# Anyone want to be a doctor?



## idunnoimnotcreative (Jul 11, 2006)

Or any other career in the realm of health care? Not to sound altruistic or anything, but I really like the fact that health care careers are about helping people rather than screwing them over like in corporate careers.

There's been some quiet encouragement from my parents for me to go to med school and become a doctor, and I have to admit it's been at the back of my mind for quite a while. Any other pre-meds or even med students? Maybe we can discuss some dilemmas we face having SA?

Currently, I am facing a bit of a problem with volunteer and extra-curricular experience which are absolutely critical to med school applications. It's very intimidating to join up for those types of experiences when you're going into them alone. How have you dealt with this issue?

Also, I would like to share a small anecdote that I would just like to get off my chest. It's about dealing with criticism from others regarding your dreams.

In my junior year of high school, I was sitting down with a couple of classmates, and we were discussing careers. A girl sitting near me asked if I wanted to be a doctor (we were part of the same cultural upbringing). Immediately, the girl sitting beside her, who was nice to just about everyone except me, blurted out with a really mean looking face and nasty tone "I would never trust you". 

Fortunately everybody else just ignored what she said so I wasn't publicly humiliated, but what she said really hurt me and still bothers me. I never spoke to that girl, I wouldn't even consider her an acquaintance. What would lead someone to say something like that, unless there was something very wrong with me?


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## Eraserhead (Sep 23, 2006)

I've thought very seriously about entering Med-school after finishing my B.Sc. Thing is, I'm not quite sure if I'm good enough to get in, or if I have the motivation to go through the whole program and the subsequent residency, etc. My main interest is really biological research, so I might just pass on Med-school entirely. 

Like yourself, I haven't gone and tried to do volunteering or anything extracurricular yet. Mainly it's because of SA, I think.

I'd be pretty bothered by what the girl told you, since I really take what people say to heart normally. Still, if you weren't even acquaintances then I guess she didn't know you at all, and you shouldn't think about it too much.


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## 0rchid (Aug 19, 2006)

I plan to apply to Med school after my 4th year (i'm in my 3rd now). So far my grades aren't too bad, they're a A- but my dad is determined to get me into med school that he announced he would pay for me to go anywhere and mind you, my family isn't the richest but we're middle-class-well-off. 

Concerning volunteering, I know it's tough to get any especially when you're away alone by yourself but I found a great program at a hospital that offers at least 70 hours for a month during the summertime, so I've been doing that. I think I've accumulated over 200 volunteer hours because of that one program. For extra-curricular, I have none. I had some in first year but ever since I moved out of residence, I've pretty much lost contact with a lot of friends/acquantiances, so I get a lot of SA from even thinking about going up to a club rep and asking questions about joining. That's probably going to be my worst part of the application --> no extra-curricular activities. 

I'd probably snap back at that girl if I were in your shoes. This person doesn't even know me and she makes such a sharp judgement? You shouldn't take it so personally, she was probably trying to make a joke.


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## Whimsy (Mar 16, 2006)

I want to go to medical school, I'm a junior but I'm preparing for graduate school first. I'm applying to developmental psychology and biopsychology phd programs this fall (I still haven't decided so I'll apply to both kinds of programs). Then I'll finish my pre-med as a post bacc. Volunteering...my college requires a 100 hours internship in order to graduate which is good for me since it forces me to take the plung and I can take advantage and do it in a hospital/research setting. My advsior will help me pick one and contact them so it seems less scary. But it still makes me nervous just thinking about it, plus I have to do my hours this summer. I also want to join this honor society at my school, they require participation in two clubs/extra-curriculars. My hungry competitive side will force me to join two clubs just have the title! I hate clubs lol but it will be worth it. My parents are more excited than I am about presuing both degrees but they told me they won't kick me out of the house until I get married and they will help me pay for school.


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## SilentLoner (Jan 30, 2006)

I've really been thinking about going to medical school. I wanted to be an ER doctor for a long time, but I kinda lost enthusiasm for the idea when I saw what I'd have to go through study-wise.

I love medicine, hospital settings, ER shows you name it. But I just don't know if I could make it. I would like to become a paramedic if anyhting, but the family unit disapproved of any job not requiring a college degree.


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## idunnoimnotcreative (Jul 11, 2006)

It's always worth a shot applying, you never know what could come out of it. Your chances are certainly better than not applying at all 

I was thinking a bit more about volunteering, and I've been thinking it probably wouldn't be as bad as I'm making it out to be. I think that most volunteer organizations are housed with pleasant people (would a bunch of jerks be willing to volunteer?), so I'm sure people would be nice to you (nicer than the real world work place for sure). With that thought in mind, I'm hoping that I'll finally be able to go out and start volunteering this summer.


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## Gerard (Feb 3, 2004)

Interesting. I admire you idealists, we need a lot of you in the world. I know my career is a helping profession but I don't necessarily know what that is. Good luck with your dreams, iddunnoimnotcreative! and everyone else.


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## 0rchid (Aug 19, 2006)

My thinking is that unless your resume, GPA and mcat scores are good enough, there really is no point to applying. See my parents seem to think it's a cinch to apply to any grad school, med school or dental school but I feel like if I do, and I get rejected MULTIPLE times, my depression will be onset with my SA, which most likely will get worse. 

Here's a depressing thought: about 5-10% of all students applying to med school get accepted. I didn't look up the statistics or anything but I remember somebody saying that.


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## idunnoimnotcreative (Jul 11, 2006)

I heard it was closer to 14%. Still, a depressing statistic. It's better in the U.S. where it's around 40% acceptance rate.


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## 0rchid (Aug 19, 2006)

^^ Yeah but what are the minimum GPA and mcat scores? I decided to take the mcats this summer in august.


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## Blue Oval (Oct 18, 2006)

im in pharmacy school, 3 years just about down, 3 to go and ill graduate with a Doctor of Pharmacy. ive been working in CVS for 3 1/2 years but i dont see myself doing retail after i graduate, hopefully working for pfizer or merck or something like that


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