Why do people want to do Medicine?! Calling out 2012ers and 2013ers! (5 Viewers)

[Sanical]

Its proven that people who study a courses like med,law or engineering only for the money often don't make it. I probably could have got into med but i wasn't really ready to make such a commitment.Maybe grad med if I'm ready.

Where's the proof? =/.

 

[Sainteced]

imo 90-95% of people doing med are in it for the money, prestige or because my parents are pressuring me to. passion and a love for science are all secondary factors for these people, not their primary reason for studying med.

If I wanted money, there are many other jobs which provide higher probabilities of a good income (dentists, actuaries, real estate agents, and even engineers in your case). Studying medicine, hence having the intention of practicing as a doctor, is a difficult path to say the least. A myriad of pressures (not only clinical and interpersonal, but political and financial) involved combined with sometimes superfluous societal expectations reduces the grandiosity of the income and prestige which you say 90-95% of medical students aspire to obtain.

Of course I am not denying the exceptions or the attraction of a secure job after you graduate, which I might say is apparently under threat, but to generalise the primary incentive of studying a career in medicine as mere money and prestige is an injustice to the many who truly do have a love for aiding others and have a true passion for medicine.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I think one caveat that I always thinks weeds out people who shouldn't be doing med.
They'll only go to USYD or UNSW.
To me, if you have a passion for the course, you should be willing to go anywhere for it, JMP at UNE/UNCLE, UWS, the private ones if you can afford it etc.
It's such a tell tale sign when someone only want to go to a prestigious uni for med, makes them seem a prestige muncher. Unfortunately, many do make it in to med at their desired institute.
This applies for lots of other degrees too, but very specifically to med. But also those people that will only do combined law at usyd/unsw, if you were really passionate about law, you'd go anywhere. Also some people who do engineering etc.

 

[khorne]

lolwut http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/Research/GradJobsDollars/BachelorU25/Medicine/index.htm

That said you are kidding yourself if you think Doctors don't get paid much, especially as the career progresses. Best long term option for salary + secure job possible.

Edit: Would also like to say not everything is great, obviously the hours you have to work are insane especially as a graduate so the hourly pay rate is actually lower than other grad jobs. But that said if you have a genuine drive to do med that shouldn't be a problem.

I said the pay is gr8 u penk

youll be in the top 3 or so % of richest people in aus easily

someones gotta buy dem sports cars right?

Proven? Lol mate.

exactly

if the motivation is strong enough, you can do anything. Some people want money

let them get it

I think one caveat that I always thinks weeds out people who shouldn't be doing med.
They'll only go to USYD or UNSW.
To me, if you have a passion for the course, you should be willing to go anywhere for it, JMP at UNE/UNCLE, UWS, the private ones if you can afford it etc.
It's such a tell tale sign when someone only want to go to a prestigious uni for med, makes them seem a prestige muncher. Unfortunately, many do make it in to med at their desired institute.
This applies for lots of other degrees too, but very specifically to med. But also those people that will only do combined law at usyd/unsw, if you were really passionate about law, you'd go anywhere. Also some people who do engineering etc.

you're stupid

for some people such a sacrifice is not worth it, and that's fine. Individual circumstances.

I moved interstate for med, and I am happy to do so, but not everyone might be in a position to do so (esp. financially).

 

[cheezcake]

I said the pay is gr8 u penk

youll be in the top 3 or so % of richest people in aus easily

someones gotta buy dem sports cars right?

M8 only the first link was directed at you the rest was directed at ppl saying it doesn't pay great, also wtf is a penk

 

[khorne]

M8 only the first link was directed at you the rest was directed at ppl saying it doesn't pay great, also wtf is a penk

u

 

[mnmaa]

If I wanted money, there are many other jobs which provide higher probabilities of a good income (dentists, actuaries, real estate agents, and even engineers in your case). Studying medicine, hence having the intention of practicing as a doctor, is a difficult path to say the least. A myriad of pressures (not only clinical and interpersonal, but political and financial) involved combined with sometimes superfluous societal expectations reduces the grandiosity of the income and prestige which you say 90-95% of medical students aspire to obtain.

Of course I am not denying the exceptions or the attraction of a secure job after you graduate, which I might say is apparently under threat, but to generalise the primary incentive of studying a career in medicine as mere money and prestige is an injustice to the many who truly do have a love for aiding others and have a true passion for medicine.

fair point, but seriously why do you think so many asian parents pressure their children into studying med? money. The kids who get pushed into med only do it for the money.

 

[Dr_Fresh]

fair point, but seriously why do you think so many asian parents pressure their children into studying med? money. The kids who get pushed into med only do it for the money.

mate, we still waiting on proof that people who do a course for the money dont make it.

i will tell you now that people who go into med for money will make money.
and those who do it out of passion make much less since they pursue research, academia and teaching.

 

[khorne]

Who is the idiot who says engies, actuaries, lawyers, dentists and real estate agents whatever make more?

Srsly mate. Shut up. Actuaries peak at 200k for a very very senior head of department. There's like...15 such jobs in Aus? Engies, lol, you're joking. Very senior engies are able to hit 200k, maybe 250k, but this is harder than med school tbh. You need to be the top of your profession. Dentists start off on more, but we overtake them, and lawyers, real estates, etc, lol that's a joke. They make NOTHING.

The point I'm trying to make is, stop being an idiot and talking about things you know nothing of. You're saying Doctors don't make much to convince yourself you can still be gr8 without doing med, because you won't get in. Amirite or amirite? The thing to remember is, yes, not all doctors make 2 mil that some private surgeons do, but that the bell curve for doctors salary is skewed in such a way that even the lowest, most average doctor will still make twice, if not three times, as much as any other profession. Will all doctors buy yachts and drive lambos? No. Some will, some won't. Will all doctors live well above the average? Yes.

 

[Aerath]

Motivation factors for law:
Respect
Pay (High from the start)
Wishing to prove that the accused is innocent! (If they are truly innocent and you proved them to be innocent (when they were thought to be guilty) then you basically have 'saved' them in a sense)
Contribution to society
Reinforcing the idea of law and order in society

In relation to this - those lawyers who are making 'lots' from the start are never involved in Criminal Law. It's always corporate/commercial litigation/transactional grads that make the most early on - so they're never the ones who are 'proving the accused is not guilty'.

 

[animeiswild]

Yes, while it is true that saving people's lives sounds like a good reason to become a doctor but come on let's face it, not all of the patients will survive and depending on which part of the hospital you're in, most of them probably won't live. The doctor is probably one of the few last people to accompany them until their lives come to an end. Reason why I probably would want to study medicine is because I want to ease the loneliness of the people who know that they're about to die. Of course a doctor wouldn't have that much time to care for every patient but sometimes just a little support would help.

 

[Havox]

Yes, while it is true that saving people's lives sounds like a good reason to become a doctor but come on let's face it, not all of the patients will survive and depending on which part of the hospital you're in, most of them probably won't live.

That part isn't particularly true.

 

[mirakon]

That part isn't particularly true.

Yeah i'd say this is dependent on where u work and what specialty you work in

 

[animeiswild]

Yeah i'd say this is dependent on where u work and what specialty you work in

Please note, I said "depending on which part of the hospital" like the terminal ward. You really expect many to walk out alive?

 

[Havox]

Please note, I said "depending on which part of the hospital" like the terminal ward. You really expect many to walk out alive?

Actually you said "depending on which part of the hospital, most won't survive" implying therefore that most people who go to a hospital to die. Whereas, the fact would be "most people who goto a hospital will survive, but depending on certain wards, a higher death rate will occur." However, in NO ward other than palliative would "most" of the patients be expected to die.

 

[animeiswild]

Actually you said "depending on which part of the hospital, most won't survive" implying therefore that most people who go to a hospital to die. Whereas, the fact would be "most people who goto a hospital will survive, but depending on certain wards, a higher death rate will occur." However, in NO ward other than palliative would "most" of the patients be expected to die.

Did you mean something else there? The sentence sounds awkward....

Anywho, it is my fault for not making it clear, allow me to rephrase: "not all patients will survive, obviously some will die and depending on which ward, some will have more than others"

 

[Sanical]

Yes, while it is true that saving people's lives sounds like a good reason to become a doctor but come on let's face it, not all of the patients will survive and depending on which part of the hospital you're in, most of them probably won't live. The doctor is probably one of the few last people to accompany them until their lives come to an end. Reason why I probably would want to study medicine is because I want to ease the loneliness of the people who know that they're about to die. Of course a doctor wouldn't have that much time to care for every patient but sometimes just a little support would help.

You should be a nurse then

 

[animeiswild]

You should be a nurse then

A nurse would be no problem but I feel that a doctor is able to do more for the patient than the nurse... So if it's within my ability to study med, then of course I would want to become a doctor more than a nurse.

 

[Havox]

I feel that a doctor is able to do more for the patient than the nurse...

Wow. The two professions have different functions despite working towards the same goal. One cannot exist without the other and both do an equal amount. I suggest doing research as to what "being a doctor" actually involves rather than just going off TV.

 

[animeiswild]

Wow. The two professions have different functions despite working towards the same goal. One cannot exist without the other and both do an equal amount. I suggest doing research as to what "being a doctor" actually involves rather than just going off TV.

="= Just wondering if you've actually begun working in a hospital yet.... Just looking at the nurses at St George Private Hospital tells me I definitely do not want to be one of them. What becoming a nurse involves I do somewhat have an idea.

And if both do an equal amount, mind telling me why one needs a ridiculously high ATAR + UMAT score whilst one needs at most a high 80s ATAR?

Oh and the nurses are cool on TV okay?! If they were like that in real life, hell I'd be a nurse!