Ok so the topic is “Reasons for going to med school”. Medicine is one of those specialties where a formal education is absolutely necessary and needed. As a doctor you would need a medical license from the country in which you on practicing medicine. To get this medical license a formal 4 to 5 year education plus a 1 year internship is usually what is needed. As speaking from experience in my case it was definitely worth the effort and the pain. My reason for joining medical school as a doctor was very straight forward. I wanted to help the people who were not able to afford the care. I could only do this if I had a personal private practice and hence I built one. And I am now in a position to achieve my goal slowly but surely. But there are many reasons for which one may decide to enter the medical profession as a doctor. I have listed a few common ones below
Being a doctor for the prestige
Medicine is one of the top 3 professions in every country in the world. It is for a reason. Medical professionals provide a very valuable service to the community. In most societies only doctors are given the level of prestige in the healthcare industry unlike other healthcare professions. I don’t agree with this philosophy as all healthcare workers have a very important and fundamental job without which the whole system of healthcare would definitely collapse. But to a patient, a doctor is the only healthcare provider who at the end of the day is taking the most important decisions on which his or her life depends. So it is quite natural for patients to give doctors the level of prestige that they get. Other healthcare providers though very essential are not directly involved in making the decisions for the patient and hence don’t get appreciated as much. This phenomenon is changing for the better but we are not quite there yet. So many students who want to acquire the prestige in the medical profession aim for being a doctor.
Being a doctor for the money
Ok for some people becoming a doctor can be stimulated by money. And to be honest there is nothing wrong with this. Most students come from a middle class background and to be able to earn a better living for their families is one of their driving forces. But medicine is tough, way tougher than what you would actually think when you decide on getting into the profession at first. It is hence very difficult to survive in the profession if money is your only goal. There a lot of professions and businesses that pay alot more that what doctors make and in an era where some people are earning millions from their bedrooms via online platforms being a doctor for the money does not make sense. At least not as much now as it used to.
Being a doctor for the job satisfaction
For many job satisfaction and a fulfilling career will be the goal above all else. Medicine is great as you are presented with a new challenge almost every single day. But there comes a time in your life when you just want it to be simple. Many of my senior colleagues prefer to do bread and butter cases most often. This is because age doesn’t permit them to take on 24 hour long operations. This will become a thing. And with the burnout cases rising to such huge numbers job satisfaction alone would not be a great reason to enter the medical profession.
Being a doctor to help the people
Well, this was my goal and it is (in my opinion) the only reason why one should pursue being a doctor. Trust me after 12 hours of operations and procedures you just want to go home. But you can’t, yet. You still have to round on the next list patients, the previous day patients, and emergency cases. You still have to go home and study for that big operation that is coming up in two days. You still have to sit at that board meeting to discuss other patients in the hospital. It gets very hectic quite fast. And in the end if your goal was anything other than helping the patients, on a day to day basis, you will quickly find yourself wanting to change your profession.
Being a doctor due to a personal story
This is a common thing among many healthcare provider. They never thought of being in the medical profession until they came across it either in a the form of personal tragedy or some incident that they witnessed or came across, or after volunteer work. Most people with these personal stories learn to love the profession to the finest. These personal stories are one of the best drivers that not only drives students into the profession but also help them in battling the day to day challenges.
Being a doctor because of family pressure
I can not name people who come into the profession because the list will be contain millions of names. Family pressure can be a positive as well as a negative force in driving students.
Negative Pressure
Most families wish of their sons and daughters to become doctors. They then exert peer pressure on their kids and force them. This is sadly one of the most wrong reasons to enter medicine. Most people in this category in my experience eventually give up on the profession a few years down the line. So i can’t stress this enough to students, only come into the profession if you want to breathe it in and out daily. Don’t succumb to family pressure as you would find your self in a difficult position down the line when you become independent.
Positive Pressure
Positive pressure can be great as it can reinforce a person’s will and drive. Sadly cases of positive pressure are very rare.
Hence, to conclude, entering the profession under duress from family should not be a reason at all.
Summary
So all in all there can a bunch of reasons for entering medical school. Some are bad and some are great. You just need to now think do the good reasons align with your drive to be a doctor.
Find more articles similar to “Reasons for going to med school” here. You can visit the AMA if you want to know more about being a doctor.
