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Doctor vs Medical resaerch vs Paramedic help WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE ARGHGHHGHG?

Heyo,I need some advice so I want a job in the healthcare field 100% sure just not which path to choose.I was a psych student but I realised I wasn't enjoying my psychology classes but I loved my neuroscience classes and physiology, biology etc. I love medicine, the body how it goes wrong, understanding all the medical tests, working in the hospital, treating patients, saving patients everything about being a doctor seems so interesting. I also recently was in ICU for 2 weeks and almost died so I got to see what the doctors did on a daily basis, all the stuff they did for me. I watch medical videos and procedure and documentaries for fun in my free time.I have been considering being a doctor for 6 years and think of applying but every year I chicken out or get scared or unsure if I am cut out to be a doctor to make it through medical school, if the life I have after and the crazy hours will be something I could cope with. Every time I don't apply I end up regretting it. I get worried because I see all this stuff online about how doctors have high burnout rates, how they end up hating their job and I don't want that to happen to me.I'm currently in health and medical science degree with a neuroscience major and I could and am thinking about going into medical research or similar field however I'm not sure if I would like working in a lab, I think I would rather doing the treatment, diagnosing, having patient contact etc. I'm worried I would find working in a lab boring but its the more realistic and logical and safer path to take. Like research is interesting I love the stuff I'm learning but I don't know if I would want to be the one doing the research.I think I would like being a paramedic but I feel like it would make me want to do more 'medical' long term care type stuff like a doctor.Essentially I think I really want to be a doctor but I'm worried I won't get in, won't end up liking it, will burn out etc.What should I do? Should I be a doc or something else? I'm 19 how can I know what I want to do with my life at 19?

Reply 1

jsg9

You sound sure that you want to be a Doctor, but the fear of the long and challenging path is holding you back. I'm sure there's very few medical students and doctors who haven't felt similar things at one point or another over the course of their careers. Working conditions can be tough, and burnout is an issue, but it depends how much you want to follow this path. Even if those things did happen, with your current degree, and a medical degree, you could always have a break from practising and move towards a research role. Going to medical school does not condemn you to purely working as a doctor forever, there are plenty of other opportunities. As for the stress/burnout etc, it will be influenced on what speciality you choose. Emergency Medicine and Trauma Surgery are going to have a larger requirement for emergency work and potentially more stressful/uncertain/long hour work than a family doctor for example. That's not to say GPs don't suffer from the same problems, but I'm sure you will find something that suits you. Don't let the chance that it could be a challenge hold you back if it's your passion.

Original post by IDKWhatImDoing29

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