Question for anyone who's a doctor, nurse, surgeon, etc?

Question

i was just thinking about what i wanted to do with my life, and i was thinking that being a doctor would be a good job. but i don't know if i could deal with the pressure of saving someone's life, and if something went wrong and somebody died............and i don't think i'd ever get comfortable with touching people in, uh, "certain places"......what's it like being in medical science? is it like all the tv shows and stuff? do you think it's a fun and rewarding job? and what's the schedule like? thanks for your help =D

Answer 1

It isn't at all like TV.

Most of us don't have any major problems with clinical detachment. It isn't complete, and probably shouldn't be, but the fact remains that it's the patient who's sick, or dies, not you. I think you sell yourself short with the "I could never do that" mentality. You'd be surprised what people can do when they need to.

On the other hand, none of us is really excited by the idea of doing a rectal exam. Or if they do, I don't won't that guy as my doctor! Again, you don't have to like it; you only have to do it.

Answer 2

In the UK it is very competitive, however, in the US, it is far less competitive. The reason? Malpractice, rising costs etc. etc.

However, when I was working my surgery rotation in training, my friend and his girlfriend were in a car accident. As the surgeon, I had to repair a ruptured spleen. A fairly routine surgery, the spleen is the most commonly injured organ in a car accident, and even though the surgery was a complete success, he still died.

Even though I had done everything in my power to help him, he still died. So no. It's not like the TV shows, because good people don't die in those.

On top of that, the only reason I wasn't bothered about the schedule is because I'm a long-term insomniac. So I'm regularly up for 24+ hours.

The simple truth is... People die. And if you are the person responsible for holding off that deadline, then it is a worthy career and definitely worth pursuing.

Answer 3

i work as a paramedic. you get excitement Adrenalinin rushes, the thrill of saving lives and makingdifferencence. try that career.

Answer 4

I've been practicing medicine for over 20 years.  Medicine has changed alot over the past 20 years.  I'd say it used to be alot more fun and rewarding than it is now.  There are a lot more regulations and pressures than there used to be.  I still enjoy it though, and if you are willing to work hard for many years, you'll find it rewarding.  The schedule depends on the sub-specialty you choose. These days, medicine is more of a business than in the 80s.  I recommend you also take courses in business management.  One thing I still appreciate is that it is still versatile.  I can probably travel to a dozen countries and find a job if I have to.  

Answer 5

I am not a doctor, nurse, or surgeon.

I have an undergrad degree in biomedical science, honours in microbiology and now I'm doing further studies in microbiology (working towards a PhD).

Several friends from my undergrad degree went on to study medicine and are loving it.  If you don't have a degree yet, I would recommend doing undergrad in a field like biomedical science so that you can experience some of the aspects of medicine from several angles.  Such a degree allows you to get a feel for the big picture of medicine.

Medical science is not like the TV shows.  Forget Scrubs.  It is demanding but, like anything, what you put in, you get back...even though sometimes it takes a while.

When you have the information, knowledge, and confidence to deal with high pressure medical situations (one of the essential purposes of and outcomes from going to medical school) - from what my friends tell me - helps to deal with the pressure of saving lives.  When you know what to do, you just do it...and thank the adrenaline that kicked in to speed up the process.