Necessary to have a "passion" for medicine?

[loryg]

Sorry for the long post. I've been lurking on this forum for a few months, but this is my first time posting.

People often say that medicine isn't something to go into if you're not totally passionate about it. I do find many aspects of medicine interesting, but it seems not nearly as much as most of the people who post here or on the premed subreddit. Being honest, medicine's primary appeal for me is the long term economic and financial stability that few other careers can match. However, I'm not interested at all in these other career fields. My family is pretty well-off, so debt is not as serious of a concern for me as it may be for others.

A bit of background, I am a chemical engineering major in my junior year, and I do not like my major at all. I did internships with two different companies, after which I realized this is definitely not what I want to do for a career. I also have zero interest in computer science, finance, law, or business. Doing hard science research or staying in academia aren't very appealing options to me either. After shadowing a few doctors and volunteering at a local hospital I thought to myself, "Hey, this could be a cool, rewarding career option where I could help people", but not quite "this is my life's calling or passion".

For those of you who have made it through and are now med students/residents/physicians, how much "passion" would you say you needed to really motivate you to go through all the schooling and training? Are there people you know of who went into medicine for the money/job security? If so are they happy or unhappy with their decision? Thanks!

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[Goro]

Yes.
/thread.

Seriously, wanting to make a bank while being a doctor is the Baseline for going into the profession.

But it's not worth spending eight years of school and three to five years of residency for. You could make a decent amount of money doing other jobs. And you wouldn't have to worry about getting sued for malpractice or having patients die on you either.

 

[loryg]

Yes.
/thread.

Seriously, wanting to make a bank while being a doctor is the Baseline for going into the profession.

But it's not worth spending eight years of school and three to five years of residency for. You could make a decent amount of money doing other jobs. And you wouldn't have to worry about getting sued for malpractice or having patients die on you either.

Hey Goro, I appreciate you taking the time to share some advice. I definitely understand your point that other jobs can make decent money as well. However, as I mentioned in my post, I have zero interest in these other careers. I at least have some interest in medicine. My dilemma now is basically: spend 4 more years in med school and 3-5 years residency for a career that I'd at least be interested in, but not necessarily super passionate about vs. going straight into the work force doing something I don't like at all. In the latter scenario, I may even have to go through more schooling anyway such as getting a master's if my engineering degree isn't what that other field is looking for.

 

[Goro]

"Interested in" isn't good enough. You'll just burn out, and be miserable.

Where's my pal @HomeSkool when you need him???

 

[deleted887473]

Passion is a very vague word... No one can say for sure they are or are not passionate about something without truly experiencing it. I say get more experience and exposure to the field so you understand medicine better. And those experiences don’t have to be clinical — I believe medicine overlaps a great deal with teaching/mentoring, social work etc. In the end you don’t have to have your “passion for medicine” spilling all over the place but you do have to enjoy some aspects other than money and job prospects.

 

[wontonsoup]

Hey Goro, I appreciate you taking the time to share some advice. I definitely understand your point that other jobs can make decent money as well. However, as I mentioned in my post, I have zero interest in these other careers. I at least have some interest in medicine. My dilemma now is basically: spend 4 more years in med school and 3-5 years residency for a career that I'd at least be interested in, but not necessarily super passionate about vs. going straight into the work force doing something I don't like at all. In the latter scenario, I may even have to go through more schooling anyway such as getting a master's if my engineering degree isn't what that other field is looking for.

My (seems like unpopular) opinion, coming from a family that struggled with financial insecurity for most of my upbringing, is that it is reasonable that financial stability is an important factor in choosing medicine as a profession. If you don't care about other factors (location, specialty choice), there are a pathways in medicine where you can work 4 days a week and live a pretty lucrative lifestyle. At the end of the day, medicine is just another job and I think this obsession with passion in the application process is a by-product of the American notion of self-identity being inextricably tied to profession.

However, I think it is probably an insufficient condition for maximizing your long-term happiness. There is a reason why medicine has relatively high rates of depression and anxiety and why it is seen generally as a stressful position. In addition, you can achieve financial independence with an engineering salary by age 40 if you play your cards right. I am like you, I studied a hard science in undergrad and really can't see myself doing STEM academia or CS or engineering or finance. But an additional 4 years + 3-7 years of residency in no way compares to getting a 1-3 year masters in a separate scientific field. It is not a decision you should make lightly, because the road is long and strenuous. I suggest you go shadow some doctors and volunteer at some hospitals to see if you are interested in the work, because it can be dry and tedious just as much as engineering can be dry and tedious. Also, keep in mind that medicine is fundamentally human-centered, with all of its positives and negatives.

 

[stickgirl390]

You don’t have to go to medical school immediately after undergrad. You could always take a year or two after undergrad working and see how you like working, and do some more shadowing if you’re still interested in seeing what medicine has to offer. You could also work in the healthcare field that way you can see if your interest is satisfied without fully committing to medical school.

 

[neoexile]

Sorry for the long post. I've been lurking on this forum for a few months, but this is my first time posting.

People often say that medicine isn't something to go into if you're not totally passionate about it. I do find many aspects of medicine interesting, but it seems not nearly as much as most of the people who post here or on the premed subreddit. Being honest, medicine's primary appeal for me is the long term economic and financial stability that few other careers can match. However, I'm not interested at all in these other career fields. My family is pretty well-off, so debt is not as serious of a concern for me as it may be for others.

A bit of background, I am a chemical engineering major in my junior year, and I do not like my major at all. I did internships with two different companies, after which I realized this is definitely not what I want to do for a career. I also have zero interest in computer science, finance, law, or business. Doing hard science research or staying in academia aren't very appealing options to me either. After shadowing a few doctors and volunteering at a local hospital I thought to myself, "Hey, this could be a cool, rewarding career option where I could help people", but not quite "this is my life's calling or passion".

For those of you who have made it through and are now med students/residents/physicians, how much "passion" would you say you needed to really motivate you to go through all the schooling and training? Are there people you know of who went into medicine for the money/job security? If so are they happy or unhappy with their decision? Thanks!

You definitely need to have a passion for it. Medicine is a 24/7 endeavor. It consumes your life even if you dont want it to. Therefore you need a passion for it.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

"Helping people" is a given. Anyone who cannot truly justify why medicine will give that answer, but then you will be asked why not help people as a teacher? Police officer? Social worker?

"Helping people" is a broad term.

I really do not think anyone truly interested in medicine will wake up one day and say "I'm pursuing medicine". They slowly drift to it after considering other career pathways. That's how it was for me. I say a good analogy is having a crush and falling in love. A crush develops quickly and fades just as quick. Falling in love is done slowly and it is much harder to break than a crush. That's why I say people who truly love medicine fall in love with it like they would a person, slowly after carefully considering other options. I mean really, you would not want to commit to a career or marriage unless you are absolutely sure you found the one, am I right?

 

[neoexile]

"Helping people" is a given. Anyone who cannot truly justify why medicine will give that answer, but then you will be asked why not help people as a teacher? Police officer? Social worker?

"Helping people" is a broad term.

I wonder if this might help. The honest truth of why I want to do medine is that I have a desire to be a chessmaster. I want to be a chessmaster who uses his knowledge in order to do something positive for people. And I have the same desire to just interact and understand my patients.

So for me Patient Interaction + Being a Chessmaster (although I'll never be one) == My reason for medicine

 

[deleted887473]

At the end of the day, medicine is just another job and I think this obsession with passion in the application process is a by-product of the American notion of self-identity being inextricably tied to profession.

Oh my god, this is spot on. As an immigrant from a non-Western country whose most immediate family members had no choice in their careers the American emphasis of self-identity/individuality and passion is beyond absurd to me.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

I wonder if this might help. The honest truth of why I want to do medine is that I have a desire to be a chessmaster. I want to be a chessmaster who uses his knowledge in order to do something positive for people. And I have the same desire to just interact and understand my patients.

So for me Patient Interaction + Being a Chessmaster (although I'll never be one) == My reason for medicine

Find your strongest passion, link it to medicine, and sell it. I will not give any more feedback other than that since I do not have that in-depth knowledge.

 

[neoexile]

Oh my god, this is spot on. As an immigrant from a non-Western country whose most immediate family members had no choice in their careers the American emphasis of self-identity/individuality and passion is beyond absurd to me.

I strongly disagree. Many of the good doctors i know have exhibited strong levels of passion for their field. They keep pushing themselves to be better and learning medicine makes them excited about life.

The ones that don't tend to be mediocre and unhappy. This is a 24/7 field. You need to have the passion for it.

 

[deleted887473]

I strongly disagree. Many of the good doctors i know have exhibited strong levels of passion for their field. They keep pushing themselves to be better and learning medicine makes them excited about life.

The ones that don't tend to be mediocre and unhappy. This is a 24/7 field. You need to have the passion for it.

Uhhh what exactly are you disagreeing with? I merely said the value that American society places on self-individuality is weird to me who grew up in a different setting. Sure the more passionate you are about medicine the better doctor you are and probably the happier you are. But the thing is no one find their “passion” the second they are born and people find theirs by having opportunities to be exposed to a variety of fields. I did not come from a place where such opportunities are available. I only suggest the op learn more about medicine so they wouldn’t regret their decision, whatever that is.

 

[loryg]

Wow, thanks everyone! I understand why people say "just go into another field if you're not passionate about medicine", but I feel like that's oversimplifying the issue. I'm not saying you guys are wrong, but what about having passion for said other career? Something like engineering or finance may not require as much schooling as being a physician, but I feel like being interested in those fields would be important too.

But yes, I'll definitely try to gain more exposure to the medical field by shadowing/volunteering so I can make a more informed decision and maybe grow my passion for medicine over time. I think my main problem is that I'm not quite 100% sure about medicine yet, but I'm 90% sure I don't want to go into engineering, finance, tech industry, or business.

 

[Antiquity]

In order to be great at anything, you need to have a passion for it. Can people who are not passionate about medicine find a way to go through at least 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of medical school, 3+ years of residency, etc.? Yes, they can. However, the cost of doing this is their long-term happiness and possibly their abilities to perform as a top notch physician. Both of those costs are not worth it in my opinion. Lacking passion in medicine is especially precarious because you literally have another person's life in your hands.

 

[acbakshi]

In order to be great at anything, you need to have a passion for it. Can people who are not passionate about medicine find a way to go through at least 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of medical school, 3+ years of residency, etc.? Yes, they can. However, the cost of doing this is their long-term happiness and possibly their abilities to perform as a top notch physician. Both of those costs are not worth it in my opinion. Lacking passion in medicine is especially precarious because you literally have another person's life in your hands.

I second this. I feel that the motivation to obtain a profession that is economically and financially stable will only get one so far in a particular field. Motivation that is rooted in passion beyond mere interest is sustainable in the face of all the hardships that a medical professional faces.

 

[mcdocky]

Despite what everyone online says, you don't have to be passionate about being a physician. You just have to be interested in it.

Granted, I'm not a physician so I'm sure I'll get a lot of heat for saying this. But honestly, most people on here aren't representative of the general population. It's cool that a lot of the people here are very passionate about one thing (or delude themselves into thinking they are because they're young and naive), but most people in the world AND most physicians aren't. It's a job. You take care of people, it's highly rewarding, you make a good living, it's financially stable, and it's flexible to allow you to do a million different things such as research, mission trips, etc. If you like the job mechanics and don't mind working 60 hours a week post-residency, then go for it. If you'd prefer a 9-5 job, then medicine outside of some specialties probably ain't the right career for you.

Finally, if you're the type of person who complains all day, and constantly looks at the grass on the other side, then you'll probably hate yourself and so you shouldn't do it. You're not always going to be treated the way you want to be, but that's how it is in every job. If you can accept that, then you'll be a totally fine physician just like most others are.


Edit: A lot of people above are talking about becoming great requires a passion. Maybe so, but the OP is clearly a regular person looking for a financially stable job. Not everyone is an overachiever trying to change the world. Some people just want to be nice, help others, and live comfortable and being a clinician is a great way of accomplishing that. (READ: CLINICIAN, not nobel prize winning researcher, physician, author)

 

[Lawpy]

Oh my god, this is spot on. As an immigrant from a non-Western country whose most immediate family members had no choice in their careers the American emphasis of self-identity/individuality and passion is beyond absurd to me.

I strongly disagree. Many of the good doctors i know have exhibited strong levels of passion for their field. They keep pushing themselves to be better and learning medicine makes them excited about life.

The ones that don't tend to be mediocre and unhappy. This is a 24/7 field. You need to have the passion for it.

I said this before in another thread, but you don't need to have a passion for medicine or view medicine as some calling to succeed in the field. You can view medicine as a job and still be satisfied. There are many ways to respond to the worst aspects of medicine without burning out and feeling jaded... and they don't have to involve passion.

Medicine is like any other job. As long as you have a good reason to pursue medicine and continue to pursue it despite its hardships, you will be fine.

 

[rabbott1971]

Oh my god, this is spot on. As an immigrant from a non-Western country whose most immediate family members had no choice in their careers the American emphasis of self-identity/individuality and passion is beyond absurd to me.

I'm American and even I am not completely sure why there is so much emphasis about how it has to be your "passion" and you have to live and breathe it and it must fulfill all your fantasies, etc. It starts sounding a little weird, like borderline cultish.

I might also ask, which careers are we distinguishing medicine from when we bring up the requirement of passion? I see engineering suggested as an alternative. So I guess you can be ambivalent about engineering and have a great career? I guess all the law firms are searching for lukewarm dilettantes who could take it or leave it? And yeah the people in high finance are well-known for being laid-back family men, not cannibalistic rage-monsters. I mean, yeah, people shouldn't go into medicine cavalierly (again, as opposed to what?), but insisting that medicine is your ultimate, divinely bestowed destiny starts getting a little creepy after a while.

 

[rabbott1971]

truly passionate.

Not just passionate, but TRULY BY GOD PASSIONATE. As opposed to the clock-punching chemical engineers, or the low responsibility midlevels. Please doctor, tell all the nurses and PA's how they lack the passion that you demonstrate on a daily basis, I'm sure they'll love it.

I admit, it does tickle me how the young people have bravely acknowledged that docs work for a living, and now they think nobody else does. Do you have any idea how many tradesmen -- brick masons, painters, concrete guys, framers, etc. -- put in 60-70 hour weeks? What about over-the-road truck drivers? They better be passionate, right? What about a fast-food restaurant manager, they work 70+ hours too?

And by the way, if a doc goes on a cruise, she has someone take her call for her, knowing full well that she is adequate.

 

[mcdocky]

I think the point to be learned from this entire thread is that if you want a 9-5 job that pays well, another field such as chemical engineering will fit the bill without having to go over $100k in debt and sacrifice portions of your personal life to get there. Medicine is a field that should be chosen by those who are truly passionate. Certainly those who are not passionate can struggle their way through, but quite frankly I believe it is these people who end up divorced, bitter, and trolling SDN advising wide-eyed premeds to avoid the field at all cost.

Some people just want to be nice, help others, and live comfortable and being a clinician is a great way of accomplishing that. (READ: CLINICIAN, not nobel prize winning researcher, physician, author): There is no escaping the fact that medicine will consume a large portion of your life. For instance, if you want to be an adequate family practice physician, I hope you would leave your phone on and would be the first to know if your patient lands in the emergency room, even if you happen to be on a cruise with your family in the Bahamas. Taking call at odd hours and having patient lives in your hands 24/7 is not unique to Nobel prize winners. Happy physicians embrace this responsibility. There are plenty of midlevel provider jobs available for people who don't wish to hold this responsibility.

Why do you have to be passionate to be okay with the fact that you'll go home and still think about your job, and have to come in to help patients at irregular hours? It's called not being entitled and accepting that your 6 figure salary, job stability, etc all come with the cost of not complaining when you have to do things that are "irregular" in comparison to a 9-5 job.

As for responsibility, you're adding an unnecessary argument into the OP's question. He's asking if you have to be passionate, not if you're okay with having the responsibility of a patients life on your hand. You can be NOT passionate and still like your job for the most part and accept the responsibility of caring for a patient to the best of your abilities. This is the case with 50%+ of physicians.

 

[deleted887473]

Not just passionate, but TRULY BY GOD PASSIONATE. As opposed to the clock-punching chemical engineers, or the low responsibility midlevels. Please doctor, tell all the nurses and PA's how they lack the passion that you demonstrate on a daily basis, I'm sure they'll love it.

I admit, it does tickle me how the young people have bravely acknowledged that docs work for a living, and now they think nobody else does. Do you have any idea how many tradesmen -- brick masons, painters, concrete guys, framers, etc. -- put in 60-70 hour weeks? What about over-the-road truck drivers? They better be passionate, right? What about a fast-food restaurant manager, they work 70+ hours too?

And by the way, if a doc goes on a cruise, she has someone take her call for her, knowing full well that she is adequate.

Anectodally, both my grandparents worked 70 hour weeks in jobs that made good money though they did not love while supporting four children and being reasonably happy. Not jaded or alcoholic. Both of them are healthy in their 90s and still crack jokes and tell me about the good times they had instead of being bitter old folks. I’m not by any means drawing parallels (they were not doctors in the US by any stretch of the imagination) but the point is it IS possible to have a demanding job you are not “truly passionate” about without being miserable.

 

[mcdocky]

Anectodally, both my grandparents worked 70 hour weeks in jobs that made good money though they did not love while supporting four children and being reasonably happy. Not jaded or alcoholic. Both of them are healthy in their 90s and still crack jokes and tell me about the good times they had instead of being bitter old folks. I’m not by any means drawing parallels (they were not doctors in the US by any stretch of the imagination) but the point is it IS possible to have a demanding job you are not “truly passionate” about without being miserable.

Amen.

I'd also like to add that in my experience, laidback level-headed people are generally the ones capable of coping with stressors the best. Whereas, type A laser focused individuals who are "very passionate", feel unique/exceptional, but fail to accomplish what they set out to accomplish are the ones who become very jaded in life.

Note: This is a non-scientific observation of mine. I don't have any evidence to prove that this is the case and could very well be wrong.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I love SDN. This place never fails to deliver. Threads like these are like a new episode of a show popping up on Netflix. You know roughly what’s going to happen, and it never fails to deliver.

In this episode, OP asks a general question about his situation and people post sweeping generalizations about how their opinions apply to everyone.

For some people, working 80 hours per week in a job that they aren’t passionate about is fine so long as it’s stable. For others, it’s torture. OP, you may or may not need to feel passionate about something to be good at it or even enjoy it. Unfortunately, I assume you are a traditional student and probably don’t have the work experience to see which way you lean. But if your gut is telling you that being interested in something is good enough, then it’s probably right.

 

[numbersloth]

I think you should have passion to begin, since it is a long, daunting path that takes a lot out of you.
However, over time, that passion turns into more of a satisfaction with the job (hopefully).

Sort of like love. At first, you're crazy about someone. Crazy enough to shell out money for that diamond ring, to get married, to go on a honeymoon and do some crazy things. But as the years go by you become more of "best friends". Sometimes your SO does something that reminds you why you fell madly in love in the first place, but you can't be *that* in love forever. Medicine seems similar.

 

[deleted480308]

I think passion is overrated. You need determination. Not like I can run a 5k determination, like I can run the death valley ultra determination.

And you need to know why. It’s not financial security with you because you can already be a chemical engineer and they do just fine. It’s not the love of thinking hard ....becase again, chemical engineer. Helping people? I mean maybe but you can volunteer now. Are you? If not, cross helping off your real motivation list.

Maybe you just hate chemical eng and need anther option and med popped into your mind? Don’t tell the adcoms that, but ask yourself if thats enough to run the Death Valley ultra

 

[DrDude2004]

Being honest, medicine's primary appeal for me is the long term economic and financial stability that few other careers can match

From this line I don't think you should pursue medicine. If you are smart enough for med school you will be smart enough in other fields that pay really really well and have much better hours.

 

[Moose A Moose]

TLDR.


OP, don’t do it.

 

[loryg]

I truly appreciate everyone's advice here. I get that medicine is a long, difficult road, and I guess time will tell if my level of interest is enough to push me through it. I feel like everyone's level of passion in medicine is different, and it's hard to gauge an anonymous person's motivation over the internet. I'll certainly volunteer/shadow more to get more exposure to the medical field, so that in a couple of years I'll have a better idea of how interested I still am in medicine.

 

[Med Ed]

For those of you who have made it through and are now med students/residents/physicians, how much "passion" would you say you needed to really motivate you to go through all the schooling and training? Are there people you know of who went into medicine for the money/job security? If so are they happy or unhappy with their decision? Thanks!

I can tell I've been reading a lot of personal statements because seeing the word "passion" in print gives me a facial tic. It's so cliché, and I believe it does a disservice to this discussion by immediately framing it in a manner that's overly simplified.

So, instead of thinking of this as binary (passionate versus not-passionate), consider motivation a much more complex array of factors both intrinsic (e.g. helping others, contributing to science) and extrinsic (e.g. money, status). We all have some of both, and everyone in medicine fall somewhere along a spectrum. Not surprisingly, the outliers at each end are utterly perplexed by the outliers at the other end. In other words, the most extrinsically motivated can't understand why anyone would do it for less than a E-Class, and the most intrinsically motivated can't understand why anyone needs more than minimum wage to do the Lord's work.

The admissions process rewards those who display markers of intrinsic motivation, the notion being that these individuals are more likely to be resilient in the face of the numerous challenges posed by medical education/training (here is one recent paper on the subject). Presumably it also correlates with long-term job satisfaction.

 

[deleted804295]

Being honest, medicine's primary appeal for me is the long term economic and financial stability that few other careers can match.

You take too much sh-- to get into medicine for this to be your primary appeal. I personally think doctors are underpaid due to the high levels of stress they face.

Depending on the specialty you enter you are at an increased risk for a shortened lifespan and your suicide risks increases.

If you can find something else in medicine to be your primary appeal I recommend you go for it.

 

[HomeSkool]

Where's my pal @HomeSkool when you need him???

I'm in the building now. Had to get my beauty sleep, man!

Passion is a very vague word...

Exactly. "Passion" is a subjective term that means something different to everyone. For some, it means a 24/7 commitment to the field, to the exclusion of all else. For others, it's a high level of empathy for and feeling of responsibility toward others. And there are other ways for people to be passionate, too. "Passion" is not synonymous with "the #1 love of one's life." It is, however, more than finding something merely interesting or lucrative.

I say a good analogy is having a crush and falling in love. A crush develops quickly and fades just as quick. Falling in love is done slowly and it is much harder to break than a crush. That's why I say people who truly love medicine fall in love with it like they would a person, slowly after carefully considering other options. I mean really, you would not want to commit to a career or marriage unless you are absolutely sure you found the one, am I right?

That's one of the best analogies I've ever seen. I'm gonna steal it. 😀

I admit that I have a few colleagues who've fallen out of love, so to speak, or maybe they were never more than infatuated in the first place. Everyone in the OR suite knows who they are. They dodge complicated cases, they create more work for others, and they're crappy clinicians to boot. I sat at work for an extra hour on Friday just to avoid handing off a complicated case to one of them.

I think passion is overrated. You need determination. Not like I can run a 5k determination, like I can run the death valley ultra determination.

And you need to know why. It’s not financial security with you because you can already be a chemical engineer and they do just fine. It’s not the love of thinking hard ....becase again, chemical engineer. Helping people? I mean maybe but you can volunteer now. Are you? If not, cross helping off your real motivation list.

Maybe you just hate chemical eng and need anther option and med popped into your mind? Don’t tell the adcoms that, but ask yourself if thats enough to run the Death Valley ultra

That's a great way to put it.

I feel like everyone's level of passion in medicine is different, and it's hard to gauge an anonymous person's motivation over the internet.

Absolutely.

And here's my personal take on it: the word "passion" should only be used when talking about sex or passion fruit. (Brazilian passion fruit mousse = not as good as sex, but darn close.) It's a subjective word so loaded with personal interpretations that it's virtually worthless for interpersonal communication. "Drive" is nearer the mark, and even that term oversimplifies things. Human motivations are rarely so simple or easily understood. @Med Ed said it beautifully: motivation derives from a complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and all of us lie somewhere along the continuum. Those who are purely extrinsically-motivated seem to be mediocre clinicians who do as little as they ethically can (and sometimes less). They have higher rates of burnout and depression, and they hate what they do day-to-day.

OP, only you can decide if medicine is for you. The best way is to get more exposure. Shadowing, clinical volunteering, and clinical employment can all help you make that decision. If all you can come up with is extrinsic motivation, I think you'd be wise to pursue a less punishing career with a shorter training and apprenticeship pathway.

 

[Lawpy]

I can tell I've been reading a lot of personal statements because seeing the word "passion" in print gives me a facial tic. It's so cliché, and I believe it does a disservice to this discussion by immediately framing it in a manner that's overly simplified.

Blame it on the many schools that explicitly require students to write essays about their passions.

The admissions process rewards those who display markers of intrinsic motivation, the notion being that these individuals are more likely to be resilient in the face of the numerous challenges posed by medical education/training (here is one recent paper on the subject). Presumably it also correlates with long-term job satisfaction.

Human motivations are rarely so simple or easily understood. @Med Ed said it beautifully: motivation derives from a complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and all of us lie somewhere along the continuum. Those who are purely extrinsically-motivated seem to be mediocre clinicians who do as little as they ethically can (and sometimes less). They have higher rates of burnout and depression, and they hate what they do day-to-day.

Intrinsic motivation is definitely a more accurate and unbiased term than selfish cliched terms like “passion” or “love” or “calling” that are exclusively applied to medicine. And I agree intrinsic motivation is what’s important to succeed and continue doing well in high-demanding careers, such as medicine, law, finance, engineering etc as well as in many blue collar jobs that require 60-80 hours/week of work. People can do these jobs over long periods of time because intrinsic motivation is what’s driving them and helping them to overcome obstacles without burning out and feeling jaded.

 

[HomeSkool]

Blame it on the many schools that explicitly require students to write essays about their passions.

Sex or passion fruit, dude. I guarantee your personal statement would be memorable!

 

[calivianya]

The way so many people sound here, you have to have "passion" to do anything.

What ever happened to having a strong work ethic and enjoying doing a good job? I have done well for myself in every field I've worked in. I consistently get promoted/get extra responsibilities over people who have worked at the same job for years. This has happened multiple times in several different types of workplaces.

Do I have a passion for any of the fields I've been in? Hell no. You don't have to have a passion for something to be great at it. You just have to really get satisfaction out of doing your job well, even when doing your job well means you're going to be doing things that are unpleasant and/or difficult. You just suck it up and do it because that's what doing a good job entails, and you do it with a smile. It's important to at least like your field, but being passionate about it? Nah, not even remotely necessary for being successful.

 

[21Rush12]

I think that OP could benefit from a gap year spent doing clinical experiences to really get a feel. Worst comes to worst, ChemE could pay the bills if s/he decides not to pursue an alternate.

Passion is probably a good idea to have, but I think it takes time for someone to go from interested to passionate.

 

[Med Ed]

The way so many people sound here, you have to have "passion" to do anything.

What ever happened to having a strong work ethic and enjoying doing a good job?

It's alive an well, but of major professions medicine has a unique combination of barrier to entry, length of training, average indebtedness, hours worked, liability, status, eventual salary, and subject matter. I'm not saying it's the toughest gig in the known universe, but it is certainly peculiar.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

The way so many people sound here, you have to have "passion" to do anything.

What ever happened to having a strong work ethic and enjoying doing a good job? I have done well for myself in every field I've worked in. I consistently get promoted/get extra responsibilities over people who have worked at the same job for years. This has happened multiple times in several different types of workplaces.

Do I have a passion for any of the fields I've been in? Hell no. You don't have to have a passion for something to be great at it. You just have to really get satisfaction out of doing your job well, even when doing your job well means you're going to be doing things that are unpleasant and/or difficult. You just suck it up and do it because that's what doing a good job entails, and you do it with a smile. It's important to at least like your field, but being passionate about it? Nah, not even remotely necessary for being successful.

Exactly. Passion often comes with continued success in an endeavor. I didn’t become truly passionate about ortho until I was already a resident. You have to like the job, sure, but passion often grows with time...like love in a marriage. To expect some magical “passion” to see you through the tough times initially is unrealistic.


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[JudgeIsInTheHouse]

I'd like to add my two cents. I've worked in a healthcare setting for a bit, and my overall positive experiences in this field have led me to believe that I will be passionate about practicing medicine in the future.

That being said, I think it would be unwise to act like I am enamored by all aspects of being a doctor. What really fulfills me about working in healthcare is that my role makes me feel "more human"--not necessarily happy all the time..but I feel a wide range of emotions in a professional setting that I probably wouldn't feel in other industries. I also feel a bit more aware of my surroundings and my effect on others while in my healthcare role than I feel when I'm not working, so that helped me make this decision to pursue medicine.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

I'm in the building now. Had to get my beauty sleep, man!
That's one of the best analogies I've ever seen. I'm gonna steal it. 😀

I admit that I have a few colleagues who've fallen out of love, so to speak, or maybe they were never more than infatuated in the first place. Everyone in the OR suite knows who they are. They dodge complicated cases, they create more work for others, and they're crappy clinicians to boot. I sat at work for an extra hour on Friday just to avoid handing off a complicated case to one of them.

Flattered. I never said you can't fall out of love cause that happens with people as well. 😉 Sometimes those that fall in love with medicine did not thoroughly get to know it and it wasn't what they thought it was. That's why I say you should explore it from every angle, clinical volunteering, shadowing, and whatever else is out there.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Flattered. I never said you can't fall out of love cause that happens with people as well. 😉 Sometimes those that fall in love with medicine did not thoroughly get to know it and it wasn't what they thought it was. That's why I say you should explore it from every angle, clinical volunteering, shadowing, and whatever else is out there.

What if you hate the way medicine eats? Or snores? Or burps at the dinner table?

 

[infectiousdisease101]

What if you hate the way medicine eats? Or snores? Or burps at the dinner table?

For the first and third, don't eat together. For the second, get a mouth guard. They prevent snoring.

 

[darkjedi]

The problem with burnout in the field of medicine that is different than most other fields is that physician burnout directly affects patient care and therefore other people's lives. There's evidence that burnout compromises patient safety and so it has understandably become something that many people are focusing on and improving.

If you burnout at a desk job, it doesn't really matter, which is why people don't really care as much if you're 'passionate' about being an excel jockey.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

After this post, if I ever sit on an adcom and an interviewee tells me they never considered other career options, the best I would give them is a "recommend with reservations". Especially since statements like "I've always wanted to be a doctor" is a big frown on your personal statement, at least according to the personal statement guide I got from my school's career center.

The scale is as follows from worst to best: does not recommend, recommend with reservations, recommend, recommend with enthusiasm.

 

[Ihave Nonamè]

What if a person is passionate about the field but not about taking care of other people?

I do like to help people out -I especially like having the answers- but I can't honestly say that my life is devoted to caring for others.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

What if a person is passionate about the field but not about taking care of other people?

I do like to help people out -I especially like having the answers- but I can't honestly say that my life is devoted to caring for others.

Sounds like you're interested in the money. Try being a CEO, have the answers, don't need to care much for others and the salary is great.

 

[Ihave Nonamè]

Sounds like you're interested in the money. Try being a CEO, have the answers, don't need to care much for others and the salary is great.

No, just as stated, I'm passionate about the field. I am very intrigued by the human body and how it behaves. I am excited about the prospect of signing up for advanced physiology courses. Genetics, immunology, reproductive, neural and cardiorespiratory physiology, etc etc...I am really interested in both cancer and reproductive research. Virology. Radiology. I really want to learn about all of this and want to practice this. Studying through Med school does not sound like a drag to me because it interests me.

Several people say they want to become doctors because they want to help people...and they aren't as interested in the material as I am. I am not a heartless SOB. I just have never been the one to rush to the sick. I am good at being patient with people and listening to people.


CEO? I am not at all interested in the business world.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

No, just as stated, I'm passionate about the field. I am very intrigued by the human body and how it behaves. I am excited about the prospect of signing up for advanced physiology courses. Genetics, immunology, reproductive, neural and cardiorespiratory physiology, etc etc...I am really interested in both cancer and reproductive research. Virology. Radiology. I really want to learn about all of this and want to practice this. Studying through Med school does not sound like a drag to me because it interests me.

Several people say they want to become doctors because they want to help people...and they aren't as interested in the material as I am. I am not a heartless SOB. I just have never been the one to rush to the sick. I am good at being patient with people and listening to people.


CEO? I am not at all interested in the business world.

Then be a biomedical researcher. I feel bad you gave me paragraphs and I'm only giving a couple sentences.

 

[dr_kateb]

Sounds like you're interested in the money. Try being a CEO, have the answers, don't need to care much for others and the salary is great.

No I think it means he's interested in the science behind medicine and human biology.

And become a CEO? Really? There's even less of those in the US than doctors. It's also more luck and knowing the right people than hard work and intelligence. The stress and work is on par to physicians. Making decisions that could make or break a company is similar to a doctor making a decision on someone's life. And it's not like every CEO makes what Tim Cook or Zuckerberg makes, a lot of smaller company CEOs probably make less than many physicians depending on specialty.