Why Medical School.

[Pigeon]

Hello all.

I'm 16 years old, a Junior in High School. I've been researching careers a bit. One thing that has caught my fancy is getting some sort of career in medicine.

Though I'm not sure if its a right goal. Here are the subjects I'm looking at majoring in. Norwegian. Philosophy. Psychology. Biology. The most concrete and fun option is major in Philosophy/Norwegian, and go to Medical School. Yet If I really want it to be Norwegian, that limits me to very few colleges, based on location and other factors, I'd probably choose St. Olaf. Small, "village" style I hear, and its up North, I like it cold.

Now that leads into the question of, is medical school, and a job from med school, right for me?

First. I like the idea because it seems to involve a lot of hard work. I find I start to go insane whenever I have no homework. Most of my friends really just annoy the hell out of me. I'd love to discuss with ideas with them, they are incapable of doing so. Hanging out with friends is always boring, and just seems to be a chore. Most people's humor I find stupid too. The truth is, I don't want to have "fun" in the sense most people have. Most video games are boring as hell. Yet I've noticed playing a video game for an hour is the most enjoyable experience of my life when I was just studying and working on homework for several hours. Medical School, and career in Health Care, seems to offer a work filled life style.

Second, it seems you are on the go. I don't like it when I'm sitting down. The best part of my day is study hall. When I'm walking around the school's hallways asking teachers questions, finishing up homework assignments, making frequent trips to my locker, randomly looking at books in the library, planning the night's homework. I like it when I'm walking around. Most other jobs I see myself sitting down, not on the go. Working in a hospital I view myself on the move, from one room to another. Events and things always changing. I also read I could be called in on weekends to work in a hospital. Sounds great. Nothing makes freetime feel more valuable than knowing it could be snatched away in an instant.

Third. The pay. Need I say more? I don't aspire for a lot of material possessions or a big house, but I see people in my family live by whatever coupons come in the mail. Always hunting for the best deals. I notice people often cook every other night. I don't want to do that. I want to eat out, every night.

Fourth. Health knowledge. I have people in my family with terrible health. I see people eat garbage food. A few months ago I got an odd visual disorder, I don't want to suffer from odd health problems later in my life. Since then I've been eating better and running every other day. I love hearing about what makes you healthy, what you should eat exactly, and why. I feel I will come in contact with this information very easily in a Health Care profession. It just makes sense. I'm assuming, if it isn't too stressful, I'll always have motivation to stay healthy. For I will get to see people with terrible health.

Fifth. The higher cause. Maybe I've just read too many extremist views on the enviroment, but I would not want to be an Engineer. The last thing this earth needs is another building. Another damned product to sell to someone. Or something else I view as dumb. To me, there is nothing more important then helping people fix their bodies. Hell, if the world is going to waste loads of materially into making disposable plastic, they better waste it into medical disposable plastic that come in all of the sterile stuff. I don't want to be some jerk Lawyer handling lawsuits over nothing issues, just to print "Caution: Hot" on McDonald's coffee cups. I can't think of a career that I consider more noble than one in Health Care. Yeah an Engineer building a good bridge is saving lives, but the truth is, human life won't end if a bridge isn't built and people are limited in where they can drive.

Sixth. A mild interest in Biology.

The problem is, everything besides point 1 and 6, is just an assumption. None of it is concrete.

What I do know is concrete, is that I can ask all of you this. Why are you looking into a Health Care career? What do you think of my reasons?

I apologize for the length of this post.

Pigeon.

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[MilkmanAl]

This isn't a question you should be able to answer certainly for a few years. Go with the flow, and if you're still interested after doing all your volunteering, testing, and pre-reqs, have at it. There are plenty of ways you can fulfill all of your goals without becoming a physician, so don't get tunnel vision 6 years before that's even a possibility.

 

[Pigeon]

This isn't a question you should be able to answer certainly for a few years. Go with the flow, and if you're still interested after doing all your volunteering, testing, and pre-reqs, have at it.

Yes, I don't think I'll know officially for a long time. Yet, the more info the better off I'll be. It certainly does not hurt to ramble out my current reasons. Most people switch major and still not know what to do, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't try to not do that. It just means I shouldn't expect to be successful in doing so.

 

[ylrebmik]

hmm well you're reasons seem good enough to get you interested in this career but you won't know if this is what you really want to do until you dig your hands into it and approach med school. Keep your options open and see what you want to do but if this is something you want to do... keep on the track.

why am i going into health care career? Well I'm going for veterinarian medicine.. but I used to want to be a human doctor because I'm interested in neurology, surgery, and genetics but I started volunteering at the zoo and everything changed. I used to get a huge rush of omg this is awesome when I've learn about neurological and genetic disorders. but when I get to educate people about animals and help them... I just get this feeling of "this is what I'm supposed to do" hard to explain. I still keep my options open but I love the path I'm on and am soo excited. it's not just researching and such... finding out what certain careers hold... but its a lot of the experiences I've had that just make me want this so bad.

 

[footballrules]

Hello all.

I'm 16 years old, a Junior in High School. I've been researching careers a bit. One thing that has caught my fancy is getting some sort of career in medicine.

Good choice. A career in the medical field is the way to go for job secruity and good start salaries and potential career growth (depending on aspect of medicine you are in.)

When states need to cut back funding, wages and hours that state employees can work, medicine is the last to be touched.

Medical people are always needed no matter how bad the economy gets.

Though I'm not sure if its a right goal. Here are the subjects I'm looking at majoring in. Norwegian. Philosophy. Psychology. Biology. The most concrete and fun option is major in Philosophy/Norwegian, and go to Medical School. Yet If I really want it to be Norwegian, that limits me to very few colleges, based on location and other factors, I'd probably choose St. Olaf. Small, "village" style I hear, and its up North, I like it cold.

Major in something you will like but can also help you get a job after graduation. I always tell people that if they have an interest in history or the like, do that in your free time or a second job and get a degree that can get you an actuall job that will pay the bills.

As far as medical school goes, it doesn't matter what you major in. Just do good and get good grades in the pre-req classes.

At most places, you don't have to major in something until your 2nd or 3rd year in college.

Now that leads into the question of, is medical school, and a job from med school, right for me?

Ask this question again in about 5 or 6 years. In the mean time, volunteer and shadow at a clinic or hospital so you can learn it it is something you would enjoy.

First. I like the idea because it seems to involve a lot of hard work. I find I start to go insane whenever I have no homework. Most of my friends really just annoy the hell out of me. I'd love to discuss with ideas with them, they are incapable of doing so. Hanging out with friends is always boring, and just seems to be a chore. Most people's humor I find stupid too. The truth is, I don't want to have "fun" in the sense most people have. Most video games are boring as hell. Yet I've noticed playing a video game for an hour is the most enjoyable experience of my life when I was just studying and working on homework for several hours. Medical School, and career in Health Care, seems to offer a work filled life style.

Second, it seems you are on the go. I don't like it when I'm sitting down. The best part of my day is study hall. When I'm walking around the school's hallways asking teachers questions, finishing up homework assignments, making frequent trips to my locker, randomly looking at books in the library, planning the night's homework. I like it when I'm walking around. Most other jobs I see myself sitting down, not on the go. Working in a hospital I view myself on the move, from one room to another. Events and things always changing. I also read I could be called in on weekends to work in a hospital. Sounds great. Nothing makes freetime feel more valuable than knowing it could be snatched away in an instant.

Third. The pay. Need I say more? I don't aspire for a lot of material possessions or a big house, but I see people in my family live by whatever coupons come in the mail. Always hunting for the best deals. I notice people often cook every other night. I don't want to do that. I want to eat out, every night.

You will find yourself in this situation as well. Looking for the best deals is a SAMRT thing to do. Almost everythying is over-priced.

Fourth. Health knowledge. I have people in my family with terrible health. I see people eat garbage food. A few months ago I got an odd visual disorder, I don't want to suffer from odd health problems later in my life. Since then I've been eating better and running every other day. I love hearing about what makes you healthy, what you should eat exactly, and why. I feel I will come in contact with this information very easily in a Health Care profession. It just makes sense. I'm assuming, if it isn't too stressful, I'll always have motivation to stay healthy. For I will get to see people with terrible health.

Fifth. The higher cause. Maybe I've just read too many extremist views on the enviroment, but I would not want to be an Engineer. The last thing this earth needs is another building. Another damned product to sell to someone. Or something else I view as dumb. To me, there is nothing more important then helping people fix their bodies. Hell, if the world is going to waste loads of materially into making disposable plastic, they better waste it into medical disposable plastic that come in all of the sterile stuff. I don't want to be some jerk Lawyer handling lawsuits over nothing issues, just to print "Caution: Hot" on McDonald's coffee cups. I can't think of a career that I consider more noble than one in Health Care. Yeah an Engineer building a good bridge is saving lives, but the truth is, human life won't end if a bridge isn't built and people are limited in where they can drive.

Sixth. A mild interest in Biology.

The problem is, everything besides point 1 and 6, is just an assumption. None of it is concrete.

What I do know is concrete, is that I can ask all of you this. Why are you looking into a Health Care career? What do you think of my reasons?

I apologize for the length of this post.

Pigeon.

I will provide you with some real world advice.

- Live life in pencil and not pen.

Look above for more info as well.

Sir, a health care career is a great choice. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. If you can handle working in the health care field, you are making a wise choice.

Do the smart thing and shadow all of the different types of health care careers. This will help you get a good fell for what each person does.

 

[Tired]

I find I start to go insane whenever I have no homework. Most of my friends really just annoy the hell out of me. I'd love to discuss with ideas with them, they are incapable of doing so. Hanging out with friends is always boring, and just seems to be a chore. Most people's humor I find stupid too. The truth is, I don't want to have "fun" in the sense most people have.

I wouldn't advertise this, it makes you sound like a tool.

 

[footballrules]

I wouldn't advertise this, it makes you sound like a tool.

Agreed. Just keep it to yourself.

 

[lord_jeebus]

Not on the main subject of your post, but as a former language major I ask why you want to major in Norwegian.

You don't need to major in a language to learn it well. Do you have a particular interest in Norwegian literature, or the linguistics of the Norwegian language? If not, I would suggest you not pick a college based on the availability of this major. If so, knock yourself out.

 

[soulofmpatel]

First. I like the idea because it seems to involve a lot of hard work.

I think that the typical view of "hard work" is one of the most prevalent misconceptions about medicine. Many people like the idea of trying to understand a complex case or performing a complex operation, but this isn't what doctors are talking about when the complain about the medicine lifestyle. The problem with medicine in saccrifice. I'll give a few examples:

1) Sleep deprivation. Waking up in the middle of the night to take care of a patient or staying up all night to do admissions.

2) Working too many hours and taking time away from friends, family, hobbies. You may like working hard, but if you are working enough hours such that you have to miss your friend's wedding, give up playing basketball, or not get to see your kids grow up, it might get to you.

3) Stress on romantic relationships. No time to date or to spend with your lover.

For most people, these things aren't simply "hard work." They are saccrifices. They are things which people endure because they enjoy other aspects of medicine. If think you will like medicine so much that you are willing to endure the negative aspects, it may be an excellent choice for you. If you are completely naive and view the saccrifices of medicine as mere "hard work," you may be in for a lifetime of misery.

*Note: Biology is related to medicine, but interest in biology does not necessarily relate to interest in medicine. I don't think that I would enjoy being a biologist, but I do have a very strong interest in medicine. Get some experience and find out where your interests lie.

*Note #2: That you are willing to work hard and study is a good sign that you will be successful in medicine. Slackers who hate studying tend to become misreable cynics.

 

[Algophiliac]

I like you. Seriously.

Hello all.
Now that leads into the question of, is medical school, and a job from med school, right for me? .

You're expecting yourself to know an ickle bit too much there. Why don't you take it a bit at a time? Right now, you know biology interests you. Great. Now let's put that into practice--have you shadowed, volunteered, or worked at a hospital yet?

First. I like the idea because it seems to involve a lot of hard work. I find I start to go insane whenever I have no homework. .

Yes, my God! I totally agree here. Small talk is the death of me, I swear! Who gives a damn what happened to so-and-so on this-and-that day? Most people just annoy the hell out of me, but then there's that occasional person who does have something worthwhile to talk about. And anyway, for some odd reason I enjoy putting myself through painful challenges.

Second, it seems you are on the go. .

Change. I go insane if something remains the same for too long. Mundane environments just don't sit too well with me, and giving up and moving on can't happen in the middle of med school, so it had better be full of challenges.

Fifth. The higher cause. .

Meh, not so much your reasons as the simple reason that a doctor is a healer. Not exactly a superhero, but close, hmm?

What I do know is concrete, is that I can ask all of you this. Why are you looking into a Health Care career?

I simply love biology. Certainly I enjoy other subjects, with the most definite exception of math, but understanding the simple and complex biological processes which take place around me is just fascinating.

I want to be useful. This is, oddly enough, a very important factor for me. I want to be more than just an engineer who works with computers or an arhitect who constructs buildings. Sure, those are great professions and marginally necessary to maintain an adequate lifestyle, but the medical profession traces back to the primitive, inevitable factors of the human body--people die. And I don't like that.

 

[illusenjester]

Forget about being a doctor if you do not like small talk, or being social.
x0x0

 

[deleted212936]

.

 

[MilkmanAl]

no one's personal statement is likely to be similar any other.

So...yeah...that's not really the case. I'd go as far as saying the majority of the numerous (several dozen) PS's I edited were very similar in terms of content and nearly identical stylistically. I agree with your core point, though.

 

[Pigeon]

Forget about being a doctor if you do not like small talk, or being social.
x0x0

Maybe you didn't read my entire post. Or understand. Or maybe I didn't explain all my thoughts well enough. (Which very well could be the case here, I wrote a lot and may have over looked this.) Looking back at my post, I did not make the point clear enough.

To the hard work comments. What are other views of hard work? Just working consistently. Yet you tell me it is sacrificing, working a lot, working long. I always thought this was it. For this is what makes life fun, and what makes small talk enjoyable.

"Yet I've noticed playing a video game for an hour is the most enjoyable experience of my life when I was just studying and working on homework for several hours."

I know why I left it to only a sentence too. I think in another post or another forum, I rambled out the full idea behind this.

IMO happiness comes from doing something meaningful. Accomplishing something big. Its the feeling of satisfaction that makes us happy. Yet often in this time of happiness, we are relaxing. Playing video games, talking with friends, doing something entertaining. So we wrongly connect entertainment with happiness. Too, entertainment isn't as fun when you have been doing it for a long time. If given 5 hours to do whatever I want, I may find it boring. Give me 3-4 hours to work, then an hour for whatever I want, and that hour will be so fun and relaxing.

Small talk is mundane. Since it is mundane the fun in it disappears. Because it happens so much we are desensitized to any enjoyment out of it. If we were in a stressful, tense, or just plain out bad situation for a day or several hours. Having some down time to talk with random people will seem relieving. I currently have an odd visual disorder that there is no known cause for it. I never cherished being able to sit in a chair at night, relaxing and reading before. Now with this visual problem I do. Because that time rarly comes anymore. I'm usually distracted by the visual problem. When I can ignore it, it feels so great.

Its late, so I'm pretty sure I'm explaining my ideas awkwardly. Yet do you see what I mean?

Its not that I don't like socializing, small talk, TV, or any of that stuff. Its just its enjoyment is numbed. The only way I get enjoyment out of it is when I've been busy as hell. For then it feels so refreshing. Also as I do it, I know I just worked on something and was productive. So I have a feeling of accomplishment, which is happiness, and I may have little to worry about. The only way I can get this happiness and enjoyment out of things is through work.

I want to become a Doctor (or really just any job that involves such demanding, time sacrificing work) so I can enjoy socializing and small talk much more than I would in any other job.

EDIT: Sheesh. I typed this in 10 minutes. This is something I'm working on. Explaining my ideas with less words. Which IMO is a real sign of intelligence and a grasp of language. I will comment on the other posts tomorrow. It is getting late here.

 

[illusenjester]

I'm a Junior in HS too and I don't think at all homework and studying to be considered "hard work" and I sincerely doubt you know the meaning of hard work anyway and trust me it's not homework. Homework is not work, it's elementary. Being a doctor is socialising, diagnosing, & tons and tons of paperwork (which will require you to SIT DOWN for maybe hours at a time at home or wherever since you don't have the general time to finish work in sections). It's far beyond the "hard work" you imagine to be. If you think you really do dig the work filled lifestyle, then by all means more power to you. Just don't be saying that when you really haven't experienced work. Small-talk will forever "haunt" you with patients as a physician, however mundane you find it to be. Don't miss out on things because of whatever you like to do in a busy work filled schedule will make for a more enjoyable occasion, do it because it's your job and you want to be a good doctor, and within that you might find all enjoyable.

 

[Law2Doc]

Third. The pay. Need I say more? I don't aspire for a lot of material possessions or a big house, but I see people in my family live by whatever coupons come in the mail. Always hunting for the best deals. I notice people often cook every other night. I don't want to do that. I want to eat out, every night.

Actually, the pay is taking a pretty big hit lately. The field is the only profession that lost ground against inflation over the last decade, and student loans are out of control. So you probably will still clip coupons as a physician, and you will not eat out every night. There were some good articles on the pre-allo board last year about NY family practitioners who had to sell things on e-bay and take on second jobs to cover their mortgage. You can still live comfortably if you stick to a budget, but the days of doctors dining at fancy restaurants every night are probably over, if that ever was the case.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Actually, the pay is taking a pretty big hit lately. The field is the only profession that lost ground against inflation over the last decade, and student loans are out of control. So you probably will still clip coupons as a physician, and you will not eat out every night. There were some good articles on the pre-allo board last year about NY family practitioners who had to sell things on e-bay and take on second jobs to cover their mortgage. You can still live comfortably if you stick to a budget, but the days of doctors dining at fancy restaurants every night are probably over, if that ever was the case.

He could probably eat out every night if he wanted to, not a fancy restaurant though. Just sayin'

 

[xnfs93hy]

Forget about being a doctor if you do not like small talk, or being social.
x0x0

Agreed, when I was volunteering in the ER I wound up talking to patients for 20 minutes sometimes and I'm really shy, this doesn't have anything to do with the OP I just want to point out that if you are a doctor you have to constantly deal with this kind of stuff and be really social even if you don't want to be (Ex. you are shy or you are just flat out anti-social).

 

[Depakote]

He could probably eat out every night if he wanted to, not a fancy restaurant though. Just sayin'

And I could eat out every night if I stuck to the McDonald's dollar menu.

There's a difference between discussion and being oppositional.

 

[Law2Doc]

He could probably eat out every night if he wanted to, not a fancy restaurant though. Just sayin'

I was assuming he was talking about something better than a happy meal. (hence my use of "fancy restaurant"). But sure, if he was talking about grabbing a slice and a coke each night, he likely could afford that. Even better if he could find a coupon.

I somehow don't think that's what he had in mind when he said he wanted to eat out every night rather than cook.

 

[xnfs93hy]

I was assuming he was talking about something better than a happy meal. (hence my use of "fancy restaurant"). But sure, if he was talking about grabbing a slice and a coke each night, he likely could afford that. Even better if he could find a coupon.

I somehow don't think that's what he had in mind when he said he wanted to eat out every night rather than cook.

Better yet, eat at the hospital cafeteria! Oh and that last post was serious, yeah I meant something other than a big mac, maybe grab like a sub or something, a slice of pizza a couple times a week won't kill ya. Have cereal for b-fast, it works out. But think about it, if he's working late at the hospital then he can always grab something to eat there. The hospital I work at has this grill (thats what they call it, its basically a small restaurant near the main entrance of the hospital for guests) then they have the staff cafeteria, I have never been there late but I am pretty sure he could get a bite at the hospital if he wanted to.

 

[illusenjester]

Haha or Pigeon just get a nice wifey (or husband, if that's how you roll) and she'll do all the cooking for you

 

[xnfs93hy]

Haha or Pigeon just get a nice wifey (or husband, if that's how you roll) and she'll do all the cooking for you

That would be pretty nice actually, I wouldn't mind reheating a nice home cooked meal .

 

[Law2Doc]

Better yet, eat at the hospital cafeteria! Oh and that last post was serious, yeah I meant something other than a big mac, maybe grab like a sub or something, a slice of pizza a couple times a week won't kill ya. Have cereal for b-fast, it works out. But think about it, if he's working late at the hospital then he can always grab something to eat there. The hospital I work at has this grill (thats what they call it, its basically a small restaurant near the main entrance of the hospital for guests) then they have the staff cafeteria, I have never been there late but I am pretty sure he could get a bite at the hospital if he wanted to.

Actually hospital cafeterias are often not particularly cheap. Some programs give their residents vouchers (particularly for call nights), but many still don't give enough to make it the equivalent price as fast food, and OP was talking about eating out as a practitioner, I think, not a resident, or he wouldn't have been upbeat about the pay. Also most doctors don't work in hospitals, but that's besides the point...

 

[xnfs93hy]

Actually hospital cafeterias are often not particularly cheap. Some programs give their residents vouchers (particularly for call nights), but many still don't give enough to make it the equivalent price as fast food, and OP was talking about eating out as a practitioner, I think, not a resident, or he wouldn't have been upbeat about the pay. Also most doctors don't work in hospitals, but that's besides the point...

Let me just ask a question real quick, bear with me because you might not understand it and its kind of a dumb question.

What is the difference between a General Practitioner and a Family Practice doctor? and What is a Primary Care Physician?

Also:

If I am, lets say, a neurologist, would I be a GP? What if I was a surgeon.


I hope this makes sense

 

[Depakote]

Let me just ask a question real quick, bear with me because you might not understand it and its kind of a dumb question.

What is the difference between a General Practitioner and a Family Practice doctor? and What is a Primary Care Physician?

Also:

If I am, lets say, a neurologist, would I be a GP? What if I was a surgeon.


I hope this makes sense

Family Practice is a field of medicine that provides primary care. (I've been corrected on this before, but I believe a Family Practitioner is a General Practitioner... there's a lingo issue that I'm not 100% on).

Family Practice docs care for all patients. Their residency trains them to treat children, adults and pregnant patients.

Primary care is the doc that provides the majority of your first line care. The one people go to for most of their standard medical needs, the following fields are usually considered primary care:
-Family Practice
-Internal Medicine
-OB/GYN
-Pediatrics
(occasionally psych)

if you specialize (neurology, or a fellowship after internal medicine, you are not a primary care physician)

 

[Depakote]

surgery is not a primary care field either, just to answer your specific question.

 

[Law2Doc]

Family Practice is a field of medicine that provides primary care. (I've been corrected on this before, but I believe a Family Practitioner is a General Practitioner... there's a lingo issue that I'm not 100% on).

Family Practice docs care for all patients. Their residency trains them to treat children, adults and pregnant patients.

Primary care is the doc that provides the majority of your first line care. The one people go to for most of their standard medical needs, the following fields are usually considered primary care:
-Family Practice
-Internal Medicine
-OB/GYN
-Pediatrics
(occasionally psych)

if you specialize (neurology, or a fellowship after internal medicine, you are not a primary care physician)

Agree with this. But "practitioner" means "clinician" and all of the non-surgical specialties fit this description. My above comment had nothing to do with primary care and yes you will be a practitioner as a neurologist, but you wouldn't be a GP.

 

[Pigeon]

I'm a Junior in HS too and I don't think at all homework and studying to be considered "hard work" and I sincerely doubt you know the meaning of hard work anyway and trust me it's not homework. Homework is not work, it's elementary. Being a doctor is socialising, diagnosing, & tons and tons of paperwork (which will require you to SIT DOWN for maybe hours at a time at home or wherever since you don't have the general time to finish work in sections). It's far beyond the "hard work" you imagine to be. If you think you really do dig the work filled lifestyle, then by all means more power to you. Just don't be saying that when you really haven't experienced work. Small-talk will forever "haunt" you with patients as a physician, however mundane you find it to be. Don't miss out on things because of whatever you like to do in a busy work filled schedule will make for a more enjoyable occasion, do it because it's your job and you want to be a good doctor, and within that you might find all enjoyable.

All I have to say is. What on earth are you talking about? Throughout a lot of this I'm seeing people misinterpret what I mean. It shows every has their own definition of everything.

What do you exactly think hard work is? Something magical that just cannot be described in words? Something that High School students can never fully experience? Really, maybe its the job experience that I want that cannot be described in words.

The way you describe things it makes me doubt whether you have any grasp on what I mean. Do you think I don't expect to sit for hours a day? Do you expect that I want to sit in a room alone for 24/7? Do you expect me to be miserable anytime someone asks me some stupid small talk situation? What do you think? You seem to take it all in absolutes. As if there is no middle ground in my view of things.

How do you feel at the end of the average school day? With all the elementary work.

How do you feel at the end of a day filled with your view of hard work?

 

[Law2Doc]

What do you exactly think hard work is? Something magical that just cannot be described in words? Something that High School students can never fully experience?

While I don't want to put words in any other poster's mouth, I have to say that those of us who have been through high school and beyond have a pretty good notion of what you are thinking of as "hard work", "good money" and a lot of other things that you may seem to think you have a grasp on, but will change your mind about further along the road. The danger of being a young adult is that you often think you know more than you do. I have to say that at 16, what I thought was a lot of work or hard work are very different (significantly less) than what I think now, many years later. So too money -- at 16 I would have thought that $40k was a ton of money, and twice that would allow me to live like the guys on MTV cribs. And so yeah, one's learned perspective isn't really something you can put into words. You will have a better notion years down the pike. Things change, perspectives change. Be open to the notion and willing to accept that there are things you think you know that won't end up being so true.

 

[Pigeon]

While I don't want to put words in any other poster's mouth, I have to say that those of us who have been through high school and beyond have a pretty good notion of what you are thinking of as "hard work", "good money" and a lot of other things that you may seem to think you have a grasp on, but will change your mind about further along the road. The danger of being a young adult is that you often think you know more than you do. I have to say that at 16, what I thought was a lot of work or hard work are very different (significantly less) than what I think now, many years later. So too money -- at 16 I would have thought that $40k was a ton of money, and twice that would allow me to live like the guys on MTV cribs. And so yeah, one's learned perspective isn't really something you can put into words. You will have a better notion years down the pike. Things change, perspectives change. Be open to the notion and willing to accept that there are things you think you know that won't end up being so true.

Nothing you have said is new to me. I don't think 40,000 is a lot of money either.

Yet the thing is, I'm quite sure illusen is thinking everyone's high school experience is the same. It is not. What is just busy work to him, is very hard work for me.

Days with hard work I'm doing a lot in not much time. Usually what I'm doing isn't busy work, as in I have to think and understand it, it takes more than just time. I often find myself sitting doing some assignment, and 10 minutes later I get up to staple something, print X class's notes, go through the notes writing down my comments and questions, I then go mopping up X homework assignment, studying a bit for something else. Trying to think up my answer on the day's Science homework. These hard work days often involve me working on a paper. Typing up my ideas than trying to reword them so they come across they they were intended too. My printer is often broken, and I type everything. So I either plan to get to school early, or I make a trip to Office Max to get it printed.

When its all said and done my back sometimes hurts. Its probably been at least 3 hours of the work. My mind feels like it is sizzling (I described this in another thread.), I'm very tired. Its usually very late. The next day I usually want to get to school 30 minutes early to ask teacher's questions. The whole day afterwards is often a battle because I got very little sleep. I get 6 hours of sleep every day, on these hard working days it is 5.

For in my study halls I'm usually on the run, this I enjoy. I usually have lots of questions, lots of things to finish up, and lots of trips to my locker and onto computers. Sometimes if I can't find a teacher that I have questions for I have to hunt them down, all on a stressful time limit.

On days that I consider hard work, there is rarly a minutes rest. Its these days I love. The excitement of it all (Will I finish X thing on time?), and the good feeling once I've done all I can, and gotten an A on all of it.

Most HS students I see get things done quick. Quick and easy. Smart students do it quickly and get an A. Dumb students do it quickly and get a C. I'm not like either. Because I don't do it quickly. Sometimes I do, but rarely. The average student above often tries to only answer the questions. Not the case for me, I try and answer the questions. Yet I try and understand the subject entirely. This has made Science classses hard. Because often they just can't explain everything. So I am left with holes in my great picture of things. This worries me about how well I will handle it in harder college classes.

I can often ask my peers certain questions that they can't answer. I always attempt to answer these questions, even if they go beyond what I need to know. This only adds more to what I do.

The longest I've ever had such days of hard work was 5. 5 consectutive days like this. It was relentless, and damn, every show on TV that week seemed so interesting. That is my reward.

I havn't been getting these hard work days as often as I did in years past. Freshmen year I had it a lot, for it was the year of transforming from a bad student to a good student. 1st Semester Sophomore year I didn't do so well, 2nd Semester I did great but I didn't have to work as hard. Things are just clicking easier.

This shows I am improving. Which is why I think I will be ready to handle the above hard days of work as a Doctor and in College.

How is getting down a lot of things, in a short amount of time, with little to no breaks, not hard work?

I have to go now. I apologize if I ever come off as aggressive at times. This is not what I intend. I also don't want to come off as a know it all or some type of Academic God. I am not, there are many students better than me, my current GPA is a 4.165, many people at these forums have higher. I'm aware I'm not at the top end of the scale. I'm short on time and can't edit, so once again sorry if things don't make sense.

Pigeon.

 

[DrYoda]

How is getting down a lot of things, in a short amount of time, with little to no breaks, not hard work?

Perceptions of hard work change as you get older. A highschooler's version of hard work doesn't look so hard when compared with say a (hard) working adult's. I don't think anyone is contesting the fact that you work hard, just that when you look back in ten years HS will seem like it was an easy and relatively care-free time.

Also, lots of work and hard work are indeed two different things. Yesterday I: went to the bank, went shopping, did laundry, cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner, wrote a paper, looked over my investments, walked my dog, mowed the lawn, cleaned the house, washed dishes, put up some Halloween decorations and before I knew it the day was gone. However, despite having done lots of stuff I wouldn't go as far to say I worked hard. My friends with small children would probably kill to have that day.

 

[Law2Doc]

Perceptions of hard work change as you get older. A highschooler's version of hard work doesn't look so hard when compared with say a (hard) working adult's. I don't think anyone is contesting the fact that you work hard, just that when you look back in ten years HS will seem like it was an easy and relatively care-free time.

Exactly. What you think is hard work at 16 is probably going to be the easy life you yearn for in a few years. May seem rough now, and a joke in a few years. Happens to everyone. But hard to conceptualize until you get there.

 

[footballrules]

Exactly. What you think is hard work at 16 is probably going to be the easy life you yearn for in a few years. May seem rough now, and a joke in a few years. Happens to everyone. But hard to conceptualize until you get there.

Agreed. I won't go into details on why life gets harder as you get older as you will learn...it's apart of life.

High school is a joke. It always has been and always will be.

 

[Pigeon]

Both points brought up, have been covered in my post beforehand. Those points being.

1. Work gets harder as you get older. What I do now will be a walk in the park to me later in life.

2. How hard work isn't busy work.

To you Dr. Yoda. What you described as busy work. Part of days that I consider filled with hard work I specified was not busy work. It is work that involves me thinking. Its my answer to part 2. Which I did include in my post. I also mentioned lots of busy work that is thrown on top. The busy work makes the real work even harder. There both aspects of hard work. In that immediate quote I didn't mention that, but in the post and in the entire idea itself. I did.

To point 1. I'm improving. I don't have to work nearly as hard as I did in 9th grade to get the same scores. Will I have more work as a Doctor and in College than I do now? Yes. Will I be ready for that work? Yes. Will being ready for it equal it out, making the difficulty to readiness level equal out? I'm thinking more yes than no for that. I know everything gets harder as you get older, but you overlook you becoming more prepared. Yes I may be working more hours on work in college, but will it feel as bad as working
those extra hours today? Not at all. For I will adjust, and be more ready. Now I am not used to those extra hours, and not ready, so it will come as a hard shock if it was to happen now.

Now you can add the difficulty of work on top of that. Am I to think that the levels will be raised more than my improvement is? Such was not the case for members of my family. Who did a lot better in college than they did in High School. Even if I am wrong. Will my whole view of fun from entertainment suddenly become void?

It works like this. The more work = the more fun my freetime is. Will that suddenly not work once the work reaches a certain amount? Of course it won't work when it reaches to the point where there is no freetime.

The other thing is. What do both conclusions give me.

Conclusion 1. I've experienced tastes of the hard work in Med School and as a Doctor. It will be tough, but the rewards will be good the end. I will be ready for it.

Conclusion 2. I have never experienced what true hard work is. Therefore I don't know if it will be what I'm looking for or not. It could be good. It could be very awful and all just have to go into something else.

When both are laid out. It is clear that Conclusion 1 should be mine. The only real difference is Conclusion 1, mine, is optomistic. Its filled with confidence. Which will make it more possible for me to succeed.

Conclusion 2 is doubtful and negative. Yet if gives me nothing I can't get from Conclusion 1.

I can still look into other fields, and have back up plans if real hard work isn't what I'm looking for in life. The only difference is the attitude I will have when I approach it. It was concluded long ago that I wouldn't know if I really would want to be a Doctor until I do some shadowing and start getting closer towards it. I might aswell have the attitude that will succeed in getting me there. Ignorance is bliss. I'm probably wrong as hell, but I'd rather be happy and wrong as hell. Because some how I don't think I will be too disappointed when I actually see I am wrong.

Please still explain how my above answers are wrong. This insight is still helpful even if in the end I'll go with my own (crazy) conclusion.

EDIT: The more I think about it, I'm probably wrong as hell! Yet I will run at it with confidence. Well see where life takes me. No sense in pursueing a career if it will just give me a lot of unenjoyable work. Because if its only the High School hard work I'm looking for, I do think I could find that in a job involving foreign language. (Preferably Norwegian.)

I will be considering other things, but I'm going to try and keep my original positive attitude.

 

[CurrySpice]

Weird. I read this OP and totally thought I had written it and someone had dredged up an old thread. Ummmm. So I go to St. Olaf (it rocks!), love philosophy, biology, and norwegian... and am thinking about some sort of medical career, although I'm leaning towards veterinary medicine.

Basically, don't worry about it. St. Olaf has a wonderful pre-med advisor and you can just take basic science courses to fulfull the GE requirements, and you can see how you like it.

 

[deleted212936]

Sadly, money is one of the factors to many people to consider this path (so stop being mean when someone mentioned $$$).
Sorry to say, IF doctors were paid $40k/year, not that many of us would yearn to become doctors anymore.

 

[Terpskins99]

Sadly, money is one of the factors to many people to consider this path (so stop being mean when someone mentioned $$$).
Sorry to say, IF doctors were paid $40k/year, not that many of us would yearn to become doctors anymore.

Well, the money is definitely attractive.

But if I weren't in medical school, I'd probably be pursuing a PhD in biology (and not making much more than the 40k per). I don't understand why this is such a difficult concept to grasp, but most people in medicine actually have a genuine interest in science.

 

[CScull]

Sadly, money is one of the factors to many people to consider this path (so stop being mean when someone mentioned $$$).
Sorry to say, IF doctors were paid $40k/year, not that many of us would yearn to become doctors anymore.

I wouldn't really care if I could support myself comfortably... which around where I live now I could do easily for $50 if I was by myself.

I wouldn't worry too much about it now Pigeon; it sounds like you'll have the grades to go where you want anyway. Once you get to college start shadowing and getting an idea of what it's like. When it does come time to decide you'll know.

 

[Neelesh]

I have interviewed and been accepted at multiple medical schools. From reading your post you seem to be an arrogant brat who can't relate at all to real people or the real world. I am really thankful that medical schools interview kids, because this way they'll keep people like you out.

Go get drunk and laid.

 

[ILikeFood]

Sadly, money is one of the factors to many people to consider this path (so stop being mean when someone mentioned $$$).
Sorry to say, IF doctors were paid $40k/year, not that many of us would yearn to become doctors anymore.

Can you imagine the quality of doctors we'd produce if salaries were capped at 40k a year?

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8yoSAiwY18[/YOUTUBE]

I wouldn't really care if I could support myself comfortably... which around where I live now I could do easily for $50 if I was by myself.

What about being paid what you're worth?

 

[CScull]

What about being paid what you're worth?

There are a lot of people who aren't paid what they're worth. If I'm happily supporting myself, and possibly my future family, I wouldn't really mind.

 

[WellWornLad]

I have interviewed and been accepted at multiple medical schools. From reading your post you seem to be an arrogant brat who can't relate at all to real people or the real world. I am really thankful that medical schools interview kids, because this way they'll keep people like you out.

Go get drunk and laid.

Pot, meet kettle.

 

[Maygyver]

Conclusion 1. I've experienced tastes of the hard work in Med School and as a Doctor. It will be tough, but the rewards will be good the end. I will be ready for it.
When both are laid out. It is clear that Conclusion 1 should be mine. The only real difference is Conclusion 1, mine, is optomistic. Its filled with confidence. Which will make it more possible for me to succeed.

No offense, but I agree with the posters that think you come of arrogant. Sure you could use this conclusion, or you could listen to the advice of the medical students and college students that have posted here and told you that working 3 hours a day on some high school homework does not constitute as hard work. I did a full schedule of AP classes in High school which, in your mind, would be 'hard work' but I realized while taking them that they really weren't hard work...it's high school. Also, if you think 5 days of your 'hard work' is tough you are going to find college hard, getting into medical school extremely hard medical school immensely harder. Also, the reason why smart kids get everything done in high school fast and get an A is because, well, it's easy.

Bottom line: try to not sound so arrogant and get so offended when people are giving you advise. Especially when they have already been down the path you are looking to go down.

 

[xnfs93hy]

There are a lot of people who aren't paid what they're worth. If I'm happily supporting myself, and possibly my future family, I wouldn't really mind.

Good luck supporting a family on 40,000 a year.

 

[CScull]

Good luck supporting a family on 40,000 a year.

Maybe not a family, but that's how much my Mom supports my family on (my sister and I). I prefer it to my parents living together and fighting constantly when we lived in Northern Va and my parents made two hundred thousand dollars a year combined.

It turned around very fast for my Dad, he learned fast that a well paying job means little when you've lost your family. Then he got a DUI, totaled his Porsche, and lost his job (maybe not in that exact order but you get the idea). Go figure.

 

[KempDrumsalot]

Good luck supporting a family on 40,000 a year.

You make it sound like its hard? I live with a family of 4 with 40,000 a year. It's not as bad as everyone seems to think. Of course, this is Jeff who has never experienced a situation like this, so what are you going to do?

 

[xnfs93hy]

You make it sound like its hard? I live with a family of 4 with 40,000 a year. It's not as bad as everyone seems to think. Of course, this is Jeff who has never experienced a situation like this, so what are you going to do?

I have actually, when I was younger. My dad, as I have mentioned was an accountant at the time when him and my mom had me and my sister. Two kids. He did not make much more than 40k a year, and my mom stayed home and raised us. After about 8 or so years he saved up enough money to move us all down here to a wealthy area of NJ.

Obviously our household income is high now.

You also have to look at where Cscull lives. He/she probably lives in an area where the cost of living is not nearly as high as it is in NJ.

I was obviously too quick to judge, but, I didn't really. All I said was "good luck supporting a family on 40k a year." It is hard, yes, maybe in YOUR area you can support a family on 40k a year but where I live, you can forget about it.

 

[xnfs93hy]

Maybe not a family, but that's how much my Mom supports my family on (my sister and I). I prefer it to my parents living together and fighting constantly when we lived in Northern Va and my parents made two hundred thousand dollars a year combined.

It turned around very fast for my Dad, he learned fast that a well paying job means little when you've lost your family. Then he got a DUI, totaled his Porsche, and lost his job (maybe not in that exact order but you get the idea). Go figure.

I apologize if I offended you at all, I am genuinely sorry about your parents relationship, I hope your dad is alright now.

 

[CScull]

I have actually, when I was younger. My dad, as I have mentioned was an accountant at the time when him and my mom had me and my sister. Two kids. He did not make much more than 40k a year, and my mom stayed home and raised us. After about 8 or so years he saved up enough money to move us all down here to a wealthy area of NJ.

Obviously our household income is high now.

You also have to look at where Cscull lives. He/she probably lives in an area where the cost of living is not nearly as high as it is in NJ.

I was obviously too quick to judge, but, I didn't really. All I said was "good luck supporting a family on 40k a year." It is hard, yes, maybe in YOUR area you can support a family on 40k a year but where I live, you can forget about it.

I do live in an area where the cost of living is very low; the jobs here pay lower than a metropolitan area though, so it levels out (a bit more) in the end.