People Going For Medicine (1 Viewer)

[mirakon]

Just my two cents here.....

I do not really want to be racist here, and I apologise beforehand if it comes out that way. Its just that I find it hard to believe that such a large number of people from specific ethnicities are genuinely interested in becoming doctors. It has become fairly obvious that many people are applying for Medicine because:

a) Their parents told them too
b) They don't want to waste ATAR points
c) They're only interested in the money
d) Prestige and reputation

The above reasons are quite frankly the wrong reasons. I appeal to people who do the above please to reconsider applying for Medicine, because its so competitive that you more often than not are pushing people out who have a sicnere dream of becoming a doctor, just because you're better at Extension 2 Maths etc.

The following example illustrates my point:

I recently went to a party where the vast majority of people were of the same ehtnicity. Those who were in uni were doing medicine. Those who were not wanted to do medicine. Every single one. I find it hard to belive any of this was due to a genuine passion to pursue this field.

Your thoughts?

 

[ultraman8]

Agreed if you're smart enough to make medicine in one of the better unis you can earn much more doing finance so if money is a factor for you you are a complete utter dumbshit and deserve to earn a lower income than you truly are capable of. ATAR points don't mean shit in university so if you think you have an almighty ATAR you can suck some dog. Parents are dumbshits for forcing their children to do shit, it's not them that will be doing medicine for 12 years before coming out as a GP and treating alot of old people, if you are innately judgemental, with no motivation SUCKS TO BE YOU then wouldn't it. Prestige and reputation comes with money and fame, unless you're the best in your field you will receive far less prestige and reputation than you would think.

However in contrary to what I said. Some people change whilst doing medicine and become deeply passionate for helping those in need and those people would have been discounted using your above method. So it's not just black and white some people who did law or other degrees may have decided because of experience in that course to do medicine as seen by the high no. of people in other degrees doing graduate medicine.

 

[janchanisek]

I reckon it is true to an extent.. tho i do know many friends doing medicine who genuinely wanted to and have a passion for it...
I think all of those possible reasons you pointed out do apply in various cases, and that is unfortunate, but it's also true that they may inevitably be part of the reason why ppl want to do medicine, along with personal preference and dreams... so its hard to differentiate (sorry for using maths terms hehe) but yehh so long as it doenst become the primary sine qua non reason then i cant say anything against it =]

You know, personally, im actually thinking now that i should've done medicine instead of law, purely because I see it as much more useful and beneficial to society, and cos if you study law you only learn the law of australia or NSW for example and it doesnt apply for other countries, especially those with civil law systems, whereas medicine, if you learn the skills, you have them with you everywhere and you can use them to help people anywhere anytime.

Personally from a purely objective POV, and also speaking as a law student, i believe studying medicine is so much more constructive than studying law, so yeh... just that i myself dont really like science lol fail =P

but yeh good luck with your medical pursuits! (p.s. bring glory to THGS while you're at it haha and hopefully see you in 2012 at usyd =)

 

[mecramarathon]

um there is an interview to weed out those who are choosing med for the wrong reasons

but i do understand what u mean!

 

[Aquawhite]

I could qualify for a few Med programs in Australia (not a heap of them with my ATAR, but anyhow), my interest actually has sort of moved from Medicine into Medical research and working in the academic realm - I hope to find some connection between research and still getting out in the world with the real world medicine.

P.S. I'm Caucasian, so maybe that's why I'm allowed to change my mind...

 

[ultraman8]

I could qualify for a few Med programs in Australia (not a heap of them with my ATAR, but anyhow), my interest actually has sort of moved from Medicine into Medical research and working in the academic realm - I hope to find some connection between research and still getting out in the world with the real world medicine.

P.S. I'm Caucasian, so maybe that's why I'm allowed to change my mind...

Medicine actually allows you to go into medical research. Medicine incorporates alot of science and hence if you want to do research you can do that as opposed to being a doctor that treats patients. I mean there are doctors who are researchers who have invented vaccines and they end up as millionaires. I don't wish to bring the money factor into this but there's lots of opportunities in research and if that's what you want to do who cares about the money factor. After doing medicine you are also allowed to choose to do honours or a PHD which is again totally research and not really clinical unless your research is clinical research.

 

[ultraman8]

I reckon it is true to an extent.. tho i do know many friends doing medicine who genuinely wanted to and have a passion for it...
I think all of those possible reasons you pointed out do apply in various cases, and that is unfortunate, but it's also true that they may inevitably be part of the reason why ppl want to do medicine, along with personal preference and dreams... so its hard to differentiate (sorry for using maths terms hehe) but yehh so long as it doenst become the primary sine qua non reason then i cant say anything against it =]

You know, personally, im actually thinking now that i should've done medicine instead of law, purely because I see it as much more useful and beneficial to society, and cos if you study law you only learn the law of australia or NSW for example and it doesnt apply for other countries, especially those with civil law systems, whereas medicine, if you learn the skills, you have them with you everywhere and you can use them to help people anywhere anytime.

Personally from a purely objective POV, and also speaking as a law student, i believe studying medicine is so much more constructive than studying law, so yeh... just that i myself dont really like science lol fail =P

but yeh good luck with your medical pursuits! (p.s. bring glory to THGS while you're at it haha and hopefully see you in 2012 at usyd =)

You can always do graduate medicine. Do something you enjoy in life otherwise you'll slave yourself to wake up everyday to a job you hate which in turn affects your personal life.

 

[mirakon]

all the above comments have been entirely logical and correct. its good to have some honest and valid opinions. I agree that there are many people, even from those communities which I mentioned earlier, who have a true passion for the field. It's a shame then that the system is not flawless in weeding out all of the people who aren't, I've seen many examples that are testaments of this. But I don't think this is a fault of the system, I whole-heartedly support the inclusion of UMAT and the interview in determining future medical students. The only way we can possibly alleviate it further is by personally appealling to these people to think for one second about what future, particularly what type of doctor they want to be for the people they may treat in future.

Oh yeah, pos rep for every1 on a solid contribution!

 

[iSplicer]

um there is an interview to weed out those who are choosing med for the wrong reasons

You can easily prepare for whatever they throw at you.

Not that I did, I turned down interviews at quite a few med schools because I got into my dream course (graduate medicine)

 

[suling]

I have had people tell me all year that I should do medicine. Why is it that if you are a high achiever people automatically assume that you will do medicine, law etc.?

I love the look on people's faces sometimes when I tell them I am doing a history degree. :/

EDIT: At UNE, for that matter.

 

[Studentleader]

You can make shitloads of money doing anything if you are just smart, socialable and determined.

But srsly Dr Jack

 

[Aquawhite]

Getting a bit off topic, guys... settle down.

 

[ultraman8]

I have had people tell me all year that I should do medicine. Why is it that if you are a high achiever people automatically assume that you will do medicine, law etc.?

I love the look on people's faces sometimes when I tell them I am doing a history degree. :/

EDIT: At UNE, for that matter.

Because in most cases you have to be smart to do law or medicine. However what people forget is that there's also smart people doing other degrees and they are the ones who usually excel in those degrees and become more renowned. There's nothing wrong with doing anything else as long as you do your best in it and enjoy it.

 

[Tim035]

I'll honestly tell you why, it all comes down to ethos; like for instance if every morning and every night you tell yourself you are a fantastic public speaker and look forward to presentations, then remarkably quickly that is what your subconscious comes to believe.

Now replace:
- telling yourself with your parents telling you
- Each morning and night, to every waking hour of the day
- Public speaking with doing medicine

And presto! you have now encapsulated what occurs in 99% of western Asian and Indian households.

 

[Wooz]

Just my two cents here.....

I do not really want to be racist here, and I apologise beforehand if it comes out that way. Its just that I find it hard to believe that such a large number of people from specific ethnicities are genuinely interested in becoming doctors. It has become fairly obvious that many people are applying for Medicine because:

a) Their parents told them too
b) They don't want to waste ATAR points
c) They're only interested in the money
d) Prestige and reputation

The above reasons are quite frankly the wrong reasons. I appeal to people who do the above please to reconsider applying for Medicine, because its so competitive that you more often than not are pushing people out who have a sicnere dream of becoming a doctor, just because you're better at Extension 2 Maths etc.

The following example illustrates my point:

I recently went to a party where the vast majority of people were of the same ehtnicity. Those who were in uni were doing medicine. Those who were not wanted to do medicine. Every single one. I find it hard to belive any of this was due to a genuine passion to pursue this field.

Your thoughts?

I wrote a similar thread 3 years ago, and speaking to many prospective medical students this year it is apparent that many students including whites, other Europeans and africans that I have spoken to have felt family pressures to do so and it's not just curries and asians. As the poster above pointed out the reason you have a disproportionate representation of ethnic minorities is prob due most likely due to the pressures on the value of education in some cultures rather than solely persuing medicine for financial gain or prestige. A lot of Caucasians and 'westernised' ethnics don't have similar culturally ingrained values of higher education and are also prob less likely to peruse careers in med, law, and so on.

Also I didn't decide to study medicine for any of the reasons you've listed.

 

[FreeWorld]

I find saying ''curries'' is a bit racist...............but what do you expect from someone coming from UWS?

 

[slyhunter]

I find saying ''curries'' is a bit racist...............but what do you expect from someone coming from UWS?

Really? Most sub-continental Asians I've met don't mind that term.

 

[Wooz]

I find saying ''curries'' is a bit racist...............but what do you expect from someone coming from UWS?

Dude have u been living under a rock? Most of UWS Med Indian or Lankan and pref to be called that. Who's the one stereotyping, now.

Ps: harden up and get with the times.

 

[Dr_Fresh]

me thinks this thread is just a ploy by noobs who want to get into med but dont have the marks. stop trying to tell other people what to do and work harder, gosh. put your mind/heart to it and you can achieve it. theres no point crying about it cuz people wont change because they read a rant on a forum.

mods plz change the title to: "convincing those better than me to go for a different course".

 

[slyhunter]

me thinks this thread is just a ploy by noobs who want to get into med but dont have the marks. stop trying to tell other people what to do and work harder, gosh. put your mind/heart to it and you can achieve it. theres no point crying about it cuz people wont change because they read a rant on a forum.

mods plz change the title to: "convincing those better than me to go for a different course".

K relax.