Has anyone ever regretted becoming a medical doctor?

Question

Has anyone ever regretted becoming a medical doctor?

Answer 1

It has happened quite a bit for some of my friends, especially for children of doctors. Medical school is expensive (up to $45,000/year tutition). Since the first 2 years are in class and you don't really patients until the 3rd year, you could easily be >$100,000 in debt before you realize that you don't like medicine. By that time, its too late to change....

Answer 2

Yes, several times.

During my first week I saw someone die with a DNR order, so I was effectively powerless, they just... passed away.

My close friends were in a car accident. My friend had quite severe trauma injuries, which as the on-call surgeon at the time (during my surgical rotation), everything went really well, but apparently later, he crashed twice, the first time, they got him stable, but a few hours later, he crashed, and didn't make it. It took me two weeks or being constantly told that it wasn't in any way my fault. I mean, the surgery was fine, and if I had done anything wrong, the actual surgeons would have told me, or attempted to rectify my mistakes.

Also, quite recently, I misdiagnosed a patient with cellulitis, it was only later that I realized he was suffering from necrotizing fasciitis, but it was too late, and sadly, he died on the way to the CT Scanner.

But, there have been more cases when I've been glad that I practice medicine. The success stories, seeing people surviving when we thought they stood very little chance of surviving.

Seeing people survive TB, malaria, and all infestations of diseases, and more importantly seeing my, now, fiance survive West Nile Fever.

Answer 3

I don't know of anyone who has never regretted even for a moment what they picked, I'm sure most doctors have too.

It's long hours, tons of responsibility, and often thankless.

Answer 4

When they did house calls, MD's had a lower than normal life span. I knew a fellow engineer whose father was an MD, and he did not want to follow in his footsteps. Today, the concern is insurance for malpractice. Choose a specialty without that kind of exposure, if that is a concern.