Without those, you would be stupid to go to medical school.
Those aren't required by schools because they just want to be jerks. They're required because you frankly can have no real idea what caring for patients is like, or what doctors actually do on a daily basis, without them. You're committing yourself to 7-10 years of education, $300,000 of debt, and years of constant, extreme stress. You need to show that you actually know what you're getting into.
yeah, definitely. Also - try to get your hands "dirty". I know there are a lot of ways to get patient care experience, and there is really no right or wrong here, but i think getting experience in pathology labs (autopsies), and rotating through psychiatric ward really helped me to learn how to appreciate "less glamorous" side of medicine, and love it for it. I remember my first autopsy, and seeing that patient on the table made things VERY REAL. I remember, that was the day i was writing secondary for EVMS, and there was a question :what is the worst thing about being a doctor? i went on the forum and ppl were writing stuff like "paperwork", and a lot of other things. I didnt know what to write, and took a break. A body came in, and we did an autopsy. and it was a very young person who died from a very serious condition, and i remember looking at him, and something changed inside of me.... i realized that THAT was the worst thing about being a doctor, - when there is NOTHING ELSE YOU CAN DO for the patient.... That was the day i realized WHY i want to be a doctor - so that kids like him do not end up on the table. And then there were so many moments while working in the psychiatric ward (have you ever tried to talk down a drug addicted schizophrenic?
🙂 or talked to a person who just tried to kill himself?). YOu need to see blood, and trauma, and sickness, and vomit. You really need to get exposed to that, because as a doctor you will most likely need to deal with that (depending on the specialty, of course). And then, while going through all of this, my whole life changed. I started looking at people differently. So, yeah. these experiences are CRUCIAL. do it.
See if you can maybe get experience in the hospice? they always need people. Also, you could maybe try volunteering in homeless shelter by ASSISTING NURSE PRACTITIONER. a lot of shelters have nurses working, and this MIGHT be easier to get into. I know that it might be hard for someone who does not work in healthcare field to get patient care hours, so these "alternative" ways might help.
And yeah, this is DEFINITELY for your own good. I had friends who would actually change their mind about career in medicine, and go PhD route after some "gross" exposure. And, honestly, there are so many ways to be successful and happy in life, and do good for people, that you should not feel bad if you end up deciding to go a different route, because you realize that it is not for you. BUt it is better to realize it NOW than realize it later, while you are in school....
