What interests people in Medicine?

[costargh]

Just in relation to people who have an interest to study medicine, why do you want to?

Is it because you want to help people?
You want to make good money?
You want to make a difference?
You want the prestige?
You have expectations from family to do it?
etc.

[brendan]

It's the money and social status. Not only that, but it's not risky. That is, not only will your pay be high, but it will not fluctuate wildly with economic trends, like say investment banking.

[bturville]

I don't want to study "medicine" as in a medicine degree, but i do want to do work in medical research.

My reasons are:
• i'm interested in it. (main reason)
• to help others
• the pay's not bad
• want to make a difference

[bucket]

the long tiresome hours and limited social life is what sold me

[ninwa]

I wanted to help people. My goal was to join doctors without borders and be very very poor but happy (seriously)


But I didn't get into med. Now I'm a law student. Still going to "help" people ... at the low low rate of $xxxxx / day

Muahahaha

[jess3254]

Just in relation to people who have an interest to study medicine, why do you want to?

Is it because you want to help people?
You want to make good money?
You want to make a difference?
You want the prestige?
You have expectations from family to do it?
etc.

1. I want to help people/ embark on a meaningful career where I can make a difference to people's lives.

2. I am fascinated by biology, human physiology, psychology/neurology and pathology.

3. I have been incredibly sick in the past, and have been an inpatient in hospital for months on end. I thus know what it's like to go through illness, and have a real understanding of how difficult it is to cope on a day to day basis. (I find that some doctors don't realise how much you actually have to endure and are quite flippant. They don't feel the pain, the nausea, the discomfort, the stress etc). I can relate to people in these situations, and think I'd have a good way of interacting with people.

All people suffering deserve compassion, respect and dignity, no matter what they're diagnosed with (or where they live or what their income is etc), whether it be cancer, alcoholism cystic fibrosis or depression. I feel some patients with mental illness and lifestyle disease are treated appallingly, which I am disgusted by. Also, from a patient's perspective, I believe chronic illness is managed and dealt with poorly. I suppose I want to also have an impact on the way patients are dealt with, although that probably won't happen.

-To summarise above, I think I'd be a good doctor due to my experience as a patient and what I've observed, and knowledge of the intricacies of medicine.

My heart is in medicine. It's what I want to do.

[costargh]

I wanted to help people. My goal was to join doctors without borders and be very very poor but happy (seriously)


But I didn't get into med. Now I'm a law student. Still going to "help" people ... at the low low rate of $xxxxx / day

Muahahaha

lol nice. only 5 figures a day. ur so generous

[costargh]

ah nice jessie makes sense

[jess3254]

Out of interest, why do you ask?

Are you having difficulty understanding why anyone would want to do it? Fair enough I suppose.

[ninwa]

Jessie I hope I'll have someone like you as my doctor if I ever get sick enough to visit one

[costargh]

Nup, not having difficulty understanding.

[jess3254]

Nup, not having difficulty understanding.

Considering it...?

Jessie I hope I'll have someone like you as my doctor if I ever get sick enough to visit one

Aww
Nina you can be my lawyer

[Collin Li]

It's the money and social status. Not only that, but it's not risky. That is, not only will your pay be high, but it will not fluctuate wildly with economic trends, like say investment banking.

What about job satisfaction?

[chid]

For me medicine is something I've always been amazed by, ever since I spent some time in hospital when I was 5 years old.
I feel it's a career that combines a lot of the things in life that I'm passionate about.

I find the medical disciplines and specialties fascinating and am eager to learn more about them, but I also want to apply this knowledge and contribute positively towards those who are genuinely in need of comfort and treatment.

I went to work experience at the Monash Medical centre in Year 10 and spending some time in the wards showed me the importance of empowering patients through effective communication. Before my time there, I think I underestimated how important understanding the specific needs of patients was. Forming these kinds of bonds with patients is something I see as very meaningful and mutually rewarding. I feel its something that I would be good at, and would enjoy doing.

This year when I was fundraising with my school for the Good Friday Appeal a woman gave us a large jar filled with coins (it was dfficult to lift!)
She told us that she had been collecting the money over the past year, little by little until that day. When we thanked her and told her how generous a donation it was, she explained that it was the least she could do after the Royal Children's Hospital had done so much for her son some years previously.

By this stage I was already set on doing medicine. But this moving experience was one which renewed my interest and passion for it. Seeing how medicine can have such a positive and life changing impact on people and their families, makes me want to contribute in a simlar way.

Medicine is all I've ever wanted to do-and I'm determined to pursue this dream, no matter how long it takes.  

[jess3254]

^ out of interest, what are your preferences?

I think (judging from your post), that if you didn't get into medicine, nursing would also be a meaningful pathway of getting towards your goal if you didn't get straight into Monash Uni medicine. You sound like you're fairly interpersonal, and nursing would give you a better practical and theoretical grounding for post grad med than biomed. That way you could work causally/ part time as a nurse and care for patients, whilst studying post grad medicine. I know men aren't keen on considering this, but I think you definitely should.