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- Thread starter ilovegrapesoda
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I say this as a pre-med so take with a grain of salt:
I think it's fantastic that you recognize this about yourself already. A lot of people probably feel the same way you do, but they're so blinded by "I've wanted to be a doctor since I was 5!" that they don't realize it until it's too late.
Recognize that as a physician (depending on specialty), most of your interaction will be with non-physicians: patients, family, nurses and other allied health, administrative people. You may be sheltered in the ivory tower for a little while during medical school, but I think the further along the pathway you get (M3/4, residency, practice), the more you interact with people who might try your patience...
What subjects are interesting to you? Do you like research? What about a science PhD of some sort? Engineering, computer science, etc?
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Based on this I would say don't do medicine unless your heart is set on path or rads and research.
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There are lots of jobs that are "essential to society." How on earth would we function as a society without plumbers and garbage collectors? We also need computer scientists, architects, and vaccine developers.
My advice to you is to take a step back and figure out what you actually enjoy. No matter how cool you think the human body is, you probably won't enjoy being a doctor unless you enjoy spending day in and day out talking to the people inside those bodies, listening to their complaints, giving them advice, and then watching them ignore that advice.
The fact that you haven't found something else doesn't mean you should be a doctor. Or a teacher! And please, for god's sake, don't do Teach for America. Underprivileged youth deserve better than that, no offense.
My advice to you is to take a step back and figure out what you actually enjoy. No matter how cool you think the human body is, you probably won't enjoy being a doctor unless you enjoy spending day in and day out talking to the people inside those bodies, listening to their complaints, giving them advice, and then watching them ignore that advice.
The fact that you haven't found something else doesn't mean you should be a doctor. Or a teacher! And please, for god's sake, don't do Teach for America. Underprivileged youth deserve better than that, no offense.
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Become an anesthesiologist. Then you get to talk to "stupid people" for five minutes before putting them to sleep and enjoying hours of blessed quiet.
(half-serious, BTW)
(half-serious, BTW)
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I'm not sure if this will help, but here are some thoughts:
-Bear in mind that a large portion of your education in medical school will involve seeing patients. So if you don't like it now, you probably won't like it then.
-Why does ignorance bother you? Is it because you'd rather just talk within a field that everyone knows about? Or is constantly having to give people information that you think they should know exhausting? Just some questions. If it's the former, then perhaps research would be appealing to you more so than patient care. That's just my take. You could go MD-PhD, but even with this track you'll have to learn how to interact with patients at some point.
-You said you liked studying the human body--maybe consider anatomy/physiology research? You don't have to be a physician to do that.
-Pathology and radiology also have less direct patient interaction, from what I've discerned from shadowing/reading. EDIT: Lol thanks @Lucca for pointing that out already...
Other than these things, just consider what you're interested in studying first--then see if an MD/DO fits with that goal. Best of luck!
-Bear in mind that a large portion of your education in medical school will involve seeing patients. So if you don't like it now, you probably won't like it then.
-Why does ignorance bother you? Is it because you'd rather just talk within a field that everyone knows about? Or is constantly having to give people information that you think they should know exhausting? Just some questions. If it's the former, then perhaps research would be appealing to you more so than patient care. That's just my take. You could go MD-PhD, but even with this track you'll have to learn how to interact with patients at some point.
-You said you liked studying the human body--maybe consider anatomy/physiology research? You don't have to be a physician to do that.
-Pathology and radiology also have less direct patient interaction, from what I've discerned from shadowing/reading. EDIT: Lol thanks @Lucca for pointing that out already...
Other than these things, just consider what you're interested in studying first--then see if an MD/DO fits with that goal. Best of luck!
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If you don't like patients, another career is in order. Go have a chat with your school's career counseling center.
Or Starbucks' baristas!
There are lots of jobs that are "essential to society." How on earth would we function as a society without plumbers and garbage collectors?
Or Starbucks' baristas!
There are lots of jobs that are "essential to society." How on earth would we function as a society without plumbers and garbage collectors?
you post reeks of immaturity.
you are clearly not cut out for medicine, and probably your only motivation is the money and prestige.
moreover, keep in mind that almost everything "business related" is "essential to society." where do you think the jobs come from?
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Word, I have had so many of the same feelings! I love your post and agree with the other poster who applauded your ability to express your feelings clearly.
I also understand a lot of your reasons for wanting to do medicine, and I don't think they're terrible at all.
But, if I may offer a tip, your issue may be fixable! The thing that turned all the awkward patient interactions around for me was taking control of the situation creatively. Once I started identifying real problems in the hospice where I worked, and actively looking for ways to solve those problems, everything started to click. It was still an odd, semi-forced relationship with the patients (and i think that is a big problem with a lot of pre-med clinical relationships), but if I could genuinely help someone, things became FUN. For me that meant starting a campaign to get the books the patients really wanted, and bringing fresh herbs and flowers into the hospital to share with the patients. I got to make 85 year old ladies on feeding tubes LAUGH, sprinkling lavender across their beds like confetti. It was GREAT.
Find ways to make it FUN for you, is what I'm saying. No one's going to make the fun for you, ever, and the structure of pre-med activities--that tedious series of boxes to check--tends to sap initiative. But initiative is where it's at. Get creative, and do what you enjoy, and hope that other people will want to come along on YOUR ride, rather than plodding along on their own sad ponies. If you can do that, you're going to be alright.
EDIT: also, shadowing is the WORST because it allows even LESS initiative. And teaching middle schoolers exhausts me. Terrible. I will not be a pediatrician. Adults getting their GED are way more fun for me. There are other ways to be with people, is what I'm saying! I don't think you should give up.
I also understand a lot of your reasons for wanting to do medicine, and I don't think they're terrible at all.
But, if I may offer a tip, your issue may be fixable! The thing that turned all the awkward patient interactions around for me was taking control of the situation creatively. Once I started identifying real problems in the hospice where I worked, and actively looking for ways to solve those problems, everything started to click. It was still an odd, semi-forced relationship with the patients (and i think that is a big problem with a lot of pre-med clinical relationships), but if I could genuinely help someone, things became FUN. For me that meant starting a campaign to get the books the patients really wanted, and bringing fresh herbs and flowers into the hospital to share with the patients. I got to make 85 year old ladies on feeding tubes LAUGH, sprinkling lavender across their beds like confetti. It was GREAT.
Find ways to make it FUN for you, is what I'm saying. No one's going to make the fun for you, ever, and the structure of pre-med activities--that tedious series of boxes to check--tends to sap initiative. But initiative is where it's at. Get creative, and do what you enjoy, and hope that other people will want to come along on YOUR ride, rather than plodding along on their own sad ponies. If you can do that, you're going to be alright.
EDIT: also, shadowing is the WORST because it allows even LESS initiative. And teaching middle schoolers exhausts me. Terrible. I will not be a pediatrician. Adults getting their GED are way more fun for me. There are other ways to be with people, is what I'm saying! I don't think you should give up.
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I wonder if it's the place you began volunteering at that is making you so disappointed. I would definitely reach out and work with a different age population if that is the case. You never want to determine your life on extremes, better to have an average assessment.
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I hate "stupid people" and would probably be considered antisocial. BUT... when I looked at myself and why I have an adverse physiologic reaction to what I called stupidity, I found necessary conditions that had to exist for me to feel that way:
1. On some level, I cared about being near them or at least valued whatever relationship there was, even if it was just about having a good reputation. (If I really didn't care, I would not have any negative feelings about them)
2. I knew deep down that I was in some way incapable of communicating with that person or getting them to trust me or understand/agree with something I believed or cared about.
3. I also assign my personal value according to the potential benefit that my existence gives to others.
By discovering these things, I have found that it is a lot more accurate to say that I knew I was not working on #2. And being the complacent guy that I can be sometimes, I can't satisfy #1 and #3 without figuring out how to do #2. That takes empathy. Sometimes I meet a new "stupid person" who isn't like the "stupid people" I have already met, but when I remember about working on #2, I find out how to relate to this new person and find that I don't consider them so stupid anymore.
I hope this gives OP an idea on how to understand what's going on. It also depends on OP not being a complete douche, probably.
TL;DR - Most of the time, I hate "stupid people" because I unconsciously know I can't relate to them when I believe I have the capacity and moral obligation to do so.
1. On some level, I cared about being near them or at least valued whatever relationship there was, even if it was just about having a good reputation. (If I really didn't care, I would not have any negative feelings about them)
2. I knew deep down that I was in some way incapable of communicating with that person or getting them to trust me or understand/agree with something I believed or cared about.
3. I also assign my personal value according to the potential benefit that my existence gives to others.
By discovering these things, I have found that it is a lot more accurate to say that I knew I was not working on #2. And being the complacent guy that I can be sometimes, I can't satisfy #1 and #3 without figuring out how to do #2. That takes empathy. Sometimes I meet a new "stupid person" who isn't like the "stupid people" I have already met, but when I remember about working on #2, I find out how to relate to this new person and find that I don't consider them so stupid anymore.
I hope this gives OP an idea on how to understand what's going on. It also depends on OP not being a complete douche, probably.
TL;DR - Most of the time, I hate "stupid people" because I unconsciously know I can't relate to them when I believe I have the capacity and moral obligation to do so.
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OP, I really think it's worth interrogating what you mean by "stupid" or "ignorant" people. (People who are uneducated? Immature? Intolerant? Naive? Old-fashioned?) You don't need to do it here on this thread but I think it's worth doing personally for yourself. I'm willing to bet you're making some unfair judgments about the people you meet.
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This is important.
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Some people have different ideas of what might give their life "purpose."
I think the OP takes that word to mean "making a definite, hands-on, impact on individual lives." A stock broker would define "purpose" as something else. A Starbucks manager would define it as something else. A Senator would define it as something else. Etc. Etc.
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If you think you would enjoy teaching I would say that you can learn how to be an engaging teacher. I think there are certain people who just have the type of bubbly, outgoing personality that might make certain aspects of teaching come more easily to them but there are also strategies you can learn to effectively manage and engage a class and not every teacher has to have that personality. One of my best teachers in HS was my AP calc teacher and she didn't really have the biggest personality... class was all business... but she was a MASTER at explaining these concepts so that calc almost universally became our easiest class. I had other teachers who were super nerdy introverts about their subjects and kids responded to that too.
It doesn't sound like medicine is for you unless you want to get there to do path/rads/maybe anesthesiology. But I find it interesting that you want to do healthcare or education, both of which are largely focused on interacting with people. I would talk to a career counselor and find more opportunities for shadowing and getting involved in various fields, even ones you haven't considered yet. If you think you would like teaching HS then I would definitely try to find something that can get you some real-world experience there whether it is shadowing or maybe doing some after-school volunteer tutoring, to see if it's a good fit for you. I definitely think there are maturity differences between HS and MS that are worth exploring you aren't really feeling MS teaching.
It doesn't sound like medicine is for you unless you want to get there to do path/rads/maybe anesthesiology. But I find it interesting that you want to do healthcare or education, both of which are largely focused on interacting with people. I would talk to a career counselor and find more opportunities for shadowing and getting involved in various fields, even ones you haven't considered yet. If you think you would like teaching HS then I would definitely try to find something that can get you some real-world experience there whether it is shadowing or maybe doing some after-school volunteer tutoring, to see if it's a good fit for you. I definitely think there are maturity differences between HS and MS that are worth exploring you aren't really feeling MS teaching.
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Except that all those careers can define purpose exactly as you said.
Medicine is a job just like any other, sure it's often a privilege to be able to become a doctor, nurse, pa, whathaveyou, and take care of others in that kind of role, but that doesn't make you a special snowflake. The idea of purpose as a quasi teleological ideal of practicing medicine baffles me. It does a pretty piss poor job of explaining the bad days.