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number one reason for choosing med

newmeddude

What is the number one reason you want to be a doctor  

1 member has voted

  1. 1. What is the number one reason you want to be a doctor

    • To please your parents
      6
    • The money
      6
    • The job stability
      12
    • The prestige / respect
      16
    • The intellectual challenge
      36
    • Genuinely want to serve others with their health
      43
    • Wanted to when you were younger for whatever reason, now you're just following through
      2
    • Seems like it would be exciting (i.e. on tv)
      3

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AdamP Newbie

AdamP

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I was going to say something along the lines of the diversity of the profession and all the different opportunities available in it, I don't even know what the closest thing to that would be on your poll, prestige maybe, I don't know.

 

job stability/demand is nice too, and the 3 complimentary models you get once you are accepted.

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Cnussey Newbie

Cnussey

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just check out the poll under this name... this thread was a mistake, i meant to make a poll... so far, there have been 2 votes for serving people, and 5 votes for other things... reality check, future_doc

 

While I agree many people choose medicine for a variety of different factors, that doesn't make FD's post invalid. There are people in the health care profession who are there "primarily" to serve others--same with law enforcement, politics, teaching, etc. --you will find genuine society servers everywhere.

 

And while they are rarer than we would like to believe, it's nothing to mock or belittle. It's an honourable decision if that is what these few people are doing.

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newmeddude Newbie

newmeddude

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While I agree many people choose medicine for a variety of different factors, that doesn't make FD's post invalid. There are people in the health care profession who are there "primarily" to serve others--same with law enforcement, politics, teaching, etc. --you will find genuine society servers everywhere.

 

And while they are rarer than we would like to believe, it's nothing to mock or belittle. It's an honourable decision if that is what these few people are doing.

 

Oh I completely agree with you. There are undoubtedly many people in the health care profession for the sole reason of service to others. It is honourable. No question. However, to say "is there any other reason" and call the poll a joke is extremely naive in my opinion.

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Cnussey Newbie

Cnussey

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Oh I completely agree with you. There are undoubtedly many people in the health care profession for the sole reason of service to others. It is honourable. No question. However, to say "is there any other reason" and call the poll a joke is extremely naive in my opinion.

 

Agreed. It goes both ways.

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future_doc Newbie

future_doc

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Oh I completely agree with you. There are undoubtedly many people in the health care profession for the sole reason of service to others. It is honourable. No question. However, to say "is there any other reason" and call the poll a joke is extremely naive in my opinion.

 

newmeddude, I do not consider your post a joke and apologize to you for my question to Tango Charlie in post #5. I was reflectively responding to his question with a similar question within seconds. I should not have done this and should have taken the time to think it out and give another answer.

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takashi Newbie

takashi

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I think for me, at the end of the day when I am retired and old and I look at back my life and all the struggles I went through to become a doctor and the countless sacrifices I will make as a doctor, I will look back and ask myself was it all worth it? I know theres only one answer to that question.

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Tango Charlie Newbie

Tango Charlie

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I think for me, at the end of the day when I am retired and old and I look at back my life and all the struggles I went through to become a doctor and the countless sacrifices I will make as a doctor, I will look back and ask myself was it all worth it? I know theres only one answer to that question.

 

You could get just as much or more satisfaction out of any number of jobs though. Being able to look back on your life with a sense of accomplishment shouldn't be something exclusive to medicine, I wouldn't think. In my opinion, there are very few professions (especially the oldest professions) out there that might not be eligible for that sort of positive, post-retirement reflection.

 

Now, sure, some people may think that unless they retire at 40 a multi-millionaire their life is a failure, but I think people from CEO to construction worker should be able to feel fulfilled in their life.

 

Just to clarify though, this isn't me criticizing your opinion here. I just wonder if perhaps there isn't anything more to be said on the matter. And as the goddamn gym is closed for Good Friday you'll hopefully forgive me if I come across as somewhat insensitive.

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dr_horrible Newbie

dr_horrible

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I don't think I could pick just 1 of these. Medicine isn't the only career in which I could help people and promote health. It isn't the only field with a lot of job security, or the only one that is intellectually challenging. It's the combination of these things that made me want to pursue med.

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The Law Newbie

The Law

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I don't think I could pick just 1 of these. Medicine isn't the only career in which I could help people and promote health. It isn't the only field with a lot of job security, or the only one that is intellectually challenging. It's the combination of these things that made me want to pursue med.

 

Seconded. :)

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  • 4 weeks later...
wosman Newbie

wosman

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I feel like i'm gonna get flamed but it's the vast information that you have and more importantly the liscence to use all that information to educate people. Helping people is great and all, but I look most forward to teaching my patients (hopefully if i become a dr...) about whatever ailment they have. Some say just be a prof then, which is great too, but i'd rather share the info with the general populace. Teaching medstudents isn't appealing at all to me.

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rmorelan Collaborator

rmorelan

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I feel like i'm gonna get flamed but it's the vast information that you have and more importantly the liscence to use all that information to educate people. Helping people is great and all, but I look most forward to teaching my patients (hopefully if i become a dr...) about whatever ailment they have. Some say just be a prof then, which is great too, but i'd rather share the info with the general populace. Teaching medstudents isn't appealing at all to me.

 

teaching them and helping them are often the same thing really - particularly in primary care :)

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