Medical Should I go to medical school if I'm not enthusiastic about it?

[tantacles]

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I'm struggling a lot internally whether medicine is for me. I applied to medical school two years ago and I was accepted, but at the same time awarded a prestigious scholarship to go abroad. I declined med school and accepted the scholarship because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I also wasn't super crazy about the medical school I had been accepted to. It's two years later and I applied again because I had been set on medicine for most of my undergrad. I had an interview at a top 10 med school and I felt no enthusiasm when interviewing and now I'm starting to question whether medicine is for me. I have a B.S. in biomedical engineering and I feel like medicine is my passion but in a sense of solving medical problems through innovation, rather than as a physician. I feel like I have a lot more interests, but at the same time, I don't want to make an irrational decision of just ditching medical school after I've been set on it for so long and have invested so much time and money and effort into it.

If you are having second thoughts, it might be worthwhile to talk to one of your mentors that you shadowed to find out what your job will look like after medical school. Medical school is very different from working as a physician, and you may find that some insight from another person who "lives the medicine life" may help to provide you with insight. Fortunately, you have several months to make your decision if you have applied this year, so take your time. Keep in mind, though, that you likely won't get a third chance to attend.

 

[Lee]

I'm struggling a lot internally whether medicine is for me. I applied to medical school two years ago and I was accepted, but at the same time awarded a prestigious scholarship to go abroad. I declined med school and accepted the scholarship because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I also wasn't super crazy about the medical school I had been accepted to. It's two years later and I applied again because I had been set on medicine for most of my undergrad. I had an interview at a top 10 med school and I felt no enthusiasm when interviewing and now I'm starting to question whether medicine is for me. I have a B.S. in biomedical engineering and I feel like medicine is my passion but in a sense of solving medical problems through innovation, rather than as a physician. I feel like I have a lot more interests, but at the same time, I don't want to make an irrational decision of just ditching medical school after I've been set on it for so long and have invested so much time and money and effort into it.

It sounds like the idea of being a physician is something that was planted in you somewhere along the line. However, was this your idea or someone else's? Don't jump into a lifelong career if you're not 100% interested in it; it's not a recipe for a rewarding life.

If I understand you correctly, you make the point here that you aren't interested in the practice of medicine, but instead want to go more into applied sciences/engineering. Biomedical engineering is a great field to do that. You could also consider MD/PhD programs if research is something that you're interested in pursuing.