You’ve dreamt of being a doctor for as long as you can remember. You’ve always loved helping people, and so you figured it was your calling. Heading into your first year of university, you suffered through physics because you figured that medical schools require it. You messed up in first year, but that’s okay since medical schools don’t really care about it. You know you’re eventually going to be a doctor saving lives.
But let’s slow down a little. Have you actually done any research into which prerequisite courses you need for medical schools? Did you know that not all medical schools in Ontario require undergraduate physics? Did you know that some medical schools actually do care about your first year? Do you have any idea what medical school is like? Have you ever volunteered in a hospital? Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a doctor, but I have met a lot of students in the life sciences who haven’t done their homework when it comes to a career in medicine.
Medicine may not be the right choice for a lot of students. To put things into perspective, imagine that becoming a doctor is like investing in a big-ticket item. Would you just go out and buy a Lamborghini because it looks fancy? You would be making a significant error if you failed to consider the financial sacrifice.
Being accepted into medical school requires a lot of sacrifice to achieve the high grades and entrance exam scores required to distinguish your application. Once you have been accepted — if you are accepted — you have to pay an arm and a leg in tuition fees. If after a few years of medical school you come to the realization that it’s not for you, you will have already spent the money. The opportunity costs associated with careers in medicine are astronomically high when you consider the necessary time spent studying, working in residency programs, and the inevitably long hours awaiting you once you start practicing — not to mention the accompanying stress.
I am not trying to scare anybody away from medicine; I just recognize the importance of objective thinking and research when it comes time to make the decision to apply for medical schools. Much like the Lamborghini, a medical career seems luxurious, but is expensive.
After doing the adequate research, you must ask yourself why you want to be a doctor. You need a few very good reasons to become a doctor after you find out about the expenses, the stress, and the lack of a social life. After you’ve spent a few hundred hours in hospitals, a hundred or so hours studying for the MCAT, and dozens of hours researching the profession, you might still have trouble answering this question.
There is still plenty of time for undergraduates to figure out whether medicine is the right path to follow. You may come to the decision that medicine isn’t for you, and there is no shame in that. There are plenty of other careers that one can pursue with a science degree, that are equally rewarding and might better suit you.
Simon Spichak is a second-year student at New College studying neuroscience and physiology.
