What made you decide on medicine and was it worth it?

[Toolazytomakeaname]

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I wanted to become a doctor because I love science and I want to do research and keep learning. But I'm getting kind of sick of the admission process for MD programs. Now I'm starting to think I should get a PhD in neuroscience and study brains which would be the coolest thing ever!! But it's hard to finally let go of medicine after I've been planing on it for so long. And I'm worried that if I do research without teaching as a professor, I won't be able to make enough money to pay off my college debt.

What do you think? Anything you say will be greatly appreciated. 😀

 

[mcatjelly]

Getting a PhD in Neuroscience ain't necessarily a cakewalk compared to medical school, for the record.

If the MD admissions process doesn't seem worth it to you, then that could definitely be a sign that you should look into other interests of yours. If you haven't already, I would get involved in a research lab ASAP--I did a semester of research in a cognitive neuroscience lab running EEGs on participants, which made me realize that I hate research but it was a really awesome experience regardless.

Applying to medical school and studying for the MCAT felt like a laborious, unbearable process until I truly understood why I want to be a physician. Now I feel ready to give it my all.

So really, my only advice is that you continue getting experience in and exposure to a variety of professions. It's going to be difficult to figure out what you want if you don't know what that entails.

 

[caffeinemia]

I wanted to become a doctor because I love science and I want to do research and keep learning. But I'm getting kind of sick of the admission process for MD programs. Now I'm starting to think I should get a PhD in neuroscience and study brains which would be the coolest thing ever!! But it's hard to finally let go of medicine after I've been planing on it for so long. And I'm worried that if I do research without teaching as a professor, I won't be able to make enough money to pay off my college debt.

What do you think? Anything you say will be greatly appreciated. 😀

The glut of graduate students in science and the relative scarcity of tenured professorships suggest that you may walk into a very tough/insecure job market as a Ph.D. That or you must reconcile yourself with the fact that working in industry is a viable alternative career for those who hold a Ph.D. At the end of the day, I commend you for recognizing that you must be passionate about what you do in life.

Also, entering medicine because you "love science" will make for the dullest personal statement/interview ever. I'm going to suggest that you should "love people" before you love science, if you intend to be a physician.

 

[Doug Underhill]

If studying neuroscience is the coolest thing ever, you should go do that. Getting a Ph.D in neuroscience doesn't mean you'll have to resort to Wal-Mart to get by due to a paucity of tenure-track faculty positions. Even if you can't land one of those, you can probably get by making $70k as a research assistant professor for a big PI or in a core lab at a research university.

Those people get by just fine.

 

[Microglia]

If studying neuroscience is the coolest thing ever, you should go do that. Getting a Ph.D in neuroscience doesn't mean you'll have to resort to Wal-Mart to get by due to a paucity of tenure-track faculty positions. Even if you can't land one of those, you can probably get by making $70k as a research assistant professor for a big PI or in a core lab at a research university.

Those people get by just fine.

Agree to disagree.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25642132/

 

[palatopharyngeus]

I wanted to become a doctor because I love science and I want to do research and keep learning. But I'm getting kind of sick of the admission process for MD programs. Now I'm starting to think I should get a PhD in neuroscience and study brains which would be the coolest thing ever!! But it's hard to finally let go of medicine after I've been planing on it for so long. And I'm worried that if I do research without teaching as a professor, I won't be able to make enough money to pay off my college debt.

What do you think? Anything you say will be greatly appreciated. 😀

good money, good lifestyle, great job security, prestige in society, noble/helping profession, intellectually stimulating, and self-satisfaction (derived in large part from the aforementioned things). whats not to like?

 

[cyclopes93]

If you didn't know, during PhD you do get stipend (~27k) with tuition and possibly room paid. That is if you get a grant for the four years. I think that you shouldn't think getting a PhD is low paying. It has its perks once you get it (getting it is definitely just as hard in its own way like an MD). Such perks are coming in at a later time in the morning, having to do projects in teams, getting the time to spend with your family, even being able to pick your kids up, comfy office space, and living still a reputable life. Trust me, I have a parent who has that. The only reason the pay is low is because it's a risk to go into company and if you don't go to company at an early age after PhD, then no one employs you or you get employed at the rural settings.

Anyways, an MD is appropriate if you are very people centric, puzzle-solving, you enjoy the company of speaking humanly with people and they enjoy it too, you love the science of medicine, you see beyond the nice waiting rooms of a doctor's office.

 

[Toolazytomakeaname]

Agree to disagree.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/25642132/

Why would you show this to me? I was already scared of getting a PhD because I know I will be in so much debt that I need to pay off. I think you convinced me that a PhD is not an option unless I get a grant or scholarship.
Thanks for the reality check though.

 

[Toolazytomakeaname]

The glut of graduate students in science and the relative scarcity of tenured professorships suggest that you may walk into a very tough/insecure job market as a Ph.D. That or you must reconcile yourself with the fact that working in industry is a viable alternative career for those who hold a Ph.D. At the end of the day, I commend you for recognizing that you must be passionate about what you do in life.

Also, entering medicine because you "love science" will make for the dullest personal statement/interview ever. I'm going to suggest that you should "love people" before you love science, if you intend to be a physician.

Thanks! And I do love people. I like working with people and I want to do research to help people.

 

[Toolazytomakeaname]

I truly understood why I want to be a physician

That's what I'm asking. Why do you want to become a physician? And how did you figure out that this is the reason you want to become a physician?

I'm doing undergrad research right now. It is tedious but I love it. I enjoy every second of it. So I know that even if I get an MD, I will continue doing research.

 

[mooop]

If you cannot handle the admissions process what makes you think you can handle residency process?

Go do your PhD, but not like it is any easier.

 

[deleted407021]

.It's probably your first year looming ahead that's got you a bit anxious.

I'm not certain about my certainty...but I can give reasons for medicine being an attractive field for me. This is a copy/paste from my career outline I made for a class assignment.

1. Why do I want to be a physician?
   1. Humanism
      1. physicians can have a positive and lasting impact on many people
      2. physicians are provided with the tools necessary to be effective humanists within and without their scope of medical practice
      3. physicians have the ability to relieve suffering in its many forms
      4. I am very interested in providing free care to underserved populations in a free clinic setting
      5. I am interested in becoming a physician-educator, sharing my knowledge to help students achieve
   2. Societal Influence
      1. physicians, by virtue of their broad education have the capacity to be very effective science communicators and educators
      2. physicians are often advocates for positive change within society and for the safety and health of individuals and communities
   3. Autonomy and Authority
      1. physicians are the leaders of the healthcare team and a physician is responsible for making the most important decisions for patient care
      2. since physicians have full practice rights, they have the ability to open their own practices on their own terms
      3. physicians are called upon in many situations in which their expertise may be applicable
   4. Highly Educated
      1. physicians are very well educated with a litany of tools and understandings gained over at least 8 years of college education
      2. physicians are well informed and responsible members of society
   5. Finances
      1. most physicians achieve financial stability
      2. average yearly income for physician men in 2014 was $267,000
      3. physicians have the financial resources to pursue their interests outside of their careers such as their families, hobbies and non-medical endeavors

Overall, I want to make a positive impact and actively make the world a better place to live in. I could accomplish this through any number of different careers. I happen to enjoy medicine, the little bit of it I've seen, at least.

This is a post I made in a thread asking a similar question.

Will it be worth it? I don't know, but I'm confident it will be.

 

[Toolazytomakeaname]

This is a post I made in a thread asking a similar question.

Will it be worth it? I don't know, but I'm confident it will be.

Thanks. You seem to know exactly what you want so you'll probably become a great doctor. Your list helped me conclude that aside from finances, a PhD will have the same advantages as medicine. While medicine is worth it to you, research is worth it to me.

 

[mcatjelly]

That's what I'm asking. Why do you want to become a physician? And how did you figure out that this is the reason you want to become a physician?

I'm doing undergrad research right now. It is tedious but I love it. I enjoy every second of it. So I know that even if I get an MD, I will continue doing research.

Two experiences have had the most significant impact on my decision: 1) my mental health advocacy experience in college, and 2) my current job as a Psychiatric Technician. I am very interested in taking part in the eventual integration of mental health into primary care; studies have shown that people who initially see a PCP for mental health problems are much more likely to follow up with a mental health professional than those who first seek help from any other profession, and I'd love to help increase mental health competency among physicians. But I'm also hoping to match into a psychiatry residency and do therapy in addition to medication management. Mental health has such a large impact on people's lives and their ability to function/realize their potential, and at my current job I've witnessed how closely it interacts with physical health.

Aside from the mental health stuff, I've also experienced how various professions play a part in patient treatment, and physicians clearly have the largest impact. There is also a greater deal of critical thinking involved, which is important to me. I enjoy my current job, but there's very little brain power involved. I want to have opportunities to have to draw from my knowledge to continually be solving new puzzles.

So that's that, in a nutshell. 😛