6 answers
Michu
Student
Andover, Minnesota
1
Question
Asked
717 views
Why should I stick to the medical field??
Why does it make sense—or not—for someone like me, who’s stronger in English and history and not really into math, to pursue a career in healthcare, specifically dermatology, even though science isn’t my strongest subject (but not my worst either)? How can I figure out if I’m making the right choice by going down the MD path, or if becoming a PA might be a better option for me?
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6 answers
Gregory Barclay, M.D., DLFAPA, FASAP
Psychiatrist
30
Answers
Wilmington, Delaware
Updated
Gregory’s Answer
Michu,
I think it might be a good exercise for you to step back from whether or not the choice is the "right" choice or not. Determining whether something is a right or a wrong choice is a value judgment that is generally not very productive, in my experience, having worked for 40 years with patients who live and struggle with vocational choices they thought were "right" at the time instead of what moved them with a passion and gave meaning to their life. In particular, I have worked with many physicians who were suicidal, deeply depressed, addicted to substances, or living double lives because they made what they were told (or led to believe by others) was the "right" choice to go to medical school. Often their choice was based on what their parents believed was best for them (or themselves) or in pursuit of power, prestige, and money (all of which these days are obtainable in many other ways than by becoming a physician and caring for sick people).
So, I would urge you to get out of your head and into your heart and allowing yourself to go in a direction that moves you with a sense of purpose, mission, fulfillment, and wholeness.
Best Regards,
Greg
I think it might be a good exercise for you to step back from whether or not the choice is the "right" choice or not. Determining whether something is a right or a wrong choice is a value judgment that is generally not very productive, in my experience, having worked for 40 years with patients who live and struggle with vocational choices they thought were "right" at the time instead of what moved them with a passion and gave meaning to their life. In particular, I have worked with many physicians who were suicidal, deeply depressed, addicted to substances, or living double lives because they made what they were told (or led to believe by others) was the "right" choice to go to medical school. Often their choice was based on what their parents believed was best for them (or themselves) or in pursuit of power, prestige, and money (all of which these days are obtainable in many other ways than by becoming a physician and caring for sick people).
So, I would urge you to get out of your head and into your heart and allowing yourself to go in a direction that moves you with a sense of purpose, mission, fulfillment, and wholeness.
Best Regards,
Greg
Kyle Hunsinger
Consultant
8
Answers
Atlanta, Georgia
Updated
Kyle’s Answer
Hi Michu,
This is a very good question! It is important to recognize what you core strengths are, as these will help you achieve your educational and career targets. That said, strengths are not always aligned with what you ENJOY. Ultimately, your passions will be more impactful in how much you enjoy your career than your strengths will. To reframe your question, it may be more important to ask yourself if your strenghts / weaknesses will impact you ability to get through education / training needed for your aspiring career field.
For example - you may be stronger in english / social studies, but you may still be strong enough in math and science to still be successful in the required undergraduate and medical coursework.
Personally, english was my strongest subject but I hated writing. While my math skills were not the strongest, I really enjoyed financial concepts and working with money. For that reason, I pursued a career in healthcare finance and my math skills developed naturally through college and early career.
Best of luck, you are right on track!
Kyle Hunsinger
This is a very good question! It is important to recognize what you core strengths are, as these will help you achieve your educational and career targets. That said, strengths are not always aligned with what you ENJOY. Ultimately, your passions will be more impactful in how much you enjoy your career than your strengths will. To reframe your question, it may be more important to ask yourself if your strenghts / weaknesses will impact you ability to get through education / training needed for your aspiring career field.
For example - you may be stronger in english / social studies, but you may still be strong enough in math and science to still be successful in the required undergraduate and medical coursework.
Personally, english was my strongest subject but I hated writing. While my math skills were not the strongest, I really enjoyed financial concepts and working with money. For that reason, I pursued a career in healthcare finance and my math skills developed naturally through college and early career.
Best of luck, you are right on track!
Kyle Hunsinger
Tameka Delaney Edwards, MBA, CSM®, CSPO®
Senior Solution Specialist (Senior Consultant)
4
Answers
Chesterfield, Virginia
Updated
Tameka Delaney’s Answer
Hi Michu,
To see if you like the healthcare or medical field, here are some tips:
- Volunteer at a nearby hospital or nursing home.
- Read books and articles about health and medical topics.
- Take courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy, or health sciences.
- Join a student group focused on healthcare.
- Try free or low-cost online courses.
- Shadow someone in the field.
- Go to career fairs.
I hope this helps, and good luck exploring your interest in a medical career.
To see if you like the healthcare or medical field, here are some tips:
- Volunteer at a nearby hospital or nursing home.
- Read books and articles about health and medical topics.
- Take courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy, or health sciences.
- Join a student group focused on healthcare.
- Try free or low-cost online courses.
- Shadow someone in the field.
- Go to career fairs.
I hope this helps, and good luck exploring your interest in a medical career.
Ben Scheu
Athletic Trainer
16
Answers
Salt Lake City, Utah
Updated
Ben’s Answer
Hi there Michu!
I think you've gotten some great advice here, but I'm going to take a slightly different approach in answering your question...
Take a few steps back from the classroom and the grades that you've gotten thus far... What makes you smile? What makes you ask questions that you really want to know the answers to? What’s something you do that makes you completely lose track of time? What’s one activity that gives you energy instead of draining it? When you imagine your future, what’s one thing you hope never changes about who you are? If you had to teach something to younger kids, what might you want to teach? Think about questions like these and let the answers start guiding you!
Try not to think too much at this point about choosing a path based on which subjects are your strongest in school, instead pick things that make you feel excited! I know it is a bit cheesy of a response, but its the truth! Find something that makes you happy and pursue that; if that turns out to be a lifelong passion, AMAZING! If it turns out that a few years down that path you realize your interests and passions are pulling your elsewhere, pursue that new and exciting path! The time you spent on your first career won't be wasted time in any way, shape or form, because it has brought you to your new passion, and that is valuable.
I hope this is helpful! Good luck!
Ben :)
I think you've gotten some great advice here, but I'm going to take a slightly different approach in answering your question...
Take a few steps back from the classroom and the grades that you've gotten thus far... What makes you smile? What makes you ask questions that you really want to know the answers to? What’s something you do that makes you completely lose track of time? What’s one activity that gives you energy instead of draining it? When you imagine your future, what’s one thing you hope never changes about who you are? If you had to teach something to younger kids, what might you want to teach? Think about questions like these and let the answers start guiding you!
Try not to think too much at this point about choosing a path based on which subjects are your strongest in school, instead pick things that make you feel excited! I know it is a bit cheesy of a response, but its the truth! Find something that makes you happy and pursue that; if that turns out to be a lifelong passion, AMAZING! If it turns out that a few years down that path you realize your interests and passions are pulling your elsewhere, pursue that new and exciting path! The time you spent on your first career won't be wasted time in any way, shape or form, because it has brought you to your new passion, and that is valuable.
I hope this is helpful! Good luck!
Ben :)
Edward Baumel
Product Manager
10
Answers
Irvine, California
Updated
Edward’s Answer
The psychiatrist has a good point. You won't know what's right for you until you try it. Take a moment to think about why you're doing something; it can help you find the best answers. If you choose to stay in the medical field, remember that the work is different from school. If you truly love medicine and helping others, then this is the right path for you!
Caleb Lindsey
Nursing Assistant
20
Answers
Bloomfield, Indiana
Updated
Caleb’s Answer
Hi Michu!
Thank you for your questions. These are questions I struggled with a lot, so I will do my best to answer your questions based on my own experience.
I found myself repeatedly asking "Why medicine? Why medicine? Why medicine?" And I found that there are many different answers to that question: a love of science, a desire to help others, and because I want to make my parents proud. But none of those answers by themselves really spoke to me, so I did not have an answer to that question for a long time. It was only after working my first job in healthcare that I found MY answer to "Why medicine?" I want to go into medicine because it is a blend of intellectual and interpersonal pursuits. I enjoy the challenge of learning new mechanisms of how the human body functions. I enjoy learning about the treatments and procedures used to help improve patient's health. I enjoy speaking to patients and hearing their stories. I find that in medicine, you use scientific knowledge and interpersonal skills to create positive, tangible change in the lives of people and I really enjoy that aspect of the medical field.
In terms of PA vs MD, both are very worthwhile careers. PAs spend less time in school (2 years vs 7-11 for MD) & can move between different specialties much easier (MDs typically have to go back to residency for another 3-7 years and make less money during residency than when in practice). However PAs generally make less money than MDs (about $100,000 for PA vs about $200,000 - $300,000 for MD) and have more limited scopes of practice (meaning what procedures/treatments they can administer). Scope of practice will largely differ from state-to-state and hospital-to-hospital, and I am unsure of what the scope of practice would be for a dermatology PA in Minnesota, so that might be something you could look into.
I'd recommend looking on the websites of some local hospitals/medical centers and reaching out to see if you could shadow some PAs and MDs. Speak with them about the differences and learn what made them want to pursue the career they did. From there, you can begin to work out which path you want to choose. Please know that it's OKAY to still be unsure of which to pursue, even after you shadow/work in healthcare. I was unsure of which I wanted to pursue for years before I finally made a decision. The important thing is that you understand WHY you want to pursue MD or PA.
I wish you all the best on your medical journey! I'm sure you will do great things no matter which you decide to pursue!
Here's some resources I found helpful!
https://linkpas.com/pa-vs-md/
https://www.reddit.com/r/physicianassistant/comments/11y38qv/pa_to_md_is_it_worth_it/
Thank you for your questions. These are questions I struggled with a lot, so I will do my best to answer your questions based on my own experience.
I found myself repeatedly asking "Why medicine? Why medicine? Why medicine?" And I found that there are many different answers to that question: a love of science, a desire to help others, and because I want to make my parents proud. But none of those answers by themselves really spoke to me, so I did not have an answer to that question for a long time. It was only after working my first job in healthcare that I found MY answer to "Why medicine?" I want to go into medicine because it is a blend of intellectual and interpersonal pursuits. I enjoy the challenge of learning new mechanisms of how the human body functions. I enjoy learning about the treatments and procedures used to help improve patient's health. I enjoy speaking to patients and hearing their stories. I find that in medicine, you use scientific knowledge and interpersonal skills to create positive, tangible change in the lives of people and I really enjoy that aspect of the medical field.
In terms of PA vs MD, both are very worthwhile careers. PAs spend less time in school (2 years vs 7-11 for MD) & can move between different specialties much easier (MDs typically have to go back to residency for another 3-7 years and make less money during residency than when in practice). However PAs generally make less money than MDs (about $100,000 for PA vs about $200,000 - $300,000 for MD) and have more limited scopes of practice (meaning what procedures/treatments they can administer). Scope of practice will largely differ from state-to-state and hospital-to-hospital, and I am unsure of what the scope of practice would be for a dermatology PA in Minnesota, so that might be something you could look into.
I'd recommend looking on the websites of some local hospitals/medical centers and reaching out to see if you could shadow some PAs and MDs. Speak with them about the differences and learn what made them want to pursue the career they did. From there, you can begin to work out which path you want to choose. Please know that it's OKAY to still be unsure of which to pursue, even after you shadow/work in healthcare. I was unsure of which I wanted to pursue for years before I finally made a decision. The important thing is that you understand WHY you want to pursue MD or PA.
I wish you all the best on your medical journey! I'm sure you will do great things no matter which you decide to pursue!
Here's some resources I found helpful!
https://linkpas.com/pa-vs-md/
https://www.reddit.com/r/physicianassistant/comments/11y38qv/pa_to_md_is_it_worth_it/