<p>I a current high school senior and plan to take a premed track in college to eventually become a doctor. There are multiple reasons why being a physician is my current future profession of choice. First, I could not see my self going into law, business, or teaching at all. Second, I am very interested in the sciences. In High school I've take 8 years worth of science credits (HS is on block schedule). Third, I think I am a hard enough worker to survive pre med and med school. My UW GPA is 3.96. Additionaly, I did well on my ACT test (32 composite).
Here are the list of science courses I will have taken by HS graduation:
Physical Science
Honors Biology
Honors Chemistry
AP Biology
Human Anatomy
Organic Chemistry
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B
My science GPA is a 4.0
I also volunteer a lot in the community like teaching youth soccer or being a camp counselor.<br>
I feel like medicine is the correct career choice for me.
Does anyone think that medicine is the way to go for me?</p>
<p>I think your science credits are incredible and I'm really jealous for some of the classes you got to take in high school! On the other hand, you need to have some more compelling reasons than that to become a physician. Medical school admissions looks for great test scores and GPA to be true, but the interview needs to show a true desire for medicine. There are many, many other careers in science and many other careers outside of law, business, or teaching. Use college undergrad as a time to consider your options and find whether medicine is the right choice for you. Something this subjective needs to be left up to the individual to decide, and you need to personally consider WHY you want to become a physician, not settle on it as a default.</p>
<p>You ask one question: "Is medicine the right choice?"</p>
<p>You then provide data which are clearly geared towards answering a different question: "Can I get into medical school?"</p>
<p>The answer to the second question is: "It's too early to tell, but there's nothing on there that is a warning sign."</p>
<p>The answer to the first question is: "You've given us no data with which to answer the question. A magic eight ball will be more helpful than we will."</p>
<p>You make a good point bluedevilmike. however, I think that when considering if medicine is the right track, you should ask yourself if you are capable of getting into med school. Of course, I would never choose to go into a career because it is a default. Your career is supposed to be something you are absolutely passionate about. I'm just a high school senior, and I'm not making any decisive decisions right now. I'm just trying to get a feel for my strengths, and what to eventually do with them. I'm trying to find any early signs that may indicate I fit the medicine mold (or don't) and why.</p>
<p>Hi pccool,
I am graduating undergrad in three months and am already accepted to medical school. To be completely honest, I'm still not sure that it is the "perfect" career choice for me. I have experiences that make me think I will enjoy it. I would suggest you find a doctor to shadow for a couple days during the summer after you graduate. Shadow in a few different specialties and see if their day-to-day routine is something you enjoy. </p>
<p>If you are going into medicine for the money, think again. For the time you invest in undergrad, medical school, and residency, you can do much better in business or law. It's not only a huge time investment, but you will probably be $150-200 thousand in debt, which is a big hole to dig out of. If you go into medicine, do it because you love the career.</p>
<p>Hope my humble opinion helps.</p>
<p>In my opinion, if you ask complete strangers online if medicine is the right career for you, then it is not.</p>
<p>Loving science and not wanting to be a teacher, lawyer or business man does not leave doctor as the only choice. You could go into medical research, if you are interested in helping people, or you could do any other type of scientific research.</p>
<p>What your post tells me is that you really don't know what you want to do yet, which is fine. I believe you should go into a regular 4 year undergrad...it doesn't even have to be Pre-Med, then, if after that you have decided that you want to be a doctor, apply to med school. Being a doctor is not something you have to know you want to do as a highschool senior. Heck, you could major in theatre, history...anything, and still have just as good of a chance of getting into med school (as long as you still took classes they want to see and did well on your MCATS)</p>
<p>My advice is to possibly just get a basic liberal arts, or Bachelor of Science degree....if you like science, consider majoring in biology. Then, if you decide you want to be a doctor, you can apply to med school and continue the path, and if not, you will probably have an idea of something else you want to do!</p>
<p>Just to echo what's already been said, your ability to do well as a doctor (which is clearly there) and whether or not you should become a doctor are two completely separate things. Being a doctor takes a certain emotional maturity and detachment that not everyone has. It's just something you have to know about yourself. </p>
<p>There is one great thing about medical school: As long as your undergrad GPA is good, the door's open. You can always pursue your "second choice" career as an undergraduate major (with pre-meds), and at the same time shadow a doctor, do volunteer work, or maybe even hold a part-time job as lower level medical staff like a CNA. If after all that, you decide that medicine is in fact the right career for you, you have your undergraduate major and premeds out of the way and have a clear path to apply to medical school. </p>
<p>I'm also a high school student and I'm facing your same dilemma. That's going to be my plan for dealing with it (I'm going to major in marine biology in college). </p>
<p>Best of luck</p>
<p>-AquaNerd</p>
<p>A couple of things:</p>
<p>First: Don't go into medicine thinking that you will develop personal relationships with your patients and have long, casual chats with them like on TV. With insurance companies taking over, medicine is very quickly becoming a business, and the personal factor is diminishing. You will probably be too busy dealing with insurance companies to talk with patients about their families, careers, etc...</p>
<p>Second: If you plan on going into medicine thinking that you will 'save the world', please proceed with caution. This sort of thinking will drive you crazy. True, you will impact the lives of individual patients, but if you weren't there, there will always be another doctor ready to take you place. At the end of the day, it is just a well-paying job. (Note: this does not apply to those docs who do research, or who volunteer abroad). </p>
<p>Finally, I don't know how you feel about compensation, but keep in mind that physician salaries have been declining over the past 15 years or so; considering that you are a senior in high school now, if you do decide to go into medicine, you will become a full-fledged doctor in 10-12 years. There is no telling what the landscape will be like at this time, but if the past 10-12 years have anything to say about it, its not good news.</p>
<p>Sorry to be throwing all of this at you, its just that so many people only focus on how to become a doctor, and not on what being a doctor entails. Its better to realize it now than to be unpleasantly surprised when its too late to turn back.</p>