DrEvil Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 A couple of my friends want to pursue a career in medicine, but they don't like talking to people. You really have to pick a career which suits your personality, otherwise, you will be unhappy. I'm actually really concerned for them because they will likely get into medicine somewhere due to their grades and the number of interviews they will get, but there is only a limited number of fields where a medical doctor can work without interacting with patients (if any). You have to pick a career which you feel passionate about. You will end up contributing more in that field and you will enjoy your work more as well. It seems like some people want to go into medicine purely for the prestige or money, but you will not find happiness that way. You want to enter a field which you think you can succeed and contribute to the community. This will bring fulfillment in life. One friend of mine entered medicine and after he finished, he changed his mind and entered computer science. He said Clerkship was a very stressful time because he didn't like talking to the patients. He did develop people skills, but even then, he felt uncomfortable and could see he was not doing as well as his peers. He now feels he has entered a profession where he can contribute more. He is much happier now. DrEvil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuantum Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Thanks for that advice...seems kind of random...but thanks anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarface Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Well even though I have stated elsewhere on these forums that I don't like volunteering and have no intentions of volunteering, I did have a chance to observe an operation . . . (no, I wasn't paid for time to observe an operation) Did the surgeon talk to the patient? No, which wasn't a surprise, given that the patient was under a general anesthetic. The surgeon was teaching the anesthetist how to swear in portugese. He even taught me some portugese profanity as well. So therefore, I stand corrected, the surgeon did do some talking during that operation, but it wasn't to the patient. BTW, radiologists don't talk much to patients either. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarface Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 And Dr Evil, I have to tell you, I'm one of these people who are interested in a career in medicine solely for the prestige and money. Thank you for your concerns. But as I have stated elsewhere on these forums, dentistry is my first choice, and medicine is my back up. Therefore, if plan A works out, I won't be taking a spot from someone who rightfully deserves it such as yourself. Working in a career in which I will earn a lot of $$$ will bring me fulfillment in life. For me $$$ = happiness. I understand that you and many others on these forums may not agree with me. That's fair, I respect that. But I also have to share something with you people . . . everyone in this world does NOT share the same values as you do. I am not a "carbon copy" of you. That shouldn't come as a surprise to you, but I will post a "surprised" emoticon, nonetheless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp18 Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 $$$ can not be the purpose.....if that is the sole purpose go do MBA, lawyer or IT professional....u will earn far more than most physicians.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bioboy2007 Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 And Dr Evil, I have to tell you, I'm one of these people who are interested in a career in medicine solely for the prestige and money. Thank you for your concerns. But as I have stated elsewhere on these forums, dentistry is my first choice, and medicine is my back up. Therefore, if plan A works out, I won't be taking a spot from someone who rightfully deserves it such as yourself. Working in a career in which I will earn a lot of $$$ will bring me fulfillment in life. For me $$$ = happiness. I understand that you and many others on these forums may not agree with me. That's fair, I respect that. But I also have to share something with you people . . . everyone in this world does NOT share the same values as you do. I am not a "carbon copy" of you. That shouldn't come as a surprise to you, but I will post a "surprised" emoticon, nonetheless I'd have to agree, you are reaching 'ogre status' But I do respect that your views are different and that you take the time to try and justify them [i don't intend to be patronizing, even though it sounds that way] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrEvil Posted October 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Hello Scarface, As if you will go into a career solely for the money and prestige. When you go into a career solely for those reasons, it comes across with your patients. I don't think patients value those characteristics. I hope you state your real intentions in the interview as well. You are certainly more eager to 'take' from the community rather than 'give'. Thanks for stating your true intentions. Dentists are crucial to an effective healthcare system as well. I believe in effective healthcare as a basis for a prosperous country. Health is a profound issue that affects us all. When I serve Canadians as a physician and play a role in improving healthcare, it gives me a sense of warmth to give back to the country that gave me endless oppurtunity. I think Canada has the opportunity to produce the best doctors in the world and it starts from the core values of the dentists and physicians working in the field. There is alot of improvement needed in the Canadian healthcare system & people that have a desire to contribute are essential to the health of the nation. Every message is redundant if you look at it from the wrong perspective. We can all contribute even as students to the betterment of Canadian healthcare. I was simply trying to inspire those that are confused on what they want to do in life. Finding a field that you are genuinely passionate about can be a daunting quest. Some people like to talk about these issues with others on the forum where they can remain anonymous. This is the objective of the forum. We learn from others and learn from their stories. DrEvil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfette Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 A couple of my friends want to pursue a career in medicine, but they don't like talking to people. You really have to pick a career which suits your personality, otherwise, you will be unhappy I hear your point. I'd be nice if everyone knew what career was pre-destined for their personality. But as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Most of the time students don't really know what they want out of life. You can't truly know if you're going to love a career until you try it out - and you can't try it out unless you pursue it. Some people may be great talking with patients, but they end up hating medicine as a science or they end up hating the paperwork or they end up feeling oozy at the sight of blood or they hate being on-call. Maybe they should have been teachers, managers, or counsellors in the first place. If I'm perfectly honest with myself (and I don't think I'm the only one here), I didn't choose my current undergrad degree because I had a great and dying passion for it before I started. I chose it because it seemed "kinda" interesting and because it seemed better than the other choices I had. I'm also reasonably good at it, I don't regret it and I'm reasonably happy. (But I may just have been happy if I went into English or into physics or into philosophy). I have a feeling that many people choose their careers that way. I don't believe in soulmates in love and I don't believe in soulmates in career. Often people make choices that seem "kinda" right and hopefully, after the fact, they are more or less happy with the choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarface Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 $$$ can not be the purpose.....if that is the sole purpose go do MBA, lawyer or IT professional....u will earn far more than most physicians.... There's one problem hp18, the sight of blood turns me on. I did consider paramedicine, but a paramedic told me that even though the pay and benefits were decent, it was one of the most "thankless jobs out there". Of course I shouldn't avoid a potential career as a paramedic solely based on the opinion of one person. So here are other reasons: 1) docs make more $$$ than paramedics 2) docs do more invasive procedures than paramedics So even though $$$ isn't everything, in the end it all comes down to the almighty dollar. So when I say I'm in it solely for the $$$, take it with a grain of salt. I could tell you that I started the Chicago fire, but that doesn't ***ckin necessarily make it so!!! (to paraphase a quote from a Tarantino movie) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarface Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 I'd have to agree, you are reaching 'ogre status' Bro, I've worked hard to make it to where I am. But I have my heights set on higher rafters. I will not settle for ogre. I will aim for whatever mythical creature is beyond ogre. I was thinking warlock, but decided that "skeletor" from he-man fame, would be more appropriate. If everyone were like you bioboy, and respected that other people were different, than I wouldn't be much of a troll, let alone an ogre on these forums. But I know that's not the case. I know there will be quite a few people who think they are so deserving to get into medicine because they are in it for the "right reasons" and they have volunteered since the beginning of time. These people will also think people like me "don't deserve to be in medicine". As long as there are people like them, I will continue to be a troll, ogre, skeletor, or what have you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrEvil Posted October 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Medicine is a huge commitment. 4 yrs & a crazy loan. The admissions want to know whether you have really thought it out well and that's why volunteering with people and the interview is a key factor in the admissions process. This is also why many people get rejected repeatedly. Admissions want to know whether you understand yourself and your ambitions. You should really do enough volunteering in the field so that you are very sure of your decision. You can even shadow a physician and get the feel for what it's like. I know people that have done 2 undergrad degrees because their original one wasn't what they were truly passionate about. It takes exploration. I suggest taking courses in other fields as well. I do believe there is a field for everyone and a field that they are genuinely passionate about. One has to take the initiative to explore different fields. Undergrad is the best time to do so. Communication skills are key to any profession, but it is more essential in some professions than others. It is very well know that a physician must be able to communicate effectively. DrEvil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarface Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Hello Scarface, As if you will go into a career solely for the money and prestige. Agreed. I ask you to reread the post I made to hp18 and ask yourself if I"m really in it solely for the $$$ and prestige. When you go into a career solely for those reasons, it comes across with your patients. I don't think patients value those characteristics. Disagree on both accounts. It may come across with your patients, but in the end they only care that the doc does the job well. Medicine is a service after all. If I were to have an operation, I would want the best surgeon to do the job. If they were in it solely for the $$$ and prestige, I wouldn't care. As long as they could do a better job than the other surgeon who was in it for the "right reasons", whatever those may be. I only care about quality of my physician, not their intentions for going into medicine. Feel free to disagree with me on that one. I hope you state your real intentions in the interview as well. Me too. I also hope I don't get any med interviews. Please. There are many other people like me whom you deem as "bad" who apply to medicine. We are not stupid enough to state our true intentions during an interview. Actually, I might be stupid enough. For your sake Dr Evil, I will state my true intentions for pursuing medicine during an interview. Feel better now? I was simply trying to inspire those that are confused on what they want to do in life. That's nice, but I misinterpreted it as someone who wanted to bash people who are pursuing medicine for the "wrong reasons". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Did the surgeon talk to the patient? No, which wasn't a surprise, given that the patient was under a general anesthetic. You seem to not understand what a surgeon does. Very little of their time is spent in the OR, and much of the time is spent pre and post-op with non-anesthetized patients. That's nice, but I misinterpreted it as someone who wanted to bash people who are pursuing medicine for the "wrong reasons". You are not going into medicine for the 'wrong reasons', but you are also not going into medicine for enough of the 'right reasons'. Trust me, if you have no concern for your patients, no interpersonal skills, you will be doing your patients a disservice. I'm sure all of us in here have dealt with a physician who was rude, uncaring, and only concerned with turfing you to get to his next patient for more billings and $$$. In the end, there is much more to medicine than just diagnosing a disease and treating it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 BTW, radiologists don't talk much to patients either. . . ...maybe not patients, but they certainly talk to many other kinds of folks. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollie Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 It may come across with your patients, but in the end they only care that the doc does the job well. Medicine is a service after all. If I were to have an operation, I would want the best surgeon to do the job. If they were in it solely for the $$$ and prestige, I wouldn't care. As long as they could do a better job than the other surgeon who was in it for the "right reasons", whatever those may be. I only care about quality of my physician, not their intentions for going into medicine. Feel free to disagree with me on that one. Oh, how sadly mistaken you are. Before we started clerkship, we had a lot of sessions on medical error, negligence, medical-legal stuff. One thing that a speaker told us has really stuck in my head. Most patients do not have the basis on which to judge which physician is more skilled than another. This isn't meant to insult the public, but they really don't know how technically perfect the surgery was or how long the list of differential diagnoses was. The way patients judge a doctor is by "nice or not nice", which pretty much means how well the physician communicates with the patient. When things go wrong, and they inevitably will, regardless of how skilled you think you are as a physician, the physician that is more likely to get sued is the one that didn't communicate with his/her patients. The most common reason why patients sue is because they want to find out what went wrong, not because they necessarily want someone to be punished. So if you think that your patients don't care about your intentions as long as you are a good doctor, then you are setting yourself up for disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviathan Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Well said, Ollie. I forgot to mention that those physicians who are friendly and spend the time to talk to their patients are MUCH less likely to be sued, even when they do something improperly. That shouldn't be your motivation to be personable, but when you are a cold-hearted money-driven SOB, that might be your only motivation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmarks3452 Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Bro, I've worked hard to make it to where I am. But I have my heights set on higher rafters. I will not settle for ogre. I will aim for whatever mythical creature is beyond ogre. I was thinking warlock, but decided that "skeletor" from he-man fame, would be more appropriate. The giant in Jack in the Beanstalk should be up there. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Jack_and_the_Beanstalk_Giant_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_17034.jpg *shudders* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 I think medicine is a wide enough field for every healthy personality to fit in. Some specialties require lots and lots of live patient interaction (i.e. psychiatrist, family doc), some require a lot less (radiologist, pathologist). Whether you are an introvert, extrovert, obsessed with technology, or terrified of needles, you could find a specialty where you'll be happy and also helpful to others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefrontrow Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 PLease tell me which profession (in meds) don't require needles. Apparently, I went for a blood test the other day and I nearly fainted:rolleyes:. Maybe, I should just forget about the profession. I know I am not scared of putting needles into other people:p, just not into me. Any advice? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 PLease tell me which profession (in meds) don't require needles. Apparently, I went for a blood test the other day and I nearly fainted:rolleyes:. Maybe, I should just forget about the profession. I know I am not scared of putting needles into other people:p, just not into me. Any advice? Thanks. Well, if you are not scared of putting needles in other people, why do you even worry? I sure can't think of any specialty where YOU are the one getting injections all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefrontrow Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Yeah, but I have heard (about the US schools) that you practice on your classmates drawing blood while in school, not sure about the Canadian schools. Thanks for the encouraging words however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blinknoodle Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 Yeah, but I have heard (about the US schools) that you practice on your classmates drawing blood while in school, not sure about the Canadian schools. Thanks for the encouraging words however. A medical school could never force you to do something like that against your will... At UWO, we first learn about venipuncture practicing on each other, but we all had to sign waivers and you could opt out if you did not feel comfortable with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrEvil Posted October 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Yes, medicine is an extremely broad field for all personality types, but when one is scared of talking with people, he/she is an extreme introvert. I myself am an introvert:) , but I can spend hours taking to patients as I have in volunteering and I have found that I love it. Introvert and extrovert should be put on a 0-10 scale with 0 being the most extreme introvert and 10 being the most extreme extrovert. If you find it nerve-recking or stressful talking to patients, you might be an extreme introvert and I highly recommend you volunteer with patients before making the decision you want to be a physician:confused: . If you are interested in technology, then there are fields out there that are probably more suited to you than medicine. Going into medicine to pursue technology-related interests is probably not the best route if you want to be exposed to technology. Many people get caught up in the rat race because they copy their friends. One must take initiative and find his/her niche. It differs for everyone and you won't find it by being a sheep. Be proactive and explore. DrEvil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyMax Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Hey, Please tell me which profession (in meds) don't require needles. Actually, most fields don't require you to stick people with needles. Other than anaesthesia, ER and possibly FM, I can't really think of any field that would require a physician to perform venipuncture on a regular basis. There are also a ton of fields that don't even require a stethoscope. Examples would include radiology, pathology, OB/GYN, urology...the list goes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 PLease tell me which profession (in meds) don't require needles. Apparently, I went for a blood test the other day and I nearly fainted:rolleyes:. Maybe, I should just forget about the profession. I know I am not scared of putting needles into other people:p, just not into me. Any advice? Thanks. Hi, Although I've been making attempts to get over it, I have a huge needle (pain) phobia. I generally feel similar to you when faced with having a needle stuck in me; however, I can give them with little issue. So my advice would be not to worry about it too much. Just do what I do and cover yourself in Emla patches when you need to get the requisite shots for medical school. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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