What is your reason for pursuing medical school?

[SilentNight]

So as I have been rewriting my personal statement to reflect my reasons for pursuing medical school, I am curious as to the reasons other people want to go. When I ask pre-meds around my university, many simply state "they want to help people". At one point I believed that those who get into medicine are truly altruistic, but I am sure there is more to it then that. There are plenty of careers that need altruistic individuals such as social workers.

My question to you is what drives you to pursue medicine or if you are already in medical school/residency/etc why did you choose this career path?

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[VOP]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hidj-4Xsjjo[/YOUTUBE]

sent this clip to Hopkins when they asked why i wanted to be a doctor

 

[Mister T]

So as I have been rewriting my personal statement to reflect my reasons for pursuing medical school, I am curious as to the reasons other people want to go. When I ask pre-meds around my university, many simply state "they want to help people". At one point I believed that those who get into medicine are truly altruistic, but I am sure there is more to it then that. There are plenty of careers that need altruistic individuals such as social workers.

My question to you is what drives you to pursue medicine or if you are already in medical school/residency/etc why did you choose this career path?

Chicks, power, money, and chicks.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd9pzC3G-T0[/YOUTUBE]

 

[ShyRem]

OP, you said you are re-writing your PS for why you want to be a doctor. And then you ask our reasons for choosing this career. It almost sounds like you want to hear someone else's reasons to help you write your own PS.... and most folks aren't too likely to share openly if they think you want to plagiarize their ideas.

If you do a search you will likely find what you are asking for.

 

[SilentNight]

I apologize if it seems like I want to get ideas. I already decided on my reasons for my personal statement, but I thought it would be nice to hear what other reasons are. When I sent in my first application I sorely took too much advice on what to write in my personal statement, which ended up being an essay that wasn't truly myself. I would not feel comfortable taking other people's ideas for my own.

I can see where you are coming from ShyRem, and if people do not want to share their reasons that is understandable. On a side note, awesome videos!

 

[Mister T]

I apologize if it seems like I want to get ideas. I already decided on my reasons for my personal statement, but I thought it would be nice to hear what other reasons are. When I sent in my first application I sorely took too much advice on what to write in my personal statement, which ended up being an essay that wasn't truly myself. I would not feel comfortable taking other people's ideas for my own.

I can see where you are coming from ShyRem, and if people do not want to share their reasons that is understandable. On a side note, awesome videos!

Here's the best advice I got when mailing your secondary applications.

Include a big $100 Benjamin with a big smiley face like so:

It works.

 

[Velocity]

I don't think that anyone should answer this question. I know that there are people out there who get stumped by the personal statement and look around for sources of inspiration. If you can't figure out what to write, it's a big, big hint that being a doctor isn't for you! (I'm not accusing the thread starter of fishing for ideas.)

I remember one of my TA's in undergrad had a story about this: she was a pre-pharm, had worked hard at getting to the point of applying, and when she got to the part where she had to say why she wanted to pursue pharmacy, she froze. She couldn't think of what to write for a few hours. She finally came to a realization, and is now pursuing a Ph.D in some area of biology. She was a great person (well-liked by all of the students), and I really respect that she wasn't so focused on her goal that she treated the personal essays as just another test to score well on.