advice needed for decision on pre-reqs

Hello,


My name is Mark and I have a question regarding pre-reqs. For the last couple of years I have been thinking that becoming a doctor is something I may want to do. To be honest, I still am not sure but I have already started taking some of the pre-reqs required. This semester I have decided to take the second half of biology and instead of taking other mandatory pre-reqs, I will take anatomy and physiology. My thought is that if this is really something I want to do, then I should enjoy learning this, right? That should be a better gauge than rushing through my pre-reqs to hurry up and go to med school.


Is this a good idea and at what point are you sure that you want to become a doctor?


Any advice would be appreciated.


Thank you, Mark

Mark,


I think it’s a great idea that you don’t want to rush through your pre-med prereqs and that you’re taking your time to make sure what you really want to do with your life. Your A/P class may really be a good indication for you in your decision making process.


However, remeber that academic asepct of medicne is not the only one that counts. There are lots of people who would love anantomy and physiology class, and other courses required by medical schools, and they still wouldn’t make good doctors and/or woulnd’t be happy being doctors. Therefore I think it is more important that you take your time and do some volunteering in the healthcare setting - hospital, doctor office or hospice to make sure that you really, and I mean REALLY L-O-V-E dealing with the patients and their problems, and that you like being involved in their, often, extremely difficult lives. Also make sure that you shadow a physican or two and see what their lives look like…b/c again - you might enjoy spending time with the patients but not necessary find being a doctor very appealing. You might discover that some other healthcare related occupation is more suitable for you - for example a nurse.


When do you know or feel strongly enought that you want to be a doctor? I guess it’s exactly the same like when you know that you love someone and you want to spend the rest of your life with them (I’m not sure if this comparison is relevant to your situation, b/c I’m not sure if you’re already involved with someone). I would say that when you cannot stop thinking about becoming a doctor, b/c you get that constant feeling that it’s the only profession that will bring you an ultimate fullfillment and satisfaction, and when you dream about that at night, and when people try telling you that you’re crazy and you could do million different things in life that don’t require so much time and money and be equally happy, and you just smile to yourself, and know that they are wrong, and when you are getting exctited and have butterfiels in the stomach everytime you’re taking a step that brings you closer to becoming a physican…all that, and even more, might mean that it’s really what you want to do…


I’m not sure if all that makes any sense to you, but it was the case with me.


Good luck in making your decision.


Kasia

Thanks for the response Kasia. Every little bit of advice and encouragement is extremely helpful at this stage for me. I have already shadowed a couple of doctors in surgery and I really loved it. I plan on doing more as opportunities arise. I just need to really consider if at the end of this road I can safely say that there is nothing else I would have rather done. And at this stage, it is too difficult for me to say that with complete certainty.


Thanks again for the response- Mark