<p>I am a sophmore this year and I don't know if it's too early but I've already begun thinking about what I want to do. I definitely want to go into medicine, but I'm not exactly sure where in the medical field or if it's even right for me. It's changed multiple times, from research, to neurosurgury to diagnostics (which is my most recent choice). One thing that is worrying me is that I can't tell if I want to be these things because of all the medical shows I watch, or if I am really passionate about the subject. First of all, you should probably know that I worry about everything. So naturally, college and medical school is a pretty frightening thought for me. Right now, my grades are good. I have a two year standing 4.0 average, but it's really hard to keep that, especially this year. School is getting harder for me. But that is beside the point. I sort of want to know what classes (like AP and stuff) I should look towards taking in my junior and senior years. Truth is, I have no idea what will be important in med school and it's freaking me out. What subjects should I focus on more? Another thing is the fact that I go to a really small school (my class consists of about 20 students). I'm afraid that because college classes will be bigger my grades will drop because there isn't as much one-on-one stuff with the teacher. I don't exactly know what I am asking all of you, but I just needed to say all this. I sort of need help on, well, figuring all of this out....</p>
<p>Ok, for starters, just chill! You've got plenty of time to think about this and don't need to make any sort of decision any time soon. That's all several years in the future. Second, "diagnostics" isn't a specialty; your watching too much House. Real medicine is very, very different from TV medicine. I mean, they aren't even in the same ballpark. If you are interested in medicine then find a doctor to shadow, or maybe a hospital summer internship program of some sort. Most hospital volunteering programs suck, but a few stand out. An excellent book that will shed light on the darker side of medicine is The House of God.
Next, nothing you do in High School matters for Med school. Take subjects that you personally enjoy. Even the undergrad you end up at isn't that important as soon as its decent and it fits for you.
But the best advice I can give you is to relax! High school is fun! The only thing you should have on your mind now is keeping your grades up and enjoying yourself.</p>
<p>At this point, you shouldn't even be thinking about specialty. That's about as ridiculous as an eight-year-old girl trying to decide what color flowers she wants at her wedding.</p>
<p>Focus on maintaining good grades. If you haven't already, you should start getting "clinical experience" - volunteering in a hospital, shadowing doctors, etc. Start looking into colleges - you'll want to find the school that is right for you. </p>
<p>
[quote]
I'm afraid that because college classes will be bigger my grades will drop because there isn't as much one-on-one stuff with the teacher.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, this is partly due to the college you decide to attend. This is also partly due to being a worrywort. Frankly, if you simply can't function in a classroom without the teacher looking at you all the time, then forget about college and definitely forget about medical school, because in neither place are you going to get that kind of individualized attention. The most successful students are those who are proactive about their problems, those who are good communicators, and those who are self-driven when it comes to learning. If you think you could be that kind of person, then there's nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>I just don't get why everybody always says you shouldn't even think about what specialty you want when you're younger, isn't it just like any other job? shouldn't you find one type of doctor more interesting than another type and want to do that? i just don't get it</p>
<p>thanks guys :) yeah, i know i worry too much, but i guess it's just my nature. i already do volunteering at a hospital, but the shadowing idea sounds awesome, NobodyImportant. Thanks, I hadn't thought of that. :) And to shades_children, I think I can be that type of person, yes. And it's not that I need that sort of attention (actually, in classes now i rarely say anything. I just like to listen to what everyone has to say), I was just worried that I would get overwhelmed from not being used to such large classes. But i'll be alright it seems, and I'll definitely check that book out. :) Whether you guys believe it or not you actually really did help put me at ease. Thanks...</p>
<p>
[quote]
I just don't get why everybody always says you shouldn't even think about what specialty you want when you're younger, isn't it just like any other job? shouldn't you find one type of doctor more interesting than another type and want to do that? i just don't get it
[/quote]
There's no possible way to know what kind of medicine you want to do before actually doing rotations and whatnot. Every future doctor, regardless of what specialty (or lack thereof) they may eventually end up in, must go through the same 4 years of medical school before trying to get into a residency program they want; even then, there's no guarantee that one will be matched into one's desired residency.</p>
<p>Of course it's just like any other field. But high school students who want to be lawyers don't know if they want to enter litigation, transactions, or regulation; high school students who are going into business don't know if they're looking for private equity, consulting, or investment banking. Why should high school pre-pre-meds be settled on internal medicine, surgery, or family practice?</p>
<p>Besides this, let's say you really are 100% sure. Who cares? Your goals will be exactly the same. A pre-pre-med who wants to do oncology will have exactly the same goals as a pre-pre-med who wants to do neurosurgery.</p>
<p>Get good grades. Get a good SAT score. Do some fun extracurriculars that demonstrate leadership. Get into a good college. Get good grades. Do well on the MCAT. Learn to interview well. Write good essays. Get to know your professors. Volunteer in a hospital.</p>
<p>Even if, somehow, you did know what you wanted to do, it wouldn't matter until you were picking courses in your fourth year of medical school.</p>
<p>So not only is it ridiculous to pick, it's irrelevant even if you can.</p>
<hr>
<p>PS: Diagnostics is not a real specialty. It is pure fiction, invented for the television show House. It does not exist -- in fact, even in the fictional world of the television show, House is the only diagnostician out there. Nobody actually does that. So you can cross that off your list.</p>
<p>ACTUALLY,</p>
<p>Wasn't Foreman one? in New York?</p>
<p>Now, I don't watch house, but this whole diagnostician thing keeps coming up. I'm starting to think that there may actually be a specialty for those who seem to want to be the one who sees all sorts of crazy things that no one else knows what they are: Medical geneticist - they're also called dysmorphologists. Not exactly the same and I might be getting hung up on the similarity of the titles, but it seems like about the closest thing...not so much of the infectious disease component that I've seen in the few episodes I have managed to catch, but frequently strange things.</p>