<p>I'm a junior in high school, I'm very smart, and fairly confident I can get into whatever school I want. I'm very interested in the sciences: physics, chemistry, and computer science especially and, to some extent, biology. I had never even given a thought to becoming a doctor until this year when my physics teacher was talking about being an EMT in high school. Everyone else in the class thought it would be scary being an EMT, but I thought it would be pretty cool.</p>
<p>I've always found the possibility of altering the human lifespan, "playing God," and things like that very interesting. Up until now, I've wanted to go into nanotechnology or biotechnology... something like that.</p>
<p>I'm completely antisocial and generally get nervous about stupid things... so I don't know how I'd handle being a doctor, first of all. But I <em>would</em> like to help people and make lots of money of course =-). I know I can be successful in anything I do, so I just want to know if anyone has an opinion about where I should go from here.</p>
<p>First and less importantly, you do not sound like a good fit for medicine -- getting nervous about stupid things, being antisocial, etc. Second and still unimportantly, you do not sound as if you have a very good handle on the practice of medicine, since "playing God" and making lots of money are not representative of the field.</p>
<p>Third and most importantly, you are too young to be making this decision. No sense putting yourself into a corner. This decision is at least three years away.</p>
<p>BDM is right about the antisocial portions not being a good fit.</p>
<p>One of the biggest things about medicine is how it combines the sciences with the human aspect. For me, the interaction portion is the big draw, and I know that's the case for many of my colleagues and classmates. Sure the science is nice/interesting/important, but it's an interest in applying the science for people. Even sections like pathology or radiology which may not have patient contact and might be a place where "anti-social" doctors tend to end up, they still typically enjoy being a consultant to other doctors and having that interaction.</p>
<p>on an unrelated note, one of my good friends in my med school class is from Cedar Rapids.</p>
<p>Medicine is not for you. Anti-social is a not a good quality. Doctors don't need to be very very smart, they need to think logically and calmly. You sound like you want to be in medicine for a ego stroke. Your ego would get WAY to big just listening to your post.</p>
<p>Maybe become a reclusive lab scientist that comes out once in a while to con money out of the public with "miracle cures" like water with wider hydrogen bonds or nutritional supplements that cure eight types of cancer.</p>
<p>Oldperson and previous poster: you are both wrong regarding scientists, and Ph.Ds....... most successful scientist are actually not only very social but also "great salesmen"....they have to sell their ideas in order to get funding, they have to travel to meetings and present their findings and discuss ideas/experiments with colleagues.
So for high school kids asking for advice....do not believe this stereotype.</p>
<p>But that's a very different set of social skills than dealing with laypeople and those who are sick or injured. </p>
<p>I compare it to working in a restaurant. Doctors for the most part would be comfortable waiting tables, while researchers would prefer to be the line cooks. There's always interactions with others, but the interactions are entirely different.</p>