What's so good about med? (3 Viewers)

[undalay]

Am i missing somethign?

 

[undalay]

lyk seriously:

a) i takes a huge chunk of ur life
b) it doesnt even pay THAT well
c) the huge competition means the majority will not rise in the hierarchy
d) its depressing to see people die all day
e)

 

[zeam]

you get to feel like you are better than everyone else.
PS my uncle was a doctor, he has some pretty depressing stories about stuff that went on everyday at the hospital (decapitations, attempted suicides etc..)

 

[doink]

Some people like to do more with their life then make bundles of money by making rich people even richer.

 

[aimhigh10]

sry but i'm not too sure why medicine is wanted by everyone..

i cant stand the sight of blood myself

 

[undalay]

There are many more professions that help people a great deal more then medicine, however they don't get anywhere near as much attention as medicine.

 

[BackCountrySnow]

It sounds good when you say 'I'm a doctor'.
It's a bit like being a human rights lawyer.

 

[KFunk]

lyk seriously:

a) i takes a huge chunk of ur life
b) it doesnt even pay THAT well
c) the huge competition means the majority will not rise in the hierarchy
d) its depressing to see people die all day
e)

Que?:

(a) I'm not sure what you mean by 'it takes a huge chunk of your life'. The training is long, sure, but you practice medicine as you train - it isn't a nebulous period where nothing happens. Residents and registrars look after a lot of the nuts and bolts of patient care (and they get reasonable pay while they do it). Are the hours long/ugly? Yes, in some areas, but not in others (think pathology, psychiatry, radiology). At a guess, based on surveys I have come across, the average might be 45 hours/week, which isn't that bad.

Anything you don't enjoy can seem like a 'wasted chunk' of life. If you don't enjoy it then don't do it.

(b) A good income is pretty much guaranteed (those who whinge are setting their sights too high IMO. Doctor's make more than enough to live a very comfortable lifestyle)

(c) If you mean academic medicine then it is correct that very few people become 'professor of X'. In terms of specialties, however, I am led to believe that most medical graduates do not become GPs. See page 40 (pdf page 55) of this medical training review panel report - and note that while some training programs are longer the report has only included the 'advanced' stream of programs which have 'basic' and 'advanced' components, such as the college of surgeons and the college of physicians, and so the figures should roughly approximate the proportion in different specialties (Edit: This is a very sketchy approximation though... I should try to find something better at some point. GP is a great, well-paid job anyway. What's the fuss?).

I am somewhat unsure what you mean by 'hierarchy'.

(d) This varies by specialty, but yes, it is something you have to deal with. While death and disability are sad I find that things like babies and medical success stories help to counterbalance them. If you dislike death, don't enter palliative care. If you can't handle it at all, then certainly, choose another career path.

 

[undalay]

KFunk your reply is definitely valid in many points, but by nullifying my points, you have still not addressed the question in hand (in my eyes).

Why is medicine so attractive?

I am led to believe that medicine has very little room for personal ambition in terms of career success.

 

[ChockoRepublic]

well, it's pretty cool to be able to ask to see a women's vagina without having to work for it.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

I am a masochist
lots of numbers and diversity of work
professional degree
I get a job
It pays enough to get me a house without selling limbs
med works for me.. and kfunk.
very ridiculously challenging cohort and work

there is no reason to think that it was any more interesting than comm or my other preference.. i just like the pain and the variety of it.
its a very general degree with problem solving and personalising solutions.

I could work for an IT company but I like to think that after servicing my units they run in the wild with many more viruses for about 80 years. kinda feels good to help out.

 

[KFunk]

KFunk your reply is definitely valid in many points, but by nullifying my points, you have still not addressed the question in hand (in my eyes).

Why is medicine so attractive?

I am led to believe that medicine has very little room for personal ambition in terms of career success.

As you would expect it is a personal question, but I'll list what I find to be attractive (also, what do you mean by 'career success?'):

- Medicine is academically engaging (I enjoy thinking). It requires good knowledge of science and research methodology (given the 'Evidence Based Medicine' dogma) and opens up avenues for research if one is so inclined. I would happily have entered something like academic philosophy/psychology/neuroscience but they don't allow the kind of human interaction and service-provision that medicine does (you can be a clinican and do research on the side. Most people do not enter academic medicine though).

- Medicine is fascinating (but of course, so are a lot of other things!).

- Medicine pays very well.

- Medicine allows you to help people and create a positive impact in their lives (sometimes in a very significant way). You also get to be witness to fairly special/important parts of people's lives - birth, death, sickness etc. There is a lot of reward to be gained from the (oft idealised) doctor-patient relationship.

- I enjoy being able to interact with a cohort/professional body of intelligent (for the most part) individuals. Note that some of my interests border on (or perhaps constitute) the esoteric, e.g. formal logic, academic philosophy, theoretical problems associated with psychiatry, and so forth... It is easier to find people who share, or can appreciate, such interests within an academically minded cohort.

- Medicine is generally well respected by the wider community (note: this may not apply if I enter psychiatry). 'Prestige', etc...

- There is an interesting political dimension to medicine. 'Health' is a core issue in society and medical professionals are often well placed to contribute to the discussion/debate which goes on. E.g. the advocacy work of the college of psychiatrists on the behalf of asylum seekers.

 

[BackCountrySnow]

KFunk, are you black?

 

[KFunk]

KFunk, are you black?

Nah, caucasian (with Aus and US roots). My avatar, assuming that it prompted the question, is a pic of Bootsy Collins - a funk bass player that I really dig (the man has the funk in him and he knows how to party).

 

[Captain Gh3y]

There are many more professions that help people a great deal more then medicine, however they don't get anywhere near as much attention as medicine.

like what? name something

i can't understand these guys: http://community.boredofstudies.org/showthread.php?t=182456

if something's gonna take up about half ur waking hours for most of the rest of ur life u'd think u'd pick something interesting/worthwhile, lol

 

[Cookie182]

Nah, caucasian (with Aus and US roots). My avatar, assuming that it prompted the question, is a pic of Bootsy Collins - a funk bass player that I really dig (the man has the funk in him and he knows how to party).

Awsome! Another bass player lol

Do u play slap much KFunk? And what kinda bass do you have? I just recently picked up a Cort Artisan A4, very nice tone...although i wish i was better. Main influences are like Flea, Les Claypool, Wooten...

 

[hopethisworks]

no one will argue for med on bos.

those students are studying.. yes, right now.

 

[Cookie182]

And and to answer the question. I considered med at one stage myself, mainly based on my interests in science. IMO for a science orientated person, the study of medicine is very stimulating. Your practically an enginner of the body; you understand its inner working and so forth. From an academic P.O.V your knowledge and research can lead to expansions of the human life span, elimination of disease and overall improvements in our standard of living.

For the majority of people, one of their biggest fears is when something goes wrong with their health. That's when the Doctor enters as an expert voice, someone to guide them through getting better and so forth. I think that is why their position is so vital within the community. Not many other career paths give that same level of personal interaction and guidance.

I recently finished an autobiography on the life of a surgeon (Dr Mohammed Khadra). He seems to have thrived off the not only intellectual but physical challenges that medicine provides. As he points out, being a surgeon for eg is not for everyone. The hours, the dedication and often the humiliation (as you learn) do cause many to become depressed etc but my thoughts are that this can occur in any professional career IB'ing, Law, Psychology etc. Anyway, for those that push through the hard years it does appear to be a very rewarding career. It also would appeal to those who enjoy the cutting-edge lifestyle, he describes the 'thrill' of holding the knife etc as though it involved a certain level of adrenaline. Everyday is a new problem, a new challenge and test of skill.

Employment opportunities are VERY good within medicine if you make it through med school. Obviously with the huge shortage (particularly in Rural areas) it offers a fairly safe and stable career progression, with the guarrantee of at the very least a comfortable salary.

Lastly, and I think the most important factor of all. It puts you in a great position to have sexual liasons in the on-call room with hot nurses, technician staff and of course interns. (Scrubs/Grey's Anatomy anyone?)

 

[beentherdunthat]

hey med people always have extensive extensive extensive answers... i should know, my bro talks so much

 

[artist91]

Nothing. Who wants to surround themselves with sick people their entire lives? Ew. Not my idea of a great way to spend your days.