Need help deciding future career!

[nemonemo]

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I am a junior in college and need to start making some decisions about my future. I have a 4.0 (have yet to get anything less than a solid A) throughout two years at a smaller private liberal arts college with rigorous science course work... o chem, genetics, bio etc. As odd as this may sound, I actually enjoy school to a certain extent. Ever since I was a kid I have always wanted to become a physician. I am in a family where I have several uncles who are very successful doctors and have greatly encouraged my to apply to med school. However, I really enjoyed organic chemistry and am thinking pharmacy might be an easier career path for me. I have two major concerns with med school. First, I have always been successful in my life and I am afraid of failure. Even with a 4.0 I am afraid I will not get in. I have yet to take the MCAT but on the ACT/SAT I did only average. I have very little clinical experience, shadowing a few times, and not an abundance on volunteer hours. I do not do much outside of school, however, I was recently elected president of the pharmacy club... which could be applicable to both med/Pharm school. My second concern is that I am not overly fond of the physical aspects of medicine such as blood, needles, procedures, surgeries. I can view procedures just fine without getting queasy but I don't know how I would feel doing one. I really don't envision myself drawing blood from someone, which I will have to do in med school. I have had professors tell me that it would be "a waste of talent" for me to go to pharmacy school. I have also had other professors say there will always be a need for top pharmacists.

What should I do? Apply to both? Apply to just pharmacy school which I would most likely be able to get in and get a pharmd/mba and live a stable, happy life? Apply to just med school, either MD or DO, and risk not getting in or, if I do get in, do something that I am not 100% comfortable doing but do it anyway because I am "destined and meant" to do it with my talent? Or, some other option. Please help, thank you!

 

[mcatjelly]

How do you know you want to be a doctor? Have you shadowed? What ECs are you involved in? Do you have clinical exposure? Do you like interacting with and working with people?

You will do minimal blood drawing in medical school; I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[nemonemo]

Yes, I have shadowed my uncles on numerous occasions and like what they do. The only aspect I don't like is the "hand on" taking oxygen tubes out of patients to run tests etc. I love working with people and as I said, I am not involved in much outside of school but hope to get more involved this year. I am not a very good "talker" but I am an excellent listener.

 

[mcatjelly]

Okay, so, you're not going to get into medical school on numbers alone--meaning you need to do more than just "hope" to get involved in more next year. You've demonstrated that you're academically capable via your GPA, but that was without doing much outside of school. You now need to also show that you're able to manage time between school and ECs and that you have the competencies required of a physician (altruism, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, etc). Most applicants have on their resume: clinical exposure (through shadowing and work or volunteering), significant volunteer experience (clinical and/or nonclinical), research experience, and leadership experience. You don't necessarily need ALL of those, but you do need to make it clear that you know what you're getting yourself into and that you are committed to serving others.

 

[Mad Jack]

Yes, I have shadowed my uncles on numerous occasions and like what they do. The only aspect I don't like is the "hand on" taking oxygen tubes out of patients to run tests etc. I love working with people and as I said, I am not involved in much outside of school but hope to get more involved this year. I am not a very good "talker" but I am an excellent listener.

Taking oxygen tubes out to run tests? Wtf do your uncles do? Just curious what particular procedure isn't floating your boat to understand exactly what you don't like about procedures so I can further advise.

 

[nemonemo]

Not sure exactly what it was called, but he was testing the lung capacity of a particular patient. I'm sure I could get over something like that, but other procedures may be worrisome for me as I would want to pass someone else the responsibility in case I messed something up.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Not sure exactly what it was called, but he was testing the lung capacity of a particular patient. I'm sure I could get over something like that, but other procedures may be worrisome for me as I would want to pass someone else the responsibility in case I messed something up.

Well you would be taught how to do it first, you aren't expected to intubate anyone as a premed student...

 

[Holmwood]

Everyone likes observing what doctors "do" (the ridiculous amount of lame medical dramas show that). That doesn't mean everyone is suited to becoming a doctor... or any medical professional, really.

Shadowing is more for understanding what doctors do, but it's not going to tell you much about whether you're compatible with medicine, which involves working with a lot of sick and dying people (and their anxious or angry families). That's where clinical exposures come in.

What did you actually do as clinical experience? You said you had little clinical experience, and it shows. You're fixated more on the procedures and drawing blood. The doctor's work is more than that. What about the patients? Do you connect with the patients at all? That's more important than simply liking what your uncle does. Or you know, enjoying poking people with sharp objects... because that's psychotic.

Are you prepared for the "why medicine" question?