I want to go to medical school, but think it may be too hard? Any Suggestions?

Question

I would like to go to medical school and be a doctor because I would like to help others, and after many doctors having a large impact on my life I would really like to, but I have a chronic pain disability which is often times diabilitating so I don't know if medical school is possible for me. I'm currently a sophomore in high school. Any suggestions of what I could do to make it through medical school or alternatives that would still give me the same satisfaction of helping people (I would like to work with people that have the same or similar conditions to me)? I have a neurlogical condition which causes my pain.

I have volunteered in my local hospital and I enjoy it. The only reason why I think it may be too hard is because of some of my phyiscal limitations from my RSD/CRPS. I have also spent numerous days in hospitals and have been largely involved with doctors because of my medical problems.

Answer 1

Contact medical schools and tell them what you've told us. Ask them what would be the results of you missing parts of a semester for medical reasons.

They would give you the best idea of how it would all go for you. And don't talk to "counselors" talk to you teachers and program directors. And then tell them that you will accept that it make take you twice as long but are they willing to work with you. And press them that who would be better to empathize with and inspire patients that someone who has been there.

*You* can do this you just need to see if they will work with you and then accept that it make take you twice as long to reach your goal but that you can get there.

Answer 2

Having 'gone' to medical school with my first wife, who became an MD then an anesthesiologist, I would say that trying to become an MD when pain knocks you out a certain percentage of the time is virtually impossible (virtually, not literally) There are a lot of occupations that require much less concentrated and continuous effort to learn and succeed at and if you aim at medical school, you have got to be able to endure heavy duty training through college and then through medical school, internship and probably residency. It really takes a driven person. I couldn't have done what she did.
Because medical training and practice requires social drive as well and may involve fairly little individual patient contact, you might look at careers directly involved with patient care with longer contact, such as physical and rehabilitative therapy, long term nursing and patient care, etc. Consider whether your pain is aggravated by physical labor.

Answer 3

Go ahead and take the classes in college.
You may not become a doctor but you will get into the medical Field as an RN or something for starters and maybe go on and be more.
Go with your heart and follow your desires and you will be what GOD created you to be.
You seem like you want to help people and you certainly will in spite of your setbacks. They may even help you help others because you will have first hand knowledge and inspire them to achieve.
Go for it. You are already an inspiration.

Answer 4

There is a program available now called a "physician's assistant" or something to that effect. It's higher on the ladder than a nurse, but yet, not quite a doctor. You don't need to go through medical school to become one.

Here's a link to more information:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos081.htm

I feel for you. I have a chronic condition, too. But that should not keep you from realizing your dream--at least to some extent.

Answer 5

maybe try to help out in the hospital maybe volunteer and c if u like it or not and u still got a long time 2 go till medical school so dont stress 2 much just try volunteer and c how it goes

Answer 6

Medical school would still be several years away. I think you can still plan on college and go for pre-med or biology. After a few semesters, you can evaluate where you want to go and what you want to do. If at that point you don't think you can go for medical school, you can still do something like physical therapy.

Answer 7

If you have to think twice about it being hard, you should not go. It is twice as hard as you think! Believe me.. I have many ppl in my family who are physicians. Before you can start to practice, you need almost 10 years of study (after high school) assuming you are not going in for a specialty like Neurology or Cardiology.

Look at becoming a chiropractor instead.

Answer 8

pharmacist, a pharmacist makes a good amount of money, my friend's aunt works part time and she makes 90,000 annually which i think is super nice. and it doesn't require much work either, and you don't move around a lot like bend and move your hands with tools like doctors do, you stand there and sometimes walk around. people hand you paper showing what medicine they need, and you got to count them and find the right one and give it to them. it's not that hard, but it requires a lot of schooling like a doctor does.

Answer 9

No idea how you can other than work hard, but my suggestion is to try it for a year and see if you can handle it's courses or if you even like it.

Answer 10

Uh... I feel that if you want to do something badly enough, it can be done. I want to be a doctor too-- and i'm telling you now, there's not going to be anything that'll stop me from working my butt off. And talk to a doctor about it :). I'm sure that it'll all work out.