<p>From my experiences meeting various people that want to go into this profession, I have decided that almost everyone who wants to be a doctor or surgeon is only in it because it's a glamorous/flashy job and you make a lot of money, not because they actually have any interest in it.</p>
<p>I would think this is true for law and business school students too, except for a girl that I know at my school who has a genuine interest in law and government, and my mom who has a genuine interest in finances.</p>
<p>Me: “Why do you want to do pre-med?”
Typical pre-med hopeful: “Because it’s a good field and I can earn a lot of money”
Me: “But do you like it at all?”
Typical pre-med hopeful: “Yeah…being a doctor/surgeon means I’ll be likely to find a job and have a lot of money”
Me: <em>walks away</em></p>
<p>One of my close friends from high school is applying to med schools and wants to work in pediatric oncology. Why? Because his twin brother died from neuroblastoma when they were seven years old, and he wants to help treat other kids who have the same condition that took away his best friend.</p>
<p>Sure there are people who go into those fields for the money, but there are many who do it out of response to a personal event or because they are fascinated by the human body or just enjoy helping people. The high pay is just a bonus for them.</p>
<p>"One of my close friends from high school is applying to med schools and wants to work in pediatric oncology. Why? Because his twin brother died from neuroblastoma when they were seven years old, and he wants to help treat other kids who have the same condition that took away his best friend.</p>
<p>Sure there are people who go into those fields for the money, but there are many who do it out of response to a personal event or because they are fascinated by the human body or just enjoy helping people. The high pay is just a bonus for them."</p>
<p>The good doctors are the ones who realize how crappy a profession medicine really is and then pursue it anyway. The bad ones, of course, are those who have obscenely inflated expectations of immense wealth, status, and comfort and then get shot down once they actually enter the field. If you truly understand what it involves and stick to it then more power to you. Personally, I researched it thoroughly, disliked what I found, and backed out altogether.</p>
<p>People that go into pre-med, law school, b-school etc. without really researching it and determining if they love that field of study are the ones that tend to burn out quickest.</p>
<p>My interest in medicine came from when I was ten and my youngest brother was diagnosed with cancer. He thankfully made it. Once I entered high school I started reading up on experimental treatments and realized that curing cancer completely is not realistic. I have realized though, that every little bit gets closer to new treatments which help more and hurt people less. I think I’ll be going into surgery, because I know I emotionally can’t handle oncology, but I plan on doing research.
The one thing I do remember vividly from my brother’s illness, is how happy he was when he got his make-a-wish trip to disney world. He was just as happy at the air port as he was on any ride, and it was real happiness, not happiness he said he felt because he thought he should. My whole family was never happier than when he got better. Every six months I still see my mom’s face light up like that when a scan comes back clear. I want to make other people that happy.</p>
<p>I think he’s talking to me, in which case I will merely say that I was, for the longest time, convinced that I was going to end up in medicine and that my username is a testament to that former commitment. And, in case some clarification is needed, I’m not trying to stop anyone from pursuing medicine, but rather encouraging people to research it thoroughly before settling on it.</p>
<p>I’m a med student and from what I’ve seen/experienced, there is nothing “glamorous/flashy” about being a doctor. The pay isn’t that special when you consider all the debt you incur via your education. Plus, salaries are going down down down. The job security is better in health professions than in other fields though.</p>
<p>I will say, though, that there is nothing wrong with going into a field for money if you can handle it (i.e. you don’t hate it to your core, not smart enough, etc) because ultimately the reason people go to work is to make money. People do not work for free (unless they are super rich or are doing community service). We all have to make a living somehow and we all prefer a good living over a crappy one.</p>
<p>i personally dont know anyone whose going to school for medicine thats doing it for the money. the extra schooling and debt is not worth it when you can major in finance or something.</p>
<p>Becoming a doctor is so tedious >_<. So much education and you don’t really become a doctor until you are at least in your 30s. On top of that its late night after late night… Its good money for a good reason IMHO.</p>
<p>not true…i love taking care of people and i’ve always wanted to work for medicine without borders so i could do some field work. or do rural medicine. i want to go into probably pediatrics. but if i did specialize it would have to have something to do with kids. i think it’s a bad idea to become a doctor for the money. or the “status”.</p>