Reasons to go into:
- Leading people to better health
- Leadership
- Lifelong learning
- Diversity in employment opportunities
- Ability to perform surgery
- Money
- Prestige
- Grey's Anatomy or House
- Family pressure
- Live a prestigious lifestyle (weekly golfing, yachts, etc.)
All of the 5 reasons that they mentioned as reasons to go into medicine where things that definitely attracted me to becoming a physician. Surgery not as much as the others, as I do not plan on being a surgeon, however I won't know for sure until rotations, but even family practice physicians usually do minor surgical procedures. The leading people to better health should be a given when considering what becoming a physician is ultimately all about. Good health is something that's taken for granted until an issue arrises, and it would be a blessing to be able to help someone in that aspect every day.
I am also excited about the many different employment opportunities that I will have once I am a doctor. The direct patient aspect is a given, however there are also opportunities in research (clinical and non-clinical), educating, developing health care laws, reporting, public health, pharmaceutical development, medical equipment improvement and development, and entrepreneurship. I would like to take on the challenge of operating my own clinic one day.
Money is usually the most obvious reason not to go into medicine. Yes, the premise of getting at least six figure income after graduation was one of the reasons I choose to be a physician (I wouldn't go to medical school if I got paid $50,000/year as a physician), however there are much easier and more efficient ways to accomplish that goal. By the time I graduate, I will likely be about $200,000 dollars in debt, and after graduating will likely be payed close to or less than minimum wage during residency when considering the 80hr/wk workload. Comparatively, someone who got a job paying 60,000 a year would've already made 240,000 (pre-taxes) by the time I graduate medical school. If they are actively investing that money, that makes the gap even further. Compound interest throughout the years would put them in position to retire much more comfortably and quicker than me. However, the physicians I have spoke to with a genuine passion for medicine find joy in their work and aren't looking forward toward retirement, helping to improve someone's health becomes an extension of who they are, not merely a job.
I am also excited about the many different employment opportunities that I will have once I am a doctor. The direct patient aspect is a given, however there are also opportunities in research (clinical and non-clinical), educating, developing health care laws, reporting, public health, pharmaceutical development, medical equipment improvement and development, and entrepreneurship. I would like to take on the challenge of operating my own clinic one day.
Money is usually the most obvious reason not to go into medicine. Yes, the premise of getting at least six figure income after graduation was one of the reasons I choose to be a physician (I wouldn't go to medical school if I got paid $50,000/year as a physician), however there are much easier and more efficient ways to accomplish that goal. By the time I graduate, I will likely be about $200,000 dollars in debt, and after graduating will likely be payed close to or less than minimum wage during residency when considering the 80hr/wk workload. Comparatively, someone who got a job paying 60,000 a year would've already made 240,000 (pre-taxes) by the time I graduate medical school. If they are actively investing that money, that makes the gap even further. Compound interest throughout the years would put them in position to retire much more comfortably and quicker than me. However, the physicians I have spoke to with a genuine passion for medicine find joy in their work and aren't looking forward toward retirement, helping to improve someone's health becomes an extension of who they are, not merely a job.
No comments:
Post a Comment