<p>everyone seems to have the volunteering and the ec's down pretty well, but what exactly will put an applicant over the top to some competitive places like Northwestern etc. What kind of activity/ involvement would show colleges that this person is really interested in medicine and deserves a spot in either the 7 year program or in their undergraduate school? Would something as simple as job shadowing work?</p>
<p>Uhh preceptorship (job shadowing doctors) really shows that you have an interest in medicine. But what will set you apart from everyone else is WHY you want to become a doctor..</p>
<p>doesnt everyone write the same repsonse, "i want to help those in need of help"</p>
<p>I think they are also looking for "hands-on" experience, demonstrating that you want to help people and that you care about people (ie. Volunteering at a hospital, seniors' home, Red Cross, etc.).</p>
<p>im just gonna put i wanna make loads of cash!</p>
<p>aha jk, that doesnt even hold true anymore...i kinda just got sucked into it through the ambulance squad... gotta love the adrenaline rush!</p>
<p>"im just gonna put i wanna make loads of cash!"</p>
<p>that will definately get you in :), many people really do want to make lots of money , but writing your honest opnion wont get you in.</p>
<p>read the rest of my post ;) it wasnt my real reason</p>
<p>I want to make a lot of money and go back to my high school reunion and say "in ur face, in ur face" to everyone. also other sayings like "I told u so," then I will go to those preppy kids and say "so how much money do u make per year" "oh it doesnt really matter cuz I make more that u ha ha"</p>
<p>doggi- i was pointing something out :), wasnt critizing your post or ne thing :)</p>
<p>loganr. Hate to break it to you but it probably won't happen. Docs are making less and less hence more are leaving the profession. By the time we are practicing you can expect a decent salary, but nothing like what others will be making.</p>
<p>depends on what specialty...certain specialties will always make alot of money. </p>
<p>Also, depends on how desired you are...a well desired doctor will always make money.</p>
<p>Best thing about being a doctor tho...there will always been a need for you, never will have to worry about finding a job or getting fired from one (unless you do sumthing stupid).</p>
<p>Being a doctor is a specialized skill that cant be replaced, business types however come and go as they are needed...which sux</p>
<p>If only that was true, but there is a downward trend in salaries. No matter how well desired you are you will not be making as much as doctors in the past did. Its all due to insurance companies and their greeed. I know of a Urologist who has been practicing for quite some time. He has to leave the profession because he can't support his practice from what he makes. Insurance companies don't pay him enough for treatments, and with malp. insur. to pay and office workers to pay, and all the taxes and other things he's making less then 100grand. Thats why he decided to leave. A doctor can always be replaced with a doctor willing to take a pay cut. This can be the case with Foreign Grads who are from other countries who will come here, and be willing to make less money. Radiologists are already being replaced by docs in foreign countries. CT Surgeons are being replaced by cardiologists. This is going to be a continuing trend, where one specialization gets swallowed by another.</p>
<p>as long as the salary is decent,I cant ever see myself being anything but a doctor,</p>
<p>i dont agree...my cousin is 32 years old and a vascular surgeon. He is one of about 10 in the world who is experienced with a specific stent and has a high success rate with patients who have heart aneurysms, he just was given a 400,000 incentive to renew his contract in addition to the $300,000 he makes a year.</p>
<p>get into a city (New York, Boston, Chicago, LA, DC) and you will pull in the cash if you are good...if ur just a run of the mill family doctor, then yea u are gonna have a hard time. My doctor gets $1 for every $100 his practice pulls in....which is sad given his education and experience. Its all about where you practice and what your specialty is. </p>
<p>Insurance companies are indeed sucking the medical field dry in terms of their saleries, but once ur good, u can control that. </p>
<p>Another vascular surgeon i shadowed didnt accept insurance, as simple as that...and that didnt slow his clientel at all. He had a 6month waiting period just to see a new patient. He just didnt want to deal with insurance companies and he was good enough to set that policy.</p>
<p>So moral of my story...if ur gonna be a doctor, be an excellent one and the $ will not be a problem.</p>
<p>But not everyone can practice in big cities, nor can every be a Vasc. Surg. . The point I'm trying to make is that a typical good doc. in a normal area will not make millions, nor hundreds of thousands. You have to be at the top of your game in a big city to make that kind of money. Or be at the top of your game in a normal sized city to make a very good living.</p>
<p>yea so i see no reason why u cant get that if u want it bad enough</p>
<p>wut ur basically saying is to settle for the norm, which wont get you too far.</p>
<p>how about taxes, im uncle is in cardiology, and he didnt want to some to US, because he would lose a alot of money in taxes.</p>
<p>taxes arent so bad, every1s gotta deal with em over here in the US, just sumthin u become accustomed to</p>
<p>its all in proportion anyway so its not like ur being taken advantage of</p>
<p>Im not saying settle for the norm, but there are only a few special positions available in the country. You have to know that no matter how hard you try, you may not get what you want, and you have to be willing to accept it. If not you will be one very angry and unhappy doctor.</p>