new2forum/few questions

[rajmeister]

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Hey all, I'm Raj and I'm new to the forum. I'm an undergrad student(FM) at Mary Washington College [transfering to VCU this fall], majoring in Biology, and studying to go to medical school. Although I haven't finished undergrad school, I have decided to pursue a career as an anesthesiologist.
At first I decided to go into medicine for a superficial reason: the salary. But ever since my first introductory course in Biology and an Intro to Human physiology, I've just been so mesmerized and riveted by all that I learned that I now have a more genuine reason for wanting to become a doctor. But all that aside, even though I am only a sophmore in undergrad, what should I be doing to prepare for the long journey ahead of me??
I have already started volunteering at a local hospital and a non-profit [free] clinic as a medical screener. Thanks in advance for any feedback to this thread.



BTW: Just curious, but which field in medicine has the highest salary (excluding benefits, bonuses, incentives, etc...)??

 

[doctorperez]

Troll Patrol!

 

[DrLady]

Originally posted by rajmeister
Although I haven't finished undergrad school, I have decided to pursue a career as an anesthesiologist.

Lets first finish the pre-reqs, take the MCAT, apply to med school, make it to med school, pass the boards with great scores, getting a great match and THEN we will talk about being an anesthesiologist and making money!

 

[rajmeister]

Originally posted by rajmeister
Although I haven't finished undergrad school, I have decided to pursue a career as an anesthesiologist.

This is assuming I get into medschool, which I will [I have a 'can do anything I put my mind to' attitude🙂]

 

[venus0206]

Hey Raj,

The salary can be good as a doctor, but if you do some good research into it, doctor's are not making as much as they used to. If salary is that important for you (of course its a neccessity, but its not the primary reason most of us are here), I suggest you go get an MBA. You will be making more than a doctor will make in his or her lifetime, if you go into the right field. Im not here to judge or say you are doing this for a superficial reason so if you want to go to medical school:
1)keep up your GPA
2)do well on your MCATs- if your heart is set on MCV then check out the stats on the applicants they accept
3) Establish connections at MCV, if that is the place you want to go (In case you didnt know, MCV is an allopathic school. The next time you put up a post, make sure you put it up in the proper forum (pre-allopathic) since you are now posting in an pre-osteopathic forum)
4) Some people are really ignorant about the two main types of medical education that exists ( allopathic and osteopathic). Look into both and see what interests you
5) stand out from the other applicants! I cant stress this enough! Not every activity you do has to be medically related- if you like playing cricket, stick with it and join a team or something.
6) make sure medicine IS for you. Shadow a doctor or something. Expose yourself to the life doctors lead. you will soon realize that being a physician doesnt only involve Biology, but also involves dealing with different people and their emotions. You may be able to get a good reccomendation from him/her as well
7) Really get to know yourself and the reasons you want to become a physician. If these reasons are the right reasons, you will most probably enjoy your life as a physician. The wrong reasons will either lead you to curse yourself through the million years of medical school ( there is no instant gratification money-wise when it comes to medical school) and it will lead to a life of unhappiness. I know quite a few people who went into medicine for the wrong reasons and they all ended up dropping out when they saw their buddies going to business school for 2 years and having a high six figure jobs as soon as they finished.

Hope all goes well Raj. Good Luck!
🙂

 

[venus0206]

oh, and excuse any grammatical errors😛
im feelin dopey from MCAT studying🙄

 

[rajmeister]

not just cuz of the salary for me, its about the respect, the high regard, the fact that i will be able to save a life. just a few reasons though. Allopathic for me. Yes i do realize that being a doc is not just bio and chem and physics... but i also realize that 4.0 docs arent always the best docs. the best docs are wellrounded individuals.

thanks for the feedback Venus0206, and good luck w/ them MCATs!!🙂

 

[doctorperez]

Originally posted by rajmeister
Allopathic for me.

 

[ussdfiant]

Originally posted by rajmeister
This is assuming I get into medschool, which I will [I have a 'can do anything I put my mind to' attitude🙂]

 

[ussdfiant]

Originally posted by rajmeister
Allopathic for me.

Why the hell are you posting on a pre-osteo forum?

 

[rajmeister]

Originally posted by ussdfiant
Why the hell are you posting on a pre-osteo forum?

cuz...i cant figure out how to move this thread to the 'pre-allo' forum. anyways, my post doesn't concern if i'm allo or osteo. go read my first post.

 

[Rev. Horace]

Originally posted by rajmeister
Allopathic for me.

Wrong forum guy. You must be really really new. 🙄

 

[DrMom]

I'll move it for you. 🙂 Off to pre-allo...