Thoughts please

[morganbmac]

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Hi everyone,

The doctor I'm shadowing is really trying to convince me not to go into medicine. He is saying with the rising problems with healthcare and the decreasing salary of the doctor it's just not worth it. I have told him repeatedly that I know it's what I want to do, but he is very adamant. do you think I should take his advice to heart? He also says it is harder for women in medicine. getting jobs, family wise etc. Any thoughts on these subjects?
Thanks!!

 

[wiloghby]

It's important to consider the opinion of any experienced physician. Certainly they are trying to help you make an informed decision. They may be just trying to give you a realistic perspective. I'd say 50-60% of the physicians I talked to before applying echoed the same sentiment. "Good luck if you can still make any money in 10 years" was a recurring theme. Also popular is "I spend about 80-90% of my day doing paperwork".

I am sure they are not lying to you -- or at least are trying to give you an honest appraisal of what they dislike about their profession. But only you can decide if that matters to you.

I would agree that, if starting a family is very important to you, there are easier career paths... but again, only you know if that's an important enough consideration to consider a different career.

In my case, I really enjoy being in school and continuously training and learning all the time. Medicine is a good way to spend a long, long time doing that. I also find paperwork very soothing.

 

[sinombre]

He's not a woman, so you should probably ignore his "it's hard as a woman" comment (I'm not saying medicine isn't hard on women, but you should probably speak with female physicians who can actually offer you some insight and perspective).

Salaries might be decreasing, but salaries in every profession are going down. Is making a couple hundred grand a year and doing a job you love not worth it? Completely depends on the person, but from my perspective it's the only thing I can imagine doing. Medicine also has unparalleled job security. It's also objectively the coolest thing ever.

Basically, there are obvious cons of going into medicine, and those cons might be growing/increasing. But for plenty of people (myself included, if it isn't already obvious) the pros more than outweigh the cons.

 

[morganbmac]

Thanks you guys. I totally agree with both of you. I know there are some cons with going into medicine, but that can be any job. I have honestly realized that it's what I want to do for the rest of my life. And I will definitely talk to some female phys. to get their opinions. great advice

 

[sourdoughllama]

As someone who's looked into several different career options before, everyone just complains a lot about their own field

 

[wiloghby]

As someone who's looked into several different career options before, everyone just complains a lot about their own field

^^ This. Anyone having a bad day at work will try to prevent you from suffering as they are. It is also important to consider.

 

[SnakeOilForSale]

I was originally a nursing major and all the nurses I spoke with said I was too bright and would resent myself for not pushing ahead and applying to medical school. And since I decided to switch, every doctor I've spoken with has told me to become an NP/PA/whathaveyou.

Listen to them and consider their thoughts, but at the end of the day, do what you want to do.

 

[Ok2Panic]

Hi everyone,

The doctor I'm shadowing is really trying to convince me not to go into medicine. He is saying with the rising problems with healthcare and the decreasing salary of the doctor it's just not worth it. I have told him repeatedly that I know it's what I want to do, but he is very adamant. do you think I should take his advice to heart? He also says it is harder for women in medicine. getting jobs, family wise etc. Any thoughts on these subjects?
Thanks!!

I think, as other people have said, there are always people in any career who aren't happy and would make a different decision if they had to do it over again. Ultimately I think you just have to do some serious self-reflection and decide if this is for you. I'm a woman and currently applying to residency in a surgical subspecialty, and I can tell you that the advice, often incredibly well-meaning, from attendings and faculty members to jump ship and do something else hasn't stopped. So I think you just have to make sure you're happy with your choice and keep moving forward once you've chosen.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Ultimately, you're just going to have to make the best decision you can with the information you have. You can't really know what it's like to be a physician until you actually are one. Don't discount what experienced physicians are saying, but at the same time you need to come to a conclusion on your own.

Okay, that was kind of vague.