Why do you want to be a doctor?

[Miler407]

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I agree with the previous poster who said that deep down inside, we are all going into medicine to help people, even if that isn't the initial motivating goal...because lets face it, the training is going to be grueling, and if money was the true motivator, we could all be done with school and on our way to making several hundred thousand per year doing I-banking or other highly lucrative jobs.

With that said, medicine to me isn't necessarily a calling--but coming home every night knowing that I made a positive contribution to society and still able to command an "I-banking-type" of salary is like having your cake and eating it too! I hate the idea of crunching numbers all day making money for "The Man" and feeling like the only difference you have made is lining his pocket book so he can go on being more corrupt--not that medicine isn't corrupt in some ways, but I digress...

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

its the only legal way to have the opportunity to stick my hands into someone's chest cavity. seriously, what are the other options for THAT experience? right. doctor's the way to go.

Seriously? Everything I really love to do can be applied to the practice of medicine. I was a major hypochondriac as a kid so i got interested early 🙂 the hypochondria went away, the fascination didn't. There's nothing else i'd rather do (except write novels while i'm a doctor.... I have Michael Crighton/Oliver Sacks syndrome... its incurable..)

 

[OctoDoc]

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.

Like I said earlier, your definition of altruism is idealistic, mine is pragmatic.

From your definition of altruism, the only altruistic person is one that is oblivious to the scope of his actions and is deaf to the comments of those around him. Either that, or he is aware of all of that, and is indifferent or hates what he is doing, and also the comments and attitudes toward him and his accomplishments. There is no such person. By the idealistic definition, I don't see anyone as atruistic.

We could obviously go round and round. Neither of us is going to budge. Let's agree to disagree and move on.

 

[happydays]

Like I said earlier, your definition of altruism is idealistic, mine is pragmatic.

From your definition of altruism, the only altruistic person is one that is oblivious to the scope of his actions and is deaf to the comments of those around him. Either that, or he is aware of all of that, and is indifferent or hates what he is doing, and also the comments and attitudes toward him and his accomplishments. There is no such person. By the idealistic definition, I don't see anyone as atruistic.

We could obviously go round and round. Neither of us is going to budge. Let's agree to disagree and move on.

Have you ever heard of Ghandi say that he's altruistic? How about Mother Theresa? Or that they did what they did to be altruistic? exactly.

 

[OctoDoc]

Have you ever heard of Ghandi say that he's altruistic? How about Mother Theresa? Or that they did what they did to be altruistic? exactly.

Do you honestly think that they didn't know that they were altruistic? And that they received no satisfaction or had ulterior motives (esp. Mother Theresa) for their actions?

 

[Hopeful_Doc]

what other job out there is a constant challenge, with new problems each day, and is mentally stimulating? Sitting in an office looking at spreadsheets and writing memos and having some powerhungry boss breathe down my neck is not my cup of tea for the next 40 years of my life or so. I can not think of another field (even within medicine) that is equally as challenging or as enjoyable. I want a career i can dedicate my life to (becoming a facilitator of health and care) and enjoy going into everyday so becoming a doctor fits.

(on top of wanting to help people and the constant search for more knowledge)

 

[happydays]

Do you honestly think that they didn't know that they were altruistic? And that they received no satisfaction or had ulterior motives (esp. Mother Theresa) for their actions?

No, but they didn't do what they did for the sake of being altruistic. (I.e. They never said, I want to be a humanitarian to express my altruistic side.) (Lots of people are saying that being a doctor makes them altruistic/express altruism.)

 

[OctoDoc]

No, but they didn't do what they did for the sake of being altruistic. (I.e. They never said, I want to be a humanitarian to express my altruistic side.)

No, they didn't. But by your definition (the necessary lack of self satisfaction and motivation), they weren't altruistic. No one is.

 

[happydays]

No, they didn't. But by your definition (the necessary lack of self satisfaction and motivation), they weren't altruistic. No one is.

No one is truly selfless, but they didn't say that they're doing it to express altruism. I can call them altruistic; they're not calling themselves altruistic.

 

[OctoDoc]

No one is truly selfless, but they didn't say that they're doing it to express altruism. I can call them altruistic; they're not calling themselves altruistic.

No, you can't call them altruistic, not with your definition! If you acknowledge that altruism and motivation are not mutually exclusive (which you must do if you can call anyone altruistic), then you must by default include altruism for its own sake. That's what I've been saying the whole time. Saying that someone cannot call themselves altrustic means that they cannot recognize or acknowledge what other people do (recognize or acknowledge in and of them). That isn't realistic, and no defiinition or discussion about altruism has this stipulation.

 

[happydays]

No, you can't call them altruistic, not with your definition! If you acknowledge that altruism and motivation are not mutually exclusive (which you must do if you can call anyone altruistic), then you must by default include altruism for its own sake. That's what I've been saying the whole time. Saying that someone cannot call themselves altrustic means that they cannot recognize or acknowledge what other people do (recognize or acknowledge in and of them). That isn't realistic, and no defiinition or discussion about altruism has this stipulation.

Ok, then altruism does not exist.

 

[OctoDoc]

Ok, then altruism does not exist.

Then I amend my original statement, I want to be a doctor because of autonomy, pseudoaltruism, and science. And tinkering with the coolest machine in the universe - the human body.

 

[happydays]

Then I amend my original statement, I want to be a doctor because of autonomy, pseudoaltruism, and science. And tinkering with the coolest machine in the universe - the human body.

👍

 

[Mr. Tee]

So I can research new techniques and technology for you guys to use.

 

[georgia_md]

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.

Watching House MD, the television show made you want to become a doctor?