I am considering becoming a doctor...?

Question

I was just wondering what it is really like, i was considering being a pediactrician because i would rather deal with children. I know that it is a rewarding career and has long hours, but what else is it like and what is the best field of medicine is the best to study in.

I'm in high school and my grades are pretty good and i have taken 4 science courses, so i obviously enjoy science

Answer 1

have you thought of the year in college? the classes? anatomy & physiology, myology..neurology, kinesiolgoy...and many other science courses..Do you like science? is a great career, if you like dealing with children, is rewarding. Im in college right now, i have one more semester to go to finish my degree in massage therapy, and the science classes are brutal. Think about it, look into it, the hours of studying are brutal.
good luck to you ^i^

Answer 2

Well, I admire your interest and determination. You start with high school, then college and usually 4 years of medical school, unless you attend one of the few 6 year schools. If you wanted to do straight pediatrics it would be a 3 year residency to become a pediatrician. That's when you are a doctor but when they train you to act and function and think as a pediatrician.

Working with kids is very enjoyable, sometimes dealing with the parents can be difficult. You are dealing with people who are very worried about their most precious gift and it can be stressful.

You have lots of options. You can do office work, like when you go to the doctor's office and they see you, you could be a hospitalist where you only see really sick kids in the hospital.

The one thing you really need to know is not just if you like kids but can you emotionally handle dealing with very sick kids. Can you deal with dying children? There are even options to do subspeciality work such as specializing in the heart, lung, etc.

As far as the best field to study, that would be a very personal choice. If you know that you want to help people and work with them and are willing to sacrifice a good part of your youth to do it it can be very rewarding. Best depends on what drives your and what you find interesting. What one person loves, another one might dislike. I would suggest keeping and open mind and trying to learn every topic well and try different disciplines, you never know what you may like until you try it. I didn't think I would like surgery but I really enjoyed doing procedure such as stitches. I enjoyed delivering children.

In the end, in one sense I didn't really choose. I ended up doing Internal Medicine/Pediatrics. I did both and later worked also in the ER. I loved being able to see babies become children and care for families.

Then besides your interest, there is always the practical matters. Unfortunately, pediatrics does not pay very well compared to the other specialities. For some that had to take out massive loans to go to college and medical school, this may be significant.

I'm not sure how old you are but, when you are old enough a few options I would suggest would be considering finding out of your area has a "medical explorers" group run by the Boy scouts. It is open to both sexes and may give you a taste for the medical field. Consider voluntering in a hospital or getting more training as an emergency medical tech or volunteering with a local rescue squad to get more training and exposure to the medical field.

My father was also a physician and it does come with many costs. You give up much of your early life working hard to get through college to get into med school and then to survive residency. The hours are better now but still crazy long. You will see some of your friends go by seemingly getting on with their lives while you may feel stuck in school, but hang in there, it does get better. It was the smiles and joy that I bring to my patients that is one of the best rewards for me.

I have a good life now and would not trade it for anything. If this is something you want, go for it. If I can offer you anymore information, contact me.

Answer 3

First you must be able to take the good, the bad and the ugly.
1. The good - you help and save children's lives.
2. The bad - Children die - even though you tried.
3. The ugly - you will see evidence of child abuse, you must report it, and you can still get sued if you were wrong.

Can you take blood and guts? Can you take on screaming fighting kids?

If you voice, says yes, then you are truly blessed, and I think this is a noble professional career that pays well, very well, or excellent.

GOD bless.

Answer 4

Well, I can't really answer your question since I am not one, but I am planning on becoming a doctor too! I also heard it can be a very rewarding job, and you get payed well. I am planning on working at a hospital, possibly in the ER. I don't know, i'm still looking at all the other choices, since theres so many.

Answer 5

To get on course to a medical occupation you want to look on the final criteria of the medical/dental/pharm colleges you'd be making use of to. then you actually favor to opt for on a significant. scholars with a powerful technology history (significant) are in many cases customary into medical fields. Majoring in physics is fantastic, yet you'll finally end up taking a large number of chemistry and biology classes, so maximum opt for to significant in a unmarried of those subject parts so they shrink the mathematics and physics they could favor to take. opt for on biology or chemistry and inspect particular criteria for the college you maximum in all likelihood may opt for to attend. some colleges emphasize severe aspect bio classes like cellular biology, microbiology, genetics. maximum opt for anatomy. Chemistry classes as a lot as organic and organic are in many cases significant. Introductory Physics is in many cases all you want and also you're almost wrapping that up. i does no longer flow a lot previous Calculus III because at that aspect attempt to be wondering careers outside medicine if you're that into that math.

Answer 6

go to the local hospital, and interview the pediatric staff there. They could give you better stories than anybody here.