Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

My parent's point of view.

My father doesn't think I am made to study Medicine. He thinks it will be too stressful for me and as I have a mental illness any stress can trigger that. My mother is supportive, however. I am going to do a Biomedical Science course before studying Medicine as my grades aren't good enough to go directly into med school. I really want to study Medicine but my father's point of view has made me think twice. My father is a doctor as well so he knows how much hard work it is and I appreciate his experiences and try to put them in perspective. Just wondering what other people's points of view are on this situation. Should I go ahead and do the Biomedical Science course and then go on to study Medicine? I realise my interests might change after studying this undergraduate degree so maybe it is ok to not go straight into a medicine degree.

Reply 1

Personinsertname

Considering its your father and hes a doctor himself i might side with him but given a will and resolve you can do it. The internet might not root for you, family, friends but you don't need to believe in them or believe in me who believes in you. You just need to believe in the you who believes you.
References aside if you think you can do it and think you have advantage over others then take the chance. Regrets can last a lifetime and mistakes can too. They are both equally painful and irrelevant . Its not logic you have to side with however. Your father can help you anyways so consider that a advantage.
its better to assume that hes useles now though. Professions and tests evolve with time and hes probably outdated. Go straight for the medicine degree and prove to yourself, not others. The only person here is you having problems with your choices and future paths.

Reply 2

MonteCristo

Your father is probably just worried about you and, to be honest, lots of medic parents are now actively dissuading their children from entering the profession. It doesn't sound as if you need to make a decision in the immediate future if you don't have the grades to be competitive at undergraduate entry and so will complete a BSc first anyway. If you are still keen then I would continue doing the various things that are necessary for a medical school application (volunteering, shadowing, etc) while actively exploring other careers as well. To be honest, I would be very impressed to read a personal statement from someone that had explored various careers (academic research, industry science, banking, teaching, or whatever else takes your fancy...) and could then explain their reasons for settling on medicine. You might find that you become more enthusiastic about something else but, if not, medicine probably is right for you after all.

The one stress that is unavoidable as a doctor is exams but you will get a good feel during your BSc how you react to them. Exams at medical school will be a bit different (emphasising breadth at the expense of depth) but are unlikely to be harder. The first couple of years working as a doctor can also be stressful but they are soon over (most people enjoy them anyway) and you can soon tailor your career towards something less stressful if necessary. However, I suspect that, like everyone else, you will just find a way to manage the "stress" and would get on fine as long as you're enthusiastic and willing to work hard.