Should I Become A Doctor?

[dailyalmond]

Hello, I'm new here and I've read similar posts on this topic. Though there's a lot of great insight and discussion, I was hoping for some specific advice regarding my situation.

I've enrolled in a community college as a biology major, and honestly, I feel like I'm having an identity crisis. The only class that's making me worry is chemistry, and it's so intimidating that I'm questioning if I'm really smart enough to do this, if I'm really cut out to do this.
Originally I wanted to go study character animation, I got into great schools and the financial aid and scholarships covered my tuition but not the dorming, and long story short my parents didn't save money for me, they're immigrants so they couldn't get federal parent loans, and I couldn't be approved for a private loan. I'm questioning if I really am okay with giving up art. I had to work a full time job in high school to take care of my family, and even now I'm still paying a substantial amount of money just to keep us afloat, so saving money was and is really difficult to do.
That being said, I got a job working in a doctor's office a year and a half ago, and I really love working with the patients. My boss will sit down with me and teach me about medicine, how to finish charts, and even how hard it is to be a doctor, and it's never boring and it really made me want to practice medicine. I always found biology extremely interesting and I was really good at it in high school. Even though I see my boss every day I know I only see a fraction of the burn out he must experience and the work he has to do, but he's always really positive about it and I'd hope I can do the same and it seems like something I will find a lot of fulfillment in.
I know in my head that no matter how intimidating the road to becoming a doctor is, I'll find a way to get through it and I will get through it. I know medical school is going to be even worse than what I'm experiencing now. But even if I'll always have that "what if I studied art" in my head, I know I'll be happy and I know I'll make the money back to pay off loans. I'll be able to take care of my family and I'll be able to pay for my nieces and nephews to go to college and I'll be happy with that.
And I know that I shouldn't even have to ask myself this, that if I really wanted to be a doctor I would know. And I know that life is too short to not do what you love but honestly, I feel like I don't really have the option. What's the other choice? Abandoning my family to study art? Though character animation is one of the growing job markets, it's ridiculously difficult to get a job. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to them because I couldn't provide for them. I could love being a doctor, and if I put the work in and I get through it, I will love being a doctor.

I know this is long and probably sounds really self pitying and whiny, but I'd really appreciate any insight at all on this. I'm lost in the sauce. Thank you so so much to anyone in advanced that takes the time to read this and help me out!

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[LnSin]

I really love working with the patients

I think that's the key, buddy. If you can still see the light at the end of the tunnel--honest to god, patient interaction--then I believe that is the sign that you should go into medicine. That's what's been getting me through these last 5 years, at least...

I'm sure you know how nasty some patients can be (while others can be saints, of course); if after 1.5 years of patient interaction you STILL are enjoying it, then I think you're in the right place. But that's just my opinion, I'm but a lowly premed.

 

[Lucca]

Don’t base your decision to become a doctor on Chemistry lmao. Go get help if you need it to succeed in the course because grades are important but you will probably never have to use the chemistry you will learn in undergrad in quite the same way again (no one is going to ask you to synthesize X molecule as a doctor, you’ll just need to know the basic concepts to understand how drugs work and those aren’t that hard).

It sounds like you have some clinical experience and enjoy the setting and seeing patients. Far more important in my opinion.

Nobody is stopping you from doing art. I know several of my classmates now in all sorts of careers (med school, law school, engineering, business, teaching) who kept up art at various levels (from producing something every once in a while to entering competitions and going to conventions to promote their work/ sell merchandise). You don’t need to make your living from something for it to be worth your time, you just won’t be able to devote as much time to it as you might want to. Whether or not you want to take the plunge into any career is something only you can know though.

Maybe you could find an organization on campus that brings people together from different artistic backgrounds (writing, design, animation, audio) to make animations for fun? Maybe you could start it! Maybe they could even be science/medicine related? You have a lot of freedom in undergrad to do that kind of stuff, and it’ll keep you sane when classes are keeping you down. Just don’t forget that academics come first if you want to do medicine.

 

[stickgirl390]

You can do both! My major was documentary film, and I just made sure to take the prereqs for med school alongside. You’ll still have to take chemistry, but only the required ones (4 or 5 courses). Good luck to you!

 

[PNWDoctor]

FWIW, I hated the entire gen chem series and really struggled through it. It wasn’t until ochem that I had this “aha” moment and realized how mind blowing it all is. I ended up minoring in chemistry. I guarantee you, you’re smart enough. Chemistry is hard for a lot of people. If you decide this is the path you want to pursue, you can definitely get through it. Just put the work in and don’t give up.

 

[3toedsloth]

Character animation is a hobby that can sometimes (rarely) turn into a job, but usually not a well paying one.

Go for a secure, stable income. Hire a chemistry tutor if you need to.

 

[BTC0821]

General chemistry sucks and thats coming from a general chemistry tutor. When you get into organic chemistry and biochemistry, you'll find yourself amazed by how the things you've learned in biology suddenly make sense and how life really comes together and is molded by a few different rules for interactions. Its very interesting once you're done dealing with the ideal gas law and kinetics. Stick with it, not knowing when and how to use Charles law has little to do with your ability to become a physician.

 

[Magus5454]

FWIW, I hated the entire gen chem series and really struggled through it. It wasn’t until ochem that I had this “aha” moment and realized how mind blowing it all is. I ended up minoring in chemistry. I guarantee you, you’re smart enough. Chemistry is hard for a lot of people. If you decide this is the path you want to pursue, you can definitely get through it. Just put the work in and don’t give up.

I loved organic, part of that is how my professor taught it, he explained why reagents did what they did, not just rote memorization. I minored in chem too, but quantum Sucked.

 

[Magus5454]

General chemistry sucks and thats coming from a general chemistry tutor. When you get into organic chemistry and biochemistry, you'll find yourself amazed by how the things you've learned in biology suddenly make sense and how life really comes together and is molded by a few different rules for interactions. Its very interesting once you're done dealing with the ideal gas law and kinetics. Stick with it, not knowing when and how to use Charles law has little to do with your ability to become a physician.

I don't mind gen chem and ive tutored it for years. I had a very amazing teacher for gen chem II.

As an aside. I loved biophysics, it was very neat seeing why gels work, why bacteria in low nutrient media grow in fractal patterns, etc

 

[AttemptingScholar]

Premed is a war of attrition. It's trying to make you drop out. Don't let it!