Second thoughts... advice?

[egret]

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So, some background...

I'm a first year at University of South Florida. I came intending to follow the 7 year med program, and this semester I took all the required courses.

It's coming up on time to register for next semester, and I'm torn as to whether to drop the program or not. For the past few months, I've been pretty iffy about the whole thing. Looking at the program makes me want to tear my hair out, and I have some big reservations about the career.

I met with my adviser about next semester, who informed me that, for the 7 year med program, I'm already behind since I don't have any substantial volunteering, shadowing, or research going yet. From the looks of it, it seems like I'll have to quit my job and seriously rearrange things so that I'll have time for the shadowing, volunteering, and research... none of which I'm remotely motivated about. There goes my plan of "Take the classes, and if I can't find anything else I like, cut back the extracurriculars and get serious about shadowing/volunteering" (USF is a very open program... the first two years anyone can follow the courses, and then you're allowed to apply to the COM early if you meet certain requirements). The 7 year med program, according to my adviser, wants to see absolute dedication from day 1. If I have to quit taking unrelated classes and cut back on my irrelevant extracurriculars, it's really not such a big thing, even though it's a bit of a disappointment. After all, school is temporary.

What I'm more concerned about is that I'm hesitant about the career itself. I have never wanted a job to be my life, and I know medicine is a full-time commitment. I've never liked anything research-y so I don't think academia is the place for me. And above all, I really don't think I'd enjoy working with people so directly every day.

I'm interested in medicine mainly because the human body fascinates me. I love how all the processes work together and everything is super logical. It just seems so perfectly designed, and I love studying that. Plus, it's a "one right answer" thing. I like the idea of using observations and knowledge to determine a diagnosis.

I'm absolutely torn, since there are many aspects of being a doctor that I think I would like, and it seems absolutely idiotic to drop out of a 7 year med program.
I think right now it comes down to the fact that the career isn't exciting me enough to make all the time, energy and hard work seem worth it.

I'm wondering, is this normal? I mean, I know it's school, and it's not supposed to be fun, but looking at the classes makes me want to scream, and I can't imagine how much it's going to suck to give up my job (I love my job; I work in a law firm) to do things that will look good on a med school application (volunteer hours, shadowing, etc.). Shouldn't I be interested in doing those things?
I'm so unsure. I can't decide if I'm not excited about medicine anymore because I've really lost the passion for it, or because I'm immature and lazy and sick of school (who isn't?).
So, advice?
Considering that all I really know is that I'm uncertain, should I stick with the program, cut out a lot of the stuff I'm currently doing and enjoying, and keep my option for the 7 year program open? Or should I just cut my losses, change my major, and just go try out a bunch of different things like I want to?

I'm leaning towards changing my major, taking a bunch of classes that interest me just to explore my options, and then if I decide in two years that I can't imagine doing anything but med school, get serious and apply the regular way. I'm just afraid that if I don't take the 7 year program, I'll regret it if I decide I'm committed to medicine later. But if I really love it enough in the future to apply the regular way, wouldn't it not matter, since the important thing would be to get the MD?

I'm just all confused. So any advice from the wiser and more experienced is well appreciated!

 

[DaBlackRose]

I think you aren't confused at all. You seem to know what's going on.

But you should know,everyone going into medicine has serious doubts about it. It is a big job and making any kind of sacrafice sucks.

I think your advisor expecting 18 year old kids to have 100% commitment from day 1 is unrealistic. And to be honest nobody really likes doing the FORCED "volunteer" work that is required to get into med school and residencies.

That being said, I should also mention that basically nobody in med school has a job. And if you're basing many of your choices around this job that you love so much, don't expect to pass med school with it. You just won't have the time. And if its soo cool that you don't want to give it up, why don't you just stick with that job rather than be a doctor?

I'm interested in medicine mainly because the human body fascinates me. I love how all the processes work together and everything is super logical. It just seems so perfectly designed, and I love studying that. Plus, it's a "one right answer" thing. I like the idea of using observations and knowledge to determine a diagnosis.

Okay first question: If you haven't had much shadowing experience and are only a freshman in college how do you know you like medicine? How do you know you like the way the body works together? Have you even had an anatomy class? It sorta sounds like you like the idea of medicine more than the actual work. Before you do anything, give up a Saturday and go down to your local hospital or doc's office and get some shadowing in. Find out what you are actually working toward and if you'll like it. seriously.

Next, you should know that medicine in NO WAY ever has nor ever will be a "one right answer thing". Just wait til you get to medical school neuro or in your rotations. It's all theory and uncertainty. They teach you 5 different ways to do it that are all somehow wrong.... So if you like that aspect of it, you should either move on to a new career (or go into radiology). There is a reason they call medicine an ART, its about intuition and guessing. You never get all the facts and it can surprise you by how illogical it is.

I'm leaning towards changing my major, taking a bunch of classes that interest me just to explore my options, and then if I decide in two years that I can't imagine doing anything but med school, get serious and apply the regular way. I'm just afraid that if I don't take the 7 year program, I'll regret it if I decide I'm committed to medicine later. But if I really love it enough in the future to apply the regular way, wouldn't it not matter, since the important thing would be to get the MD?

this sounds like some sense as far as i understand. I mean you're probably an 18 year old kid who wants to chill out before jumping into their career. This is how and i most of my counterparts did it. and to be honest, i would never give up my undergrad years of being a journalism major and screwing around with friends for four years. Though i will say i could have done without the MCAT... Either way go SHADOW someone (i'd recommend a radiologist for you) and make sure you want to give it up. (that whole shadowing thing is required for a reason. To make sure you know you like it).

And if in the end you're only 'meh' about the whole thing, get OUT. Medicine does consume your life. If you don't have the commitment, don't do it. There is no shame in leaving. The only way I get through med school and the constant commitment is because i LOVE medicine and i honestly couldn't even fathom doing anything else.

Don't take up a spot someone else would have killed for to be 'meh' about the rest of your life. But don't let yourself be deterred by a few ****ty classes and some required volunteer hours either.

Good Luck.

 

[seelee]

The above poster has the right idea.

Shadow some docs and get a little bit of experience. Also, here is a word of wisdom. Pre-med advisors usually don't know ****. I have gotten better advice from a SDN pre-med noob than from some of the advisors I spoke to. That being said, it sounds like you a) don't really have a solid idea of what medicine is like, and b) aren't really loving the idea of the work it takes to become a physician. If you are feeling this burnt out after a year of undergrad, do you really think you will change your mind after 7?

Bottom line, you shouldn't make any hard and fast decision about your career without getting a fair amount of exposure to it. Oh, and televisions shows don't count.

 

[riverjib]

I'm with the above posters. Personally, it took years for me to decide on a career in medicine, and I'm a returning student. I'm still in the minority, but I suspect not for long. The school I chose to attend to finish my requirements is one in which the pre-med population is actually predominant. Having worked in the field for a number of years, and having seen a number of friends and colleagues go through the process, here's what I have to say:

These combined programs are designed for a select few. Yes, you must be academically talented and have "proven" your interest in medicine in some way, but people like you continue to convince me that they're ill-advised. There may be some need for doctors in this country, but there are plenty of people who develop a profound interest in medicine that there is no reason for us to look for talented high school seniors to be guaranteed a seat in a med school class four years later.

At my state school, the Honors College selects only a handful (50 of 5000, or 1%) of the incoming class. Of the Honors College students, only about 5-8 are selected for the Scholars for Medicine program. As a recent transfer into the Honors College, I learned that only half of those selected for the medicine program are still enthusiastic about entering med school. A few drop out every year.

It's hard enough to find 21-year-olds who truly understand what a career in medicine entails...it's ridiculous to expect that more than a few graduating high school students are truly passionate about medicine. How can you be? Even if every adult person in your family is a physician, how do you have any REAL perspective on this profession???

Now, I do have friends who ALWAYS knew they wanted to be doctors, and they are great physicians today. Some of them completed combined BS/MD programs. But I also have friends who dropped out of medical school or even changed careers after residency. The truth is, you need as much exposure to the reality of the medical field as you can possibly get before committing so much of yourself to medicine.

I entered college probably 12 years before you did as an engineering major. I considered medicine, but I was apathetic about it. It took an unfortunate turn of events in my life that led me to working full-time (instead of finishing my bachelor's degree) in the medical field before I decided that there is NOTHING that will deter me from becoming a physician. I know the reality that faces physicians graduating today...it's a beautiful profession, but certainly NOT glamorous. I know exactly what I'll face when I graduate medical school, but it doesn't deter me from doing so.

I know that I'm an exception to the general rule. Most traditional students don't have such a broad perspective, and some don't need it. Maybe I'm only speaking so strongly because I've seen so many people (including seasoned attendings) who wished they had done something else, but I urge you to really look into it if you have any doubts. My Kaplan instructor veritably went to Yale, graduated with a 4.0 in biochem (or something to that effect), and got a 41 on his MCAT. He took the LSAT as well and got a 179. He got into nearly every school to which he applied, and chose to pursue something entirely different after he was advised by professionals in both fields that it wasn't worth doing it unless he was passionate about it. That's what matters.

So my advice is this: broaden your horizons, and keep going on the path you've chosen. If you feel less and less passionate about medicine, put it on the back burner until you decide what really matters to you. Medical school will ALWAYS be there, especially for bright and talented students like you...while plenty of highly intelligent people know their destiny early on, so many of the brightest people are conflicted about what they want to do, simply because they learn that so many options exist for them. Figure out who you are and what matters the most to you, and only when you're sure, DO IT!! And good luck!! You'll be successful, in medical school or in the thousands of other professions dedicated pre-meds forget exist 🙂