Should I Become a Doctor?

[explodingface]

Hello! My name is Rebecca, I'm seventeen and am currently a senior in high school. A few years ago I realized that I would love to be a doctor - I love helping people and I feel that doing it for a living would be immensely rewarding (the pay is another bonus).

However, I have heard that becoming a doctor is not as good of a career choice recently as it was in the past. I've heard that the debt from student loans is overwhelming, and that salaries are dropping. I of course want to help people, but the thought of doing as much school work as a student has to do and acquiring as much debt as a student does makes me wonder if it's even worth it.

I'm currently taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology, as well. I love the class - it's very challenging but I enjoy it greatly. I feel that I can live up to the expectations I will be required to meet, but am very worried if this is a career choice I should pursue.

Please tell me your thoughts on the issue, I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading.

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[I'm No Superman]

No one can tell you if you should become a doctor or not. That's your job.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Hello! My name is Rebecca, I'm seventeen and am currently a senior in high school. A few years ago I realized that I would love to be a doctor - I love helping people and I feel that doing it for a living would be immensely rewarding (the pay is another bonus).

However, I have heard that becoming a doctor is not as good of a career choice recently as it was in the past. I've heard that the debt from student loans is overwhelming, and that salaries are dropping. I of course want to help people, but the thought of doing as much school work as a student has to do and acquiring as much debt as a student does makes me wonder if it's even worth it.

I'm currently taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology, as well. I love the class - it's very challenging but I enjoy it greatly. I feel that I can live up to the expectations I will be required to meet, but am very worried if this is a career choice I should pursue.

Please tell me your thoughts on the issue, I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading.

It is a personal choice. I think if finances are a major deterrent, then perhaps look very closely at other options before committing to medicine. However, also realize that the wages of physicians will always rise and fall, but we rarely go hungry.

 

[Arijos0222]

Hello! My name is Rebecca, I'm seventeen and am currently a senior in high school. A few years ago I realized that I would love to be a doctor - I love helping people and I feel that doing it for a living would be immensely rewarding (the pay is another bonus).

However, I have heard that becoming a doctor is not as good of a career choice recently as it was in the past. I've heard that the debt from student loans is overwhelming, and that salaries are dropping. I of course want to help people, but the thought of doing as much school work as a student has to do and acquiring as much debt as a student does makes me wonder if it's even worth it.

I'm currently taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology, as well. I love the class - it's very challenging but I enjoy it greatly. I feel that I can live up to the expectations I will be required to meet, but am very worried if this is a career choice I should pursue.

Please tell me your thoughts on the issue, I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading.

I'm only a high school student, but i'm 17 too and i'm in your same boat. So many health professional choices, seemingly limited time.

IMHO, from everything that i've heard, seen, and discussed from physicians and surgeons, it's no walk in the park. For example I had a friend who is in Dental School right now because he shied away from the physician lifestyle (and the debt, he goes to a public dental school which costs 15K a year and his father pays for it)

He likes the idea that in Dentistry, it's more family friendly and you can set your own hours as a practice owner, and that the average dentist works monday through thursday, 7-9 hours a day. Pretty sweet.

If you're concerned about physician salaries... Well... Let's just say that no doctor will ever live like a peasant (unless you're talking about residents.)

Sure, it's stressful, but if it's the only thing you see yourself doing for 30 years, don't let money, financial struggles, and other reasons dissuade you.

Also, ask yourself if you think you have the aptitude to actually become a doctor. It's a tough question, I ask myself the same question as well. If I could potentially do all those years of schooling and training when I find my chemistry honors class to be difficult

Who knows, you may change your mind a year or two from now. Just take the Pre-Reqs when you get to college and decide then and there.

 

[ComradeDoktor]

There are a million careers that "help people". Wanting to "help people" is not reason enough to be a doctor. Shadow a doctor, volunteer in a hospital, spend some time working as a CNA or an EMT when you're older possibly. When you have some real exposure to the health care field, you'll know if you love it or hate it. If you realize you hate the healthcare field, you have your answer. If you realize you love the healthcare field, then you can start doing the cost-benefit analysis of whether it's better for you to be a doctor, a PA, a podiatrist, or whatever.

 

[nysegop]

There are a million careers that "help people". Wanting to "help people" is not reason enough to be a doctor. Shadow a doctor, volunteer in a hospital, spend some time working as a CNA or an EMT when you're older possibly. When you have some real exposure to the health care field, you'll know if you love it or hate it. If you realize you hate the healthcare field, you have your answer. If you realize you love the healthcare field, then you can start doing the cost-benefit analysis of whether it's better for you to be a doctor, a PA, a podiatrist, or whatever.

I agree. "wanting to help people" isn't a good enough reason. Some lawyers help people by providing low cost representation to the poor. Teachers help people. There are myriad things one could do to help people. That being said, if the OP is willing to learn about medicine, volunteer, shadow, take the MCAT, apply to medical school, attend medical school, attend a residency, and graduate in debt, then go for it.

Pretty much everybody in medicine "helps people".
-Nurses
-Doctors
-Orderlies
-Janitors
-Food service
-etc.


I'd say consider want you want to do beyond "help people".

 

[Shinobiz11]

There are a million careers that "help people". Wanting to "help people" is not reason enough to be a doctor. Shadow a doctor, volunteer in a hospital, spend some time working as a CNA or an EMT when you're older possibly. When you have some real exposure to the health care field, you'll know if you love it or hate it. If you realize you hate the healthcare field, you have your answer. If you realize you love the healthcare field, then you can start doing the cost-benefit analysis of whether it's better for you to be a doctor, a PA, a podiatrist, or whatever.

More pre-meds need to read this.

Medicine is not for everyone. Get some clinical experience and find out yourself if its right. I enjoy helping people as well and wanted to become a teacher (maybe one day after practicing), but medicine, more specifically podiatry, just seem liked such the perfect calling for me. I think the biggest problem is the number of pre-meds who think the career is the lucrative, prestigious lifestyle; it is a lot of hard work, family time missed, and money spent. Though the career is still rewarding, it is not for everyone.

 

[cincincyreds]

Hello! My name is Rebecca, I'm seventeen and am currently a senior in high school. A few years ago I realized that I would love to be a doctor - I love helping people and I feel that doing it for a living would be immensely rewarding (the pay is another bonus).

However, I have heard that becoming a doctor is not as good of a career choice recently as it was in the past. I've heard that the debt from student loans is overwhelming, and that salaries are dropping. I of course want to help people, but the thought of doing as much school work as a student has to do and acquiring as much debt as a student does makes me wonder if it's even worth it.

I'm currently taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology, as well. I love the class - it's very challenging but I enjoy it greatly. I feel that I can live up to the expectations I will be required to meet, but am very worried if this is a career choice I should pursue.

Please tell me your thoughts on the issue, I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading.

You should do what makes you happy. There are many things you can do to help people. I enjoy practicing medicine.

 

[deleted393595]

Hello! My name is Rebecca, I'm seventeen and am currently a senior in high school. A few years ago I realized that I would love to be a doctor - I love helping people and I feel that doing it for a living would be immensely rewarding (the pay is another bonus).

However, I have heard that becoming a doctor is not as good of a career choice recently as it was in the past. I've heard that the debt from student loans is overwhelming, and that salaries are dropping. I of course want to help people, but the thought of doing as much school work as a student has to do and acquiring as much debt as a student does makes me wonder if it's even worth it.

I'm currently taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology, as well. I love the class - it's very challenging but I enjoy it greatly. I feel that I can live up to the expectations I will be required to meet, but am very worried if this is a career choice I should pursue.

Please tell me your thoughts on the issue, I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading.

Shadow one for a few days and see if you like it.

 

[Nobodyspecial11]

Anyone who says shadow is on the right track. Or get some clinical (as close to patients as you can) work experience during undergrad. I never had the level of understanding that I should have had until I did this myself. This will be the best way you can tell if you really are down for it. Without it, you are going off of what you think they might make and what you have seen through tv/news/anecdotal stories etc...

It's never too early to begin pursuing your interests but don't close off other options either.

 

[Eon]

Anyone who says shadow is on the right track. Or get some clinical (as close to patients as you can) work experience during undergrad. I never had the level of understanding that I should have had until I did this myself. This will be the best way you can tell if you really are down for it. Without it, you are going off of what you think they might make and what you have seen through tv/news/anecdotal stories etc...

It's never too early to begin pursuing your interests but don't close off other options either.

What he said along with what everyone else said in this thread. You definitely want to get a feel for the medical field before you jump right into it. You want to figure out how it feels like a bit early so that you don't have to cram later on in your undergrad years. Shadowing is the best way to do this. Clinical experience such as working/volunteering at a hospital is another way. Likewise researching at your uni is another great way. Even if it turns out that practicing isn't your calling, there are other things such as research for the field that you're interested in. There are so many different directions to go.

 

[Sheldor]

I'll give you the advice that I wish someone had given me: It doesn't matter yet. Either way, you should pick a major you love (Dance, music, film, psychology, anything!!) Please, unless you absolutely love pcr gels don't major in biology. You can take the courses you need for admittance to medical school in any major, while enjoying your life and doing something that you'll never have the chance to again. (Not to mention having a higher GPA and getting in to a better medical school.) That said, this advice also builds in another 3 years for you to volunteer and make sure you want to be a physician. Win-win.

Good luck!

 

[Law2Doc]

Hello! My name is Rebecca, I'm seventeen and am currently a senior in high school. A few years ago I realized that I would love to be a doctor - I love helping people and I feel that doing it for a living would be immensely rewarding (the pay is another bonus).

However, I have heard that becoming a doctor is not as good of a career choice recently as it was in the past. I've heard that the debt from student loans is overwhelming, and that salaries are dropping. I of course want to help people, but the thought of doing as much school work as a student has to do and acquiring as much debt as a student does makes me wonder if it's even worth it.

I'm currently taking Honors Anatomy and Physiology, as well. I love the class - it's very challenging but I enjoy it greatly. I feel that I can live up to the expectations I will be required to meet, but am very worried if this is a career choice I should pursue.

Please tell me your thoughts on the issue, I would really appreciate feedback. Thank you for reading.

Both "helping people" and "making $" are not good reasons to go into medicine. Helping people is a nebulous term, and honestly doctors don't have the monopoly on helping people by any stretch of the imagination. and the money isn't as good as it once was, with the debt higher than it ever was. Both of these things are simply nice perqs, if you get them, but should never be a driving motivation for medicine. Only go into medicine if the job function interests you. Because few jobs monopolize your time like this field, and if you don't enjoy the work, it's a very bad choice. When you get to college, do lots of shadowing and volunteering and actually see what doctors do for a living. If you see that, and think it would be cool even if you end up driving a used Pinto and not helping nearly as many people as the average Walmart employee, then go for it.

 

[TheTruckGuy]

I encourage anyone who is truly selfless to go into medicine, because it really is not at all like it's shown on TV. I'm not a doctor, or even a med student (just yet), but I do work in the ER, so take what I'm about to say with that in mind.

First off, you're going to basically be in school for the rest of your life. Aside from the 7+ years you spend in medical school & residency (after 4 years of college), you will have to attend continuing education classes every year to keep up to date on new advances in medicine.

Also, if you go into something like internal medicine, you will likely have to deal with phone calls at all hours of the night when your patients are admitted to the hospital via the ER. Other specialties like ortho and cardiology can even be on call for traumas and heart attacks.

At some point in your career you will be dealing with people trying to game the system, or abuse the system. This can be people looking for narcotic pain meds, this can be people who make stuff up to come into the hospital because they're lonely, or it can be people who pretty much refuse to take personal responsibility to take care of themselves and choose to call 911 for a tootheache at 3am or someone who weighs 300 pounds but continues to eat like there's no tomorrow.

And then there is death. Whether during residency, during your rotations, or during your career, you will see people die. You'll see old people die, you'll likely see young people die, and you may even see children die. Can you deal with that?

If you really want to help people and be a doctor, but are concerned about going into debt, there are programs out there that offer scholarships to medical school in exchange for service. Military scholarships are a pretty good deal, but in the end you're still going to come out ahead financially by staying a civilian. I only encourage military medicine for those who have a desire to serve in the military, and discourage anyone doing it for the money. Alternatively, a real opportunity to help people is community medicine. Often times small towns/counties will pay for your medical school in exchange for you spending 4+ years in their community serving as their only doctor, or one of a handful of doctors.

And, being a woman, what about your family life? Having kids, raising kids, etc.

Also, did you know that an engineer going into a third world village somewhere and setting up a clean water system can actually save more lives than a group of doctors going in and visiting?

So I'm not trying to discourage you, but just make you aware. If you're still motivated for a career in medicine, then by all means, go for it, there need to be more docs like you.

 

[PreMedJock]

No one can tell you if you should become a doctor or not. That's your job.

This.

 

[sonofva]

no. if i could go back in time i'd do anesthesiologist assistant, perfusion, or PA...