Why Medicine

When you tell someone that you are pre-med and plan on applying to medical school, it seems like they automatically bump you up on the social and intellectual ladder. They ask you about their current health problems, what type of physician you want to be, and where you want to attend medical school. They think you are one of the most intelligent people they know. I beg to differ...

To want to become a physician is utterly moronic in my opinion. First, you spend 4-5 years in undergrad, studying and working your ass off just so you can get the good grades just to be looked at by a medical school. Then you study for three months to take a $200 test that last 5 hours and can make or break your chances of getting accepted into a medical school. Then, after you spend over a grand easily in application fees and then having to travel to interviews you spend at least another grand. Should you be lucky enough to be accepted, you pay $30k a year or so for 4 years to attend medical school where you will have almost no life and no outside interests. Then comes the residency where there is a good chance you will work for 80 hrs a week, most of the time disimpacting some old gomer's pooperchute while functioning on 2 hours of sleep. And while you may technically be a doctor, you're only making $50k with $200k in loans to pay back. Maybe by the time you're 40 things will start to look a little brighter.

So are those who want to become physicians all that intelligent? They are only if they're becoming doctors for the right reasons, not money or ego. From personal experience, I know that there have been certain things that I have given up so that I can pursue this life. I don't regret any of it though. Where I am at and where I am going are so much better than the things I gave up.

peace and love,
Dehn