Non-Medical Careers After Medicine

[LeBronto2019]

Out of curiosity-why MD and not MPH? 

 

Sometimes I question that within myself but when I consider the fact that many of the populations that I want to help need a physician to manage their conditions as much as they need programs and policies developed to help them in the long run, I knew that I need both sets of skills. There will always be a need for harm reduction programs to help in our inner city but in working towards that, why not help them manage their addictions and health concerns too?

 

Plus, as sad as it is, society values doctors so much that many professionals (including in public health) have said that being a doctor will give you a step up on your public health initiatives than just having done an MPH. Knowing that "X Y and Z need to be accomplished to reduce poor health outcomes" said from a doctor holds a lot more weight, I kind of feel like I need to do this to have a stronger voice in the community. That statement undermines the profession as just a "booster seat" in my career but it's not like I'm doing it for the MD and never practicing medicine; I just need to find balance in clinical + public health/policy work to do something decent for people. 

[_ _]

Sometimes I question that within myself but when I consider the fact that many of the populations that I want to help need a physician to manage the

ir conditions as much as they need programs and policies developed to help them in the long run, I knew that I need both sets of skills. There will always be a need for harm reduction programs to help in our inner city but in working towards that, why not help them manage their addictions and health concerns too?

 

Plus, as sad as it is, society values doctors so much that many professionals (including in public health) have said that being a doctor will give you a step up on your public health initiatives than just having done an MPH. Knowing that "X Y and Z need to be accomplished to reduce poor health outcomes" said from a doctor holds a lot more weight, I kind of feel like I need to do this to have a stronger voice in the community. That statement undermines the profession as just a "booster seat" in my career but it's not like I'm doing it for the MD and never practicing medicine; I just need to find balance in clinical + public health/policy work to do something decent for people. 

Makes sense, I was just curious because of the years/cost of the MD by comparison! But it is definitely a more stable path  I'm sure

[NLengr]

Man, I miss those days!

Ha ha ha.

 

My current goal is to pass my exam with my sanity intact.

[BTJJ]

This guy is phenomenal - next level overachiever right there

 

I actually knew Ray Muzyka, though not closely. He grew about 250m from our house and we attended the same schools from grades 1 to 9. He was 2 years ahead of me, so he was never in my class, but everyone in the school always knew who Raymond Muzyka was. I last saw him at the Edmonton Public High School awards night in 1986 where he collected the top grade 12 achievement award for his high school and I collected the grade 10 award for mine. I have never ever met or known anyone so driven and so single-mindedly focused on success and achievement. In middle school (age 13-15) he would bring all of his books home at lunch hour and then bring them back in the afternoon (in those days most children walked to school and went home for lunch). His reasoning was that if he got sick over lunch, he'd want to have his books to study in the afternoon and evening. I've never seen that dedication from a 13 year old. He was always at the top of the class (which wasn't enough - he had to strive always to do his own very best) and didn't appear to care about friends, sports, girls, music or anything that interfered with his focus. He was thoughtful, analytical, never had an ill word for anyone. He had supreme confidence in his abilities but lacked that insufferable arrogance that too often accompanies over-achievement. He was genuinely a "nice guy" in the best sense of the word. I was very pleased when I read about him and his success many years ago. He's had the unique fortune of having multiple careers.

[NutritionRunner]

This is likely the plan right now. There is an interest in PHPM but if I want greater involvement in public policy and administration or academia, I might do family medicine (+ MPP/MPH/MPA/MBA or PhD or something else). I know medicine isn't the best career when wanting to address more social issues in the world, but it's worth the contribution to try resolving them. Everyone is saying that doctors have a huge influence in society because how much weight they hold.

 

 

 

Dude, all my interests are in social determinants of health. That's why I'm so torn because I feel like I'm trying to take a medical career down a social path (when other professionals already exist in those realms). I want to address income inequality, homelessness, access to education, substance use and addiction, environment restoration and climate change, access to quality healthcare, immigration reform and support in settlement, global health and international development, etc. I'm basically wanting to be a physician hybrid of Bill Gates and Bernie Sanders (without being a billionaire or a politician, maybe). UGH! Why can't there be a perfect career for me?

We covered all of those topics/issues in my MPH program, so it sounds like a residency in public health would suit you. Interestingly enough, the prof for my food systems course is an MD who became interested in sustainable good systems when doing medical work in the third world. http://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/cole-donald-c/

[NutritionRunner]

We covered all of those topics/issues in my MPH program, so it sounds like a residency in public health would suit you. Interestingly enough, the prof for my food systems course is an MD who became interested in sustainable good systems when doing medical work in the third world. http://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/faculty-profile/cole-donald-c/

That should be sustainable FOOD systems. Big fingers, small phone keyboard.