As children, many people dream of becoming a doctor or they play doctor for fun. As teenagers, students often think of becoming a doctor because of the prestige and wealth that is usually associated with the profession. As adults, people often look up to doctors because of their vast knowledge and expertise. It’s no wonder why so many people want to get into medical school. The truth is, though, medical school isn’t as great as people fantasize it to be. For those who have recently been rejected by a medical school or those who have decided not to pursue a medical education, here are some great reasons not to be in medical school:
Bodily secretions
The phrase alone, “bodily secretions,” makes some people squirm. The thing with medical school is you’ll be dealing with all types of weird, gross, and downright disgusting bodily secretions, because it is part of the curriculum.(1) The good part is, if you forgot what you had for breakfast, you’ll probably get a quick reminder when you puke after your professor carefully performs an autopsy before your eyes. Not everyone is cut out for the putrid smells, weird textures, and horrifying sights that one is likely to see in medical school and throughout the medical career.
Round-the-clock stress
Another problem with medical school is that they work you like a dog. Because your career as a physician may require 24/7-on-call duty,(2) medical schools often train their students to be able to work around the clock. The trouble with this is that it can get in the way of your relationships with other people, including friends, family, and loved ones.(3) Aside from your relationships, you may just lose your sanity working such long hours under tremendous stress.
The “god” mentality
Every once in a while, you meet a medical student or doctor who has what’s called the “god” mentality. These are the people who feel as though they have the “power” to extend people’s lives, heal them from sickness and injury, and cure them from diseases. The problem is that, when this mentality gets into someone’s head, that person can end up being very arrogant and proud.(4)
Incurring debt
Going to medical school is a huge investment, which will likely have you borrowing money for your tuition, residency, and other student expenses. With the number of years that medical school takes, you will probably incur a pretty big debt. As a result, the first few years of your medical career will probably be about working insane hours at a low wage in order to pay your debts off. And, once you start making your own money, you’ll be probably be buying the nicest cars, best gadgets, and biggest houses. Whatever happened to that childhood dream of helping those in need?
(1) http://www.deathreference.com/Bl-Ce/Cadaver-Experiences.html
(2) http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/reporter/oct2000/well.htm
(3) http://gradschool.about.com/od/medicalschool/a/should.htm
(4) http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=479625
