<p>Just our of curiosity, for those of you that aspire to become doctors, why?</p>
<p>The same four reasons everybody wants to become a doctor: chicks, money, power and chicks.</p>
<p>+100 internet points to whoever gets that reference.</p>
<p>Seriously though, it's because I can't see myself doing anything else. I had a summer internship at a pharmaceutical company where all I did was sit in a cubicle and copy things from one sheet of paper to another and make copies of things. I was miserable and couldn't take it for more than a week and a half. So anything in the corporate or business world is out. I need something more intellectually challenging.</p>
<p>Which is why I'm leaving the PhD/research route open, but I don't think I would enjoy that as a career. I'm trying to get into a professor's research lab starting next semester, so I'll see how I like it.</p>
<p>I want to combine something intellectually challenging with the human interaction that medicine offers: patients. The usual "I want to help people" thing. I definitely want a career where I'll get to help people in a way no one else can: improving their health. I'm an EMT, and there's no better feeling I get than when a patient takes the time to thank me for helping them get through whatever medical crisis they're in.</p>
<p>Also, I would like to torture myself by learning more in a couple years than the average person does in a lifetime and being sleep deprived as a resident while not being properly financially compensated.</p>
<p>Reference: House?</p>
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The same four reasons everybody wants to become a doctor: chicks, money, power and chicks.
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Reference: House?
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<p>Nah, it's Dr. Cox on Scrubs.</p>
<p>Starts on this clip at about 2:54 in. </p>
<p>YouTube</a> - Scrubs - The Best Of Dr. Cox Volume One</p>
<p>No, another medical TV show smartass - Dr. Cox. EDIT: Wow, I post slowly. Sakky wins.</p>
<p>I want to help people in an aspect of their life most dear to them, their health. That an illness and its effects can be so puzzling and frustrating for a patient, that a physician can do so much to put that patient's mind at ease, it's extremely appealing. I'm an anthropology major, and I find issues regarding pluralistic medical systems and cultural clashes in medical systems especially interesting.</p>
<p>Gold Shadow, that sounds like a pretty bad internship. That probably gave you about as much a glimpse into the pharma industry as stapling papers in a hospital would for healthcare (I've read some of you end up doing that when volunteering, I'm sorry).</p>
<p>Come on, folks. More posts please. I still don't have enough material for my med school essays and interview questions.</p>
<p>I don't mean to pass any judgements here but maybe you should think about why you want to be a doctor, rather than copying other peoples.</p>
<p>NCG,</p>
<p>Since you are interested in research, how about the reason below- </p>
<p>Having a thorough and in-dept understanding of normal functioning of the human body and the abnormalities caused by disease states will allow you to conduct your research much better. We do not have a vaccine for AIDS todate. We still have not eradicated Rabies and Malaria from the third world. There are still many Cancers that need to be better understood, un-ravelled, and cures found. </p>
<p>Such research could impact life expectancy and quality of life for millions around the world. Getting an MD will allow you to get exactly the kind of in-depth understanding needed to make you a much better researcher. In your life time, you hope to persevere to find cures for the above mentioned diseases and change peoples' lives for the better.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure norcalguy was being sarcastic.</p>
<p>Pharmagal, I'm interested in research only in the sense that it would make me a better clinician (by developing critical thinking and analytical skills). Doing the NIH fellowship this year has made me realize I don't have much talent as a real researcher. If anything, I'm more interested in the teaching aspect of being a physician.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, we need quality MD's in labs, but I just can't see myself in such a role.</p>
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Seriously though, it's because I can't see myself doing anything else. I had a summer internship at a pharmaceutical company where all I did was sit in a cubicle and copy things from one sheet of paper to another and make copies of things. I was miserable and couldn't take it for more than a week and a half. So anything in the corporate or business world is out. I need something more intellectually challenging.
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Do you think that's what the "business world" is about? Do you honestly think that it's not intellectually challenging?</p>
<p>Goldshadow, As a premed student who has not yet graduated, you were obviously not exposed to the cream of research in Pharma R&D. Whether you are given challenging work depends on many factors; your prior research experience, the department which took you on as an intern (and there are many varied departments within Pharma R&D), and lastly the mentor you had. If you get a good mentor, you may get a slice of good research in the limited time you spend there in the Summer. But most mentors generally do not give the most challenging assignments to Summer interns due to regulatory issues and due to liability. </p>
<p>The best projects generally go to PhDs, or MD/PhDs with double digit years of experience. </p>
<p>Of course, you can do very exciting, challenging research in Pharma. You just have to get the necessary training first.</p>
<p>so im reading a few of these and cant help but chuckle...</p>
<p>basically what is most humorous to me is the whole making somebody else feel good thing as the main reason for YOU wanting to become a doctor. Someone mentioned theres nothing like hearing someone say thanks as an EMT. I have been an EMT for 5 years and I have heard very very very very few thank you's. But regardless, you can get the same satisfaction from being a police officer. If you want to help people, then be a nurse or a firefighter or a counselor. The question is why do you want to be a doctor not why do you want to be someone who helps others?</p>
<p>I realize I am in no position to pass judgment on anyone, but do you see what I am saying? Very few of these answers really explain why you want to be a doctor. But maybe they are good enough for you guys. Thats cool then. </p>
<p>Personally, this is a question I am fighting with myself. I don't have an answer yet. I know its what I want to do, but its not because I want the self satisfaction of helping people. Fact of the matter is: most people really dont appreciate what you do. They take you for granted and will blame you when the outcome isnt what they expect. Medical professionals are abused every single day-so that is surely not one of my reasons. Is money one of my reasons? You bet your ass it is...I realize doctors aren't making fortunes but they are making a comfortable living. I sure as hell am not going to school for 8+ years for peanuts...and anyone who enters a career without considering financial stability is foolish. Now don't misinterpret me and conclude that money is my primary reason, because it is not. If I had to specify my primary reason, then it would be the fact that I see myself being challenged for years and years if I become a doctor. There is no way I will ever be able to know everything about my field or predict what tomorrow will be like. There is always a chance for me to improve and there will always be a chance for me to learn. I think people rely on you to be the top medical authority when it comes to health and I believe that this will always give me an incentive to strive for excellence and gain further knowledge. In the end this will benefit me and my patients, whether they choose to recognize it or not. There will always be one way to arrest someone, one way to calculate my tax returns, one way to fight a fire, one way to make a stock trade, but there is an endless number of ways to treat somebody. I think thats why I want to be a doctor....I think. I'll be able to give you a better answer after 30 years in the field.</p>
<p>30 years...even then i probably wont be able to properly answer that. Basically i just want nothing more in life but to abuse myself mentally in college while my friends go out and enjoy life. :) Just Kidding---YOU KNOW ORGO IS MAKING ME LOVE LIFE!</p>
<p>Maybe I live in a nice town and that's why I get "thank-you"s as an EMT! Seriously though, I know that most people are not really thankful to their docs (I've shadowed several); I also know that some patients are thankful, and the ones that are thankful are part of what I think make the career worth it. My dad is a doctor, and he's got some patients that send fruit baskets and gifts and boxes of chocolate and Swedish cookies to him during the holidays. </p>
<p>Obviously, they're not all like that; he's got more stories about patients trying to scam him into giving them meds than I can count; about a patient who once punched him in the face and gave him a bloody nose. I know that medicine is the wrong career if all I want is a "thank you" from every patient.</p>
<p>There are obviously a ton of ways to "help people". I could drive taxis, invent more reliable prosthetic limbs, be a teacher, design drugs, fight fires, catch criminals, become a florist, become a barber, become a personal trainer, write books so others may read them for knowledge and enjoyment, be an accountant... the list is almost literally endless (since new types of jobs are being created almost daily).</p>
<p>Part of what Doogie said in his post above is also what draws me to medicine; constantly learning. Medicine is far from perfect and is an ever-changing field and I look forward to that. It also has a human aspect that few other fields offer.</p>
<p>I won't pretend all my reasons are for ideals of helping and learning. I do want financial stability, I want job security, I want the respect that comes with being a doc. Why not a nurse or a PA? I want to know the most, I want to be at the top of the food chain.</p>
<p>But my #1 reason, by far, is because I'll get to attend medical conventions and take home all sorts of awesome FREE knick knacks and free pens and novelties. These are, without a doubt, the pharmaceutical industry's crowning achievements.</p>
<p>I guess I'll start off with why I want to go into the medical field in general and then work my way to why I want to be a doctor. Yeah, I do love to help people, truly and honestly. I haven't been volunteering in hospitals since I was in hs/volunteering as an EMT just for my resume. I can't wait to get the satisfaction of making a significant difference in someone's life as a doctor. There's also the fact that I love learning about the body and I find it so fascinating. Now why a doctor? Someone else brought up the fact that you can be a nurse, or a cop if you like to help people. Well, the position of physician is the cream of the crop. It IS the most challenging position in medicine, and I like to challenge myself. It is the most independent position as well, and I do not want to have to depend on others and have to take orders (when I'm a well established doctor, that is). The adrenaline rush is probably the most intense as a doctor. And if you have a patient dying on the operating table, when push comes to shove...you're probably the main reason that patient will live if he/she does. </p>
<p>Hope that doesn't sound too much like an essay/interview.</p>
<p>doctors essentially answer to insurance companies...no matter how high up they are. I am willing to debate with anyone who disagrees with this because its the total truth...i see too much of it</p>
<p>I really am not trying to shut down anyones reasons. Mine has serious flaws too. I just think this question is like 80% BS because I really think that people who truly want to be a doctor know it in their hearts. I believe that it is a difficult reason to translate into words because its just something you know deep down. I mean lets be serious...if i didnt truly want to be a doctor, then why in the hell would i be taking orgo. I mean i know it can be fun for some people, but lets be serious....</p>
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I really think that people who truly want to be a doctor know it in their hearts.
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Physiologically speaking, the heart is not involved in emotion, higher thinking and complex decision making. As a future (hopeful) doctor, you should know this. I suggest you pursue a different career altogether, such as computer repair or dolphin training.</p>
<p>hmm i wonder if UVA offers dolphin training as a major?</p>