Why do you want to be a doctor?

[e_phn]

Hi everyone,

I'm just curious. Why do you want to be a doctor? (beside helping people)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MediMama23]

Hi everyone,

I'm just curious. Why do you want to be a doctor? (beside helping people)

(to the tune of The Barenaked Ladies "It's All Been Done")

It's all been done (doo doo doooooo)
Searches are fun (doo doo doooooo)
This has been,
donnnnne Donnnne DONNNNNNNNE
Befooooooooooooooooooore

I was just feeling silly. Carry on.

Oh, and to answer your question, I want to help people. And make a difference in my community. And I like the white coats with the little M.D. thingie written on it.

 

[SirTony76]

The post office wasn't taking applications

 

[happydays]

Take a look at the poll in my sig:
|
|
V

 

[e_phn]

(to the tune of The Barenaked Ladies "It's All Been Done")

It's all been done (doo doo doooooo)
Searches are fun (doo doo doooooo)
This has been,
donnnnne Donnnne DONNNNNNNNE
Befooooooooooooooooooore



Sorry, I didn't know. This is my first visit here.

 

[MediMama23]

Well, on behalf of the welcome wagon, I'd like to say "Welcome!"

I do hope you enjoy your stay.

 

[witt105]

I can't imagine doing anything else with my life! Desk jobs suck.

 

[dogdayafternoon]

Money, why else? Money, power, prestige, and getting to see people naked. Hehehehe

 

[deuist]

Sorry, I didn't know. This is my first visit here.

e_phn, sorry that you had to see the sarcastic side of SDN so early. Usually we wait until the 50th post before hammering newbies for asking questions that have been discussed before. My advice for you is to use the search feature to see what others have written in the past. You'll get answers to your questions much quicker using that method, too.

Further, why do you care what motivates others to become a physician? Only adcoms should question someone's desire to pursue medicine.

 

[happydays]

Money, why else? Money, power, prestige, and getting to see people naked. Hehehehe

Don't forget fingering butts...especially the butts of old people.

 

[e_phn]

e_phn, sorry that you had to see the sarcastic side of SDN so early. Usually we wait until the 50th post before hammering newbies for asking questions that have been discussed before. My advice for you is to use the search feature to see what others have written in the past. You'll get answers to your questions much quicker using that method, too.

Further, why do you care what motivates others to become a physician? Only adcoms should question someone's desire to pursue medicine.

I actually enjoy the sarcastic side of you guys. Very funny.
I don't take thing seriously.

About your question, deuist. I'm just curious that's it.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[e_phn]

I can't imagine doing anything else with my life! Desk jobs suck.

I agree.

 

[LJDHC05]

It seemed like more fun than being subjected to the hum-drum, anonymous life of an industrial chemist running GC or HPLC analysis at Pfizer/ Merck/Pharmaceutical Giant Corporation X. Not that there's anything wrong with a career like that, but I would probably have died of boredom in a few weeks. I WILL NOT LET MY LIFE TURN INTO OFFICE SPACE and I only have 15 weeks of being part of the rat race left and about 80+ hours of vacation/holiday time saved up...Cape Cod beaches, here I come to freeze my nuts off with a cooler of corona and my dog!

EDIT: the cooler is for the beer, the ocean is where my nuts will freeze, since my post wasn't even in english

 

[e_phn]

EDIT: the cooler is for the beer, the ocean is where my nuts will freeze, since my post wasn't even in english

 

[dogdayafternoon]

Don't forget fingering butts...especially the butts of old people.

No man, I am trying to forget that on purpose. I've had to come dangerously close to old people genitals during volunteering. D a n g e r o u s l y .....

 

[Gerrymandering]

Don't forget fingering butts...especially the butts of old people.

i hate it when they let go of their feces on purpose...DISGUSTING!!!

 

[TypeA]

Isn't there already a thread like this?

 

[DrBowtie]

Isn't there already a thread like this?

Try over 50.

 

[juiceman311]

Cause doctors dominate.

Why even reply if you're going to say use the search option. The first person to reply and say that, understandable helpin a brother out. Everyone else, go eat some macaroons.

 

[LabMonster]

I like beer.

 

[baylormed]

Because I want to help people.

Okay, okay, the REAL reasons:

1) I can't imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life. I've had crappy jobs, office jobs, sales jobs, and they all sucked the life out of me. Working at the hospital/clinic felt like home, though. Helping others is just an extra bonus.
2) I like medicine, I enjoy questioning patients and working through histories, diagnosis, etc (I did this partly during my MA intership, in case you're wondering how in the world).
3) Somebody else said this already, but Desk Jobs Suck!!!
4) Desk Jobs Suck!!!
5) Makes my parents proud (just another extra bonus).

 

[vincikai]

hm...i can not think of anything else better to do with my time. lol

 

[OctoDoc]

As I said on another recent thread,

Autonomy, altruism, and science. And tinkering with the coolest machine in the universe - the human body.

 

[CatsandCradles]

Hi everyone,

I'm just curious. Why do you want to be a doctor? (beside helping people)

Gosh. I guess this might sound a little bit bleak of me to write this, but all of us here are mortal. Most of us can hope to live...what? 82 years? Maybe 90 years?

And then we die. I think most people applying to medical school would be intelligent enough to realize that they will die one day - and it is this realization that is in the background.

So I think that maybe for many of us, whether we actively think it or not, we would all like to believe that perhaps we could leave the world a little bit better than when we found it. And maybe....just maybe being a physician could help us make that true.

I know alot of SDNers like to say that they're being honest when they say, "I'm doing for the money, prestige, and sex" and I think they are being upfront and honest about - but I think that deep down inside all of us there's that longing to make the most out of life.

Maybe we're just trying to make the most of life...trying to lead a meaningful life. Trying to find that purpose driven in life.

 

[SuperTrooper]

As I said on another recent thread,

Autonomy, altruism, and science. And tinkering with the coolest machine in the universe - the human body.

altruism? Does medicine have a monopoly on that now? I must've missed that newscast. You pre-meds have your heads so far up your asses it makes me sick.

 

[Saluki]

altruism? Does medicine have a monopoly on altruism now? I must've missed that newscast. You pre-meds have your heads so far up your asses it makes me sick.

That wasn't what he was saying.... But altruism is a part of medicine... He wanted a career where he could demonstrate altruistic behavior while enjoying autonomy and science- and medicine is great for that!

 

[UCdannyLA]

I'll answer the question instead of saying the usual lame "Use the search function" response that so many SDNers use...Saying that implies that students want to become doctors for the same reasons over and over...and that's definitely not true, right?

Well for me, I want to become a reconstructive surgeon and help patients, especially children, who have physical deformities from birth defects, abuse, accidents, etc. I want to heal them physically first, and then intrinsically...perhaps even inspire them to confidently strive for big dreams...From personal experience, I know that children with physical deformities often suffer from a lack of self-esteem and continually question "why" they have to endure such hardship. Hopefully one day, as a doctor, I will be able to guide such patients to look at their physical "disability" and rather look at it as a hidden blessing from which they can draw motivation and strength to achieve great dreams.

Yeah maybe it's a little corny...but it's something I'm passionate about.

 

[MediMama23]

I'll answer the question instead of saying the usual lame "Use the search function" response that so many SDNers use...Saying that implies that students want to become doctors for the same reasons over and over...and that's definitely not true, right?

You're right; we all don't have the same reasons...but it would be nice, rather than starting a new thread, and wasting "space (I'm not very technical with the term, but it is wasting, in a way)" to instead dredge up an old thread to contribute to its length. Consolidation isn't such a horrible thing, y'know. I do, however, think you're jumping the gun by saying that just because we say "use the search function," that all of the answers in those other threads aren't unique. What's wrong with using a search function? And taking just an extra 10 seconds to not only find your answer, but contribute to that thread? Why does that have to be "lame?" Better yet, why do you have to be a hater?

 

[SirTony76]

altruism? Does medicine have a monopoly on that now? I must've missed that newscast. You pre-meds have your heads so far up your asses it makes me sick.

 

[SRK85]

Im thinking about becoming a doctor. Why? Ever since ive been watching house it makes me want to become a doctor. Plus i want to help the world by saving people. I feel that there are a lot of smart people out there who contribute to the health sciences but never do and it pisses me off. Im tired of seeing people majoring in business and law. Why don't more people go into sciences and help cure diseases. I want to help people and not have a boring job and of course get paid well. So im seriously thinking of becoming a doctor.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

so i can have wonderful support through med school, divorce my wife right before i get out so i don't have to pay alimony, have tons of sex and gold diggers supporting me through residency and drop them when I am done and just live like a PHAT RAT as the blunt connection in shermer illinois.

 

[OctoDoc]

That wasn't what he was saying.... But altruism is a part of medicine... He wanted a career where he could demonstrate altruistic behavior while enjoying autonomy and science- and medicine is great for that!

Exactly.

SuperTrooper, I didn't say, nor did I imply that medicine was the only career that has an altruistic component. Your faulty thinking led you to infer as such. Ease up on your blanket attitude toward pre-meds.

 

[happydays]

Exactly.

SuperTrooper, I didn't say, nor did I imply that medicine was the only career that has an altruistic component. Your faulty thinking led you to infer as such. Ease up on your blanket attitude toward pre-meds.

You're selfish in your pursuit of altruism. Altruism is one of those things that if you look for it, you can't find it; if you ignore it, it will find you.

 

[MU.Redskin]

So I can go home at night and feel like my life is worth a damn.


That and medicine is fascinating beyond anything else I've ever learned about.

 

[gregMD]

some advice:

become a banker.

 

[moranwoods]

I enjoy pain.

 

[madi]

Everyone else, go eat some macaroons.

It is 6 days in and I am SO SICK of macaroons!!!!

 

[OctoDoc]

You're selfish in your pursuit of altruism. Altruism is one of those things that if you look for it, you can't find it; if you ignore it, it will find you.

That's a glib statement. And it doesn't even make sense. How can one look for selflessness? Either one is or one isn't. Obviously I am. I used to be a teacher, thinking that I was making the world a better place by educating young people and thereby making better people, enhancing the fabric of society, and maybe even having a small part in shaping the next Great Humanitarian. I also did research, wanting to change the world. But I realized that I want to make a more concrete "difference." When I refer to altruism in medicine, it means that medicine is a vehicle that allows me to express my altruistic nature.

Purists (like you, I'm guessing) would argue that engineering one's destiny to be of service to others is inherently un-altruistic. What's absurd is to think that you are altruistic only when you are not trying to be altruistic, or when you don't actively seek a situation in which your desire to help others is fulfilled. That's like saying that charity is only charity when no one knows what you have done.

 

[don juan]

Because I can't sing or dance

 

[happydays]

That's a glib statement. And it doesn't even make sense. How can one look for selflessness? Either one is or one isn't. Obviously I am. I used to be a teacher, thinking that I was making the world a better place by educating young people and thereby making better people, enhancing the fabric of society, and maybe even having a small part in shaping the next Great Humanitarian. I also did research, wanting to change the world. But I realized that I want to make a more concrete "difference." When I refer to altruism in medicine, it means that medicine is a vehicle that allows me to express my altruistic nature.

Purists (like you, I'm guessing) would argue that engineering one's destiny to be of service to others is inherently un-altruistic. What's absurd is to think that you are altruistic only when you are not trying to be altruistic, or when you don't actively seek a situation in which your desire to help others is fulfilled. That's like saying that charity is only charity when no one knows what you have done.

No, you're altruistic only if you don't have intentions to label yourself altruistic afterwards.

 

[OctoDoc]

No, you're altruistic only if you don't have intentions to label yourself altruistic afterwards.

Why is that? Being selfless means that you cannot acknowledge that you are selfless? Like I said, maybe to a purist. In reality, it changes nothing and neither devalues or invalidates the person or his actions.

 

[happydays]

Why is that? Being selfless means that you cannot acknowledge that you are selfless? Like I said, maybe to a purist. In reality, it changes nothing and neither devalues or invalidates the person or his actions.

Your actions are still valuable, it's just that you're doing it for a purpose; like Christian Hospitals in 3rd world countries. They're great, we need them, the people who go there to volunteer are great, but they have another agenda. They may love those people whom they're helping, but they also want to change the way they live. (Not saying it's bad to be one religion or another, it's just that they're not there for the pure purpose of helping them.)

 

[OctoDoc]

Your actions are still valuable, it's just that you're doing it for a purpose; like Christian Hospitals in 3rd world countries. They're great, we need them, the people who go there to volunteer are great, but they have another agenda. They may love those people whom they're helping, but they also want to change the way they live. (Not saying it's bad to be one religion or another, it's just that they're not there for the pure purpose of helping them.)

That example doesn't pertain to this discussion. Those hospitals have an ulterior motive that by their very nature invalidates altruism. What ulterior motive is there in wanting to seek a situation to help others? I'm not going to stand up and shout, "Hey, everyone, look at me and acknowledge that I'm helping other people!" Self-satisfaction doesn't invalidate altruism. And that is not to say that I'll help others only if I'll feel self satisfied.

I think I know where you are coming from... Do you argue that one is truly altruistic only when there is no motivation for committing a selfless act? In all of the definitions and discussions of altruism that I have found, altruism and motivation are not mutually exclusive.

 

[happydays]

That example doesn't pertain to this discussion. Those hospitals have an ulterior motive that by their very nature invalidates altruism. What ulterior motive is there in wanting to seek a situation to help others? I'm not going to stand up and shout, "Hey, everyone, look at me and acknowledge that I'm helping other people!" Self-satisfaction doesn't invalidate altruism. And that is not to say that I'll help others only if I'll feel self satisfied.

I think I know where you are coming from... Do you argue that one is truly altruistic only when there is no motivation for committing a selfless act? In all of the definitions and discussions of altruism that I have found, altruism and motivation are not mutually exclusive.

I just don't think that it's up to one to decide if one is altruistic or not. If anyone claims to be altruistic, then it's like helping someone in order to maintain a certain image, and that to me is an ulterior motive.

 

[OctoDoc]

I just don't think that it's up to one to decide if one is altruistic or not. If anyone claims to be altruistic, then it's like helping someone in order to maintain a certain image, and that to me is an ulterior motive.

Why not? If someone woke up one morning and realized/decided that he or his actions were altruistic, and they liked that thought, would their actions from that point on be selfish? What if all along they had the image of being altruistic (created by the perceptions of others, not a self-proclamation), and then they decided, "yes, I guess I am altruistic." Would their future actions no longer be altruistic?

My point is that acknowledging one's altruism isn't necessarily the motivation for being altruistic. I agree with you that if one wants to be perceived as being selfless, than yes, that is selfish. But in and of itself, wanting to be altruistic does not preclude being so.

 

[MarzMD]

"Altruism in psychology and sociology

If one performs an act beneficial to others with a view to gaining some personal benefit, then it is not an altruistically motivated act. There are several different perspectives on how "benefit" (or "interest") should be defined. A material gain (e.g. money, a physical reward, etc.) is clearly a form of benefit, while others identify and include both material and immaterial gains (affection, respect, happiness, satisfaction etc.) as being philosophically identical benefits."

 

[OctoDoc]

"Altruism in psychology and sociology

If one performs an act beneficial to others with a view to gaining some personal benefit, then it is not an altruistically motivated act. There are several different perspectives on how "benefit" (or "interest") should be defined. A material gain (e.g. money, a physical reward, etc.) is clearly a form of benefit, while others identify and include both material and immaterial gains (affection, respect, happiness, satisfaction etc.) as being philosophically identical benefits."

From the same source (Wikipedia):

"As the name of the ethical doctrine is "altruism," doing what the ethical doctrine prescribes has also come to be referred to by the term "altruism" -- serving others through placing their interests above one's own."

Note that this does not preclude having one's own interests.

Also,

"Advocates of altruism as an ethical doctrine maintain that one ought to act, or refrain from acting, so that benefit or good is bestowed on other people, IF necessary to the exclusion of one's own interests..."

And so, as I said earlier, altruism and motivation are not inherently mutually exclusive (it depends on the motiviations).

I can see that there are idealistic and pragmatic definitions of altruism. I subscribe to the latter, it is more germane to real-world application (IMO).

 

[ismelllikepoop]

Hi everyone,

I'm just curious. Why do you want to be a doctor? (beside helping people)

fishing for interesting responses to tell during your interviews?

edit: forgot to add im doing it for the nursing hizzoes

 

[happydays]

Why not? If someone woke up one morning and realized/decided that he or his actions were altruistic, and they liked that thought, would their actions from that point on be selfish? What if all along they had the image of being altruistic (created by the perceptions of others, not a self-proclamation), and then they decided, "yes, I guess I am altruistic." Would their future actions no longer be altruistic?

My point is that acknowledging one's altruism isn't necessarily the motivation for being altruistic. I agree with you that if one wants to be perceived as being selfless, than yes, that is selfish. But in and of itself, wanting to be altruistic does not preclude being so.

If you know and like that you're altruistic, then you're not. You'd be doing it for your own selfish self-satisfaction.

"Altruistic" is an opinion, not a club. You can't enroll yourself. It's up to other people to decide if one is altruistic or not.

 

[forevalwayzz]

i want to join in on this too:
i want to be a doctor because:
1. research is boring
2. clerical duties are boring
3. working at movie theatre is boring
4. desk jobs suck (am i the first here? jk)
5. making not enough money is boring
6. not being able to say, "take off your clothes!" is boring
7. computer works are also boring (doing it right now)
8. ebaying stuffs is very non-profitting and boring.
9. being a "sale associate" at banana/express/dolce&gabana is boring.
that summed up my life pretty well, not all, but most of them.