Why do you want to be a doctor?

[VFrank]

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Ok, so this should seem easy enough. Why do I want to be a doctor? I mean, I know why ... kind of. It's just something inside me that I know I want to do -- I just don't know how to verbalize it. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[leviathan]

Ok, so this should seem easy enough. Why do I want to be a doctor? I mean, I know why ... kind of. It's just something inside me that I know I want to do -- I just don't know how to verbalize it. Anyone else have this problem?

Someone seems to ask this question once in awhile without any replies...I suppose it's usually quite an easy answer for most people. For me, it is a combination of a love for human physiology and medicine with my passion for helping others in need. I think most people will probably answer more or less the same way.

 

[VFrank]

Someone seems to ask this question once in awhile without any replies...I suppose it's usually quite an easy answer for most people. For me, it is a combination of a love for human physiology and medicine with my passion for helping others in need. I think most people will probably answer more or less the same way.

Right, I feel the same way, but that just seems like such a cookie-cutter answer. Shouldn't there be some sort of deeper motivation? I dunno ...

I imagine I'll have trouble saying "I love science, and I like helping people" during interviews without sounded cliched.

 

[leviathan]

Right, I feel the same way, but that just seems like such a cookie-cutter answer. Shouldn't there be some sort of deeper motivation? I dunno ...

I imagine I'll have trouble saying "I love science, and I like helping people" during interviews without sounded cliched.

True. I'll feel clich?d too, but it will be the honest truth which I think they would appreciate more than a BS answer (given that I tell them I know my answer sounds clich?). Besides, what other reasons would you want to become a doctor?

 

[constructor]

Right, I feel the same way, but that just seems like such a cookie-cutter answer. Shouldn't there be some sort of deeper motivation? I dunno ...

I imagine I'll have trouble saying "I love science, and I like helping people" during interviews without sounded cliched.

the fact, though, is that very few people have amazing revelations to talk about when answering this question and the interviewers probably understand that. i will use the "cookie-cutter" answer with specific reference from my volunteer work to make it sound unique.

 

[akpete]

I've been having the same problem too, VFrank. I mentioned it on another thread, and nobody responded, so I guess it's just you and me!!

I have a particularly hard time since I'm already in a health profession (athletic training). I know why I want to progress to the next step and be a doctor, but I have a hard time articulating it to other people without sounding like everyone else. hhhmmm.... 😕

 

[freesolo]

most ppl here have a traumatic experience death of a family, others use their volunteer exp missonary work ect.

 

[leviathan]

most ppl here have a traumatic experience death of a family, others use their volunteer exp missonary work ect.

Volunteer exp, missionary work, etc = you learn that you like to help people, or you like medicine = the same primary reasons.

 

[hotlikebutter]

there are millions of other reasons to become a doctor other than you care about people. and to be honest, caring is not enough. there are so many other jobs that allow you to care for people. a doctor is unique on many levels. intimacy for sure is unique in the medical profession. pursuit of biological sciences and its application to society is another. also, people tend to forget that for the most part, the medical field attracts motivated, compassionate, fun, hard working people. who else would you want to spend your work hours with? these are people you refer your patients and family to and go into battle with. when i graduate medical school, i will look at my colleagues and myself with pride, cause i know together we can have positive impacts on the lives of others, sick or otherwise. these are some of my reasons, but certainly not all. i feel no matter what your reasons, if you are convinced you will make a good doctor, than "may the world conspire to help you" (from the Alchemist 😛)

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

Top 10 reasons to become a doctor:

10. Studying
9. Rectal exams
8. Pain killer addicts
7. Paperwork
6. Patients who self-diagnose
5. Dealing with Death
4. Malignant attendings
3. Getting sued when you did nothing wrong
2. HMOs
1. All that spare time!

 

[Medikit]

I don't think I will be able accurately answer this question until I'm actually practicing.

 

[i77ac]

for the money 👍

 

[Blake]

To help people the best way I can ( now that I'm in med school, I couldn't care less whether people think it's BS or not 😳. I know it's not 😀 )

 

[el_chavo]

chicks, money, power, chicks

 

[MEG@COOL]

Keep POW alive as long as there is a drop of blood left in their body and a lucid shred of sanity left in their brain.

 

[HIghbury]

to get my own monica without any impeachment.

 

[JattMed]

Nothing better to do.............
Need a reason to wake up in the morning.......and get out of the house.....otherwise I'd watch tv all night long, all day long, and eat while lounging on the sofa................. as I watch tv.

 

[liquidwmn]

Okay, so everyone just "knows they want to be a doc....but don't know how to verbalize it...", what if the person interviewing you tells you, "but you can do all of that being a nurse...why not become a nurse...why a doctor?"

The above situation is a nightmare that I have not found a good response to.
It has become very difficult for me to answer that question...
I hope this current of thoughts makes sense....

 

[JattMed]

Okay, so everyone just "knows they want to be a doc....but don't know how to verbalize it...", what if the person interviewing you tells you, "but you can do all of that being a nurse...why not become a nurse...why a doctor?"

The above situation is a nightmare that I have not found a good response to.
It has become very difficult for me to answer that question...
I hope this current of thoughts makes sense....

Being a doctor provides more autonomy over decision making i.e., I as being a doctor will be the one making the decision.
I want a career wherein I will be faced with the task of making difficult decisions.
As you can see from my various experiences I have made many difficult decisions.
I remember one time, I was faced with having my aged pet cat 'stick around' a few months and suffer through pain for the sake of my 'wanting' a pet or to let the vet do as he wanted-put little Tommy to sleep.
I was only 15.
It was difficult but I agreed to do what was in Tommy's best interests and not mine.
I felt better having made a decision and not have it made for me.
Note: how the issue of euthanasia is 'skirted' in this example as you are a minor and the vet is advocating euthanasia. So you are not taking a stance on euthanasia per se. If an interviewer asks you about this-reply that you respected the vets professional opinion and that you cannot generalize based on that one experience as every case has individual merits.Just added this in case someone decides to make an issue out of it.
However I think that the above example is a good way to tell someone that you'd rather be a doctor than a nurse. However I am sure that you may have 'better' examples of tough decision making in your life.

 

[PaddyofNine]

I had to do a written answer to this question for an application statement. Basically, I mentioned a lot of reasons:

- I had found out early on in life (and other personality tests indicated) that I enjoyed an engaging job, one where I could exercise my problem solving skills.

- I wanted a job where I would not be tied to an administrative deskjob 24-7, i.e. one where I could get around on my feet.

- I enjoyed meeting with new people, interacting, chatting with and ultimately helping them.

- I also enjoyed the career versatility a medical degree gave me. Once I got a taste of the various specialities (and let's face it, it's hard to have a clue what you want to specialise in 1st year, when you haven't experienced it!) you could teach, if you so desired. You could also go into a science related role (geneticist, biochemist) or a patient related role (paeds, for example, or family practice).

- I love to travel, and a medical degree is international. If I studied for a law degree here in Ireland, for the most part I am limited to Ireland. Medical knowledge, on the other hand, isn't country specific. Medicine will thus not limit me to one place.

- A medical degree offers a great deal of security. Doctors are always in demand, and will always be financially well compensated for their services. If I chose IT ten years ago, for example, there was a good chance I could be serving coffee in a Silicon Valley Starbucks outlet four years ago! As a doctor, there is no danger of this.

- Finally, there is an element of wanting to help people in there too. But it's not the only reason, all of the above, and more, are!

 

[JattMed]

I had to do a written answer to this question for an application statement. Basically, I mentioned a lot of reasons:

- I had found out early on in life (and other personality tests indicated) that I enjoyed an engaging job, one where I could exercise my problem solving skills.

- I wanted a job where I would not be tied to an administrative deskjob 24-7, i.e. one where I could get around on my feet.

- I enjoyed meeting with new people, interacting, chatting with and ultimately helping them.

- I also enjoyed the career versatility a medical degree gave me. Once I got a taste of the various specialities (and let's face it, it's hard to have a clue what you want to specialise in 1st year, when you haven't experienced it!) you could teach, if you so desired. You could also go into a science related role (geneticist, biochemist) or a patient related role (paeds, for example, or family practice).

- I love to travel, and a medical degree is international. If I studied for a law degree here in Ireland, for the most part I am limited to Ireland. Medical knowledge, on the other hand, isn't country specific. Medicine will thus not limit me to one place.

- A medical degree offers a great deal of security. Doctors are always in demand, and will always be financially well compensated for their services. If I chose IT ten years ago, for example, there was a good chance I could be serving coffee in a Silicon Valley Starbucks outlet four years ago! As a doctor, there is no danger of this.

- Finally, there is an element of wanting to help people in there too. But it's not the only reason, all of the above, and more, are!

I agree those are all superb reasons for explaining why medicine is agreat career choice however how do you justify chosing being a doctor over a nurse? The reasons you mentioned can more or less be applied to nursing as well.

 

[PaddyofNine]

I agree those are all superb reasons for explaining why medicine is agreat career choice however how do you justify chosing being a doctor over a nurse? The reasons you mentioned can more or less be applied to nursing as well.

Hmm. Good one. In my country over the past few years, there have been both excesses of nurses, where some nurses had to go abroad to get jobs, and shortages, where we imported Phillipino nurses to fill the posts. This does not happen (or at least, not to as great an extent) with doctors. I guess there will always be a high demand for doctors in society.

Also, in financial terms, the money is obviously better! In order to finance my travelling career 🙂

Finally, doctors have a much greater latitude and responsibility when it comes to patient care. They make the decisions, not the nurses, which refers back to the problem solving aspect of the job I mention earlier.

 

[JattMed]

I agree........medicine is the best career to have!

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

The funtion of a physician is to use a body of knowledge to diagnose problems in humans and come up with a scientifically sound, effective solution to said problem. The process of diagnosis and selecting a treatment are pretty much specific to physicians. The selected treatment may be medical or surgical.

Nurses provide very, very important services. They can observe complaints and problems and otherwise help gather information to give the physician so he can make an effective diagnosis. Nurses assume a great deal of responsibility in carrying out the treatment that has been prescribed by the physician. They see to it that the daily necessities of patient care are resolved. They administer other allied health professionals to help carry out these goals. They may even help administer the business aspects of a hospital or clinic.

However, note that none of the nurses duties involve diagnosis and selection of treatment. That is the function of a physician. This is why sciences are so vitally important to medical training.

The exceptions, namely Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners, are not the most effective pathways if the description I just gave you is the driving force behind your career choice. Nurse Practitioners are usually experienced nurses who become interested in diagnosis and treatment - it's not intended to be an alternate pathway.

Physicians Assistants by definition are less specialized for diagnosis and treatment than physicians are. They provide needed support for physicians.

Note that I haven't even mentioned surgical responsibilities, which are a whole 'nother ballgame.

 

[JattMed]

The funtion of a physician is to use a body of knowledge to diagnose problems in humans and come up with a scientifically sound, effective solution to said problem. The process of diagnosis and selecting a treatment are pretty much specific to physicians. The selected treatment may be medical or surgical.

Nurses provide very, very important services. They can observe complaints and problems and otherwise help gather information to give the physician so he can make an effective diagnosis. Nurses assume a great deal of responsibility in carrying out the treatment that has been prescribed by the physician. They see to it that the daily necessities of patient care are resolved. They administer other allied health professionals to help carry out these goals. They may even help administer the business aspects of a hospital or clinic.

However, note that none of the nurses duties involve diagnosis and selection of treatment. That is the function of a physician. This is why sciences are so vitally important to medical training.

The exceptions, namely Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners, are not the most effective pathways if the description I just gave you is the driving force behind your career choice. Nurse Practitioners are usually experienced nurses who become interested in diagnosis and treatment - it's not intended to be an alternate pathway.

Physicians Assistants by definition are less specialized for diagnosis and treatment than physicians are. They provide needed support for physicians.

Note that I haven't even mentioned surgical responsibilities, which are a whole 'nother ballgame.

So your point boils down to that the OP/person should say-'I want to be a doctor over a nurse because I have the autonomy, authority and knowledge to make important decisions.'
However of course the OP shouldnt state it as such
I cannot disagree. I also like how you make a case for nursing as being important as well.

 

[JattMed]

Bumpity bump bump

 

[PaddyofNine]

I cannot disagree. I also like how you make a case for nursing as being important as well.

Are you kidding? Two of my aunts are nurses. For as long as I can remember, the importance of nurses in health care has been hammered into me! God bless 'em.......

 

[nasdr]

chicks, money, power, chicks

I know a kid that started his PS this way. Then he proceeded to say his real desire of an intellectually challenging and satisfying field. He's wondering why he has no interviews yet. Guess it shows how conservative med school adcoms are.

 

[LJoo83]

I think another sufficient answer is to explain how being a physician is similar to being an investigator. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the methodology of western medicine is question, seek, and find--it's a game of elimination. Personally the field of medicine (esp. in the capacity of a physician) is appealing to me (amongst other reasons) because I am extremely inquisitive by nature.