- Joined
- Nov 9, 2015
- Messages
- 308
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Dear: high schoolers, pre-meds, admins, professors, lurkers, stalkers, parents, all....
I am writing this to tell you one thing. Being a premed is hard. It feels like it will never end, and when it does you only have a 40% chance of you entering school. You spend hundreds if not thousands of hours volunteering, researching, shadowing and studying. You do this when your friends are having fun going to the beach, playing video games, going on vacation, and just relaxing. You do this when you don't feel like doing it. You do this in the early morning and late into the night. You spend time on the MCAT, the GPA.... the letters, the numbers.... You go to clubs, you work, you are a leader, you are a teacher, you are a researcher, you are a student, you are helping.... and at the end of the day, you are tired. People don't get why you can't just go out and have some fun. They don't get what it takes to be a doctor. They see how hard it is as a pre-med and quickly label you "teacher's pet," "OCD," "Nerd," and other lascivious names.
You tell yourself day in day out that this is what you want to do. You tell yourself that they will see you later and be amazed at all that you have done. But, you read how the heath care system is failing. You see that there is no end to the pitfalls, the governmental nonsense, and all this leads to a 51% rate of physician dissatisfaction with their job.
Being a physician is not a simple calling. It is a moral step. It is the volunteering of yourself for others. It is responding to a call you heard. Perpahs it was when you landed in the hospital yourself, or perhaps it was an odd twist of fate that you ended up on this long, winding pathway. Perhaps it was a teacher, a friend, or a co-worker.
All I can say to you all is congrats, you made the dumbest, longest lasting, most financial stupid, emotionally taxing, least family friendly, morally difficult and, and most unhealthy choice you could have. However, you knew that you knew that you knew you wanted to do this. YOU knew that there was only one calling that could suffice the burning feeling in your heart. You knew that there was nothing you could do that would satisfy this need in you. You couldn't be a nurse, a PA, a dentist, a podiatrist, lawyer, businessman, or teacher. You needed to be a doctor. You needed to put theses hours in to do this.
It is at the point of breaking. When the long nights, early mornings, the stress, the worry, the tiredness, the anxiety, becomes too much... when you had enough, and you want to quit... don't. People burn out and don't take a chance. Take your time, breath. Go see a counselor. Keep your mental health in check. There is no amount of money or time that is worth not going there.
If you need a break, take it. Finish your semester, if you can, and take some time off. I believe in taking the time in life you need. You are what... 18 or so? You have 60 more years ahead of you. There is no need to rush.
Remember your dream. Remember that feeling... remember what is means for you. Remember your promise that you whispered to yourself that one night coming back from volunteering... Never stop dreaming. That is what you are doing trying to be a doctor.
Take advice, learn. Read, and don't be a Gunner. We all have been there, but remember you are just a pre-med, not a physician that has practiced for more years than not. Remember that you don't need to give advice but offer it if you see it is needed. Don't be afraid to change your career if you KNOW that this is not for you. Walk away with you head held up high. No one in their right mind will think any less of you. You are wiser for doing what is right for you than doing what is not right for you.
You all are well on your way for greatness.... just the way you are.
Your friend,
M
(Edited for gramatical error.)
I am writing this to tell you one thing. Being a premed is hard. It feels like it will never end, and when it does you only have a 40% chance of you entering school. You spend hundreds if not thousands of hours volunteering, researching, shadowing and studying. You do this when your friends are having fun going to the beach, playing video games, going on vacation, and just relaxing. You do this when you don't feel like doing it. You do this in the early morning and late into the night. You spend time on the MCAT, the GPA.... the letters, the numbers.... You go to clubs, you work, you are a leader, you are a teacher, you are a researcher, you are a student, you are helping.... and at the end of the day, you are tired. People don't get why you can't just go out and have some fun. They don't get what it takes to be a doctor. They see how hard it is as a pre-med and quickly label you "teacher's pet," "OCD," "Nerd," and other lascivious names.
You tell yourself day in day out that this is what you want to do. You tell yourself that they will see you later and be amazed at all that you have done. But, you read how the heath care system is failing. You see that there is no end to the pitfalls, the governmental nonsense, and all this leads to a 51% rate of physician dissatisfaction with their job.
Being a physician is not a simple calling. It is a moral step. It is the volunteering of yourself for others. It is responding to a call you heard. Perpahs it was when you landed in the hospital yourself, or perhaps it was an odd twist of fate that you ended up on this long, winding pathway. Perhaps it was a teacher, a friend, or a co-worker.
All I can say to you all is congrats, you made the dumbest, longest lasting, most financial stupid, emotionally taxing, least family friendly, morally difficult and, and most unhealthy choice you could have. However, you knew that you knew that you knew you wanted to do this. YOU knew that there was only one calling that could suffice the burning feeling in your heart. You knew that there was nothing you could do that would satisfy this need in you. You couldn't be a nurse, a PA, a dentist, a podiatrist, lawyer, businessman, or teacher. You needed to be a doctor. You needed to put theses hours in to do this.
It is at the point of breaking. When the long nights, early mornings, the stress, the worry, the tiredness, the anxiety, becomes too much... when you had enough, and you want to quit... don't. People burn out and don't take a chance. Take your time, breath. Go see a counselor. Keep your mental health in check. There is no amount of money or time that is worth not going there.
If you need a break, take it. Finish your semester, if you can, and take some time off. I believe in taking the time in life you need. You are what... 18 or so? You have 60 more years ahead of you. There is no need to rush.
Remember your dream. Remember that feeling... remember what is means for you. Remember your promise that you whispered to yourself that one night coming back from volunteering... Never stop dreaming. That is what you are doing trying to be a doctor.
Take advice, learn. Read, and don't be a Gunner. We all have been there, but remember you are just a pre-med, not a physician that has practiced for more years than not. Remember that you don't need to give advice but offer it if you see it is needed. Don't be afraid to change your career if you KNOW that this is not for you. Walk away with you head held up high. No one in their right mind will think any less of you. You are wiser for doing what is right for you than doing what is not right for you.
You all are well on your way for greatness.... just the way you are.
Your friend,
M
(Edited for gramatical error.)
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I really am having a hard time with this but this is something that I've wanted literally since about 5 years old. I've even had miniature doctor suits and scrubs made to custom fit me as if I were already a practicing physician. lol (;
