Forever LSU

Ok, I was a bit harsh, but still in all, people are ready to sue at the drop of a hat these days. Oh, I do know people who are doing medicine because they will make more than the average joe, I doubt they are factoring in the insurance costs though. Haha, politics is the way to go, I have no respect for those wastes of human flesh.

obama09229

I think in becoming a doctor one needs to consider the passion for the field before considering all these other variables. Apart from it being a respectable profession or a profession where you make money or even the downside of high malpractice insurance, I think one true passion for the field will put the needed prospective on this issue going forward. For me medicine is what I have wanted to do my whole life. I have a deep compassion and love for the field and most important a great deal of love for people, which will eventually become my patients.. With that being my drive, other issues as malpractice and cost of becoming a doctor are secondary issues for me. I understand that the process is expensive and I understand that when u finally become a physician the cost is still what overwhelming in regards to malpractice. People also need to pay attention to the evolving aspects of medicine. For example, malpractice has always been an issue in the medical field. What you see happening now is a lot of physicians are now becoming hospitalist in order to incur the cost themselves. With becoming a hospitalist physicians now are able to have the issue of malpractice or a least the majority of it be the problem of the hospitals. So at the end of the days there are both pros and cons to becoming a doctor but for me, my love and passion alone suppresses much of the downsides that others see.

Princess'Dad

obama
Malpractice is by far worse today than it was 10 years ago.
90% of all tests are done not because they are medically needed, but to CYA. This will become worse with current administration. Example. All books and best practice guidelines state that if you bump your head, see stars, etc but are awake and alert when you go to the doc even with headache, you do not need a CT of the head. Only 1 : 50,000 will have something missed and most of them will be picked up by following head instructions. The lawyers say that that 1: 50,000 should not be left up to chance so all have CT

rocketman08

The malpractice / managed care situation means that for many doctors, despite their extensive training, it's actually a lawyer or far less educated HMO administrator who tells you what you can/can't do or what's best for the patient...

casualtyofsociet

I'm kind of worried.
I do have a passion for medicine and it's the only area I feel so strongly interested in. I've experimented with other fields but none gave me the same feeling of purpose and none seemed as interesting.
But the years of studying and the stress are so strenuous and taxing, and they take away from all your other priorities in life (a big one for me is family). Now I'm having second thoughts. I still love the healthcare field and I really want to work in a hospital. Is there some kind of job "in between" nurse and doctor that lets you experience and participate in the excitement of medicine but still have other things going on in your life?

GoldShadow

PA, podiatrist, optometrist, nurse practitioner come to mind.

bluedevilmike

Clinical psychologist, paramedic, clinical pharmacist. Probably bunches of others I'm missing.

rocketman08

Physician's assistant maybe?

bookmark

Bookmarking awesome posts on careers in medicine.

asmallchild

It doesn't work that way.

From high school, you go to college. There you can major in whatever you want so long as you fulfill the necessary prerequisite courses to take the MCAT and apply to medical school.

In medical school, there are many different curriculums. Most schools will divide the training like this: preclinical courses (these are a lot like college courses) during the 1st 2 years.

Your 3rd year will be clinical rotations (you go to the hospital to work) and for the most part, everyone will rotate through similar fields: pediatrics, OBGYN, family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, emergency medicine, etc... etc...

From there, you get a taste of what you like, what you don't. You make a decision (often at the end of third year) and tailor a schedule around your desired choice. These audition rotations and ensuing LORs will allow you to apply for a residency in the field of your desired choice. Hopefully you match and that's that.

Can you "shop" around? Absolutely. You have three years of medical school to shadow different preceptors, to do research with different departments, etc... etc... Very few people enter medical school knowing absolutely what they want to do.

What happens if you fail to match in the residency of your dreams? You can always reapply or many students end up pursuing a residency in easier-to-attain fields. If you are an American medical graduate and are willing to go anywhere, it is NOT difficult to match into internal medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, peds, even general surgery.

longhorns08

I have read about the first 15 pages of this discussion. I was hoping if you all could give me your input to my problem concerning career choices. I am currently a pre-med/corporate finance major at top ten business school in the nation. After this summer, I will have completed all my pre-med requirements and will began taking mcat prep classes in the fall. ( at least that is the plan). I am at a crossroad in my life. Before I pay for my mcat prep classes and spend 6 months studying for the exam, I need to decide which career path I want to follow. I have been pre-med since the 7th grade. I went to math and science school highschool so I would have a easier transition in pre-med courses in college. I have done two years worth of scientific research, shadowed doctors, volunteered at hospitals. But ever since I got into the business school at the univeristy, I have had this HUGE doubt in my mind, if i am picking the right career. I have talked to coworkers, friends, and some famiy and everyone sees in business more than in the medical field due to my personaility. However, they all say I will be sucessful in both and I know, I will too. not to be cocky, but I am very self driven. But I dont know if being a doctor will make me truly happy. I honestly want a somewhat stable job, wanna make a killing, get married, have childern, and live a somewhat happy life. Basically like every other person in the world. But I am so confused, as to which one I want to do.


I want to be a doctor,
(a) I enjoy science, love case studies, and am curious
(b) helping people
(c) money, stability of job ( huge factor, not going to lie, i like the idea of having a stable with a nice income)
(d) finding a spouse...doctors are known to finding a loved one....its silly to focus on such thing. but i dont want have a sucessul life with no one to share with when Im 50

Business
(a) love the field, have a true passion for this
(b) im a people person
(c) im have innate qualities giving me the ability to lead and pursuade
(d) like being charge and working my way to the top
(e) love public speaking, esp. impromptu


help please? Also, status is another thing pushing me to be a doctor. you dont get the same respect being a CEO. but i guess part of life is doing what you love and what you want to do. if i do go into business, it is something, I will have to deal overcome. Also, premed is something I been working towards basically my entire life since middle school. Most of peers are pre med themselves. One thing I will have a problem with picking business, is most of peers who are premed will become a doc and I lost that oppurtunity. Its more of a pride issue that anything at that point for me. I dunno,

bluedevilmike

(d): To the contrary, conventional wisdom has physicians as notorious for high rates of divorce and difficult marriages. Not surprising in a field that also manifests very high rates of addiction, stress, etc.

From my experience, this seems to be true. My medical school's surgical residency was very proud of itself recently: for the first time in fifty years, they were just about to graduate a female resident who had stayed married to the same person throughout the program.

youngscholar2

Have any of you ever considered dentistry?

Those interested in healthcare, not disheartened by the posts about medicine these days might find it quite appealing.

kwaldner

just wondering, are there certain hair length restrictions for male doctors?

nate763

Not that I know of...but if you work in a hospital or something they'll have a "dress code" for you. Interestingly enough there was a doctor that worked in the ER at the hospital near me quite a few years ago who looked quite gruff.