Speciality & Helpful High School Courses

ChiefPeach

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Hello, I have a few questions, I just started high school as a freshman. As you all know, I am getting close to that age where I have to pick my career, it has been my dream to be a doctor for as long as I can remember but after hours of research, I still don't know what speciality I want to pick. So I have a few questions that maybe you can help me answer:

  • What speciality is in demand? (I am very computer-savy, so I was thinking Radiology.)
  • For that speciality, what would be some helpful high school courses?
  • I don't plan to be a doctor that deals with patients, but I want to be a Physician-Researcher, so do I need to go through residency?
  • To be a Physician-Researcher should I just be something easy like a Pharmacist that doesn't take as much extensive training?
Thanks for the help and I wish you can assist me in my dream to become a doctor.

Thank You,
Arif Elbaz

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Keep in mind that you have to go through 4 years of high school and then 4 years of college before even going to medical school, and then 4 years of medical school until you become a doctor. That's at least 12 years away. No one can predict what the healthcare landscape will be like 12 years from now so it's very difficult to tell you what specialty will be "in-demind".

There are no course in high school that are translatable to medicine (assuming you are in the US). The best way you can prepare to be a doctor in high school is form good study habits early on and get into a strong 4 year college or university.

/technically/ you do not need to go through residency to become a physician-scientist, but if you take that route, there is not too much point to earning an MD (or DO), and so just getting a PhD might be a better option. However, this is so far down that line that you shouldn't be thinking about this right now.

Pharmacists are not physicians, so you can't become a physician scientist if you become a pharmacist.
 
Keep in mind that you have to go through 4 years of high school and then 4 years of college before even going to medical school, and then 4 years of medical school until you become a doctor. That's at least 12 years away. No one can predict what the healthcare landscape will be like 12 years from now so it's very difficult to tell you what specialty will be "in-demind".

There are no course in high school that are translatable to medicine (assuming you are in the US). The best way you can prepare to be a doctor in high school is form good study habits early on and get into a strong 4 year college or university.

/technically/ you do not need to go through residency to become a physician-scientist, but if you take that route, there is not too much point to earning an MD (or DO), and so just getting a PhD might be a better option. However, this is so far down that line that you shouldn't be thinking about this right now.

Pharmacists are not physicians, so you can't become a physician scientist if you become a pharmacist.

Thank you so much for your reply. I will take everything you said into consideration.
 
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As wedge said above, you're a very long way from having to pick a specialty and no one knows what Medicine and healthcare will look like when I start practicing, much less over a decade from now. But I can give you some advice for were you're at now, assuming you're in the US.

I decided I wanted to be a doctor in 9th grade. Probably not for the right reasons. If you want to be a doctor for the prestige, the respect of for the money, then you've likely got a limited and immature perspective. That's ok! I was in the same boat, but I made certain to do my research and get involved in healthcare volunteering later on. Now, I know that I'm going into Medicine for the right reasons. If you can, try to get involved in a clinical setting sometime in high school to dip your toe into the water. It would be good to start college with a little experience and a better idea of what you'd like to do.

Don't build your life around being a doctor. You've got a lot of potential and opportunity to do a lot of things and explore many careers. Diversify your interests and keep an open mind. Have fun in high school. There's a reason a bunch of classic rock songs talked about the teen years. Make them memorable!

You certainly don't need to pick a specialty right now. I wanted to be a neurosurgeon when I was your age (typical premed sort of thing to think). Now, after shadowing a few surgeons, I don't think that surgery is something I want to do. You have a lot (a lot, a lot) to learn and accomplish before you can realistically even start thinking about specialties. I suggest you take courses that suit and challenge your interests, both in high school and later in college. Focus on your talents and hobbies while identifying and addressing your weaknesses. You should try to enter college as a well-rounded person.

Hope that helps. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I was right where you are not too long ago.
 
As wedge said above, you're a very long way from having to pick a specialty and no one knows what Medicine and healthcare will look like when I start practicing, much less over a decade from now. But I can give you some advice for were you're at now, assuming you're in the US.

I decided I wanted to be a doctor in 9th grade. Probably not for the right reasons. If you want to be a doctor for the prestige, the respect of for the money, then you've likely got a limited and immature perspective. That's ok! I was in the same boat, but I made certain to do my research and get involved in healthcare volunteering later on. Now, I know that I'm going into Medicine for the right reasons. If you can, try to get involved in a clinical setting sometime in high school to dip your toe into the water. It would be good to start college with a little experience and a better idea of what you'd like to do.

Don't build your life around being a doctor. You've got a lot of potential and opportunity to do a lot of things and explore many careers. Diversify your interests and keep an open mind. Have fun in high school. There's a reason a bunch of classic rock songs talked about the teen years. Make them memorable!

You certainly don't need to pick a specialty right now. I wanted to be a neurosurgeon when I was your age (typical premed sort of thing to think). Now, after shadowing a few surgeons, I don't think that surgery is something I want to do. You have a lot (a lot, a lot) to learn and accomplish before you can realistically even start thinking about specialties. I suggest you take courses that suit and challenge your interests, both in high school and later in college. Focus on your talents and hobbies while identifying and addressing your weaknesses. You should try to enter college as a well-rounded person.

Hope that helps. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I was right where you are not too long ago.
Thanks for the reply. In your second paragraph, you said "Now, I know that I'm going into Medicine for the right reasons." Personally, what do you think those right reasons are?
 
Thanks for the reply. In your second paragraph, you said "Now, I know that I'm going into Medicine for the right reasons." Personally, what do you think those right reasons are?
Don't get me wrong -- the prestige, respect and money are pretty nice and I am looking forward to them, but having them as your only drive isn't sustainable.

After speaking with many doctors and med students, making it through and being happy requires, in part, a desire to really be a doctor. That means wanting to help people the way doctors do, being comfortable with and accepting the responsibilities that only physicians have, learning continuously throughout your life, being ok with the restrictive and testing schedule of a med student and physician as well as wanting to be an expert in fixing individuals and groups of people.
 
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