EoE Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Why do you want to be a doctor? I am interested in everyone's answer to this... Most people will have to answer this question not only in an interview format, but also to friends and family. Writing it out and seeing everyone's thoughts may help people solidify their own ideas about this question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronjw Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 For the money and hot nurses. D'uh. Kidding (sort of lol). 1) I have a fascination with the human body and have had it at a deep level for the past 10-12 years - the puzzles within make me drool 2) I enjoy helping people, whether that be helping people get into shape through diet and training coaching (generally free or an upfront fee and then I return the money once they've reached their goal), the kids I coach in football or through being a big brother to kids without a father. 3) I've had numerous health issues in the past and present which with help from a good medical system I have overcome. To illustrate, I broke my neck (C2, among other multiple internal injuries) when I was 18 and if not for the paramedics, nurses, doctors and my neurosurgeon I don't know that I'd be here today or even walking if I was. I have been fortunate enough to have had help in many aspects of my life throughout and I want to be someone who repays his debt through the deeds of my time and my work. If that happens to be as a Doctor then I would welcome and appreciate that gift. If its through some other means then that's fine as well. I can't say it's for the money (although that is nice) because I'm leaving a career where I've made a very good living for a number of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drkwhy Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Good question...... I initially wanted to do something else. Thought becoming a doctor was a waste of time, until I got sick with IBD. I was hospitalized for months and faced many nuisance of diseases dealing with autoimmunity. I first got angry at the doctors and said to myself: If I ever get better, I will become a a way better medical doctor than these idiots who ran around acting all busy and tired but couldn't help me if their lives depended on it. I realized shortly after that they were doing(I think) the best they could. But during my stay at sickkids, I witnessed more sick patients than I thought should be. I never really fully understood how many people depend on institutions like hospitals and medical clinics. After rethinking how I want to spend my life, I told myself I wanted to try and make human suffering by means of diseases as minimal as possible. This CAN be by ways of becoming a medical doctor and going to medical school, OR by finding new and optimal ways to diagnose and treat patients. I really hope I can do either one. I just have a tendency to not do things I don't like so stupid prerequisites at school weigh me down lol. But that's why I want to become a doctor. Also, I'm not one to say what they teach in Medical school, but they should remind students what the word Doctor means. I've had to google and read up on diseases and treatments myself. Something PATIENTS should not have to do because DOCTORS should TEACH them all about their diseases. I find it pathetic how I have to go to my family doctor and ask for medication to treat my condition instead of going to my respective specialist(someone whom if you want to see, will see you 6 months later...) But I have also met many wonderful doctors so there's the good and there's the bad:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellorie Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Seems like history of illness + love of science is a big combination. Same for me, really. I had a very bad childhood, and my doctors were some of the only people who actually gave a crap about me. That little bit of attention and caring kept me alive through some truly terrible things. When I left home, I decompensated and got hit with a hefty round of mental illness. Again, my doctors cared for me and kept me alive. I wanted to pay it forward. I wanted to be able to make that kind of impact on someone else. Working in a hospital showed me that I liked the environment. Science courses showed me that I liked the content. Crisis line work and counselling showed me that I am good at/enjoy dealing with people in crisis and distress. And so you find me here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 so that Apple can start producing idocs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I don't, I'm pretty much just interested in mental health for the most part, but mental health is so politicized and canonized under a certain practical paradigm that I think I would bring too much of an eclectic/critical approach not to get kicked out of residency, I guess that was a pipe dream. I'm really getting interested in populations/community health though, would incorporate my social sciences/stats background with the medical stuff I'm picking up. At this point, I would say mostly my debt, sad but true, and from reading the internet it appears this is far more common than people realize, it's unfortunate that the cost of education can have such a deterministic effect on our careers but those are the cards you're dealt, jack seven isn't to great but it beats a 2 7 offsuit that a lot of people i know have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I couldn't have had more of an opposite experience with doctors, I had a rare condition that was discounted and ignored for years because there are really no diagnostics that can work except empirical treatment methods. I've been told stuff was all in my head or that I was just anxious and making it up that I felt a disdain for the medical community and wanted to be that person who actually gave a crap (which I eventually found, two years later). I've also witnessed terrible mental health work ruin the lives of countless people... including leading some people to suicide. I guess in the end though, it produces that same motivation, to be exceptional in your service to others. Same for me, really. I had a very bad childhood, and my doctors were some of the only people who actually gave a crap about me. That little bit of attention and caring kept me alive through some truly terrible things. When I left home, I decompensated and got hit with a hefty round of mental illness. Again, my doctors cared for me and kept me alive. I wanted to pay it forward. I wanted to be able to make that kind of impact on someone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illuminant Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 So now most of the premeds have had medical illness before wanting to do medicine .. it seems that a lot of you watch House nowadays LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychoswim Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Many reasons for me too, and most have been mentioned already. - the human body fascinates me, especially everything related to bones/muscles which is why I went into physio in my first uni semester 10 years ago. Physio was too repetitive for me and just didn't fit into my training schedule so put it on the back burner for a long time. I really enjoy learning about other systems too though. - in the last 2 years I've torn one knee ligament, and had two shoulder surgeries (and some cortisone shots before & after). I've spent a lot of time in the medical system and it's really made me appreciate all they do and really realize that's who I want to be. The injuries also forced me to take a step back and really figure out what I want to do with my life after swimming which is very hard to do when you're following the wave. - Spending 8 years studying computer science (which I still like to program), I realized I want to work with people directly, and help them. When I think about it.. I've lived the past 23 years of my life in a very stimulating competition environment. To truly feel alive and accomplished, I need a stimulating career and I think med fits the bill perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clever Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Chicks and money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xkittens Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Chicks and money +1 10char. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minion Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I simply hate all the doctors that I ever had. They all looked like they wanted to kill themselves and looked absolutely depressed. Then again I don't know what happened to them that day. I want to be a doctor that isn't depressed when seeing patients and make sure that patients have a positive impression when they go to the hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehockeykid Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 god, country, duty I simply hate all the doctors that I ever had. They all looked like they wanted to kill themselves and looked absolutely depressed. Then again I don't know what happened to them that day. I want to be a doctor that isn't depressed when seeing patients and make sure that patients have a positive impression when they go to the hospital. most doctors working on their own seems to love their job dermatologist: always so happy family doctor: happy walk in doctor at loblaws: so happy upset doctors i had were the ones in ER at the hospital, they look so depressed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaronjw Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 god, country, duty most doctors working on their own seems to love their job dermatologist: always so happy family doctor: happy walk in doctor at loblaws: so happy upset doctors i had were the ones in ER at the hospital, they look so depressed Prob ones that have to deal with the politics or admimistrators instead of doimg their job and helping people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limoncello Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 When I was a teenager someone very dear to my heart was diagnosed with a terminal cancer and passed away within 8 months of the diagnosis. Throughout these difficult and grueling 8 months, I have witnessed that person go from being a a happy loving individual to someone who could no longer recognize who I was.....It was one of the toughest points in my life. But it also allowed me to gain an appreciation and a new perspective for what it means to be a physician. I had witnessed the dedication with which my loved one's doctors fought the cancer and attempted to prolong her life to best of their abilities, and I was utterly inspired! I also became fascinated by the human body and curious by the different diseases that afflict it. Also, I always enjoyed working with people, and liked studying the sciences. Medicine is constantly evolving as a field, therefore it is an intellectually stimulating career path which will keep me from getting bored:) Altogether this ties in to my aspiration to become a physician:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phosgenic Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Chicks and money The things that matter in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoE Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 This is a crazy mix of answers about a traumatic medicine-related experiences and straight up greed (which are jokes I hope!). I have two answers. This is my short answer: Why not medicine? How could you argue with a career where you get to make people better on a daily basis? How could you argue with a career that opens the doors to contribute in almost any way imaginable to human health? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Because I like torture. Deeman will agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xkittens Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 This is a crazy mix of answers about a traumatic medicine-related experiences and straight up greed (which are jokes I hope!). I have two answers. This is my short answer: Why not medicine? How could you argue with a career where you get to make people better on a daily basis? How could you argue with a career that opens the doors to contribute in almost any way imaginable to human health? +1. That's exactly why I want to be a doctor. No other profession would allow you to make an instantaneous, direct (positive) impact on someone's life. I wonder what adcoms would think about that, my reasons seem lame. I've never had a life-changing experience that made me fall in love with medicine.... it just happened over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 This is a crazy mix of answers about a traumatic medicine-related experiences and straight up greed (which are jokes I hope!). I have two answers. This is my short answer: Why not medicine? How could you argue with a career where you get to make people better on a daily basis? How could you argue with a career that opens the doors to contribute in almost any way imaginable to human health? I wanted to work for Tokyopop or Ubisoft when I was younger - I would have been on the Assassin's Creed Revelations programming team by now Ah well. There are some interesting game-like features of life are actually quite fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phosgenic Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Someone I know does research with a doc who is on the admissions committee at some medical school in Canada (not sure which)... he said they've had applicants who, when asked why they wanted to become a doctor, said flat out "for money" or "for prestige". Mind-boggling how someone can be smart enough to jump through all the hoops to be granted an interview and then say something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerena Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I'll just post the short answer without giving more personal reasons (I'll keep those to myself for now ). Three things that intrigue me about medicine: teaching medical students, maintaining a clinical practice, and pursuing clinical research. I want to do all of these things through specialization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehockeykid Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Someone I know does research with a doc who is on the admissions committee at some medical school in Canada (not sure which)... he said they've had applicants who, when asked why they wanted to become a doctor, said flat out "for money" or "for prestige". Mind-boggling how someone can be smart enough to jump through all the hoops to be granted an interview and then say something like that. at least they were being honest, i heard authenticity could go a long way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 it can, in some circumstances... that would not be one of them... at least they were being honest, i heard authenticity could go a long way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medguy5367 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I want to be a doctor for the money/prestige/chicks. I am 100% serious, not joking or trying to be a comedian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.