Medicine or Biochemistry or something completely different?

Chuchoter

I've been having a bit of crisis of faith in my career plan in the last few weeks. I've always wanted to do medicine, I like problem solving, being with loads of people and I loved my work experience in A&E. It was amazing. I really enjoy science at school, particularly chemistry. I like biology too, its just kind of boring (endless rote learning and skimming the surface of a topic)

The issue is I don't see where you can have any life with medicine. You are only on campus for 2 years in most places, then its basically non stop work forever. I want to be in loads of societies, have nights out and just general fun. The working conditions here seem to be horrendous and you seem to have no control over where you live, and I really, really can't live anywhere rural. Dublin is small enough. I'm just sort of torn, biochemistry sounds fascinating, but I don't know if I want to spend my life working for a pittance in a lab. Medicine is the dream, but I don't want to sacrifice my life to it.

PhysiologyRocks

I'm in third year (of five) medicine. Perhaps I'm biased, but I would advise you to do it.

Firstly, the course contains a fair bit of biochemistry, so if this becomes your passion, then you can pursue it further through medicine. Even some more lab based/academic specialties may suit you.

Secondly, if you wanted to switch, medicine to biochemistry/science is apparently easier than the other way around.

Thirdly, I have classmates who entered medicine based on their parents' wishes, and have grown to love it. Given that you are coming from a place of wanting to study medicine, you appear to be at a distinct advantage.

I love medicine. I love helping gather information. I love seeing patients, solving problems, drawing blood/cannulation/procedures, surgery etc. I love seeing people get better.

Even from a point of just keeping your options open, I think medicine is the way to go. In the end of the day, it comes down to whether you want to be a doctor or a biochemist. Remember that almost all training schemes are fairly hours intensive, but some final destinations allow for an easier lifestyle than others. Training abroad is always an option.

Genuinely wishing you the best of luck.

Slow Show

Do you think you have a personality suited to medicine?

Judging by your answer to that, you should probably know.

spurious

Slow Show wrote: »

Do you think you have a personality suited to medicine?

Judging by your answer to that, you should probably know.

Exactly.
The highs when things go right are no doubt fantastic, but could you cope with being the bringer of bad new to families day after day? Being the one people are putting all their hopes on?

If money fairly soon is one of your factors in deciding what career path to follow I'm not sure medicine is the path for you.

Only you know for sure though. You have to be honest with yourself.

seniorolaighin

hate to be the ole fogey but with the state of the country and the implications for many years to come - you will definitely not have a life if you enter medicine. Speak directly from experience - leaving these shores in 12 months to pursue the career i love elsewhere.

Chuchoter

I think I'd be a pretty good doctor, I'm good at speaking to new people, I'm objective and I think I'd be quite good at telling people bad news for that reason because I'm not the kind of person to sugarcoat things (I hope that would work out to be helpful anyway, as in I wouldn't be lying and telling people things were much better than they actually were). I really like being able fix things and help people, so I'm hoping I'd be able to do that some of the time.

The main thing that makes me think I might not like doing medicine is just the general lack of life you get to have. I want to have a family and friends and stuff, and though I'm willing to work until 4 in the morning and I like hard work, I do want to have a life as well. I'm basically sure I'm going to have to move, I just really don't want to have to move somewhere the other side of the world like Australia.

QueenOfLeon

Since you're in 5th year you have LOADS of time to research what it'll be like if or when you qualify. Read back through old threads in the Health Science forum, see if anyone in training schemes will answer pms or talk about how much free time they have and all that, or even talk to your own GP. My GP always talks about how he found med school, working, training etc as he went to the same university. You have loads of time to make up your mind, I know countless people who had their heart set on something but ended up changing their minds after doing a bit of CAO and career researching.

AndrewJD

There's an adage thats thrown around sometimes that if you aren't sure you want to do Medicine, then it's not for you. That's rubbish, you're allowed to not be sure, and to consider other options.

To give you my perspective, I'm at the end of first Med at Trinity. There were times before coming here that I wondered if it was really for me. Primarily because I'm a lazy, easily distracted guy (oral anatomy exam on wednesday, and here's me on boards!) and I didn't know if I could stick it. What I've realised over the year I've spent here is that even when I hate it, I still love it. You can be bored to pieces listening about MAP kinases affect Growth Factor Signalling until you begin to appreciate that this is a major process in the onset of cancer. That this is what millions of people are dying of. That the goal isn't to be really good at Biochemistry, but to understand how to try to help someone. Like I say - even when I hate it, I love it.

I don't know if you'll get anything out of that but yeah, take some time, dwell on it for a while, you'll come to a decision. Good luck

whadabouchasir

AndrewJD wrote: »

T

(oral anatomy exam on wednesday, and here's me on boards!)

An oral Anatomy exam how exactly does that work?Is is like a spot test where you have to answer questions on a cadaver?A little off topic I know but I'm just curious!

theowen

whadabouchasir wrote: »

An oral Anatomy exam how exactly does that work?Is is like a spot test where you have to answer questions on a cadaver?A little off topic I know but I'm just curious!

Yeap. You find out when you walk up to the spot station what he's going to examine you on. Then it's just question after question.

QueenOfLeon

theowen wrote: »

Yeap. You find out when you walk up to the spot station what he's going to examine you on. Then it's just question after question.

Think I'd prefer that to our utterly confusing horribly worded riddles of spot test questions.

theowen

QueenOfLeon wrote: »

Think I'd prefer that to our utterly confusing horribly worded riddles of spot test questions.

We have those too :P Pretty simple questions though. We've 8 d8fferent stations. You spend three minutes at each and then move to the next which is either a spot or a viva. Two vivas all in all. Pretty fun really!

QueenOfLeon

theowen wrote: »

We have those too :P Pretty simple questions though. We've 8 d8fferent stations. You spend three minutes at each and then move to the next which is either a spot or a viva. Two vivas all in all. Pretty fun really!

We had 20 stations with 1 minute 15 seconds each for the anatomy module. For the anatomy part of the systems modules this semester, its around 6 stations with the same time. They're just so...horribly...worded :mad: At least they're all over and done with now