What's the obsession with medicine?

Eathrin

Why is it that medicine is a course in so much demand? It seems like anyone hoping to get high points is looking to do medicine. The demand is so high but for what? Has everybody aspired to be a doctor from age 5, or is it about money? The course length is huge and to me the work doesn't sound that attractive. Maybe it's the high points that make high achievers seek a "prestige" course. To me points are no object and I'll pick something that genuinely interests me.

AnamGlas

Some people find enjoyment through helping others, whether it be by treating someone personally or by trying to develop cures for other illnesses. True, it's prestigious, having the title of "Dr." kind of sets you apart from others. Money is always an attraction, but really, if it isn't the career for you, why set yourself to it...

*not interested in medicine btw

DefyingGravity

Medicine would be an amazing course to do.Imagine everyday you would be learning how to help people and save lives, a lot of people are extremely caring & intelligent,therefore medicine is a course to suit them.

paulb

Good man Cian! I think you identify the central conceit of aspiring to medicine - there are some excellent vocational doctors, there are also some real a$$wipes motivated by money and status.

Your motivation for any career should be be based on genuine interest, it is also possible to do pursue a career for 10 years and change to something completely different.

Trust your instincts

Glee_GG

Personally I'd love to do medicine, the career has always just fascinated me to be honest! Yes, the money is great and to be honest, I think anyone who says its not an attraction is lying because lets face it, most people want to have a job that pays well, but I have always just loved the sciences, blood, surgeries, hospitals etc so its something I'd love to do! It annoys me that in general people say that people who get high points automatically do medicine. To do medicine in the first place you NEED to get high points, its not as if people get 600 points and then say "oh I'm going to do Medicine now" :L (thats not aimed at the poster by the way, just a general thing that really annoys me!)

Coeurdepirate

I think a lot of it is pretentiousness. That being said, the pay, imagine the pay! Who cares if you'd hate it!

CookieMonster.x

Cian A wrote: »

Why is it that medicine is a course in so much demand? It seems like anyone hoping to get high points is looking to do medicine. The demand is so high but for what? Has everybody aspired to be a doctor from age 5, or is it about money? The course length is huge and to me the work doesn't sound that attractive. Maybe it's the high points that make high achievers seek a "prestige" course. To me points are no object and I'll pick something that genuinely interests me.

I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I can't remember a time when I didn't want to be! I was always fixing cuts etc and now I do blood sugar, blood pressure etc. It's all I want to do and I will keep trying until I get it if I don't get it first time!
There are people who want it jut for money though and to be honest they don't make great offers. There are people who really want it, not just for money!

Eathrin

Sorry I should have mentioned that I know there are obviously people who are genuinely interested in helping people and find that type of work interesting. But you see my point, and it makes lower point courses seem less significant even if you get 600 points. There's almost a certain "pressure" to go into medicine or other "prestige" courses.

Chuchoter

To a large extent, most of the people I know going for 'med' are the most arrogant, self serving, snobbish people I've ever met. Very few are going into it because they want to help people.

Togepi

I've always thought it was a strange coincidence that people who want to do medicine are the ones you would have always expected to get really high points... :cool:

J_E

I find that it's often a case where an individual wants to help people but sees Medicine as the only way to do this. I mean, there are so many other opportunities down the health science path like Occupational Therapy that are often overlooked because they aren't talked about as much and they don't have the same name that Medicine does.

Namlub

Obviously there are applicants who genuinely want to help people (and I'd hope that they're in the majority), but it seems that some people feel like they should apply for it simply because they're going to get the points. There's only one person going for med in my year and she's awful with people and doesn't appear to have any interest in it, but she'd get enough points easily. Though I guess the HPAT is there to try and eradicate that a bit...

Bbbbolger

Togepi wrote: »

I've always thought it was a strange coincidence that people who want to do medicine are the ones you would have always expected to get really high points... :cool:

I wouldnt really call it coincidence. Ev eryone knows how much points you need for Medicine. The way I see it, if someone doesn't think they're going to get near the points, they're not going to talk about becoming a doctor. Especially when you consider that you mention Medicine once and people tend to keep a closer eye on your results. That's what I've found anyway.

Eathrin

Togepi wrote: »

I've always thought it was a strange coincidence that people who want to do medicine are the ones you would have always expected to get really high points... :cool:

Bbbbolger wrote: »

I wouldnt really call it coincidence. Ev eryone knows how much points you need for Medicine. The way I see it, if someone doesn't think they're going to get near the points, they're not going to talk about becoming a doctor. Especially when you consider that you mention Medicine once and people tend to keep a closer eye on your results. That's what I've found anyway.

Psst...sarcasm

luciemc

Cian A wrote: »

Sorry I should have mentioned that I know there are obviously people who are genuinely interested in helping people and find that type of work interesting. But you see my point, and it makes lower point courses seem less significant even if you get 600 points. There's almost a certain "pressure" to go into medicine or other "prestige" courses.

I got 600 and I still run into people from school who assume I'm doing medicine? It's weirrrrd. Another friend 'wanted' to do medicine all her life, it was literally all she ever wanted to do! she got the points but messed up HPAT... now she's studying languages and loving every minute of it... only realising now she doesn't actually like blood and would have probably dropped out after a few months! I wonder if many do drop out/change course or do people stick with it after all the work they put in to get there?

spurious

luciemc wrote: »

I got 600 and I still run into people from school who assume I'm doing medicine? It's weirrrrd. Another friend 'wanted' to do medicine all her life, it was literally all she ever wanted to do! she got the points but messed up HPAT... now she's studying languages and loving every minute of it... only realising now she doesn't actually like blood and would have probably dropped out after a few months! I wonder if many do drop out/change course or do people stick with it after all the work they put in to get there?

The high levels of depression and substance abuse levels in doctors would lead you to think there are a number of unhappy people in the profession.
That, or the daily grind of dealing with the symptoms of poverty, which in many cases you can do nothing to help, eventually gets to people.

I think on one level you would actually need to be quite uncaring, to deal with the things doctors have to deal with, day after day, year after year.

Just Like Heaven

I can't get my head around people thinking that med hopefuls are choosing to study medicine cause they have points in the bag.

Surely the majority of people who want to study medicine are doing well in school cause they need too, to get into college, they don't want to study medicine, because they're doing well in school?

Eathrin

fewtinsoffroth wrote: »

I can't get my head around people thinking that med hopefuls are choosing to study medicine cause they have points in the bag.

Surely the majority of people who want to study medicine are doing well in school cause they need too, to get into college, they don't want to study medicine, because they're doing well in school?

Alas, I believe the opposite to be true. Think about it, many of the people who are getting A's in your class now would have been the guys doing the same thing since primary school. They were hardly working towards 600 points to get into medicine back then. It was only when they began thinking about their future later on and realised that medicine was the "best" course to get into that they decided on that. Of course there's some truth to the first statement you made too but I believe to a much lesser degree than what you think.

leaveiton

I know someone who is seriously considering putting medicine down on their CAO and doing the HPAT just so they can say that they got enough points for medicine. And no, they weren't joking when they said this.

Eathrin

leaveiton wrote: »

I know someone who is seriously considering putting medicine down on their CAO and doing the HPAT just so they can say that they got enough points for medicine. And no, they weren't joking when they said this.

Wow! I didn't realise people were this bad. The points are there because of demand, not because it's a "better" course.

Siobhnk

I'd love to do medicine but there's no way I'd get the points it really annoys me the way people go into it for the "prestige" when there are others out there who would genuinely do a better job. I'm going for nursing instead, might suit me better.

theowen

luciemc wrote: »

I got 600 and I still run into people from school who assume I'm doing medicine? It's weirrrrd. Another friend 'wanted' to do medicine all her life, it was literally all she ever wanted to do! she got the points but messed up HPAT... now she's studying languages and loving every minute of it... only realising now she doesn't actually like blood and would have probably dropped out after a few months! I wonder if many do drop out/change course or do people stick with it after all the work they put in to get there?

Not many people at all drop out. I'm only in second year mind. Most people in my class are very caring people and you can tell they're not just in it for the prestige or money value. That all goes out the window somewhat when you're looking at a timetable with 9-5 lectures every day and crap loads of study to do i.e. you need a better reason for doing medicine to get you through it. The same would be even greater when you're an actual doctor. You may get well paid but you'll work twice as hard as most people on the same salery until you're 40+ years old sure.

Enda Kenny

Chuchoter wrote: »

To a large extent, most of the people I know going for 'med' are the most arrogant, self serving, snobbish people I've ever met. Very few are going into it because they want to help people.

gman

Ally7

Chuchoter wrote: »

To a large extent, most of the people I know going for 'med' are the most arrogant, self serving, snobbish people I've ever met. Very few are going into it because they want to help people.

This can work boths ways, I hate telling people I want to do medicine because some people automatically believe you're an arrogant stuck-up bítch. I think I'd love to study medicine and I like dealing with people, but some feel I'm only going for it because I'm capable of doing it. They don't actually realise the reason I study so much is because I need brilliant grades to get in.

QueenOfLeon

fewtinsoffroth wrote: »

I can't get my head around people thinking that med hopefuls are choosing to study medicine cause they have points in the bag.

Surely the majority of people who want to study medicine are doing well in school cause they need too, to get into college, they don't want to study medicine, because they're doing well in school?

Around the time I got my results, the amount of people who said something like "Oh, thats great, I assume you'll be doing medicine then?" was unbelievable. Its such a ridiculous notion, and terribly annoying. It was very awkward to have to say yes, but then try and explain that its not because you magically got the points and decided that medicine would do, its because you worked towards high points in order to get that very course.

I found that some career guidance teachers, and other teachers in my school, were terrible for sticking the notion into peoples heads. Anyone who they reckoned was capable of doing well (but who were not putting down medicine on the CAO) were looked at in shock - why aren't you doing something like medicine?

We have had a few people leave the course, however, there are still a lot in it who will openly say that they're in it for the job security, the money, because their parents wanted them to do it, they knew they'd get the points so sure why not, etc etc. Its annoying, but what can you do.

flyaway.

A girl in my school put down medicine (as her first choice!) just to say she had it down... she ended up getting it, and not her second choice which she actually wanted. She took the place and dropped out after about 4 months.

There was a girl in my class last year who also put medicine down as her first choice, her words were ''I don't actually want it but I'll take the place if I get it. I just put it down for the sake of it.'' She didn't end up getting it.

Konata

QueenOfLeon wrote: »

Around the time I got my results, the amount of people who said something like "Oh, thats great, I assume you'll be doing medicine then?" was unbelievable. Its such a ridiculous notion, and terribly annoying. It was very awkward to have to say yes, but then try and explain that its not because you magically got the points and decided that medicine would do, its because you worked towards high points in order to get that very course.

I found that some career guidance teachers, and other teachers in my school, were terrible for sticking the notion into peoples heads. Anyone who they reckoned was capable of doing well (but who were not putting down medicine on the CAO) were looked at in shock - why aren't you doing something like medicine?

^^ THIS! I spent a good half hour explaining to my career guidance teacher all the reasons why I DIDN'T want to do medicine during 6th year. Lo and behold, day of results comes round, I get 8A1s and first thing career guidance teacher says to me? "Why aren't you doing medicine??". Fúcks sake like, I hate that you're expected to do medicine or law etc. just because you get high points. I'd be a useless doctor, absolutely crap!

It's really, really hard to not feel that pressure to do something "great" with your points - even I, who was so serious about not doing medicine, doubted my choice a little bit after I got my results. But it's also pretty sad when people DO give in to that pressure and hence take away college positions from people would would make fantastic doctors and may have just missed the points cut.

Eathrin

Konata wrote: »

^^ THIS! I spent a good half hour explaining to my career guidance teacher all the reasons why I DIDN'T want to do medicine during 6th year. Lo and behold, day of results comes round, I get 8A1s and first thing career guidance teacher says to me? "Why aren't you doing medicine??". Fúcks sake like, I hate that you're expected to do medicine or law etc. just because you get high points. I'd be a useless doctor, absolutely crap!

It's really, really hard to not feel that pressure to do something "great" with your points - even I, who was so serious about not doing medicine, doubted my choice a little bit after I got my results. But it's also pretty sad when people DO give in to that pressure and hence take away college positions from people would would make fantastic doctors and may have just missed the points cut.

That's incredible! Such a messed up system. So what did you end up doing?

Konata

Cian A wrote: »

That's incredible! Such a messed up system. So what did you end up doing?

Biomedical Science in UCD which I dropped out of after a year and a half. Now doing Applied Languages & Intercultural Studies (Japanese & French specifically) in DCU and I absolutely love it! Think the points were 300-and something this year?

esposito

There are also people who are quite delusional. I know one guy who's repeating the LC with the aim of getting into medicine. He essentially failed the Leaving Cert first time 'round. I just don't think he has the ability to get the points required. Having said that, he claims he always wanted to be a doctor from an early age so at least the interest is there. I just think it's a big ask. He needs to be realistic.

Also, I think the reason a lot of people want to do medicine might be down to obsessions with shows like Greys Anatomy etc ? He certainly loves it!

CIARAN_BOYLE

90% of people who are capable of 580+ points won't do the work necessary to get 600 points unless they need it and medicine is really the only course that needs such a high points total.