I want to be a doctor but I don't know if I can do it

Question

I really want to work hard for grade 12...but my marks are in the 80's not good enough, is it really possible to become a doctor if you're getting marks like this or is it just more or less natrual intelligence.

Answer 1

to be a doctor you have to be really inteligent...work hard and you could do it but you have to try hard

Answer 2

If you are in the US and are aiming for a 7 year accelerated program, then the likelihood of you getting into the program is pretty slim unless you have a very high or perfect score on the SAT. Having leadership positions, being a member of honors societies, and being active in community services are big pluses as well.

Since you say "marks" instead of "grades", I'm going to venture a guess and say that you're from Canada or the UK. Regardless of where you're from, getting into medical school the conventional way, by completing 4 years of university (college for the US folks) and attaining a bachelor of arts or science degree, is still very possible for you. Just know that you will have to improve how well you are doing in the university, because getting into a medical school in Canada or UK is way more difficult than US kids getting into a US med school. Also, if you are not a US citizen and would like to try to get into a US med school, it is not an easy task.

Sure natural intelligence is a nice thing to have as a tool for med school and beyond, but it is not what makes or breaks a person from getting into med school. Some of my medical school classmates have often left me wondering how in the world did they get in because they seem as dumb as rocks. But they are there, sitting next to you, taking the same exams as you, progressing along with you. So what is it that places these guys there with the rest of the medical students? Hard work and excellent work ethic.

I believe the pivotal factor in getting into medical school is work ethic. You have to be able to manage your time well, study efficiently, maintain focus, and be prepared to sacrifice fun time for things that will help you towards your goal (ie volunteering at a hospital, being active in the student community, shadow some doctors).

Since you are still in high school, work hard anyways. It'll provide a good foundation for you once you enter college/university. The world of college/university offers many distractions whether you like it or not, and everyone usually gets caught up in one more of them. Providing a good foundation from your last year of high school should help in being able to recover should you find yourself getting off track.

Also, in college or university, try to be open minded about other possibilities in careers. Usually, the kids who come in close minded solely on the intent that they want to be a doctor or something like that end up crashing pretty hard if they start performing poorly or not up to their expectations in a class. The desire to become a doctor is certainly a good starting foundation, but don't let it be the only one there. You will have a better time in undergrad if you explore whatever possibilities come to mind. If you conclude by the time you need to select a major (or majors if you are an overachiever) that you still want to be a doctor, then by all means go for it.

Best of luck to you in your studies and have fun in high school.

Answer 3

   With grades in that range, its not likely you will be able to get into a medical school very easily. And no, it's not just "natural intellegence". Doctors generally have to sweat it out to make it through medical school.

   You do have some other ways to approach the issue. Look to your first two years of college and take classes that help you out on the pre-med track. This will give you time and opportunity to build up a good grade point average. and to decide if you want to take the tests needed to try for med school anyways.  Look at other medical related careers to work on, or at least start out on. It's possible to enter medical school a few years later than it used to be. Enough time for you to again establish a good academic record, and to work, save some money, get some experience, and otherwise flesh out your med school application. The jobs can be anything from nursing, phsyican's assistant, paramedic, or any number of tech jobs, from radiology to E.R. The advantage of this would be in getting some experience dealing with medicine and medical terminology, and seeing how the system works from another viewpoint  Good luck on your future, and remember, straight lines may be the shortest way to get to a goal, but sometimes the winding road is the more interesting and rewarding.

Answer 4

Of course you can!

I graduated 234 out of 237 in high school

Then I actually studied and went to class in college, after a stint at jr. college.

Got ~ 3.6gpa   (3.8 in gen sciences)

Solid MCAT with research and volunteer experience

Thats it, you CAN get in, you just have to want it bad enough.

Trust me, I know some not so smart doctors............it's not anything anyone cant learn.

It's shear volume thats the tough part. From studying a couple hours a day in college to 12 hours a day in med school. You gotta be a little crazy.

Answer 5

Aim high, Sarah. Study harder and don't be afraid of failure. The vast majority of people who criticize failure have taken the easy road in life.