[Jiae]

I really want to be a doctor; It was like my dream ever since i was little.

I talked and talked with my parents, my friends, my teachers, my councelors about which type of doctor i want to be come.
Career day. Health ROP core. You name it.
I'm a sophomore @ highschool and i'm just confused about what i want to be ._.

Heres some i'm considering:
+/ Pediatrician
+/ Chest (heart) Surgeon
+/ Optometrist/Ophthalmologist
+/ ------

Some may become a doctor for the pay. But for me, i don't care. I want to help people. Save their lives. Make a difference in a person's life. ^ ^v
I wouldn't mind waking up in the middle of the night, with emergency cases.
But I'd also want some time for my family, friends, and have a balananced schedule.
But then again i want to be working at a hospital, actively. Responding to the ER and stuff

I don't think its too early to start. I really wish i could decide before i enter college. THen i could prepare myself for med school, optometry school, etc.
@.@

haha, thanks for reading ^ ^v
So! Anyone else confused or thinking about which doctor (or another profession)?

[THEmerryJANE]

lol I hear similar stories everywhere I go. Like everyone is pre-med here and they say the exact same thing.

But yah, I do want to become a surgeon. For one, I really believe that I have capable hands. They are unusually flexible and very steady and matched with my intense concentration, I think I was born to become a surgeon. LOL. As bad as it sounds, I don't want to become a surgeon so much as for helping people, but I think it'll be a job that makes me content and not bored.

I don't worry about the workload of going to med school either. I think I can make it happen. My dad's friend is a surgeon and he said that you can forget about med school if you have a lot of friends and like to party and that's perfect for me because I have no damn friends or a social life for that matter rofl.

And the pay is definately motivation.

But to help you out, just do what you think you'll like doing more. If you like surgery, then hell, become a surgeon. If touching people's eyeballs turns you on, then by all means be an eye doctor. But it's hard work and I don't think sole determination will get you there.

[sgwannabe]

You don't need to worry about what field of medicine you want to be in. You have medical school for that. That's when you take rotations in ob/gyn, pediatrics, etc. Then you can decide. Just take your pre-req for pre-med and get into a good medical school.

[Jiae]

Thanks TheMaryJane and Sgwannabe! <3

Which medical school in California would be the best?
I'm thinking of:
-UC Davis (Cause they have med school for graduates; so i'll try to get into uC davis then try for their med school)

I heard of Hofsta...?

[felinius]

Thanks TheMaryJane and Sgwannabe! <3

Which medical school in California would be the best?
I'm thinking of:
-UC Davis (Cause they have med school for graduates; so i'll try to get into uC davis then try for their med school)

I heard of Hofsta...?

I've heard good things about UC Davis, but it's so expensive, as well as the fact that you NEED to have an apprentice-ship with a doctor before applying. You also need to give up summer (I'm not sure if every summer) to go to school.

It's also best to make up your mind before you go to medical school because optometrist, etcetera kinds of doctors have different pre-med requirements that you fulfill.

[joonage]

wow ... Another person like me. haha

I've wanted to be a doctor since I was younger too.

I tell this to myself too, but you have lots of time. Most people usually choose their specialty in med school. And it also depends on how well you do in school and your USMLE scores.

Currently, I'm wanting to be a surgeon. Cardio, General, or Ortho.
Lately, I've been interested in Peds also, after volunteering with my school's daycare department.

Being a doctor takes lots of commitment too. ER isn't all that bad of a specialty to go into, since most hospitals have shifts. Surgery specialties - you're going to be busy busy busy. Pediatrics is a 9 to 5 job, but many people would rather go into a specialty. It's all choice.

But you have lots of time. Your interests will change as you're exposed to college and med school.
I suggest you go volunteer at a hospital. See how it feels. Right now I do it, and it's pretty rewarding. Makes you feel good. haha

[akenon]

Do you know anyone in these specific professions?
Maybe you can arrange to talk to them about their job~
Ask them stuff like, what's a typical day like, what's the hardest part of your job, what do you like most, that type of thing...
It will help you get a better idea of what actually being that type of doctor is.
You still have some time to think about it, but the more research the better (:
Good luck!

[freetshirtsorg]

I suggest shadowing some people you know in those professions. Since you know them they normally shouldn't have a problem with that. If I was in that situation I would get an HSP (Hunter Scholars Program which is an external program you do outside of school for credit) for one I'm interested in.

I wanna be a throacic surgeon. It's so damn cool. Yeah the helping people thing isn't really captivating me right now. That would be nice too. I apparently have really dextrous hands or something.

But then... as a surgeon you got no life. Apparently as a health professional the most desirable fields are dermatology and x-ray tech cuz you can have a life in those fields. hahaha. Still kinda wanna be a surgeon tho.

[Jiae]

@Joonage: Yeah, I'm trying to volunteer at the hospitals/medical center where i live close to, and i submited applications to. One had scheduled a group interview but it got rescheduled to a date they didn't even tell us. Its been over a month and i don't know what to do. I think im going to give the volunteer directer a call (I really hope they didn't already have it, and she forgot to call me -fears-)

@Fellinius: What do you mean by "NEED to have an apprentice-ship with a doctor before applying (to UC Davis)"? I've never heard of anything like that ^ ^; Can you please explain?

--------------------
During Career day, an EMT, plastic surgeon, and a dentist came in. Although the plastic surgeon & dentist left before we could ask her questions. I think it was because we were the last medical "group" for the day, so they got tired? Talking with the EMT was nice. She said it was alot of work, studying..alot alot and alot.~
The Plastic Surgeon (before she left) mentioned that her doctor pays for some education and everything she needed! She said that doctors will be willing to pay for the education/training you need. I have never heard of this before either. @.@;

[freetshirtsorg]

I did.
There's like service programs like Army, Air Force stuff they pay for school. You pay em back via service.
yay!

[joonage]

^^ ... I believe that each year the military requires one years of service for every year they pay. So, it's like four years of service required to get a "full ride" to medical school. I'm not sure if it includes residency though.

I've also heard that some hospitals are willing to pay for medical education if you go to their hospital for residency upon graduation. But I doubt it.

[Ning~~~]

you should really concentrate on getting into med school first before deciding which area you want to specialize in
areas such as surgery, & cardio are extremely competitive among medical school students
all in all, the areas you are going to specialize in is all determined by your marks...

also orthodontists make tonnes of money, if you don't mind working in other ppl's mouths, you can consider dentistry as well

[sPark*]

it hasnt been my dream since i was little cuz i wanted to be a fashion designer then but i wanted to be a doctor since freshman year =D that was when i took biology and loved it. i really enjoyed it thoroughly. and i currently take ap biology right now and enjoy it too.

im interested in dermatology but more towards costmetic surgery (for ex: artifical dermis, etc).

i guess you can say its the only career path that im interested in. i dont find anything else appealing therefore its medical or ... money =X

anyways if ur dream doesnt change in college then i hope you succeed =DD