The grass is greener on the other side... what inspires you to make it there?

[CopToEM]

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I've noticed over the years on SDN that a lot of students get caught up in the pursuit of medical school. The classes, the letters, the ECs, the process, etc. etc. I'm sure most of us are guilty of reaching for a dream and in the process completely ignoring the experience of the journey.

So, as this year closes out, I thought it would be interesting to ask others what keeps you moving forward? Why on earth are you pursuing what, from the onset of college, was to be a 11+ year journey to become a physician?

 

[CopToEM]

For me it really came down to two things - one of which many medical students and physicians are afraid to admit.

First, I got sick of not living up to my potential in life. There's nothing wrong with working IT jobs and being a cop but it's certainly not an easy life. I wanted to be intellectually challenged... to use my intelligence to perhaps leave some lasting impact on this world and give my life a deeper purpose. I actually feel like that's a bit selfish; to use the hardships of others to gain personal satisfaction. I felt the same way when I was a cop. However, there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't feel like I was really underestimating my abilities.

Secondly, for financial security. Many docs and med students don't want to discuss this and I have never understood why. No one in their right mind would sign up for this road unless there were some security at the end. Will I ever be independently wealthy as a physician? Perhaps not. Will I be able to have a secure job with, despite what politicos may want you to believe, certain security for a lucrative future? No doubt about it. Having been raised in a household with immense financial struggles I don't feel like that's anything to be ashamed of. I don't want to worry about how the next bill is going to get paid.

So, in essence, those two things combined keep me chugging forward in the gloomiest of med school days. Reminding myself that in some way I can change my community for the better while having personal satisfaction and providing a future for myself, my wife, and my family.

What say ye, SDNers? What keeps you moving along in your pre-med studies?

 

[darklabel]

Well a few things, I'll keep it short:

One, I feel studying for the MCAT, doing well in my classes actually makes me happy. Seeing progress is something that keeps me going. While everyone is bored on break, the days just float by as I study and do something meaningful.

Second, financial stability. Truth is, other professions such as engineering, are difficult and with a low starting salary is with no guarantee of living where you want or having the job that you want. Medicine in general is one of those few fields I can be in that I KNOW I can raise a family on the income provided (even if its as a FM)

And third, making myself and my family happy. Truth is, I value their input (not in a "do everything they say" kind of way) and I know that despite everything they will support me. Seeing me graduate college, then (hopefully) medical school and beyond is something I can't imagine not doing.

..and to help people 😀

Happy Holidays SDNers!

 

[dudeliness]

This is an interesting idea. I'll join in.

What CoptoEM said rings very true with me. I've always wanted to be a doctor, but kind of subconsciously hid that from myself when I started school because I was afraid I couldn't cut it academically. I had some tough times with some classes, retook them and got more serious, then excelled and surprised myself. It was the motivation I needed to believe in myself and I've been shocked at the "success" I've seen so far.
That being said, I haven't even started med school yet...but I believe I'll do just fine.

I also grew up in a pretty tight financial situation and I am really looking to provide more stability for my own little family than I had while growing up. I don't regret having little while growing up, but I'd like to not have my kids worry about whether mom and dad will make rent etc.

Lastly, my main motivation is my wife and daughter and them believing in/counting on me. I couldn't focus well enough to set goals and accomplish them without my family.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Well a few things, I'll keep it short:

One, I feel studying for the MCAT, doing well in my classes actually makes me happy. Seeing progress is something that keeps me going. While everyone is bored on break, the days just float by as I study and do something meaningful.

Second, financial stability. Truth is, other professions such as engineering, are difficult and with a low starting salary is with no guarantee of living where you want or having the job that you want. Medicine in general is one of those few fields I can be in that I KNOW I can raise a family on the income provided (even if its as a FM)

And third, making myself and my family happy. Truth is, I value their input (not in a "do everything they say" kind of way) and I know that despite everything they will support me. Seeing me graduate college, then (hopefully) medical school and beyond is something I can't imagine not doing.

..and to help people 😀

Happy Holidays SDNers!

👍😀

 

[chiddler]

Well a few things, I'll keep it short:

One, I feel studying for the MCAT, doing well in my classes actually makes me happy. Seeing progress is something that keeps me going. While everyone is bored on break, the days just float by as I study and do something meaningful.

Happy Holidays SDNers!

i've never admitted this to anybody, but (besides the verbal) i enjoyed studying mcat. i love the sciences so much! this is a strong motivator for me.

not doing bench work as a career because i didn't like how isolating lab was.

 

[coolingglasses]

Freedom/autonomy, which plays into another factor: financial security. I've spent my entire life working/studying at the bottom rung of different programs and positions. As a student x-ray tech, everyone was my supervisor, and sometimes it felt like I had 5 people breathing down my neck at any single moment. It was an awesome program but damn, that part wears on me... although I know I'm in for more of this until I become an attending. And money doesn't buy happiness but it sure keeps the stress at bay. My financial life currently sits on a very sensitive teeter-totter... one failed car part and things could go sour.

Family. I'm the first member of my blood family to hold an acceptance to medical school, I can already see the pride in their faces and those of my friends. As a first-gen child of immigrants, I think it's awesome that I was able to step up and do this.

And cliche as it is, the ability to heal and help others. Doing my radiography program helped satisfy that desire for a little while, but eventually it dawned on me that my abilities were going to be forever limited by the scope of practice. I'd only see patients for an hour at most if I was assisting in interventional. And usually more like 5-10 minutes. Physicians get to build history and rapport with their patients, and really influence their health. Pretty damn cool imho.

 

[drshark]

For me i have always loved learning about the body, it's still a big mystery and that's why i love it. Being in the hospital gives me an adrenaline rush, I can see myself spending my career in the hospital and never getting sick of it, i love patients and i love being around other smart people who have a similar passion. Plus i'll look good in my new lambo i purchase straight out of residency😉 haha jk, really but not really. 😛

 

[ajh1983]

For me it really came down to two things - one of which many medical students and physicians are afraid to admit.

First, I got sick of not living up to my potential in life. There's nothing wrong with working IT jobs and being a cop but it's certainly not an easy life. I wanted to be intellectually challenged... to use my intelligence to perhaps leave some lasting impact on this world and give my life a deeper purpose. I actually feel like that's a bit selfish; to use the hardships of others to gain personal satisfaction. I felt the same way when I was a cop. However, there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't feel like I was really underestimating my abilities.

Secondly, for financial security. Many docs and med students don't want to discuss this and I have never understood why. No one in their right mind would sign up for this road unless there were some security at the end. Will I ever be independently wealthy as a physician? Perhaps not. Will I be able to have a secure job with, despite what politicos may want you to believe, certain security for a lucrative future? No doubt about it. Having been raised in a household with immense financial struggles I don't feel like that's anything to be ashamed of. I don't want to worry about how the next bill is going to get paid.

So, in essence, those two things combined keep me chugging forward in the gloomiest of med school days. Reminding myself that in some way I can change my community for the better while having personal satisfaction and providing a future for myself, my wife, and my family.

What say ye, SDNers? What keeps you moving along in your pre-med studies?

This is very close to my experience as well.

Personally I have always underutilized my abilities academically, and only in recent years did I put forth anything resembling a "full" effort.... yielding amazing results. When I am not challenged, I fail and fall apart. I struggle with easy tasks because my mind refuses to engage, and I excel at difficult things, because it's engaging enough for me to care. I know this sounds backwards, but it's a phenomenon that has taken me years to understand.

I'm a veteran who started out post high school with vigor and energy. I graduated #1 out of roughly 1000 fellow trainees in boot camp / rate school. I entered SEAL training in the Navy with little to no athletic background and maintained top 10% of my class. I was injured shortly after, and since it has been a struggle to ever regain the same passion I possessed back then.

Medicine has shown itself as the next arena for me to engage and excel. Not being boastful at all, but the reality is I'm extremely intelligent and I believe people with great ability have an innate responsibility to use their tools to restore order/do good. I do not feel that daily "satisfaction" unless I am engaged with other people in a meaningful way. And if there are only a handful of times during my medical career where someone looks at me thinking "you've changed things for me" it will be more than enough to make this all worth it.

edit: and yes, financial security. My family will be provided for and protected with all means at my disposal. My children, providing they are sincerely motivated, will be provided a college and (should they desire), a graduate level education to pursue their dreams.

 

[deleted480308]

I want work that is emotionally rewarding, financially rewarding and intellectually stimulating. Pastoring failed two of the three, construction management failed a different two...medicine will pass all three and actually allow me to move back to a rural area....win!

 

[Canoedad]

Wow...I see similarities in many of these post so I doubt I am much different, but...

I guess deep down I never felt I was capable of making it into medical school. I had never truly been challenged in school. Grades 7-12 where a more in-depth repeat of grades k-6 so I just stopped caring. I joined the Army and made a difference. Then I was hurt. I had nothing left to strive for at the time and coasted through life. Then one day it all changed. I do not know what happened or how, but once I made the decision to be a doc everything just made sense. The autonomy and financial independence are fairly enticing, but ultimately it is the challenge that keeps me going everyday and the look on my daughters face when I have exciting news to tell her, and eventually when I can tell her I'll pay for college...

Something I have learned throughout this journey... To find true motivation, emotional strength, and unbiased wisdom; one must look deep into their soul, and accept the person they've been chosen to become.

 

[CRCprofessional]

Basically, what I'm going to say combines all of the previous posts.

I like to be challenged. Medicine is the only field that I feel is constantly changing and will always be a challenge, whether it's being aware of new treatments and medications or just learning how to deal with all different types of people. Yes, the financial stability is nice, but it's not what keeps me motivated. In the end, knowing that I will develop relationships with people that is unlike any other relationship, that is why I love medicine. I also want to help underserved communities in other countries lacking healthcare. Lastly, I want to be my own boss, and I don't want to report to anyone else. Yes, there is always someone else you will have to report to, but that is the distinction, for me, between being a nurse, NP or PA.

 

[DolFAN]

Several things.

My parents came to the country in their mid 30's, they struggled and worked their asses off to provide for me. So part of me becoming a physician has to do with making their sacrifice worthwhile . I'd be the first of my family to become a physician and thats a warm fuzzy feeling.

I like the knowledge that comes with the territory. When we've had medical students come through the ER they're so knowledgeable, they know so much and I want that. The attending are brilliant and people look up to them for guidance, I also want that responsibility and feeling.

Being able to help people in a very intimate way. While shadowing a thoracic pediatric surgeon we went and spoke to the parents of a child after a successful operation and the gratitude that we got was an amazing feeling and was so sincere.

 

[CopToEM]

It's already interesting to see how different but alike we all are in our motivations. An overarching theme is intellectual challenge which is why one of our professors told us all med students are slightly masochistic! Hardest thing many of us will ever do and yet we walk right into it with our guard down!

Keep 'em coming!

 

[Member000000]

Mine's actually pretty similar to the dude's. When I started school, I think I subconsciously knew I wanted to do medicine, but felt I wasn't good enough/cut out for it, so I hid it from myself/fought against it whenever I consciously debated it. I didn't do well at first, because I was neither motivated nor intellectually challenged, but after I actually admitted to myself that I had goals, I took things seriously and suprised myself with how well I did.

Beyond that though, I believe strongly in service to your country and community. I joined the Army in order to fulfill that, but honestly you don't have to be smart. You don't have to push yourself intellectually in most of the roles. So I was lacking mental stimulation.

I also would like to have a career with job stability. In the Army, if you get hurt, yes you'll receive disability, but you're out of a job and unless you're in an MOS that translates to the civilian sector, you're kind of SOL. If I get hurt in the Army as a doctor, I'll still be a doctor. No matter where I move, I will be able to find a job.

 

[ajh1983]

Enjoying this thread. Striking similarities so far.

 

[GopherMD]

I'm going into medicine for one reason, and one reason only: to find my Eliott Reid

 

[GopherMD]

But in all seriousness, I enjoy being challenged and interacting with people from different backgrounds. Right now I'm really interested in hospital medicine, which allows me to see the same patients for multiple days and to see their progress/improvement (I work as a scribe in IM). Plus the financial aspect ain't bad either 🙂

 

[dsoz]

I thought about medicine when I was in undergrad for about 10 minutes. Then, because of my immaturity, I thought I would not be able to handle A&P. My undergrad had cadavers, and just walking down the hallway where the lab was located creeped me out.

Then I got married and had my first kid. I decided to take the easiest/quickest way out of undergrad and got my science degree with a teaching credential. Teaching was most of what I thought it would be. I tell my students that "it is not the science or the teaching that keeps me here, it is you, the students, that make my day. I enjoy the human interaction that goes with the classroom environment."

What gets me to want out of the classroom is the feeling that I am not putting my intellectual ability to the highest level I can go. When after 4 months, I am still needing to tell sophomores (that have passed algebra) how to rearrange a three variable equation (solve F=ma for mass... divide both sides by a to make m=F/a... etc.) I get a little frustrated.

Job security is also high on my list. How many times have you seen a person on the side of the off--ramp at the freeway with a cardboard sign that reads "unemployed physician. Will write script for food." Although, with the amount of time that I have put into the school, I don't think my position will ever be in danger. But that is part of the problem with public education. There are some very crummy teachers that have job security, but some very awesome teachers that will loose their jobs to budget cuts because they are "last one hired is the first one fired."

I have had a comfortable life as a teacher with a house payment, car payment, food on the table, etc. I have not been able to provide ALL the things that my kids "need at the moment" but then learn that they can live without. But I was able to spend time with my kids on school vacations. Now that they have grown up, I can focus on doing something that will (I hope) make me happy and keep me intellectually stimulated.

I am lucky enough that my spouse supports this move. She has a job that is good enough that we can make the mortgage payment and she can provide health insurance for us while I leave the job that provides 80% of the income for our household. We will be going into about a quarter of a million dollars into debt just so I can work the rest of my life to pay back student loans and save for retirement. If I stayed in teaching, I would be eligible to retire in 15 years. But the amount that I would get from my pension is about 1/5 of my paycheck at this time. I would not be able to live on that amount of money, and cannot afford to put more into retirement at this time. My personal retirement account is loosing money faster than I am putting it in, so I slowed down putting money in.

Don't even get me started on how "poor" residents are. I understand that they get paid a low amount for the number of hours worked. But the first year that I taught I was under the federal poverty level (full time teacher with a master's degree). I had to work for 10 years to earn as "little" as a resident makes.

What I think is funny is that I have heard of two people in the past year that are physicians that are woking on getting their teaching credential. They would be better off teaching at a university or at a medical school.

I think the grass will be greener on the physician side of the fence, they think it will be greener on the teacher side. Who knows, maybe the person that said that the grass is greener over the septic tank was the most accurate. To paraphrase Samuel Shem, there is money in poop. The more poop you can put up with, the more money there is. Sometimes it is literal, sometimes figurative.

Good luck to you all in your journey in life. May you find something to do that will make you happy.

dsoz

 

[Ost3oclast]

I actually started out pre-med my freshman year. I was lazy and didnt really put a lot of effort into my studies. As weird as it was, I sat down at a computer my second semester and looked at practice MCAT problems. I decided right then and there that becoming a doctor was too hard. Fast forward a couple years, I was following the PT route. Didnt really enjoy what I was doing and didnt feel as if I was challenging myself intellectually. Still, I was too afraid to pursue medical school.

Then, I found out I was going to have a baby with my, now, wife. I knew that if I wanted my daughter to follow her dreams that I would need to set a good example for her, although two years late, I started pre-med again and finally got accepted. She is what keeps me going. Always.

 

[DolFAN]

But in all seriousness, I enjoy being challenged and interacting with people from different backgrounds. Right now I'm really interested in hospital medicine, which allows me to see the same patients for multiple days and to see their progress/improvement (I work as a scribe in IM). Plus the financial aspect ain't bad either 🙂

You lucky bastard, you're a IM scribe??!! I work as an EM scribe and see pretty much the same thing day in and day out. Every now and again I get to see cool cases. What do you normally see?

 

[GopherMD]

You lucky bastard, you're a IM scribe??!! I work as an EM scribe and see pretty much the same thing day in and day out. Every now and again I get to see cool cases. What do you normally see?

EVERYTHING 🙂. That's actually not far from the truth. A lot of chest pain and abdominal pain (just like in EM) but I'm lucky enough to see the whole spectrum from diagnosing to treating a patient. We get the occasionally mystery where every lab known to man comes back normal, yet the patient has a severely altered mental status...basically I love my job

 

[DolFAN]

EVERYTHING 🙂. That's actually not far from the truth. A lot of chest pain and abdominal pain (just like in EM) but I'm lucky enough to see the whole spectrum from diagnosing to treating a patient. We get the occasionally mystery where every lab known to man comes back normal, yet the patient has a severely altered mental status...basically I love my job

I'd love to see IM, EM is very much treat the symptoms and ship'm out. I wish I did scribing at a trauma center.

Do the IM docs ever complain about ER docs admitting nonsense. I'm sure they have to.

 

[CarlisleBeans]

I just know that this is what I need to do with my life. I've had so many different jobs - editor for the Cincinnati Reds, high school English teacher, EMT, ski instructor, travel agent - I've tried it all and medicine is the one place where I feel like work isn't "work." I love knowing that I will be actively engaged in learning for the rest of my life, that I'll have a chance every day to put my mind to use. But, more than anything, I'll be doing something that is actually worth doing. I don't mean to sound all altruistic, but doing something that actually makes a difference and actually helps people, is what really drives me. My mom died of AML when I was 21 and I saw then how important it is to have healthcare providers who really care about their patients and invest in the outcome of their patients. I saw what a difference a caring physician could make to the patient and the family versus a physician who seemed to be competent only in care and not bedside manner. It made me want to become one of those physicians who was not only competent when it came to care, but also competent in having compassion. I consider becoming a physician a privilege and worth every minute of the hard hours that are put in over many years. Besides, what else would I be doing 8 years from now when I've finished my residency?

 

[GopherMD]

I'd love to see IM, EM is very much treat the symptoms and ship'm out. I wish I did scribing at a trauma center.

Do the IM docs ever complain about ER docs admitting nonsense. I'm sure they have to.

Like every day of the week haha. Even I want to go up to ER physicians sometimes and ask why they are admitting a patient. But alas, I have no authority over them...

 

[Dr.TurkandJD]

I'm going into medicine for one reason, and one reason only: to find my Eliott Reid

DIBS!!! Eliot Reid is mine 😍

I've noticed over the years on SDN that a lot of students get caught up in the pursuit of medical school. The classes, the letters, the ECs, the process, etc. etc. I'm sure most of us are guilty of reaching for a dream and in the process completely ignoring the experience of the journey.

So, as this year closes out, I thought it would be interesting to ask others what keeps you moving forward? Why on earth are you pursuing what, from the onset of college, was to be a 11+ year journey to become a physician?

Great thread! I did a lot of work in a developing country and when I was there I was inspired to come back as a physician and help those people. I also have a passion for medicine and science; I cannot see myself doing anything else besides being a physician. My passion for the country and medicine is what keeps my going. We all go through A LOT of bs to reach our goal, but having something that drives you and motivates you is what separates us from people who dropped/changed major after Bio 1.

 

[Xlorgguss]

DIBS!!! Eliot Reid is mine 😍



Great thread! I did a lot of work in a developing country and when I was there I was inspired to come back as a physician and help those people. I also have a passion for medicine and science; I cannot see myself doing anything else besides being a physician. My passion for the country and medicine is what keeps my going. We all go through A LOT of bs to reach our goal, but having something that drives you and motivates you is what separates us from people who dropped/changed major after Bio 1.

My reasons are an all sort of mash up of things. I knew that I loved Biology when I went through 7th grade. It was just so fascinating to me. That year my grandfather had a quintuple bi-pass. I remember talking about the anatomy of the heart with the doctor. So I suppose that was the start. I loved Biology in 10th grade even though I had a terrible teacher. I also love A&P and my college Bio course my senior year. When I was young in middle school I thought I would love to be a chef. My idol was Alton Brown who is really fascinated with the science behind food, so I thought I would do something similar. But that sort of fell by the wayside. All through high school I thought about doing environmental work. Towards the end of High School I was tossing back and forth the idea of Biotech or Bioprocess Engineering. I thought either would have been really fascinating. But I was waitlisted from the school I wanted to go to and ended up going to a community college instead. Through the end of high school and through college I have had a difficult time with family and my mental health so that has been a struggle. I did terrible at cc and had a bad past semester. But I decided against engineering since I didn't really like the chem at cc and dropped it. Then I did business for a semester (accounting, management, econ, stats) and like I said did poorly. I took a break when I moved out of my parents home in between community college and university. I was working retail and I knew I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. It was a real motivator to get back into it. I have since been working as a home health aide in a residence home for people with developmental disabilities. I honestly love what I do and taking care of people. I thought I couldn't handle stuff like bodily fluids etc. but it doesn't bother me one bit. I started looking into the PA field, and that led me to looking into MD/DO. Then I found out about DO grade replacement and how with hard work you can get in. I thought it was 100% impossible, but after reading some of the stories on here, I know it is 100% possible. So honestly, I know at this point I wouldn't be satisfied doing anything out of working in a Bio related field. Looking back the Biotech/Bioprocess Engineering wouldn't have been that bad, but I find human anatomy and physiology and diseases so much more fascinating then exclusive chemical structure and manipulation. I need the human interaction as well. Allied health fields are interesting but I don't think they would satiate my thirst for knowledge. Right now I am extremely interested in surgery. There is no other substitute. At least with other fields you can get similar experiences, but there really isn't any substitute for performing autonomous surgery.

I also like the nature of the job. I love the long hours and hard work. I need something mentally stimulating and interesting. I want something that is really going to consume me and demand my attention. 40 hours a week is nice, but I want more than that.

I would be lying if I said money wasn't a motivator as well. My parents have had an extremely difficult life. I want to be able to live comfortably but also provide for them as well. My father pushes himself to work but has chronic pain. I want to be able to have him sit at home comfortably instead of tearing his body apart like he does now. The monetary aspect is more important for providing for others then providing for myself. I mean money is nice, but if I was just in it for the money, I would choose a different avenue. If I wanted money I would choose something like business.

 

[Xlorgguss]

DIBS!!! Eliot Reid is mine 😍



Great thread! I did a lot of work in a developing country and when I was there I was inspired to come back as a physician and help those people. I also have a passion for medicine and science; I cannot see myself doing anything else besides being a physician. My passion for the country and medicine is what keeps my going. We all go through A LOT of bs to reach our goal, but having something that drives you and motivates you is what separates us from people who dropped/changed major after Bio 1.

My reasons are an all sort of mash up of things. I knew that I loved Biology when I went through 7th grade. It was just so fascinating to me. That year my grandfather had a quintuple bi-pass. I remember talking about the anatomy of the heart with the doctor. So I suppose that was the start. I loved Biology in 10th grade even though I had a terrible teacher. I also love A&P and my college Bio course my senior year. When I was young in middle school I thought I would love to be a chef. My idol was Alton Brown who is really fascinated with the science behind food, so I thought I would do something similar. But that sort of fell by the wayside. All through high school I thought about doing environmental work. Towards the end of High School I was tossing back and forth the idea of Biotech or Bioprocess Engineering. I thought either would have been really fascinating. But I was waitlisted from the school I wanted to go to and ended up going to a community college instead. Through the end of high school and through college I have had a difficult time with family and my mental health so that has been a struggle. I did terrible at cc and had a bad past semester. But I decided against engineering since I didn't really like the chem at cc and dropped it. Then I did business for a semester (accounting, management, econ, stats) and like I said did poorly. I took a break when I moved out of my parents home in between community college and university. I was working retail and I knew I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. It was a real motivator to get back into it. I have since been working as a home health aide in a residence home for people with developmental disabilities. I honestly love what I do and taking care of people. I thought I couldn't handle stuff like bodily fluids etc. but it doesn't bother me one bit. I started looking into the PA field, and that led me to looking into MD/DO. Then I found out about DO grade replacement and how with hard work you can get in. I thought it was 100% impossible, but after reading some of the stories on here, I know it is 100% possible. So honestly, I know at this point I wouldn't be satisfied doing anything out of working in a Bio related field. Looking back the Biotech/Bioprocess Engineering wouldn't have been that bad, but I find human anatomy and physiology and diseases so much more fascinating then exclusive chemical structure and manipulation. I need the human interaction as well. Allied health fields are interesting but I don't think they would satiate my thirst for knowledge. Right now I am extremely interested in surgery. There is no other substitute. At least with other fields you can get similar experiences, but there really isn't any substitute for performing autonomous surgery.

I also like the nature of the job. I love the long hours and hard work. I need something mentally stimulating and interesting. I want something that is really going to consume me and demand my attention. 40 hours a week is nice, but I want more than that.

I would be lying if I said money wasn't a motivator as well. My parents have had an extremely difficult life. I want to be able to live comfortably but also provide for them as well. My father pushes himself to work but has chronic pain. I want to be able to have him sit at home comfortably instead of tearing his body apart like he does now. The monetary aspect is more important for providing for others then providing for myself. I mean money is nice, but if I was just in it for the money, I would choose a different avenue. If I wanted money I would choose something like business.

 

[chiddler]

DIBS!!! Eliot Reid is mine 😍



Great thread! I did a lot of work in a developing country and when I was there I was inspired to come back as a physician and help those people. I also have a passion for medicine and science; I cannot see myself doing anything else besides being a physician. My passion for the country and medicine is what keeps my going. We all go through A LOT of bs to reach our goal, but having something that drives you and motivates you is what separates us from people who dropped/changed major after Bio 1.

Where did you work and what did you do?

I want to do international work as a physician too, but I have no idea if this ambition is realistic given massive debt and the like.

 

[Late Bloomer]

OP, I couldn't have said it better. I grew up poor. Never really cared to be rich, just able to pay for what my fam needs. So, I went back to school and got a degree in the health care field just to work full time and still not be able to provide for my family. And everytime I go to work I feel I'm operating way under my potential. I want to feel like I've truly reached for greatness & in the process I've saved lives and made a difference in the community. I want my children to understand the benefit of never giving up, reaching higher than most will say u can, and becoming more than just mediocre. I don't think I'd ever put myself thru all these years of exhaustion & stress if the only person who reaped the rewards was me.

 

[Life Sucks]

I have no life....among other things that cause me to keep going. Maybe I'm a masochist.

 

[dudeliness]

...Maybe I'm a masochist.

I think all med students/physicians have to be to certain point...

 

[Columbia09]

Secondly, for financial security. Many docs and med students don't want to discuss this and I have never understood why. No one in their right mind would sign up for this road unless there were some security at the end. Will I ever be independently wealthy as a physician? Perhaps not. Will I be able to have a secure job with, despite what politicos may want you to believe, certain security for a lucrative future? No doubt about it. Having been raised in a household with immense financial struggles I don't feel like that's anything to be ashamed of. I don't want to worry about how the next bill is going to get paid.

This is one reason. However getting a City job in NYC is pretty financially secured (i.e being a cop, firefighter, sanitation, MTA, etc). My father pushed me to get a city job because of this but it isn't me. I'm an academic and I feel that medicine is where I belong because I'll be helping people by applying science and I'll make a good living.

Another reason would be that I'll be the first doctor in my family. Most of my family members are blue collar workers and there is nothing wrong with that but I wanted something more. My father is a firefighter and believes that the educational system today is a scam because all of how expensive most undergraduate schools. And then he sees people with college degrees and they can't even find a job so you can't really blame him for thinking that. But I put too much work into my studies and I'm too dedicated to them to become a city worker ( Again nothing wrong with a city job it's just not me).