Comments on: Why you should not go to medical school — a gleefully biased rant

By: slu

slu — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:39:51 +0000

loved this blog! very funny…i am a physician…and get up every morning and face these obstacles and laugh…it is a great profession…in spite of it all…

By: katie

katie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:28:02 +0000

I think the scary thing about your article is that it is very honest and for the most part true….medical school takes someone with endless energy, money to spend(or money to borrow to spend for most of us), patience, dedication and most importantly someone who would not give up no matter how hard it may become in the future.but let’s think abput it for a aminute: you study 12 years, give or take, and then start to earn a good income.even then when you’re fresh out of med school no one might come to you since you are what they call an unexperienced doctor compared to others that have years and years of experience and diagnosing people.
so, at the end you might ask yourself it is worth it?………..
in my opinion you just have to make sure that it is what you really want vs what others put into your head(that is my peoblems anyway!)

By: Cat deLeo

Cat deLeo — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:05:03 +0000

I just want to thank you from the depths of my being and the bottom of my heart for this post! As a returning adult student (not old at 26, but returning) at The University of Texas at Austin and a former pre-med student, I am in classes with a lot of seniors going to medical school next year and who are starting to do their interviews. While part of me feels a jealous longing to be doing the same, I also have a passion for teaching and education, and have decided the right path for me is to become a professor of Microbiology, rather than a doctor. It was therapeutic to realize that my choice seems right, that the pressures and nightmares accompanying med school and the medical profession are as real as I had heard from indirect sources. I’ll stop wishing I were interviewing for med schools now, and start feeling sorry for my classmates that are!

By: MCAT Guy

MCAT Guy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:06:22 +0000

As someone who gave up applying to medical school in the nineties with a 38 MCAT to pursue educational work for premeds, I have to say your post awoke a lot of conflicting thoughts for me. I’ve kept up with a lot of students I helped in the nineties, and on the whole they seem to be doing okay now that they are doctors. They seem happy. I’m actually thinking about applying to MD PhD next year at 42. I have 3 kids and a good marriage, though.

By: DC

DC — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:28:19 +0000

Be the Doctor of the Future. Become a Doctor of Chiropractic!

By: Navid

Navid — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:44:44 +0000

Wow, you totally did NOT hit it on the head… Good thing you choose not to practice as you surely would have been unhappy. Your analysis may have certain components of truth to it, however, your assessment is, in my opinion, unfair and highly subjective.

Yes, it is difficult, time-consuming, draining, hectic, and one is “poorly compensated” (still making more >95% of the rest of americans). But the things that make it so difficult for you, are the same things others find so appealing. You see some of us enjoy the challenge. Some of us enjoy having to manage extremely delicate ICU patients, performing complicated surgical procedures, etc.

And for those who choose to endure, it’s about accomplishment. It’s about moving up on Maslow’s heirachy of needs: attempting to reach self-actualization.

These supposed reasons one should not go to medical school; they are your reasons. It’s important to draw that distinction.

By: Agree with "Pathetic"

Agree with "Pathetic" — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:33:40 +0000

Yes, it is difficult, time-consuming, draining, hectic, and one is “poorly compensated” (still making more than 95% of the rest of americans). Yes, it is “slave like”, but that’s the appeal. Because in the end, all the sacrifices, they are made for a reason.. For those who chose to endure, it’s about accomplishment an

By: Susie

Susie — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:37:32 +0000

My hubby is a pharmacist – working 50-60 hours per week and is earning close to 200k – no liability (his insurance is $200 per year) and he comes home to no worries. He deals with Assisted Living so no contact with patients which is nice. He has 3-4 weeks vacation plus all holidays and paternity leave of 3 months off. Most family docs, internists, peds docs, etc.. make less than that and have to go thru a much harder life.

Our quality of life is great! Always vacationing or with family n friends.

By: rose, rn

rose, rn — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:13:22 +0000

Sounds like nursing, you end up with a heart of stone. Lots of work and stress and no appreciation.

By: Alan

Alan — Sun, 03 May 2009 05:32:21 +0000

I just finished an undergrad for Neuroscience and I’ve had my sights on getting a PhD and doing research as well as becoming a prof. I have considered medical school in the past, but I was well aware of the sheer amount of stress that all pre-med individuals have to go through, and that’s just pre-med!

This article was definitely an awakener for me. I am much more appreciative of the amount of work and stress medical doctors have to go through, and wish all those who persist despite these limitations the best of luck and health. I am surprised the government has refused to cut any slack on med students whatsoever, its almost punishing to becoming a doctor. It angers me how the world works.