I recently started college and am Premed/Neuroscience major. I have been here for a few weeks and finally have realized how difficult it is going to be to get where I want to go (Become an EM Physician). I always knew it would be hard and have always wanted to go this route but now that I'm starting my long long journey to become one it has really set in. Maybe it is because I am just starting and looking at the big picture is kinda overwhelming. But ANYWAYS my question to those of you who have made it is........DO YOU FEEL THAT IT WAS WORTH IT???????? The sacrifices you made? the long hours put into studying? The money spent on, not to mention the time (of what is supposed to be the prime of your life) put in? etc. etc. etc. If you had to do it all again would you or would you recommend something else??? (I often consider becoming a medic or flight nurse or something). I realize that it is a personal decision to decide whether or not it is worth it to me to do it, I was just interested in hearing some comments from those who have. THANKS IN ADVANCE TO EVERYONE WHO REPLIES!
Worth It????
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I love it. No regrets. If I could do something else, I probably would be a professional video game player or perhaps an amateur "movie" actor. But since video games are too expensive, and, i, uh, may not have the stamina to act, I love being an EM resident.
Q
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Blue128K said:
As I am in the process of applying to medical school, I can't speak to whether or not the whole process is "worth it" BUT as an EMT I can comment on the above.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that becoming a flight nurse or flight medic is as simple as going to nursing or medic school. The people who fly on the choppers as nurses and medics have TONS of experience. Many services require 5 or 10 years of experience as a paramedic or ER/critical care nurse.
While being an EMT/paramedic has huge emotional rewards, it is usually somewhat lacking in financial rewards.
I would suggest some more research in these fields. What type of personality do you have? What would give you job satisfaction? I came to the realization that I wasn't satisfied as an EMT because of the limitations of my knowledge and what I could do to help my patient. Once I realized that, it was only a matter of time before I came to the conclusion that I would probably also not be satisfied with paramedic, nursing, or PA.
Do some ride time with an EMS service, volunteer in the ED. Take the time to really find out what is involved in these very different fields.
Good luck.
Amy
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I did medicine as a second career. I started off in undergrad in teh same exact boat as you. I was intimidated by the huge commitment and didn't have the attention span at that time to look at the long term goals....So I putzed (?sp) around undergrad for a few years, unfocused and got poor grades (2.0 avg after 3 yrs). I finally figured out that I wasn't commited to this, so I quit school and went into police work. It was a huge multi step application process that started off with 2000+ applicants and 40 of us got hired. I went to the academy and did this job for 3 years. During this time, I volunteered to become and EMT certified search and rescue deputy, and this is what got me disciplined and focused to continue my trek toward medicine. This whole experience allowed me to grow up and get focused. I then left the force and went back to school. I was able to stay focused and brought my grades up enough to get into med school. I finished 1st in my class and did great on the boards, and got one of my top residency choices. I am now done with residency and finally boarded. I never look back and have ANY regrets. I could not imagine ever doing anthing else for a living. Yes there are times when you are getting hammered and get pissed off at the world, but no matter what career you choose, you will have those days.
If you are set on a career in medicine, you must have the commitment to stay focused. It is a super competetive field to get into, and if you slack off, there will be a dozen folks right there that will be happy to take your spot.
One of the sharpest memories I have about undergrad (the second time around) was in Bio 181 when on the first day of class (300+ students), the professor asked for those that were premed to raise their hands. Almost 75% of the students raised their hands. He very arrogantly said that out of all of us with our hands up, only 4 or 5 of us would actually get in! It was very intimidating, but it made me realize how competetive it is, and to succeed, you must excel in each class...
I'll stop rambling now.
Make sure you volunteer in an ER, hook up with an academic dept at your local med school and do research for some of the professors (a great way to get a letter of rec), get involved with the premed office, and perhaps become and EMT? If you do these things, get good grades, and do well on the dreaded MCAT, you will do well.
It is a long road. Set short term goals (semester by semester), yet always keep in mind your long term goal. It is rewarding, and you will have almost no regrets..
Time flies...It really does!
OK, now I will really stop rambling...
If you are set on a career in medicine, you must have the commitment to stay focused. It is a super competetive field to get into, and if you slack off, there will be a dozen folks right there that will be happy to take your spot.
One of the sharpest memories I have about undergrad (the second time around) was in Bio 181 when on the first day of class (300+ students), the professor asked for those that were premed to raise their hands. Almost 75% of the students raised their hands. He very arrogantly said that out of all of us with our hands up, only 4 or 5 of us would actually get in! It was very intimidating, but it made me realize how competetive it is, and to succeed, you must excel in each class...
I'll stop rambling now.
Make sure you volunteer in an ER, hook up with an academic dept at your local med school and do research for some of the professors (a great way to get a letter of rec), get involved with the premed office, and perhaps become and EMT? If you do these things, get good grades, and do well on the dreaded MCAT, you will do well.
It is a long road. Set short term goals (semester by semester), yet always keep in mind your long term goal. It is rewarding, and you will have almost no regrets..
Time flies...It really does!
OK, now I will really stop rambling...
AmyBEMT said:
I already am an EMT-B and love it. I work at an ambulance service on weekends when i'm not in school. It is an exciting job but there are alot of things I don't like about it either, transports for one. The money is terrible if I would decide to do it for a career and paramedic pay is not much better. I know I'd probably wouldn't be happy in the long run and can't stand having only the limited knowledge and scope of practice that an EMT does.
Thanks for the replies!!!
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Interesting. How does that work? I've heard of physicians being reserve officers, but if he's full time with LAPD, does that mean he's an EP part time? Which came first?Sessamoid said:
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I have no idea. I get the idea that he's part time with the LAPD. Active, but part-time. He's clearly the adrenaline junky type doc. He has lots of fast cars and motorcycles, and owns some pretty impressive guns (including a .50 caliber sniper rifle).jrdnbenjamin said:
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Not a single regret.
I actually wasn't in a similar boat. I had ABSOLUTELY no intention of being a physician after I grew out of wanting to take over my dad's ortho practice so I could tell him what to do.
Go my degree in film and worked in the 'industry' for several years. H.a.t.e.d it. Once I went through the process of deciding to go to med school, getting the classes etc, I haven't looked back once.
does that mean there aren't days where I don't want to go to work? that there weren't days in med school (mostly second year) that I thought parts of it absolutely sucked? nope. Had those... still do occasionally.. but overall, I love what I do. (and I NEVER intended to be an EP). No career is perfect, but nothing beats being a doctor. It is interesting, rewarding, frustrating and really just amazing. Its also very humbling. And not because there is always some MD that is waaaaaaaaay smarter than you, (which is what many premeds and first and second years feel) but because of your patients.
I tell people that if you want to be a doctor and you love it, then its worth it.
I actually wasn't in a similar boat. I had ABSOLUTELY no intention of being a physician after I grew out of wanting to take over my dad's ortho practice so I could tell him what to do.
Go my degree in film and worked in the 'industry' for several years. H.a.t.e.d it. Once I went through the process of deciding to go to med school, getting the classes etc, I haven't looked back once.
does that mean there aren't days where I don't want to go to work? that there weren't days in med school (mostly second year) that I thought parts of it absolutely sucked? nope. Had those... still do occasionally.. but overall, I love what I do. (and I NEVER intended to be an EP). No career is perfect, but nothing beats being a doctor. It is interesting, rewarding, frustrating and really just amazing. Its also very humbling. And not because there is always some MD that is waaaaaaaaay smarter than you, (which is what many premeds and first and second years feel) but because of your patients.
I tell people that if you want to be a doctor and you love it, then its worth it.
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Then again, I have a friend who's a director (mostly commercials). I gotta say, his life doesn't suck. 🙂 You know what the day rate for a commercial director is, right? Even the mediocre ones get paid an insane sum.roja said:
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yeah, but have you ever worked one of these things??????????? And even as a director, you can easily pull multiple 16 hour days... Yes, a mediocre comm director makes about 800/day (but its an endless day...) but they often have to foot all thier own bennies.. insurance, retirement, etc...
and well, you really couldnd't pay me enough to be in that industry. period. I will spare you the details... 🙂
and well, you really couldnd't pay me enough to be in that industry. period. I will spare you the details... 🙂
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You really don't know, do you? My buddy charges (and gets paid) around $10,000 per day of shooting. Average commercial shoot is 2 days, for which he has to do a day or two (or three) of prep (storyboards, setup, etc.) and post-production.roja said:
The big guys (Ridley Scott, e.g.) start charging at around $25,000 per shooting day minimum.
I understand about not wanting to be in the "biz". It takes a certain personality (which I don't have).
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Yes, I know. I worked the industry for 3 years (more than enough) and I worked in a very well known post production house. Your friend would not be what I called a 'mediocre' comm director if his day rate is 10,000. He is probably very well established and probably talented.
Low end directors for commercials make about 800. tv/movies is a whole 'nother ball park. and definately something I don't have the stomach for. 😀
Low end directors for commercials make about 800. tv/movies is a whole 'nother ball park. and definately something I don't have the stomach for. 😀
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He's definitely not mediocre, but isn't particularly noteworthy style-wise either. He's a very competant director, up and coming but no big gun. I guess if you call the guys who make those stupid used car commercials directors, then I guess there are lots of guys who make considerably less. To me, that's like people who write classified ads for newspapers saying that they're "in advertising".roja said:
There's another VERY well established guy who has his office down the street from here (Main St. in Venice). Now that guy's loaded beyond imagination. You'd recognize the name if you were in the business. He shoots probably 15-18 days a month at a day rate of around 20K. Which doesn't even include the money he makes from his production company, since he owns ALL his own equipment. Too bad he's such a bastard to work with.
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Blue128K,
Well, I just finished my second week of medical school (1st week of actual classes though), so i'm not sure how useful my advice is, but I think that you might be able to relate to my perspective.
I got interested in medicine by riding as an EMT. I will openly admit that what drives me is the knowledge that someday I will be able to be really involved in EM work, EMS stuff, Disaster medicine, international medicine, etc. I am clearly an adrenaline junky myself - somewhat different from what I think most people imagine when they think of "doctor". If I was told today that I will have to practice medicine in a suburban clinic for the rest of my life, I would probably quit 🙂.
Needless to say, I have thought about quitting this path and become a PA or flight nurse or something of that sort for a long time. Here's why I didn't: Although going down one of these paths may get you to your goal - practicing heart-pounding medicine in the midst of chaos - you will NEVER be atonomous. Sure, PAs and NPs can do a lot of things on their own, and some can even work individually in private practices, but you will never truly have medical authority. What I mean is that if you want to work with a SWAT team, or MSF, or with EMS, etc., etc., you will never be the final authority. Your knowlede and professional standing will ALWAYS be below someone else's - a physician.
So although the road IS hard, and IS long, I think it's worth it. In the end, you'll turn 30 and 40 and 50 either way.... but will you have the knowledge, skills, experience, and opportunities open to an MD - or will you be part of the "support"?
It all comes down to what's important to you. I would LOVE to be out in the field right now, trying to stabilize a gunshot victim. But what I would love even more is to be able to truly care for him and save his life - not just transport him to the hospital or set up an IV. With that kind of knowledge, you can do a lot more than you could as a nurse or medic - there's expedition medicine, tactical... I don't need to list them all, but trust me, I've done my research 😀
Good luck and feel free to PM me if you want to chat.
Quid 🙂
Well, I just finished my second week of medical school (1st week of actual classes though), so i'm not sure how useful my advice is, but I think that you might be able to relate to my perspective.
I got interested in medicine by riding as an EMT. I will openly admit that what drives me is the knowledge that someday I will be able to be really involved in EM work, EMS stuff, Disaster medicine, international medicine, etc. I am clearly an adrenaline junky myself - somewhat different from what I think most people imagine when they think of "doctor". If I was told today that I will have to practice medicine in a suburban clinic for the rest of my life, I would probably quit 🙂.
Needless to say, I have thought about quitting this path and become a PA or flight nurse or something of that sort for a long time. Here's why I didn't: Although going down one of these paths may get you to your goal - practicing heart-pounding medicine in the midst of chaos - you will NEVER be atonomous. Sure, PAs and NPs can do a lot of things on their own, and some can even work individually in private practices, but you will never truly have medical authority. What I mean is that if you want to work with a SWAT team, or MSF, or with EMS, etc., etc., you will never be the final authority. Your knowlede and professional standing will ALWAYS be below someone else's - a physician.
So although the road IS hard, and IS long, I think it's worth it. In the end, you'll turn 30 and 40 and 50 either way.... but will you have the knowledge, skills, experience, and opportunities open to an MD - or will you be part of the "support"?
It all comes down to what's important to you. I would LOVE to be out in the field right now, trying to stabilize a gunshot victim. But what I would love even more is to be able to truly care for him and save his life - not just transport him to the hospital or set up an IV. With that kind of knowledge, you can do a lot more than you could as a nurse or medic - there's expedition medicine, tactical... I don't need to list them all, but trust me, I've done my research 😀
Good luck and feel free to PM me if you want to chat.
Quid 🙂
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Absolutely. The road to being a doctor is long, pressure-packed, but I have no regrets.
I still have the occasional nightmare of being back in undergrad during exam week, facing three finals the next day which for some reason I haven't cracked the books. There are times during med school in which you will have to be focused down to the wire, often questioning why you embarked on such a quest. And during clinicals and residency you will often be yearning for just an additional half hour of rest. But I love what I do, and would do it again in a heartbeat. I agree with roja's and spyderdoc's comments about it being rewarding, amazing, and requiring nothing short of a 110% commitment to get there.
As long a you're certain that it's what you want to do in life, go for it!
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quideam said:
That is EXACTLY why I'm doing this. After way too many years as a paramedic, I wanted a short path to clinical practice (off a truck) and thought alot about being a PA. Turns out you can't be an EMS medical director as a PA so it was off to medical school for me. Thank God for that little distinction 'cause I really love this doctor stuff. Short of convincing my wife to marry me (sucker!) it's been the best thing I ever did.
Take care,
Jeff
I come at this from a totally different angle. I don't "love what I do" - as has become the sickening refrain on this thread - nor was I hellbent on becoming a doc since bursting from the womb. I sort of backed into it*, really, after a few years of bumming around after college and realizing that I was getting nowhere.
I think it's perfectly reasonable for a doctor to be only somewhat interested in - in fact, even to find disagreeable - medical knowledge, medical journals, and the everyday grind of practicing medicine. Hell, that's why I became an ER doc!
I work as a doctor in order to build up capital to finance my lifestyle, which includes: sitting around doing nothing, spending time in open-air cafes with friends, taking trips abroad at every possible opportunity, and reading good books.
There are other ways to build up capital, no doubt, and doctors are fond of telling you, "If I wanted to be rich, I'd have done something else!" while driving up to the hospital in their Lexi and BMW 7-series, but I know of few other jobs that allow you to work 10 days a month and pull in $200k. To a middle-class kid like me, that's a huge sum of loot.
In the ER, we do our work and then go home. That's it. It's like any other job. I don't hear architects, bankers, or other professionals say, "I love my work!" I think you have to be some kind of sick f*ck to say that.
What is this uniquely American fascination with "loving one's work", or, more precisely, PRETENDING to love one's work, as most (young) doctors pretend to do? In the rest of the civilized and uncivilized world (keep in mind, I am an American), work is a necessity, not a passion. Passions are to be spent on romance, art, noble causes - those (silly) things you idealize in your youth.
Trust me, kids, by the time you get to my age (30), you'll just be glad to come home, kick off your shoes, and plan your next overseas vacation on Orbitz.
Am I alone on this one?
I remain faithfully,
the HORNET
*the career, not the womb
I think it's perfectly reasonable for a doctor to be only somewhat interested in - in fact, even to find disagreeable - medical knowledge, medical journals, and the everyday grind of practicing medicine. Hell, that's why I became an ER doc!
I work as a doctor in order to build up capital to finance my lifestyle, which includes: sitting around doing nothing, spending time in open-air cafes with friends, taking trips abroad at every possible opportunity, and reading good books.
There are other ways to build up capital, no doubt, and doctors are fond of telling you, "If I wanted to be rich, I'd have done something else!" while driving up to the hospital in their Lexi and BMW 7-series, but I know of few other jobs that allow you to work 10 days a month and pull in $200k. To a middle-class kid like me, that's a huge sum of loot.
In the ER, we do our work and then go home. That's it. It's like any other job. I don't hear architects, bankers, or other professionals say, "I love my work!" I think you have to be some kind of sick f*ck to say that.
What is this uniquely American fascination with "loving one's work", or, more precisely, PRETENDING to love one's work, as most (young) doctors pretend to do? In the rest of the civilized and uncivilized world (keep in mind, I am an American), work is a necessity, not a passion. Passions are to be spent on romance, art, noble causes - those (silly) things you idealize in your youth.
Trust me, kids, by the time you get to my age (30), you'll just be glad to come home, kick off your shoes, and plan your next overseas vacation on Orbitz.
Am I alone on this one?
I remain faithfully,
the HORNET
*the career, not the womb
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Hornet- GOod to see you haven't forgotten about us.
I basically agree with you. Medicine is my job, not my life. I want to be GOOD at it, atleast, but I wouldn't say I have a passion. I do enjoy work. I love our ED nurses, they're great with the same sense of humor as myself (not to mention... REALLY REALLY HOT). I get some interesting patients that pique my interests, do some cool procedures (I still love getting the flashback on my central lines... and the "happy thread, happy thread, happy thread, yeah!").
I wouldn't say I have a passion for medicine but I relatively enjoy it. Cant' really imagine doing something else unless I were independently wealthy.
And I prefer expedia over Orbitz. Orbitz is owned by all the airline companies!
Q
I basically agree with you. Medicine is my job, not my life. I want to be GOOD at it, atleast, but I wouldn't say I have a passion. I do enjoy work. I love our ED nurses, they're great with the same sense of humor as myself (not to mention... REALLY REALLY HOT). I get some interesting patients that pique my interests, do some cool procedures (I still love getting the flashback on my central lines... and the "happy thread, happy thread, happy thread, yeah!").
I wouldn't say I have a passion for medicine but I relatively enjoy it. Cant' really imagine doing something else unless I were independently wealthy.
And I prefer expedia over Orbitz. Orbitz is owned by all the airline companies!
Q
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QuinnNSU said:
Last time I flew (last week), I went through Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, Orbitz - and got the best price by going directly to the airline (USAir). One trick I found is to go to Orbitz, find the flight, then go to the airline and tweak it.
Worked for me!
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Blue128K said:
Yes, it was worth it to me. But this is what I tell people like you. Many people will tell you not to go into medicine, that it isn't what it used to be. My opinion is, if they CAN talk you out of it, you deserve to be talked out of it. It takes a real die-hard attitude to make it through 11 years of training, if you think you're wavering now, wait until you're working 100 hours a week for no discernible reason.
