Vet med or human medicine?

[CatLady1995]

I am fascinated by medicine and if I see a sick living being (human or animal, doesn’t matter for me) I can’t just walk by, I want to help. I love all kinds of animals, but can’t say the same about people, although I am generally kind and helpful to everyone.

I went to med school for 2 years, I did quite well but had to take a gap year for personal reasons. During this time I realized that maybe being a veterinarian would be a better fit for me. I decided to take another gap year, but I am still unable to decide between the two professions and it’s making me crazy. I either have to go back to med school this September (maybe the next one) or apply to vet school and start it next year. I gathered every information possible on the internet, did all the career and personality tests, watched surgeries and other procedures on animals, but still have no idea.

Why med school?

I find human medicine much more interesting and I like it that I can choose a field, for example haematology, and I don’t have to deal with things like surgery at all. I would like specialize in internal medicine and do some research, or be a pediatric general practitioner. But on the other side, I am a pretty introverted person (INFJ), I have trouble with socializing, so dealing with people all day every day for the next 40 years might be too much for me. We had some hospital practice and I was talking to everyone just fine, but I don’t know how it would work out in the long run. I know that there are fields like pathology or lab work where I don’t see that much people, but these seem a bit boring to me, especially for so many years. The healthcare system in my country is also really bad, most hospitals are in a terrible condition and the salary of doctors is incredibly low. Maybe I would be able to move to another country, but I am not sure.

Why vet school?

On the positive side, I am much more comfortable with animals than with people and the salary is pretty much OK. But being a veterinarian scares me because I can’t choose a specific field and I can’t avoid surgery and other invasive things (at least I don’t know of any veterinarian in my country who does internal medicine only). I am not interested in surgery at all and even if I was it would be hard because I am a really clumsy person. I have almost no spatial awareness and if I manage to do a manual task, I do it really slowly. On the other hand, I can do knitting, crochet and sewing, and had no problem with surgical knots and basic suturing techniques in med school. I was a bit slower than the others, but my sutures were mostly fine, so this whole manual dexterity thing is really confusing for me, because in other fields I am completely useless.

I know that no one can make this decision for me, but I would like to know your opinion. Which career would be a better fit for an introverted person with an interest in internal medicine and poor manual dexterity skills?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MAD MIKE O7]

If you would be happy with either profession I would suggest continuing with human medicine. I'm not sure what country you are from but veterinary medicine does offer specialization just like human medicine and some veterinarians do not perform surgery after veterinary school. You would be surprised at how much time is spent talking to people as a veterinarian though, that is probably close to 80 percent of the job to be honest.

Veterinarians also do not make nearly as much money as their counterparts on the human side so that is something to consider as well. If you are still seriously considering veterinary medicine I would suggest shadowing a vet so that you can see what the profession is really like. You should also research what the cost of veterinary school in your country is and what the requirements are as well.

Kansas State class of 2022

 

[SkiOtter]

I find human medicine much more interesting and I like it that I can choose a field, for example haematology, and I don’t have to deal with things like surgery at all. I would like specialize in internal medicine and do some research, or be a pediatric general practitioner. But on the other side, I am a pretty introverted person (INFJ), I have trouble with socializing, so dealing with people all day every day for the next 40 years might be too much for me.

If you enjoy the human medical field more and find it more interesting, why are we even here?
You have to deal with a LOT of people as a veterinarian. They’re the ones bringing the pets in, telling you the symptoms they’ve noticed, okaying treatment plans because they’re paying, you have to tell them what you think may be wrong with their animal and what you’re going to try and do to help the animal and make sure they understand it, you have to deal with people who don’t have the same level of caring for their animals (some people they’re part of their family and will do whatever they can to help them, others it’s just another piece of property that they like but if it gets expensive to keep and dies they’ll just get another one). You have to deal with pets more than you’re dealing with animals in the vet field.

The healthcare system in my country is also really bad, most hospitals are in a terrible condition and the salary of doctors is incredibly low. Maybe I would be able to move to another country, but I am not sure.

The salary for veterinarians is not that great for the amount of debt you go into. Which for you, you’d also be in debt for two years of medical school as well. Check what the requirements are to move and practice in a different country. Some vet schools are accredited in multiple, so I would think some med schools would be too. If they’re not, there’s probably an extremely difficult test you can take to be allowed to practice in whichever country you’re wanting to move to. Same with vetmed for practicing in the US.

On the positive side, I am much more comfortable with animals than with people and the salary is pretty much OK. But being a veterinarian scares me because I can’t choose a specific field and I can’t avoid surgery and other invasive things (at least I don’t know of any veterinarian in my country who does internal medicine only). I am not interested in surgery at all and even if I was it would be hard because I am a really clumsy person. I have almost no spatial awareness and if I manage to do a manual task, I do it really slowly. On the other hand, I can do knitting, crochet and sewing, and had no problem with surgical knots and basic suturing techniques in med school. I was a bit slower than the others, but my sutures were mostly fine, so this whole manual dexterity thing is really confusing for me, because in other fields I am completely useless.

You will still have to learn surgery regardless of whether you wish to practice it outside of school.

I know that no one can make this decision for me, but I would like to know your opinion. Which career would be a better fit for an introverted person with an interest in internal medicine and poor manual dexterity skills?

Internal medicine is a specialty in veterinary medicine as well. You yourself said you were more interested in human medicine. Have you shadowed a veterinarian to see if you ACTUALLY like the field, or do you just like the idea of the field and “playing with puppies and kitties all day”?? If you haven’t shadowed a veterinarian, I suggest you get that set up ASAP because spending time in a veterinary clinic is the only way you’re going to see what this field is like. If you end up preferring it, cool. If you go back to human Med, awesome.

 

[CatLady1995]

Thanks for your reply. I live in Hungary and unfortunately vets make more money here and even they don't make that much. I know everything about the entry requirements and tuition fees and they are not an issue for me.

 

[SkiOtter]

Thanks for your reply. I live in Hungary and unfortunately vets make more money here and even they don't make that much. I know everything about the entry requirements and tuition fees and they are not an issue for me.

Since you’re a member of the EEA, it may be easier for you to live and work in a different country in Europe as a grad of a program there. I’d look up the requirements and see how the human medical field is doing in some other countries.

 

[supershorty]

If there's any question at all, finish medical school. Don't essentially start over for something you don't even know you'll like.

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

I am curious why you feel this way about pathology. I work in a veterinary pathology lab and maintain it is very interesting, much more so than just sitting in a lab. First of all consider what would be coming to your lab - things that cannot be easily clinically diagnosed, requiring complex research and skill to solve the puzzle. Pathologists also perform necropsies for COD, have cool tools like immunochemistry to play with, etc

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

On the positive side, I am much more comfortable with animals than with people and the salary is pretty much OK. But being a veterinarian scares me because I can’t choose a specific field and I can’t avoid surgery and other invasive things (at least I don’t know of any veterinarian in my country who does internal medicine only). I am not interested in surgery at all and even if I was it would be hard because I am a really clumsy person. I have almost no spatial awareness and if I manage to do a manual task, I do it really slowly. On the other hand, I can do knitting, crochet and sewing, and had no problem with surgical knots and basic suturing techniques in med school. I was a bit slower than the others, but my sutures were mostly fine, so this whole manual dexterity thing is really confusing for me, because in other fields I am completely useless.

I know that no one can make this decision for me, but I would like to know your opinion. Which career would be a better fit for an introverted person with an interest in internal medicine and poor manual dexterity skills?

Sidenote: Veterinarians can and do specialize past general practice - they can do internships and residencies just like MDs/DOs if they want. I'm a veterinary pathologist and I've never had to do surgery in my life. There are veterinary radiologists, oncologists, anesthesiologists, internal medicine specialists, opthalmologists, dermatologists,pharmacologists, etc......

Check out the list of European specialty associations:

Colleges - EBVS - European Board of Veterinary Specialists