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To study medicine or not?

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  • 21-03-2012 6:34pm
    #1
    ladyluck336
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭


    Hey! I'm a bit confused at the moment and would like a bit of guidance right now. I'm in first year of college in Galway and lately I've started thinking of switching to medicine next year. I did the HPAT this year so obviously this decision could be made for me by the results:P but I'm a bit nervous that I would find it too hard? I'm quite hard working and I'm willing to work very hard but I do still have this fear that I somehow wouldn't be able to understand everything or keep up. This could just be a little irrational though:P I'm also kind of confused because most people I know who want medicine have wanted it almost their whole lives and I've just started to want it this year. Do you think that should have any bearing on how well it would suit me? I'm not sure if maybe I just needed to be that little bit older and have more of an understanding of it before I considered it or what. Anyway, any information on medicine as a career/course and advice would be welcome:) it's a very big decision for me to make, which is why I want to know as much as I can first.


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    #2
    chanste
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭chanste


    You could continue in your current course and then go about it the postgrad/GAMSAT route if you still want it when you finish. Just be sure to work hard and get at least a 2.1 degree.

    I would imagine though that if I were in your shoes a wait and see approach like that might feel like a waste of time. Unfortunately you either need to allow yourself sufficient time to think and consider your career path or you will jump in with some of the associated risk (Not necessarily a bad idea - people may expect you to spend months/years thinking about this but I suppose it depends how well you know yourself, and a lot of people in my course would say that although they are happy, it (the course) is not what they expected from medicine so don't over think it either).

    What attracts you to medicine?

    Is money a problem (Will you have to work during the course)?

    What are your financial ambitions? (I'm not qualified yet so I'm sure someone else on this could give more info, but impression I get is that as a Doctor you will never be rich, but never be poor)

    How much do you value your social life (and I am well aware of the many people who maintain one, but I think it would be a good sign if you were willing from the start to acknowledge that this will take 2nd place for some time)?

    Anyway, hope that's of some help.


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    #3
    tiredcity
    Registered Users Posts: 278 ✭✭tiredcity


    ladyluck336 wrote: »
    I'm quite hard working and I'm willing to work very hard but I do still have this fear that I somehow wouldn't be able to understand everything or keep up. This could just be a little irrational though:P I'm also kind of confused because most people I know who want medicine have wanted it almost their whole lives and I've just started to want it this year. Do you think that should have any bearing on how well it would suit me? I'm not sure if maybe I just needed to be that little bit older and have more of an understanding of it before I considered it or what.

    That's a really difficult thing to answer to be honest. I've no doubt if you're hard working that you'd be able to do it - you really don't need to be a genius to do medicine, just capable of consistent work and absorbing and integrating large volumes of information. Personally, I definitely didn't want to do medicine my whole life and had similar doubts, though I was going the graduate route. Once you're actually in it it though it IS so interesting and broad that there's a good chance you'll see a home for yourself in it. And if not, well it's not the end of the world either. These kind of decisions can seem very make or break at the time but in the scheme of things, they're not really. First year in any college course is a hard enough time so have a good think about why you're questioning your original decision to do that course. I'd definitely try research it a bit more before making any kind of decision - try get some work experience with a GP or in the hospital or read around the subject and try get a feel for life as a doctor. If the pace of work scares you then the conventional undergrad or mature entry route may be best but the grad course is totally doable, particularly when you're a few years older and a bit more secure in your motivation. Best of luck whatever you decide :)


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