Terrible Reason for Becoming A Doctor

[Dbate]

As it now stands, the primary reason for my pursuit of a medical career is the lack of alternatives in my desired field of interest: biochemistry. Internally I know that this is a terrible reason for pursuing medical school, although the financial considerations definitely vindicate the impetus.
Does anyone else feel this way? I am at a junction where I am contemplating the legitimacy of pursing medicine as a career, especially considering that the actual practice of medicine i.e. sewing wounds and giving chest pumps etc seems very unappealing. Are there interesting alternative career paths for a biochemistry major? And by interesting I mean high paying.

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[jturkel]

that IS a terrible reason.

consider:

pharmacy

biochemical engineering

biomedical engineering

...just some thoughts

 

[docelh]

Pharmaceuticals.

If you stay in medicine, the biggest dickheads tend to do surgery. Minimal patient interaction. Pathology may appeal to you.

 

[Dbate]

"pharmacy

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees. Also, it is not really considered an acceptable career path for people in my social circles (I am also terrible self-conscious and care about how I am perceived).

biochemical engineering

What is biochemical engineering? I have heard of chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, but not biochemical engineering?

biomedical engineering

From what I hear, it is really hard to get a job with a biomed eng degree and I am therefore reluctant to pursue that path. Also, I would prefer to go to some type of graduate school and I don't know if biomedical engineering necessitates an advanced degree.

 

[Dbate]

If you stay in medicine, the biggest dickheads tend to do surgery. Minimal patient interaction. Pathology may appeal to you.

I have strongly been considering going into Pathology, but I know that you have to go through all the stupid rotations in I believe third year (or maybe fourth) and I would hate to have to put up with pediatrics.

 

[Elpenor]

nothing wrong with having a job, for money...

that said, you should at least be somewhat interested in medicine

 

[docelh]

BigPharma pays well. You can run and synthesize new organic compounds in the lab.

 

[Dbate]

nothing wrong with having a job, for money...

that said, you should at least be somewhat interested in medicine

I really enjoy learning about the biochemical processes in cells and biology in general, so i do have some legitimate interests--albeit tangential. I am less interested in the nitty gritty such as the aforementioned wound sewing.

" BigPharma pays well. You can run and synthesize new organic compounds in the lab."

What constitutes well? I would prefer to make 150K or more.

 

[docelh]

What constitutes well? I would prefer to make 150K or more.

If you want 150K, you're going to have be willing to climb the corporate ladder. PhD should clear 6 figures in BigPharma.

 

[DrArete]

.

 

[Bernoull]

If you want 150K, you're going to have be willing to climb the corporate ladder. PhD should clear 6 figures in BigPharma.

Non executive/managerial PhD starts you off around $75K.. I've had coworkers with those quals in Pharma...

OP how about academia/research/professorship?

 

[Dbate]

Non executive/managerial PhD starts you off around $75K.. I've had coworkers with those quals in Pharma...

OP how about academia/research/professorship?

I considering going the PhD route, but most of the research topics seem to mundane to pursue. For example, in one of my bio classes the professor commented that a group of scientists spent 20 years trying to obtain the crystal structure of a single cell receptor. Needlessly to say, I thought that was a pointless waste of time.

Also, being a researcher is not very well...prestigious. It is a bad trait, but one that I will readily admit to having, but I would like a career that is respectable, hence my predilection toward medicine.

 

[Dbate]

I am 99% sure you are a troll, but since I do know some people as self conscious and douchey in real life, I'll bite.

No I am not a troll, just honest.

"A job is a about making money.

You get paid for it.

That is all.

If you don't like people, want to use your chemistry skills, and want to make $$$, I recommend that you start making and selling synthetic drugs.

Start with some old favorites like LSD and MDMA. Then, with the profits, you can do research and make up some new and even better drugs.

Just dont get high on your own supply.

As a stipulation of my honesty, I would prefer if people gave sincere and honest replies.

 

[docelh]

Non executive/managerial PhD starts you off around $75K.. I've had coworkers with those quals in Pharma...

OP how about academia/research/professorship?

Academia pays very poorly, but it is a "prestigious" field. Saw figures for assistant professorship quoted at like $40K... huh?

I was referring to a mid-level salary. Software engineers supposedly start at $60K, but many mid-levels clear $100K.

http://www.uchsc.edu/sop/phd/1.Ph.D._in_Pharmaceutical_Sciences/7.FAQs.html

 

[Dbate]

Thanks docelh, I saw on the the page you linked to that some starting salaries for PhD's in the pharmaceutical area range from 75K to 85K, but do you know how long the the interim is between entry-level and mid-level? Does it constitute roughly 5-10 years or are labels like entry and mid simply relative terms?

 

[docelh]

Kiddo, in the corporate world, things move very differently. There is no set path.

 

[TheSimple]

I considering going the PhD route, but most of the research topics seem to mundane to pursue. For example, in one of my bio classes the professor commented that a group of scientists spent 20 years trying to obtain the crystal structure of a single cell receptor. Needlessly to say, I thought that was a pointless waste of time.

Also, being a researcher is not very well...prestigious. It is a bad trait, but one that I will readily admit to having, but I would like a career that is respectable, hence my predilection toward medicine.

Your post makes you sound like a complete douche. I have a fondness for structural biology so your receptor comment kind of urked me (benefits: structure based drug design, fundamentally understanding the mechanism of action and/or disease mechanism associated with said receptor).

It is relatively easy to get into a PhD position at a top 10 biochem program compared to MD or MD/PhD programs. So if you were to go to a good program and show that you are a competent researcher you could eventually find yourself in a big name research institute (prestigious) if you work hard and are a creative scientist.

In terms of pay for academics, it will never be as high as you could get working for a biotech. The salary is around 75 -80 for associate professor, but it is not without reason that you can earn a salary of over 150 K if you are good.

To address your comment about the mundaness of research, that is the best part about research. You would be your own boss and wouldn't have to follow these areas of science. You could find something that you find exciting and pursue novel areas of research.

By all means go into medicine if thats what you feel you have to do to satisfy your superficial needs. It is important to realise that if you are going to be doing something for the rest of your life that you dislike, just for money you are not going to be happy. I suggest looking into other fields and see if something is exciting for you.

 

[Law2Doc]

As it now stands, the primary reason for my pursuit of a medical career is the lack of alternatives in my desired field of interest: biochemistry. Internally I know that this is a terrible reason for pursuing medical school, although the financial considerations definitely vindicate the impetus.
Does anyone else feel this way? I am at a junction where I am contemplating the legitimacy of pursing medicine as a career, especially considering that the actual practice of medicine i.e. sewing wounds and giving chest pumps etc seems very unappealing. Are there interesting alternative career paths for a biochemistry major? And by interesting I mean high paying.

Medical school teaches you to be a clinician. You then have to go through years of low paying residency to actually practice. There will be portions of your schooling and training where you will be immersed in medicine for 80 hours a week, basically no weekends, and expected to be reading medicine during your scant time off. If you are not interested you probably won't make it through, you will hate every minute of it. Don't bother. If you think about it, in the 7-10 years post college that it will take you to become a clinician, you could easily get another college degree and do a different degree program, or even have worked in a job for a few years. Figure out what you like to do if it's not biochem or medicine. If it's business, then maybe get an undergrad business degree get a job and maybe circle around and get an MBA, all within in the same 7 years. If you are interested in law, you certainly could go to law school in 3 years, and use the biochem as a launching board to sitting for the patent bar, well within that 7 years. Point is, you have to figure out what you want to do. Don't waste time trying to shoehorn what you already have into the job that makes you happy. Figure out what makes you happy, and if it's something totally unrelated to biochem, then that's just something you keep in your background to make you well rounded (someday you can help your kids with their biochem homework, etc). But the 7-10 year path that lies ahead of you in medicine will be unbearable if you don't like it. Doesn't really matter the field -- you don't go into medicine hoping to find a field where you don't have to be around people. You go to med school if you want to be a clinician. While there are other things some people have done with medical degrees, in no case is medical school the quickest route to those jobs. So I say figure out what you want to do, and then figure out the path to get there. Don't try to figure out paths without a goal, with some foolish notion that you don't want to waste what you have already done. Take it from a career changer, all background is good background but it doesn't drive this train. The destination drives the train.

 

[Kb041]

Also, being a researcher is not very well...prestigious. It is a bad trait, but one that I will readily admit to having, but I would like a career that is respectable, hence my predilection toward medicine.

You're exactly right. Jonas Salk, Watson and Crick, Marie Curie, Atul Gawande. Researchers are definitely not associated with any prestige. Salk Institute... whaaaa???

There are a ton of jobs that will pay you a heck of a lot more than medicine, are respectable and in general may be easier. If you work for Ernst & Young, become a dentist, accountant, or make your name as a commodoties trader ppl will still think you are intelligent, rich and respectable.

You are in that odd category of pre-meds that wants ppl to think that you want to save the poor/ill/helpless, but really you're not that crazy about it. You want to attain the personality of the do-gooder, Paul Farmer type, who saves the world, but really in your heart it doesn't sound like your that person. There isn't anything wrong with that, not everyone is suited to medicine, even if they are intelligent enough to do it. It also doesn't make you a bad person.

The fact that you are so worried about others perception of you that you would go to 4 more years of school plus 3+ years of additional training just for your ego is a big tip off that you won't like it if you do make it. You have to want to do it for the right reasons otherwise you will be absolutely miserable while you are stitching up wounds, being vomitted on, having small children wipe their boogers on you etc. No matter what speciality you go into you have to do these things.

I suggest you do some soul searching. There are lots of ppl who go into medicine that don't necessarily want to do peds or geriatrics, but they don't seem to have such a disdain for the entire idea of treating sick ppl. There are a million things you can do with your life if you like biochemistry. You might even find that you like another career if you let go of all of these pre-conceived notions about wealth and prestige and let yourself see what else is out there.

 

[morning]

No one notices the blatant trolling?

 

[Law2Doc]

No one notices the blatant trolling?

Especially since in march on a different thread, OP wrote:

"So I am a college freshman and I am contemplating which major to pursue. I am doing really well in my political science and biology classes, and initially contemplated doing a double major in those fields. I really enjoy physics, however, so I was also thinking about majoring in that particular field. The only problem I have is that I am not as strong in math compared to poli sci and bio. My question is: Would you advise forgoing a physics major (which would likely have a lower GPA) for a bio/poli sci combo given that the end goal is the same: Medical School?"

Dude was a freshman into physics a few months ago, and now he's concerned about being a biochem major. Dude, take a few courses before you actually decide on a major. And maybe figure out what you want to do when selecting that major. It's silly to start threads saying you are stuck with biochem when you are still a freshman. You can major in poli sci, do nothing science related at all and not lose any time from this point forward.

 

[Narmerguy]

Especially since in march on a different thread, OP wrote:

"So I am a college freshman and I am contemplating which major to pursue. I am doing really well in my political science and biology classes, and initially contemplated doing a double major in those fields. I really enjoy physics, however, so I was also thinking about majoring in that particular field. The only problem I have is that I am not as strong in math compared to poli sci and bio. My question is: Would you advise forgoing a physics major (which would likely have a lower GPA) for a bio/poli sci combo given that the end goal is the same: Medical School?"

Dude was a freshman into physics a few months ago, and now he's concerned about being a biochem major. Dude, take a few courses before you actually decide on a major. And maybe figure out what you want to do when selecting that major. It's silly to start threads saying you are stuck with biochem when you are still a freshman. You can major in poli sci, do nothing science related at all and not lose any time from this point forward.

Nice catch. I don't understand, WHY do people waste their time and everyone's time with these troll threads? Why?

 

[sideways]

Nice catch. I don't understand, WHY do people waste their time and everyone's time with these troll threads? Why?

I don't think he's a troll. This is the internet - it's perfectly acceptable to lie about who you are in an effort to ask a question you may genuinely be concerned with. If you give complete honesty, you're going to get a lot of irrelevant advice from people, so it's often easier to just craft an identity that makes asking your question much clearer and easier.

To the OP: people have a million reasons for pursuing medicine, but it's disproportionately full of people who think they're the second incarnation of Ghandi and that any motive for pursuing medicine outside of healing the world is .

You need to be pragmatic about your life. Figure out what your end-goals are and then determine if medicine will help you achieve those goals. You don't need to love the process of becoming a physician to become a physician. I hate the process, but I'm holding my nose and I'm getting it done because I've determined that a career in medicine will assist me in achieving the life goals I've set for myself.

 

[flip26]

I don't think he's a troll. This is the internet - it's perfectly acceptable to lie about who you are in an effort to ask a question you may genuinely be concerned with. If you give complete honesty, you're going to get a lot of irrelevant advice from people, so it's often easier to just craft an identity that makes asking your question much clearer and easier.

To the OP: people have a million reasons for pursuing medicine, but it's disproportionately full of people who think they're the second incarnation of Ghandi and that any motive for pursuing medicine outside of healing the world is .

You need to be pragmatic about your life. Figure out what your end-goals are and then determine if medicine will help you achieve those goals. You don't need to love the process of becoming a physician to become a physician. I hate the process, but I'm holding my nose and I'm getting it done because I've determined that a career in medicine will assist me in achieving the life goals I've set for myself.

Umm, do you understand what a troll is? The OP is a textbook example of a troll, and as such, he should be banned.

 

[Law2Doc]

I don't think he's a troll. This is the internet - it's perfectly acceptable to lie about who you are in an effort to ask a question you may genuinely be concerned with. If you give complete honesty, you're going to get a lot of irrelevant advice from people, so it's often easier to just craft an identity that makes asking your question much clearer and easier.
...

Disagree. SDN is a community. People establish reputations based on good advice, useful questions and the like, over time. It's not like those question and answer board where you can log on and post an anonymous question. If someone creates or changes his persona each time he tries to ask a question he destroys that community. We won't know who Dbate is, and we are pretty much forced to assume that everything he writes from here on out is FOS because he is clearly willing to make up crap for no real good reason. So no it's not "perfectly acceptable to lie" on here. It might not be a TOS violation, but it detracts from the value of SDN. It might be useful to hold back information that would let others, employers, adcoms identify you, but to go beyond that and make up scenarios like "I'm a freshman into physics" one day, and then "I'm concerned I'm stuck with a useless biochem major" another, it shows that everyone giving him advice is truly wasting their time, time that could actually be used for people with actual questions relating to their own predicament, not an imaginary one. So no, I disagree with your notion that lying on here is cool. It detracts from the community experience. And makes it impossible to waste time on that same person's inane questions because you know they are FOS.

 

[flip26]

Disagree. SDN is a community. People establish reputations based on good advice, useful questions and the like, over time. It's not like those question and answer board where you can log on and post an anonymous question. If someone creates or changes his persona each time he tries to ask a question he destroys that community. We won't know who Dbate is, and we are pretty much forced to assume that everything he writes from here on out is FOS because he is clearly willing to make up crap for no real good reason. So no it's not "perfectly acceptable to lie" on here. It might not be a TOS violation, but it detracts from the value of SDN. It might be useful to hold back information that would let others, employers, adcoms identify you, but to go beyond that and make up scenarios like "I'm a freshman into physics" one day, and then "I'm concerned I'm stuck with a useless biochem major" another, it shows that everyone giving him advice is truly wasting their time, time that could actually be used for people with actual questions relating to their own predicament, not an imaginary one. So no, I disagree with your notion that lying on here is cool. It detracts from the community experience. And makes it impossible to waste time on that same person's inane questions because you know they are FOS.

I agree with all of this.

And there is another type of troll who is even worse: the poster who pretends to be someone he is not, in a position of authority or experience like say, an "attending" or member of an adcom who is dishing out advice that is very shaky. I see a lot of that - there is an active troll on another thread right now - and I am always quick to cry "troll," and I can't recall a single time I have done that where I was mistaken...

 

[thefritz]

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees. Also, it is not really considered an acceptable career path for people in my social circles (I am also terrible self-conscious and care about how I am perceived).

What is biochemical engineering? I have heard of chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, but not biochemical engineering?

From what I hear, it is really hard to get a job with a biomed eng degree and I am therefore reluctant to pursue that path. Also, I would prefer to go to some type of graduate school and I don't know if biomedical engineering necessitates an advanced degree.

If you're smart, clever, and unafraid, then you can become a biomedical engineer, eventually invent something novel and in demand, and form a company, thereby making millions and far more than a doctor or other employeed individual will ever make.

However, it is clear from your posts that you are not smart, clever, or fearless.

As such, I suggest you enter the field of politics as soon as possible. You will be king of your "social circles." For an added ego and wealth bump, obtain a law degree and practice PI litigation on the side when you're not wheelin and dealin at the capitol.

 

[rmaj79]

Haven't you seen Breaking Bad? Just start cooking up crystal meth... it's VERY "interesting" as you put it!

 

[bannie22]

the best reason is cuz you want chicks, money (alittle), and all the drugs you can have at your disposal..


no seriously.
the best reason is what you honestly feel

 

[235788]

Yeah pharmacies future isn't looking too bright with all the automated and mail order meds. I would stay clear. Biochem engineering would be a good career. You would end up with about 120k depending on your abilities and luck. Go into emergency medicine, 3 year residency 200k not really on call. Respected career. What could be better?

 

[apumic]

OP, sounds like you would hate medicine or any healthcare-related field. Perhaps a research field would better. Do some biochem research and publish a lot and the prestige will outstrip just about any MD's level of prestige.

 

[runawayclock]

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees. Also, it is not really considered an acceptable career path for people in my social circles (I am also terrible self-conscious and care about how I am perceived).

Time for a re-evaluation. Unless you are borderline psychotic about your social image, i don't think it will motivate you when $hit comes piling down during med school education.

 

[NickNaylor]

 

[mahnster13]

You could always join me in chemical engineering on my quest to accomplish the following:
1) Defeat the evil oil corporations
2) Discover/invent our next source of energy
3) Create an engineering firm that will take over the world
4) Discover a way to live forever
5) Run the world for the next couple thousand years of so

 

[radiodoc99]

Medicine is a good field. Pharma or law are other options

 

[somepremedkid]

Definitely money and prestige.

 

[somepremedkid]

Definitely money and prestige.

Whoops. I didn't read the full post. Although money is important to some extent (i.e. survival, family stability) that shouldn't be your sole reason to pursue a career. Like others have said, perhaps you should go the research route since you don't seem to enjoy clinical work (maybe PhD)

 

[pelliper]

As it now stands, the primary reason for my pursuit of a medical career is the lack of alternatives in my desired field of interest: biochemistry. Internally I know that this is a terrible reason for pursuing medical school, although the financial considerations definitely vindicate the impetus.
Does anyone else feel this way? I am at a junction where I am contemplating the legitimacy of pursing medicine as a career, especially considering that the actual practice of medicine i.e. sewing wounds and giving chest pumps etc seems very unappealing. Are there interesting alternative career paths for a biochemistry major? And by interesting I mean high paying.

obvious troll is obvious?

 

[Slack3r]

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees.

What type of schools would those be?

Yeah pharmacies future isn't looking too bright with all the automated and mail order meds. I would stay clear. Biochem engineering would be a good career. You would end up with about 120k depending on your abilities and luck. Go into emergency medicine, 3 year residency 200k not really on call. Respected career. What could be better?

LOL, but medicine's future is?

 

[JoshUNCW]

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees. Also, it is not really considered an acceptable career path for people in my social circles (I am also terrible self-conscious and care about how I am perceived).

I didn't realize schools such as UNC - Chapel Hill, one of the top ranked schools in the country was such a crap school.

 

[CoolWhipp]

I didn't realize schools such as UNC - Chapel Hill, one of the top ranked schools in the country was such a crap school.

Or UCSF

 

[MiniMoo]

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees. Also, it is not really considered an acceptable career path for people in my social circles (I am also terrible self-conscious and care about how I am perceived).

You mean schools like UCSF? Oh yes, that must be dreadfully shameful.

And how exactly are pharmacists perceived in your social circles?

 

[riverjib]

I considered this but I am too much of an arrogant jackass to go to the type of schools that have pharmacy degrees. Also, it is not really considered an acceptable career path for people in my social circles (I am also terrible self-conscious and care about how I am perceived).

What is biochemical engineering? I have heard of chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, but not biochemical engineering?

From what I hear, it is really hard to get a job with a biomed eng degree and I am therefore reluctant to pursue that path. Also, I would prefer to go to some type of graduate school and I don't know if biomedical engineering necessitates an advanced degree.

Sorry, but you'd be a terrible physician if you've only narrowed it down to something you'll consider in the absence of other "acceptable" options. I'm glad you'll admit your arrogance, but medicine is already overloaded with arrogant jerks who think they are god's gift to medicine. Nobody needs to deal with another one who merely "deigns" to do the job. Why not consider a new track? Finance?

PLEASE don't go into medicine...physicians are already receiving enough hatred from the general public.

 

[moxche]

CONSULTING

Try to pick up a business/managent major (or at least a minor) along with your science major, then go into consulting. Get some company internships (i.e., not doing research at a university) to beef up your resume and get some connections.

 

[SunnySideUp14]

Haven't you seen Breaking Bad? Just start cooking up crystal meth... it's VERY "interesting" as you put it!

Haha you beat me to it! This was exactly was I was going to say!!! Love that show.