What questions should I ask myself before becoming Pre-Med?

[theoretical]

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I am currently a freshman at a top 20 school majoring in chemistry. In high school, I planned just about all of my extracurriculars around becoming pre-med, but as I wrapped up my first semester in college, I began to realize that I'm starting to like research and engineering more and more. I may even pursue a professorship in the future, but of course, there's still that pre-med part of me that wants me to become a doctor.

As the title states, what should I be thinking about before fully committing myself to pre-med, med school, etc.? What should I do during the school year to elucidate whether I should become a doctor?

 

[The Buff OP]

DYEL?

 

[Make Or Break]

DYEL?

That's a great question brah.

 

[The Buff OP]

It sounds like biomedical engineering is what you might want to go for. You still got time to figure out if being a medical doctor is what you want to do in the long run.

 

[Feelgood Inc]

DYEL?

oh my god the video in your signature.

 

[miamiheatfan]

I am currently a freshman at a top 20 school majoring in chemistry. In high school, I planned just about all of my extracurriculars around becoming pre-med, but as I wrapped up my first semester in college, I began to realize that I'm starting to like research and engineering more and more. I may even pursue a professorship in the future, but of course, there's still that pre-med part of me that wants me to become a doctor.

As the title states, what should I be thinking about before fully committing myself to pre-med, med school, etc.? What should I do during the school year to elucidate whether I should become a doctor?

Why is there a "pre-med part of you" that wants to become a doctor? Is it for the right reasons? If it is solely due to money or prestige then do not pursue medicine because you will not be happy. You should shadow a doctor or try a clinical volunteering experience where you interact with patients. How you feel from those should help you decide. Also, if you can see yourself doing anything else then you shouldn't go into medicine.

 

[tima]

Do you have what it takes to become a premed? If yes, proceed.

 

[mimelim]

I am currently a freshman at a top 20 school majoring in chemistry. In high school, I planned just about all of my extracurriculars around becoming pre-med, but as I wrapped up my first semester in college, I began to realize that I'm starting to like research and engineering more and more. I may even pursue a professorship in the future, but of course, there's still that pre-med part of me that wants me to become a doctor.

As the title states, what should I be thinking about before fully committing myself to pre-med, med school, etc.? What should I do during the school year to elucidate whether I should become a doctor?

The only question you should be asking is:

"Do I want to be a physician?" Knowing the following:

#1 You will be in school/training for the next 11-15 years.
#2 You will likely need to take out significant loans to fund school and living for some of those years.
#3 Depending on your personal finances and specialty of choice, you will potentially not be free of loans for the next 25 years.
#4 You will be busy, peaking in medical school and residency where some weeks you will work 90-100 hours/week (of course never averaging over 80 hours/week)
#5 You will never have the autonomy and lifestyle of doctors even 10 years ago.

If you have reasons that will make a career in medicine worth dealing with all of those things, then you should go into medicine. The way to figure that out is to explore medicine. Prove to yourself that you can handle being around sick people by volunteering in a clinical environment. Shadow a number of physicians and see what they do every day. Do not think for one second that medicine is the pinnacle of professions and that everyone should want to go into it. It is not. This is the most important question you will answer in the next year. It is worth taking the time and energy to figure it out right.

 

[The Buff OP]

oh my god the video in your signature.

It's an Ip grabber. Jk

I know, but it's a nice video. 🙁

 

[theoretical]

It sounds like biomedical engineering is what you might want to go for. You still got time to figure out if being a medical doctor is what you want to do in the long run.

Thanks! I was thinking chemical engineering, since I like chemistry a lot, but the biomedical engineering program where I am is especially strong.

 

[sliceofbread136]

DYEL?

How you haven't been banned yet is beyond me

 

[theoretical]

The only question you should be asking is:

"Do I want to be a physician?" Knowing the following:

#1 You will be in school/training for the next 11-15 years.
#2 You will likely need to take out significant loans to fund school and living for some of those years.
#3 Depending on your personal finances and specialty of choice, you will potentially not be free of loans for the next 25 years.
#4 You will be busy, peaking in medical school and residency where some weeks you will work 90-100 hours/week (of course never averaging over 80 hours/week)
#5 You will never have the autonomy and lifestyle of doctors even 10 years ago.

If you have reasons that will make a career in medicine worth dealing with all of those things, then you should go into medicine. The way to figure that out is to explore medicine. Prove to yourself that you can handle being around sick people by volunteering in a clinical environment. Shadow a number of physicians and see what they do every day. Do not think for one second that medicine is the pinnacle of professions and that everyone should want to go into it. It is not. This is the most important question you will answer in the next year. It is worth taking the time and energy to figure it out right.

Thanks for your awesome advice. One of my greatest fears of going into medicine is that I will be in such immense debt. As a doctor, I'd imagine that my salary would be high, but paying off those debts cannot be easy, regardless. Add on top of that starting a family, paying mortgage, and the long hours, and the incentives of becoming a doctor seem to grow smaller.

Huh...I guess I answered my own question.

 

[Dr Van Helsing]

DYEL?

DO YOU EVEN LIFT

 

[The Buff OP]

How you haven't been banned yet is beyond me

@Winged Scapula

I have no idea what's your problem, buddy.

 

[The Buff OP]

DO YOU EVEN LIFT

Si señor.

 

[Dr Van Helsing]

Si señor.

I know you do, Buff. I was spelling out the acronym for those who were unaware.

 

[Dr Van Helsing]

How you haven't been banned yet is beyond me

Because he is cool.

 

[ewax]

I def had to urbandictionary "DYEL"

 

[Dr Van Helsing]

I def had to urbandictionary "DYEL"

That's actually pretty funny you did that.

 

[Dr. Swole]

DYEL?

"How much you bench, bro?"

 

[The Buff OP]

"How much you bench, bro?"

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