Never had an easy time answering this question...

[Gigantron]

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"Why do you want to be a doctor?"

It would seem obvious, wouldn't it? But the truth of the matter is, I have such a hard time answering this question out of fear of looking like a neurotic pre-med all the way to looking like a cold-hearted b*****d. The simple answer to this question is that I can't imagine myself doing anything else. For me, the central and peripheral nervous systems intrigue me, as well as the pathological conditions that plague it, which I will be able to explore as a Neuroscience major in undergrad. It is genuine, it is sincere, and I can say with certainty that I do want to be a doctor. But of course..."that's not GOOD enough". Why isn't it good enough? It was always my impression that if you were actually at an interview for med school, that it was proof enough that you wanted to be a doctor...otherwise why waste your time? (Yes, I'm aware that some people are forced by their parents, etc.)

During my shadowing, the surgeons would ask me why I wanted to be a doctor, and I really had a hard time answering them honestly. Granted, I'm not even in college yet, but still I couldn't even figure out a way to answer it. I'm not a very outgoing person, and I do get nervous when I am the sole talker in front of a group of people for an extended amount of time, and when it comes to making an impression, I'm not exactly the first person you'd look at. It's extremely irritating, and I really don't like the fact that I can't come up with an answer without bull****ing an answer or by trying to make up this "compelling" life story about surviving cancer at the age of 5. (or anything extremely similar for that matter)

 

[ThaliaNox]

If you're just starting college, you have plenty of time to figure this out. It is certainly possible that you will have an experience between now and applying that will cement in your mind why you want to go to med school, or conversely, why you don't, in which case you will change your mind and do something else.

 

[235009]

that's totally normal. why? because any experiences you will be talking about at your med school interview hasn't happened yet! when applying to med school you aren't really supposed to reference anything that happened in high school in your application or at your interview (unless it is something extraordinary). so basically don't worry about it.

what you should work on starting immediately though is your lack of social skills! I didn't have to answer "why do you want to be a doctor?" at all my interviews but I had to be personable, be self-confident and communicate well at every single interview...and it's not like you are only cultivating these skills to do well on interviews...as a med student you have to use those same skills when interviewing/examining patients.

So your question should be how to work on this: "I'm not a very outgoing person, and I do get nervous when I am the sole talker in front of a group of people for an extended amount of time, and when it comes to making an impression, I'm not exactly the first person you'd look at."

 

[seelee]

It sounds like part of your problem is that you think that your reason for medicine has to be "an epic tale of triumph over prejudice and adversity" or something. Listen, there is nothing you will say in your personal statement that hasn't been said by a million other pre-meds. "My answer is pretty much, I am fascinated by the human body and I want to make sick people feel better". It may not be unique, but it is sincere. So when it comes time to write your PS, you write out a few events in your life that helped you come to that decision. Don't worry if those events do not involve "holding dying children in Africa", or "administering vaccines in the Guatemalan rainforest".

There are some things you should not say though. A few that come to mind are:

1. Don't rehash your application. The PS is a place to give them a window into who you are that cannot be seen in the application.

2. Don't write that your reason to do medicine is "because you can", or "because the field needs you". Trust me, this will only ensure a massive rolling of the eyes and a toss of your application into the "discard" pile.

 

[texahn]

Does anyone else think that at its core its like asking whether you like chocolate ice cream more than vanilla ice cream? I can tell you how these two flavors are different and how chocolate is better in my view but I can't tell you what makes me intrinsically attracted to choc?

 

[DirtyJustice]

First of all, it is more important that you decide you want to go to medical school. You have to REALLY REALLY want to go to medical school. It is going to be a grind.

All of the other people have good advice about the personal statement. But if you can't answer the question definitively to yourself you are not ready to tell other people that.

I suggest you think about the pro's and cons about choosing this profession and if the reasons are real (and good) then it will be easy to convince other people about your dedication.

(also, shadowing a doctor and talking to them about this can really help. It did for me)

 

[Narmerguy]

Does anyone else think that at its core its like asking whether you like chocolate ice cream more than vanilla ice cream? I can tell you how these two flavors are different and how chocolate is better in my view but I can't tell you what makes me intrinsically attracted to choc?

Slightly yes, but rather, I liken it more to someone asking why you want chocolate cake over all the other cakes in the world. At first one might be compelled to say that I know I want chocolate cake because I like it most and it fits me and etc. However, what happens when you realize there's more barriers to eating the chocolate cake than you originally thought? Or if the chocolate cake isn't as good as you imagined once you eat it. They want to be sure that when all the realities of what pursuing a chocolate cake (being a doctor) entails that your reasons for wanting enable you to continue to pursue and eat that chocolate cake and not decide halfway that red velvet is good enough for you.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

I've had a decade to figure out the answer, but I'm not an introspective person so I never actually think about "why." However, I can say that I want to be a doctor because I want to learn what medical school offers, and I want to do the things doctors do. Outside that, there isn't a reason.

 

[EpiIV]

Slightly yes, but rather, I liken it more to someone asking why you want chocolate cake over all the other cakes in the world. At first one might be compelled to say that I know I want chocolate cake because I like it most and it fits me and etc. However, what happens when you realize there's more barriers to eating the chocolate cake than you originally thought? Or if the chocolate cake isn't as good as you imagined once you eat it. They want to be sure that when all the realities of what pursuing a chocolate cake (being a doctor) entails that your reasons for wanting enable you to continue to pursue and eat that chocolate cake and not decide halfway that red velvet is good enough for you.

I don't think you understand the power of making food hard to get. 😉 Tell someone that their favorite food is not allowed on their diet unless they bust their balls at the gym. Tell them repeatedly what they'll have to do to get it just so they know exactly what they're getting themselves into.

Now who still wants chocolate cake?

Schools have a ligitimate concern to make sure the best, brightest, and most realistic about their goals get into their school. For the most of us, barriers don't detract from the want. They put it on a pedastal.

Oh and OP, don't kill yourself over not being able to answer your question just yet. You're young, you have time, and you're off to a great start with your experiences. Still check out other feilds while you have the chance. That way when someone asks you why you want to be a doctor, you don't have to say "I never thought of/explored anything else" or "This is all I've ever wanted to do since I was a child". Those statements are seen as red flags for lack of self reflection.

 

[Perrotfish]

Schools have a ligitimate concern to make sure the best, brightest, and most realistic about their goals get into their school. For the most of us, barriers don't detract from the want. They put it on a pedastal.

Maybe for you, but I promise you that I'm doing this despite the fact it's a pain in the ass, not because of it.

 

[EpiIV]

Maybe for you, but I promise you that I'm doing this despite the fact it's a pain in the ass, not because of it.

I think we're talking about the same thing, but on a different page.

Once you're in and you get to live the reality of medical school, I imagine your reasons to become a doctor evolve. However, you can't possibly realize what this job is like until you're in the thick of it. This process is a little like hazing, you don't know the reality of what you're getting into, but the more people put you through hell the more you're convinced that this goal is something really worth accomplishing. On a subconcious level, you want it more.

Now when you get there, and you're expectations crumble before you or the abuse lasts a little too long, you're naturally going to be pissed. However, you will continue despite how crappy it is. All through your pre med you've been trained that becoming a doctor is exactly worth what you're going through. If the process was easy, I honestly don't think as many people would be reaching to become MDs. They'd be just as happy going to nursing school.

 

[jm192]

OP

Soul search. And I mean, REALLY soul search.

You have plenty of time, but this is the type of thing that you have to be willing to search yourself to find.

The truth is, the answer is simple. But we don't always want to really open ourselves up.