Should I pursue Medical School? What is being a doctor actually like?

[Bergamasque]

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I've been second-guessing this career choice because of my infinite failures, I have been here for 6 semesters and here's my GPA for all of them
F1 1.5 F2. 2.0 S1. 2.35 S2. 2.7 J1. 3.0 J2. 3.5
There is a very clear upward trend, which is easy if you are bad enough for a 1.5. I'm URM, First-Gen, ESL, ADHD, Social Anxiety. I try not to think about these things though and compare myself to more successful pre-meds. I got fired out of my lab because I didn't show up enough (poor time-management), I get rejected from interviews because I am anxious and lack social skills (I have gotten better though through therapy). At my current state I do not deserve an acceptance, nor will I get one. I've been reinventing myself for 4 years now... and there's so much more to work on. At what point does dream become delusion, and where do you think I stand?

I want a family, I want to travel, I want to perform music, and I love science, but I can't imagine myself doing anything other than Medicine. Should I keep trying to improve (not that I will ever stop) or expend my energy elsewhere?

 

[bahdahboom]

I've been second-guessing this career choice because of my infinite failures, I have been here for 6 semesters and here's my GPA for all of them
F1 1.5 F2. 2.0 S1. 2.35 S2. 2.7 J1. 3.0 J2. 3.5
There is a very clear upward trend, which is easy if you are bad enough for a 1.5. I've got all the minority points, URM, First-Gen, ESL, ADHD, Social Anxiety. I try not to think about these things though and compare myself to more successful pre-meds. I got fired out of my lab because I didn't show up enough (poor time-management), I get rejected from interviews because I am anxious and lack social skills (I have gotten better though through therapy). At my current state I do not deserve an acceptance, nor will I get one. I've been reinventing myself for 4 years now... and there's so much more to work on. At what point does dream become delusion, and where do you think I stand?

I want a family, I want to travel, I want to perform music, and I love science, but I can't imagine myself doing anything other than Medicine. Should I keep trying to improve (not that I will ever stop) or expend my energy elsewhere?

There are other fields within medicine that may fit you better, why not consider those? I am someone who believes with enough persistence and dedication people can achieve the things they want. however, you have to determine at what point does this persistence take away from the other things you want in life. and only YOU can say so. For myself, if i didnt get into med school after 2 cycles, I was moving on to a different career. luckily i got in during my first cycle, but the point is, there are other life fulfilling pursuits that will make you even happier than being a doc.
and i can tell you, as an MS3 and working around residents and attendings, being a doc is not what it looks like on the outside. its a lot of freaking physical, mental and emotional work and resilience. patients will treat you like crap, and degrade you. you run around the hospital like a slave. with that being said, i am happy to be doing medicine. But dont make it some shiny trophy that makes you miss other opportunities within the medical field. especially if you are struggling now.

 

[Goro]

I've been second-guessing this career choice because of my infinite failures, I have been here for 6 semesters and here's my GPA for all of them
F1 1.5 F2. 2.0 S1. 2.35 S2. 2.7 J1. 3.0 J2. 3.5
There is a very clear upward trend, which is easy if you are bad enough for a 1.5. I've got all the minority points, URM, First-Gen, ESL, ADHD, Social Anxiety. I try not to think about these things though and compare myself to more successful pre-meds. I got fired out of my lab because I didn't show up enough (poor time-management), I get rejected from interviews because I am anxious and lack social skills (I have gotten better though through therapy). At my current state I do not deserve an acceptance, nor will I get one. I've been reinventing myself for 4 years now... and there's so much more to work on. At what point does dream become delusion, and where do you think I stand?

I want a family, I want to travel, I want to perform music, and I love science, but I can't imagine myself doing anything other than Medicine. Should I keep trying to improve (not that I will ever stop) or expend my energy elsewhere?

To see what being a doctor is like, shadow some.
The read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[Peter Pan.]

You’re GPA is really low. No where remotely close to med school. Also ADHD and social anxiety are not minority points. As someone who has overcome social anxiety disorder myself I’ve been told by many people to not mention it on my application. Med schools don’t like to hear about mental health issues.

Sorry but that low of a GPA for that long just won’t do it. Maybe try podiatry.

 

[Phoebus Apollo]

There are ways for you to be a doctor, even if you started out with a low GPA.

However, it would be a very long uphill battle.

I think—more importantly— the way you’re talking about yourself concerns me. Fundamentally, you need to be proud of who you are and love yourself, because no one will be able to do that for you. Just because school has been rough doesn’t mean you deserve that kind of self-treatment.

I say: to hell with medicine for now. Try to do what you enjoy, keep your head up in school for YOU, not for faceless adcoms. Explore outside the classroom and see if there are other passions that you are missing because you’ve been focused on med school. Thinking like this doesn’t mean you’re giving up, it means you’re giving yourself and your happiness a chance.

 

[Isoval]

There are ways for you to be a doctor, even if you started out with a low GPA.

However, it would be a very long uphill battle.

I think—more importantly— the way you’re talking about yourself concerns me. Fundamentally, you need to be proud of who you are and love yourself, because no one will be able to do that for you. Just because school has been rough doesn’t mean you deserve that kind of self-treatment.

I say: to hell with medicine for now. Try to do what you enjoy, keep your head up in school for YOU, not for faceless adcoms. Explore outside the classroom and see if there are other passions that you are missing because you’ve been focused on med school. Thinking like this doesn’t mean you’re giving up, it means you’re giving yourself and your happiness a chance.

I agree with everything here.

OP, I think your GPA is extremely low right now and that, as you stand, you have little to no shot at any medical school. Not MD, not DO, and not DPM. To be clear, this is to say that this will be a long path, not an impossible one. As Goro pointed out, there are ways to reinvent yourself and show that the 'you' of today is not the 'you' of yesterday. There are ways to get back into academics, to start pulling those As and high Bs you're going to need, and to get your foot into a medical school somewhere. Whether that takes you two year or ten, it's a possibility for you to, one day, become a doctor.

But, as also mentioned here, I think it may be some time for some self-reflection on your part. Take a while. A week. Think really long and really hard about what you actually want out of your life. Becoming a doctor isn't a walk in the park and it's going to take a lot of what you have to give.

 

[LizzyM]

What it is about a career in medicine that is attractive to you? What do physicians do that you'd like to be able to do? Answer this prompt: The things that doctors spend their time doing that I'd like to do includes:..." Be specific in terms of tasks or activities.

PM me or respond here. While reinvention may be possible, you need to think, too, about alternatives that may be equally satisfying and more feasible.

 

[drducky.]

It sounds like chasing medicine is making you pretty miserable already. Remember you only get to live once. You say you want a family/travel/etc. Theres plenty of other career choices that let people do that.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Listen man you don’t have a wing or a prayer. Move on to something else.

 

[Bergamasque]

This is the most helpful thread! Thank you all!

@bahdahboom @Peter Pan. @On_The_Way_Up @drducky.

Thanks for the tips. I have decided to see where this train takes me (upward trend), and continue to pursue Medical School for 2 years (i.e, study for MCAT, Volunteer etc). I will post my stats once I graduate, if MD/DO isn't an option, I will pursue Dentistry/Podiatry, and if not that either, then a PhD wouldn't be terrible. I just want to live comfortably with a family, doing something I love, and I think there is potential in these fields.
@Phoebus Apollo

I am taking your advice and taking an easier course load, dropping out of what stresses me the most, and give myself ample time for Therapy, EC's, Shadowing and other Internships for exposures. Medical School requires a great deal of confidence, and I am lacking in that.

@Isoval

You are right, I thought long and hard and have made a Plan B and C in case Plan A doesn't work out (Above). I don't want to pursue Medical School for the rest of my life, as that will get in the way of what I really want. For now, I'm going to take it easy and focus on myself before I immerse myself into a Pre-Med courseload again.

@Goro

Thanks for the link, I will shadow again to realize what I am getting myself into and/or if it is worth it.

@LizzyM

I hope my reasons will suffice, but being at a hospital was a big part of my early life and I feel at home there. I love the Medical School coursework, (Linking Biochemistry with Anatomy), I actually like conversing with people, and helping them even more so. I love the challenge that comes with it, and the idea of diagnosing a problem someone has and fixing it. I have shadowed Doctors and Surgeons, and volunteered for 100+ hours each and this only substantiated my goals. I want to do it, but, today, I am not good enough. Time will tell, I guess!

 

[FutureDPM123]

Do some research into podiatry. Maybe shadow a podiatrist to see if it's something you would like to do. Podiatry school admissions is less competitive than MD/DO.

 

[Phil Woods]

I've seen worse GPA's eventually find success so if you have an upward trend, that will help.

The social anxiety will be an issue though. If you really want to become a doctor and a good doctor you need to be bold. You don't necessarily need to be the best people person but you need to be bold when the situation requires it. If you have some issues related to that, you might be cheating yourself pursuing this career.

I think you have an uphill battle but I don't think you can't succeed down the road.

Also, don't lie about "I can't see myself doing anything but medicine." If you don't get straight A's and get in on your first attempt, that's just a bunch of baloney.

 

[Isoval]

I've seen worse GPA's eventually find success so if you have an upward trend, that will help.

The social anxiety will be an issue though. If you really want to become a doctor and a good doctor you need to be bold. You don't necessarily need to be the best people person but you need to be bold when the situation requires it. If you have some issues related to that, you might be cheating yourself pursuing this career.

I think you have an uphill battle but I don't think you can't succeed down the road.

Also, don't lie about "I can't see myself doing anything but medicine." If you don't get straight A's and get in on your first attempt, that's just a bunch of baloney.

Making straight As is not required for someone to say they “aren’t able to see themselves in any other profession”.

 

[Phil Woods]

Making straight As is not required for someone to say they “aren’t able to see themselves in any other profession”.

If you can't see yourself in any other profession then you should be following through on that statement and getting straight A's. There's no way around that.

 

[Goro]

If you can't see yourself in any other profession then you should be following through on that statement and getting straight A's. There's no way around that.

This is nonsensical. You don't need straight A's to get into med school. The national median for MD of 3.7 for DO it's 3.4-3.5

 

[Isoval]

If you can't see yourself in any other profession then you should be following through on that statement and getting straight A's. There's no way around that.

That's ridiculous.

It ignores every single other possible factor for why your GPA may be low. Not everybody makes a B because they're just lazy.

Medicine must not be my true calling because my dad died in a car accident during my junior year and my GPA tanked, right?

Or no. If I truly believed I belonged in medicine, I should have sucked it up and just gotten As. You're right.

 

[Phil Woods]

This is nonsensical. You don't need straight A's to get into med school. The national median for MD of 3.7 for DO it's 3.4-3.5

That's true but anybody claiming that they can't see themselves doing anything else other than medicine is pulling the wool over your eyes if they don't apply with straight A's.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I've seen worse GPA's eventually find success so if you have an upward trend, that will help.

The social anxiety will be an issue though. If you really want to become a doctor and a good doctor you need to be bold. You don't necessarily need to be the best people person but you need to be bold when the situation requires it. If you have some issues related to that, you might be cheating yourself pursuing this career.

I think you have an uphill battle but I don't think you can't succeed down the road.

Also, don't lie about "I can't see myself doing anything but medicine." If you don't get straight A's and get in on your first attempt, that's just a bunch of baloney.

If you can't see yourself in any other profession then you should be following through on that statement and getting straight A's. There's no way around that.

That's true but anybody claiming that they can't see themselves doing anything else other than medicine is pulling the wool over your eyes if they don't apply with straight A's.

Just stop.

 

[Phil Woods]

Just stop.

It's the truth, maybe you can't handle it or you feel guilty.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

It's the truth, maybe you can't handle it or you feel guilty.

Lol no, it really isn't.

 

[M&L]

This is the most helpful thread! Thank you all!

@bahdahboom @Peter Pan. @On_The_Way_Up @drducky.

Thanks for the tips. I have decided to see where this train takes me (upward trend), and continue to pursue Medical School for 2 years (i.e, study for MCAT, Volunteer etc). I will post my stats once I graduate, if MD/DO isn't an option, I will pursue Dentistry/Podiatry, and if not that either, then a PhD wouldn't be terrible. I just want to live comfortably with a family, doing something I love, and I think there is potential in these fields.
@Phoebus Apollo

I am taking your advice and taking an easier course load, dropping out of what stresses me the most, and give myself ample time for Therapy, EC's, Shadowing and other Internships for exposures. Medical School requires a great deal of confidence, and I am lacking in that.

@Isoval

You are right, I thought long and hard and have made a Plan B and C in case Plan A doesn't work out (Above). I don't want to pursue Medical School for the rest of my life, as that will get in the way of what I really want. For now, I'm going to take it easy and focus on myself before I immerse myself into a Pre-Med courseload again.

@Goro

Thanks for the link, I will shadow again to realize what I am getting myself into and/or if it is worth it.

@LizzyM

I hope my reasons will suffice, but being at a hospital was a big part of my early life and I feel at home there. I love the Medical School coursework, (Linking Biochemistry with Anatomy), I actually like conversing with people, and helping them even more so. I love the challenge that comes with it, and the idea of diagnosing a problem someone has and fixing it. I have shadowed Doctors and Surgeons, and volunteered for 100+ hours each and this only substantiated my goals. I want to do it, but, today, I am not good enough. Time will tell, I guess!

Look, i say dont worry about podiatry or anything else for now. You still have 2 years left, try to do as good as you can, improve your GPA, make sure you get some research done, as well as volunteering hours, and clinical experience. and KILL that MCAT. THEN, when you have all the ducks in the row, you will make the final decision. I think at this point you have all the chances in the world!!! it is too early to tell. Just keep pushing. I saw people succeed with worse.

 

[M&L]

the irony is that Phil Woods had 494 MCAT or something like that, if i am not mistaken?

 

[M&L]

also, - as a behavioral health technician i want to address the anxiety part. @Bergamasque
LISTEN TO ME!!!!! there are a lot of different types of doctors, - there are a lot of specialties that are great for people who are very introverted or have social anxiety!!1 not everyone is a bubbly go getter type A people (and there is NOTHING WRONG with either personality type). We need ALL kinds of doctors. so dont let ANYONE EVER tell you that you should not pursue medicine because of your anxiety. Work on specific things that you think you should improve - time management is one of them, maybe improve your interaction with patients if needed, but dont let people tell you what you can or cannot be!!!!

who knows? maybe it is your social anxiety that will help you relate to patients that a lot of people cannot? you never know. For now, - keep pushing

(Same goes for ADHD)