time has really helped me.
 
I agree. But this should be done early on. Unless you don't mind applying as an older student.

you're telling me you have absolutely no doubts? Even in this ambiguous climate? Even as tuition is eternally increasing while reimbursement decreases? Even as our increasingly litigious society devours medicine?
 
I disagree with people who say that you should not second guess your decision. I think it is healthy to do so and that a lot of people end up wishing that they did.

you're telling me you have absolutely no doubts? Even in this ambiguous climate? Even as tuition is eternally increasing while reimbursement decreases? Even as our increasingly litigious society devours medicine?

I think it's healthy to be apprehensive. I worry more about the people on here who are willing to eat poop hot dogs and take on as much debt as necessary to fulfill their childhood dreams. I understand that being a doctor is integrated into every part of your life, but it's also a job.
 
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