<p>I'm a high school senior, seriously considering a career in the medical profession. I'm seeking a little advice on what I should do in order to pursue my career goals.</p>
<p>I didn't really start thinking about a career in medicine until this year. I only started considering it as an option because of my weird interest in ears and noses. I thought that it would be a good career option for me become a doctor specializing in otolaryngology. However even with my weird interest in ears and noses, I couldn't get myself excited about the career, which really made me worried about dedicating my life to it.</p>
<p>Well, the other day, I did some research on MSF and Peace Corps... and I fell completely in love with it. I'm pretty positive I want to be volunteering abroad as a doctor for the rest of my life. </p>
<p>I'm not unfamiliar with living abroad (this doesn't include travelng) -- I lived abroad for a year in Japan during my junior year of high school. I also used to stay in Thailand with my aunts for three month periods when I was younger. I know that my experiences abroad don't really reflect what I will be going through if I volunteer abroad -- but I know I can do this. This is something that I feel I can do for the rest of my life, it incooperates things I love to do in my life -- live/be abroad and helping people.</p>
<p>I was wondering what type of doctor would be best suited to pursue this type of profession. I don't think that otolaryngology would be the best thing to specialize in for my career goals. I'm really unsure what to do from this point. If anyone could give me advice on how to pursue a career in this area, I would really appreciate it! :)</p>
<p>Well if your so unsure then going into medicine is probably not your best bet. To get into medical school you need to be 110% sure, and be willing to give up vast portions of your life. If you can't get yourself excited about medicine then you should probably consider some other career, because it really is something you need to dedicate your life to fully. You have to be willing to work rediculous hours, deal with rediculous people and companies and in general lead a weird hectic life. If by now you cant get yourself hooked on that then keep it in mind do other things graduate college do something for a few years, and if it interests you more then, then apply to med school.</p>
<p>Dream: Just go to medical school. Along the way you will become acquainted with all the different medical specialties and you'll find one or two you love. Whatever your field turns out to be, you will be able to use it to help people here and abroad. If it is very unusual (say something like Pediatric Orthopedic Oncology), you'll still be of enormous help in a developing country. Cases may be referred into your central location (capital cities, etc.) and you will serve to help train local physicians in your area of expertise.
It's all good....just start the process and focus on one step at a time. Good luck.</p>
<p>I'm not unsure about going to medical school, bigndude. I really want to go. I was just unsure for a while because I wasn't sure if what I was planning on specializing in was exactly the best thing for me.</p>
<p>:) Thanks your advice PSedrish. I think I'll try to keep my options open and not try to tie myself down to any particular speciality until I actually hit med school. I would rather choose something I'd be happy teaching and helping other people with than choosing something now and being unhappy but "tied down" to my decision because I decided upon it so early....</p>
<p>Well you shouldn't be worrying about any medical field at this point. That is a decision based on how well you do in med school, and what you like at the end of med school. Your Residency will really determine what you are. So for now all you have to worry about is getting into med school. Not about what kind of doctor you will be, that'll change tons of times for you, it has for me and I'm not even in med school.</p>