Why Medicine?

[Guest mtws]

Let's discuss this question:

"Why do you want to be a Doctor?"

 

Here's my perspective: It's a stupid question to ask at a med school interview! :| If you have a prepared answer you can sound like every other applicant. If you change the subject and give an answer about your experiences or life history you're really answering another question, namely: "What in your life has led you here?"

 

So how do you answer the question?

 

The truth is - None of us really knows for sure if we want to be a physician until we've walked a mile in a physician's shoes.

 

I for one have physician friends who found out, too late, that they hate it. (One of whom has indefinately 'taken leave' of her residency program and another of whom has now 'crossed over', by his own hand, due, at least in part, to the fact that he hated medicine.)

 

So who's to say, until we've done it, that we're really going to like it? And why not just say THAT when they ask? (Because they will ask - they always do.)

 

Comments?

Matt

[Guest stargirl]

At my U of T interview last year, I was completely stunned that it wasn't the first question they asked...or the second...or the third...they didn't ask me at all...and I was RELIEVED...

 

I agree with you Matt...I mean, for me, the answer boils down to I think I would be good at it and I think I would enjoy it (for many reasons...making a difference in the lives of others, lifelong learning yada yada)...have you ever heard the saying, "Choose a career you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life"? Well, basically, that's why - because I think I would love it...but it's hard to explain gut instincts without sounding totally lame...and you are so right about not knowing if it's right until you are there, in the midst of it...

[Guest tappety tap]

I'm so happy that you brought up this point. I was almost embarassed that I didn't have a clear cut answer to this question. I mean in my heart, I know this is what I am supposed to do with my life but that answer is wishy washy and obviously not what they want to hear. It is one the most obvious yet difficult answers to actually articulate! I'm sure I'll end up resorting to the typical "helping people" type of answer if asked.

[Guest shutterbug]

Explaining your motivations for such a huge life decision such as this is very difficult. This year I'll definitely prepare for it more - if i'm interviewed again. I'm not going to rehearse a speech but I'll definitely go over the articulation many times to maximise it's effectiveness.

 

I'll start by saying that I'm interested in the healthcare field and helping others, etc....same as any other applicant....

 

Then, I'll try to describe why medicine stands apart from the other allied health professions using concrete examples from my past. Luckily, I've been able to work with MDs, PTs, OTs, epi, and friends. It's hard though because those are great professions as well and you don't want to appear to be shafting them.

 

I'm still working on it.

[Guest mtws]

Before my interviews last year I did a sort of mock interview where some of my med-student neighbours had some friends over who started asking me questions. They asked me this one. And I answered rather well - they thought. I spoke of my med-A grandfather and my nurse Mom and my nurse wife and volunteer experiences, and research and blah, blah, and it felt really natural. They were all certain that I'd be going to med school in the fall...

 

But I realized afterward that most of it didn't answer their question and I got to thinking I should have a better answer for this brutally difficult question. So, when they asked me at my interview, when it really counted, I gave the old 'helping people, challenging, life dream, blah, blah, crap'

 

That answer sucked.

 

This year (if I'm asked back) I'm not preparing any sort of answer at all (aside from maybe talking about it some more here). I want to be completely at ease and myself and say whatever comes to mind at the time. I know in my heart that I'll make an excellent physician so my gut has got to take me there (if it doesn't - maybe this isn't for me?).

 

Matt

 

There's my two (more) cents.

[Guest novacanuck]

Hey Matt,

Well, you know that all of us feel the same way about that question. It's just been a part of our planing for so long--it's our vocation it seems. How can you get it across that deep down in your heart you feel medicine calling you. I'm sure there are those out there who are just trying it out to see if they like it, but, like you, I've had volunteer experience and I'm not just feeling the waters, I'm ready to dive in head first. In fact, I think I could learn to love it in no time if I were given the chance. The challenges, the people, the gratification, are all the proverbial answers we have to give it seems. I'm just hoping that throught the other questions I can show what I was hoping to portray with my answer to this weirdly daunting question.

 

Matt, we're finally out of the BUBBLE. I hope that you make it this year. Give your wife my regards!

[Guest Ian Wong]

Interesting replies all. This is easily one of the most difficult questions to answer, because it doesn't necessarily deal with factual information (like: who's the current federal health minister?)

 

Still, it's a question you can expect to encounter on most, if not all of your interviews, and it's something you need to know, and know well. After all, most people would consider it a sign of madness to enroll in a 4 year degree that may plunge you over a hundred thousand dollars in debt, will certainly have you putting in huge hours studying or on the wards, and will likely commit you to an additional 2-5 years of even more intense residency afterwards. You NEED to have good reasons for doing what you're doing.

 

Since there's already a duplicate thread discussing this, I'm going to close this thread, and redirect replies to that thread, accessible here:

 

pub125.ezboard.com/fpremed101frm20.showMessage?topicID=84.topic

 

Ian

UBC, Med 4