Why you should NOT become a doctor?
Yes, the glorious profession of medicine!
The sound doctor might ring a familiar bell to your ears, “Money, Respect and a Chance to change people’s lives”. Yes, the typical things people associate with this profession. Sounds all very enticing, doesn’t it? I mean who doesn’t want to be rich and change the world. I know I would, so…
DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A DOCTOR?
The answer is probably yes.
Look around you, it seems like just every other person you meet wants to become a doctor, or want their children (or a relative) to take on the white coat. It’s like a craze in our south Asian society. The parents are obsessed with this profession and so are many young people because they are made to believe the excessively glorious picture of smiling faces treating old people in newspapers and the internet.
I realized this truth when I first joined the coaching classes for medical entrance examinations. To be honest, I was shocked at the sheer number of people at my coaching center, all trying to do the same thing as I was hoping to accomplish. I mean, HOLY SHIT dude! The whole place was squirming with people! I was in awe; I couldn’t believe so many people wanted to study medicine. And with that feeling of awe, came a creeping feeling of hopelessness; “I mean, how can I compete with thousands of people and get into a medical school? I am definitely not that smart”. My chances looked very slim, and my heart sank into the depths of hopelessness.
But I mean I get it.
I get it.
Becoming a doctor is often seen as a viable way of economic mobility for most families in our part of the world. The popular train of thought goes like this, “Once my son/daughter becomes a doctor and they will earn enough money to bring the family out of poverty”. In “poor” countries like Nepal, India and Bangladesh, it is only natural for people to associate the medical profession with prosperity. (Heck, even in “developed” countries like USA and UK too, people see getting into medical school as a big achievement.) In a society with increasing levels of economic inequality, where if you are born poor it is very likely that your children (and their children) will also live in soul crushing poverty with little to no ways of economic mobility, it is understandable for people to see the word “DOCTOR” as a way out of their poverty. Hence, every parent wants their children to become a doctor and bring money (and “respect”) to the family. The rich people want it, the poor people want it: everyone wants it.
But the question absolutely no one is asking is: “IS IT EVEN TRUE?”
Does being a doctor magically make all your dreams come true, as many people think it does?
But first, back to me.
So, did I get into a medical school?
Ah yes, I actually did (somehow, I don’t know how lol). And tell you what? I was VERY lucky indeed.
But I did manage get into a medical school and I am currently studying as a first-year medical student. And as I am going through the process of becoming a doctor, I am realizing some things. Some things, that I wish I had known a long time before.
Why you should NOT become a doctor?
So, the first reason why is simple: It’s really hard. Yes, it is. To become a good doctor, you have to study very hard. I mean, I thought medical school was kind of like high school, just a little more challenging. But as I study more, I have come to realize that it is really hard, much harder than I had expected. First, you need to study a LOT of things really fast. There are so many books that you are expected to study, and there is just so much stuff to understand and remember, it quickly becomes overwhelming. Second, there are a LOT of exams. There are spoken exams, written exam, card exams, term exams, professional exams and the list goes on. As you can imagine, it’s difficult to withstand this seemingly never-ending barrage of exams and do well on them. Hence, you are expected to study regularly and for long periods of time every single day. If you don’t, then…. medical school will be like a continuous nightmare for you lol.
Plus, I haven’t even mentioned the long working hours and night shifts of a young working doctor. It a challenging job not meant for everyone.
Hence, if you are not: a really smart and hardworking student who is willing to put in long hours of study every single day, I strongly recommend you NOT to go into medical school. It’s going to be really difficult for you.
I am struggling to maintain my grades, TRUST me it’s not for everyone.
The second reason why you should reconsider your decision to become a doctor is: It’s not as glamorous as it seems. Yes, I said it. The whole idea of becoming a doctor and magically earning millions of dollars is just another rosy picture painted by contemporary media and the internet. IT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. First, as I have mentioned earlier, becoming a doctor is a long, difficult and an expensive endeavor in itself, and the fact that people automatically associate the word “Doctor” with money just boggles my mind. Yes, there are some very successful doctors who do earn millions and take trips to Bali with their families (as you might have imagined lol), but the truth is, it represents only a tiny fraction of doctors. In reality, most doctors earn a modest salary and live a middle-class life. Some even struggle to maintain a living pay. And considering how hard and stressful their work is, it is just enough to justify their paycheck.
Hence, the perception of the “rich and famous doctor” is just another idea exaggerated by the society. There are so many doctors produced every single year in the economy, “How is it possible for every single one of them to be rich and famous?”. It’s a simple and logical question, but alas! a question only a few people ask. The truth is, even after you become a doctor, you have to prove yourself to become a successful doctor (which is a whole another level of difficulty in itself). Hence, life as a doctor is hard and it’s even harder if you want to earn those “millions” as promised in TVs and the internet.
So, the question I ask you is this, “IS IT WORTH IT?”
Is it worth spending all that money, time and effort for a profession that isn’t as glamorous or financially attractive as you might have imagined?
The truth about medical profession is that, it’s hard and it seldom pays handsomely.
Hence, if you are like most people hoping for a life of relative comfort and ease (I myself like these things), the medical profession is not for you.
It is only suitable for a small fraction of the population who are willing to sacrifice their time, money and effort, and have a genuine desire to help people. If you are not one of these people (which, to be honest, most people are not), save yourself the trouble and seek a fulfilling career in another field.
Again, It’s REALLY HARD!
It is NOT for everyone, so please choose your life decisions wisely.
Cheers!
= )
Honestblogs 