What Helped You Decide on a Medical Career?

[HazyFuture]

I am currently a high school senior and I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I have been all over from thinking about law, business, to something medical. I have to make a college decision pretty soon I want to select a college that will best allow me to pursue whatever my career may be. What attracted you to a career in medicine? I narrowed down what I would want to do in the field (I decided that I couldn't stand something being a pharmacist) but, I'm still not sure if it's something I would want to pursue. I am also worried that money may be my primary attraction to the job. I know it would be a terrible mistake to go through all the suffering and work if I have no satisfaction from the actual job. What drew you to medicine and what keeps you around now? I know I have time to figure all of this out but, it couldn't hurt starting now.

Edit: Did you have any particular hobbies that you feel may have contributed to your career choice? I'm asking because I shadowed a dentist and he told me that most dentists often have a hobby that somehow involved working with their hands.

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[OrthoTraumaMD]

The ability to cut people for money and fun.


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[mk04447]

Seriously, law and medicine are different deals. Speaking completely honestly sometimes I think I made the wrong choice. Law requires you to be good at finding holes in everything everyone says, medicine will reward you for the same. Question is, is it your passion to find fault, or is your desire to do something with information? I'm still undecided, as a student I only possess a handful of experiences to draw from, I've discovered things attendings missed and there are times I've connected in medicine that would never be possible as a lawyer. I don't envy your journey, it's plagued me for years. Have fun and keep thinking, I AM envious of your age, I wish I had been as thoughtful in my youth. You'll do fine with whatever you decide.

 

[AllBleedingStops]

I have been all over from thinking about law, business, to something medical. I have to make a college decision pretty soon I want to select a college that will best allow me to pursue whatever my career may be.

Go to any 4 year undergraduate institution you like. Do you feel good about a state program? Do you want something smaller? Private vs Public? Those are your big questions. Any reputable school of a decent size should be able to prepare you for whichever of those 3 career paths you mentioned. Then, during those first couple years, do well in your classes and use that time to figure out what you would like. Shadow, interview people in those fields, do some soul searching for yourself. It isn't a decision you need to make at this stage.

 

[curbsideconsult]

Agreed with ABS above.

The beauty of the American post-secondary education system is that you don't have to decide during high school what you want to do with the rest of your life. You can figure it out during college as you go along. You can even be deadset on a decision and then change your mind a few months later without it hurting you too badly.

I understand the urgency (who wants to waste time?), but you really don't need to be concerned with your future career in order to pick the right college/university for you.

Some other things you should be considering right now, in addition to what ABS said, is the social atmosphere of the college, the faculty/staff support, location, weather, dorm quality, etc. The happier you are in school, the better you'll do.