<p>I am wondering if an introvert would do well in the medical world. I am an ISTJ if you would like to get more specific. It is a career that interests me but I'm not sure if I could handle it and what exactly it entails. Thanks!</p>
<p>You’re not even a freshman in high school yet–so chillax! You don’t need to be making career decisions just yet. :)</p>
<p>As for understanding what medicine as a career entails—that’s what shadowing and clinical volunteering are for. To help you understand what the profession is like and whether you and it are a good match.</p>
<p>Medicine is a people intensive profession. There’s no getting around that, but you don’t need to be an outgoing extrovert to be successful. You do, however, need to comfortable with talking to a wide range of both pleasant and unpleasant people under often trying circumstances. You also need to be able to discuss difficult topics (details of sex lives, bodily functions and excreta, death, permanent disability, mental illness and violence against the innocent [rape, child abuse]). You also need to be comfortable with physically touching people to conduct physical exams, and on occasion inflicting pain on individuals as a necessary part of their treatment. Some this will be learned over time in med school, but not all of it.</p>
<p>You also need to understand that medicine is what I call a “big tent” profession. There are a wide range of niches and specialties that different personality types may find more or less to their liking. Surgery requires a different set of people interaction skills than does pathology or psychiatry or pediatrics or emergency medicine or travel medicine.</p>
<p>BTW, the Meyer Briggs is not the be-all end-all of personality testing. It has its uses, but it also has its limitations. And it’s very easy to consciously or unconsciously manipulate the results. Use its interpretations with caution.</p>
<p>Most people are not ‘pure’ introverts or ‘pure’ extroverts, but fall somewhere along a continuum between the two.</p>
<p>med student here. just looked up the Meyer Briggs our school got us to take for fun. Im ISTJ. I think the dean was ISTJ as well.</p>
<p>Well, there’s always pathology.</p>
<p>Lots of actors are introverted but when they step into a role, they emote.
Same for doctors, once they put on their doctor’s coat (metaphorically) they can relate to their patients.
Don’t take yourself out of the game just yet.</p>
<p>^Actors are there to entertain. MDs are there to heal. This requires trust/connection to the patient for inforamtion/history collection and making sure that patient will actually follow the procedure (meds, therapy, etc.) Anybody can develop this side of personality by engaging themselves in many activities outside of academics. Even the academic activities, such a group studying, willingness to help, spend time helping will improve this skill. It is a skill, you can stay ISTJ, you probably cannot change it. The same is going on for over outgoing people. Many times they simply have to control their behavior, not to be into the others too close/too much. Again, learning skill is not the same as making yourself into something you are not.</p>
<p>To complete med school, you’ll need to get through a yearly series of practice interactions, plus actual work with real patients. It’s not about being anyone’s 'best friend" or winning a personality contest, but you must be able to interview them, develop rapport, trust and respect. Can you do this? Do you currently interact well with teachers, friends and their families? Do you have a job or vol work where you deal with others and can get along? This can be practiced and polished. You may personally be an introvert, but still function on a high level with others.</p>
<p>Thanks lookingforward, that was the point I so inelegantly tried to make.
They are introverted in their personal life but put on their white coat (short or long) and they become through practicals, clinicals, experiences the next Dr. Gregory House.</p>
<p>^it will not happen all by itself. These skills are needed to be developed and it takes time. So, it is good that OP is thinking about it, there is no magic wand, there is no magic white coat either…</p>