Do I still do medicine if I’m not 100%

What is causing you to have doubts?

I’ve struggled with my mental health quite a bit in the last few years and it’s only ever aggravated due to stress. Knowing that medicine is such a stressful career I’m concerned I will end up depressed again. I like the science behind medicine but I’m not sure if I would even like the clinical side of things. During my work experience all the doctors seemed burnt out and stressed which was concerning.

Most decently paid careers involve stress and burnout but it seems particuarly acute in medicine.

I wish more students aspiring to do medicine could see what it is like for people in their 20s and 30s in this field.

That said it is very rewarding and we do need great people to do this. I would say to go with your gut feeling, this is not the kind of thing where you will 'just give it a go' you should be sure.

Yh I was thinking about doing medicine and the thought just fills me with anxiety because I don’t know if I will be a good enough doctor. I think I might pursue biochemistry and see if my mental health improves enough to be able to cope with the pressures of being a doctor.

Instead of being a doctor, have you considered going into research? If you like the science behind it maybe you can check if that’s an option for you?

Yh I was considering that route especially something like medical and pharmaceutical research. What courses could lead me into this?

Doing Medicine at Undergraduate is a good degree even if you don't want to become a doctor. The knowledge and skills you pick up are fantastic for anyone with ambitions of medical or biological research or Masters/PhD etc. I know a lot of medics who graduated, decided against being a doctor, went to the city and earned loads of money (medicine is a very well respected degree even in management, banking, law, etc.)

I would recommend doing medicine, keeping an open mind, and figuring out whether or not you want to be a doctor during the degree and placements themselves. If you 100% hate it, that's fine, it would be incredibly easy to switch from medicine to biology (or a similar degree) at your university. It would be easy in 1st year and in later years.

Maybe try biomedicine? You can still do graduate entry medicine after you finish your degree or 5 years (instead of 6) of undergrad. You’re pretty much guaranteed admission. It’s common.

Specialities such as pathology and radiology have little patient contact anyways since you mentioned you didn't like the clinical side. Also, research is also a good route to take if you don't want any contact with patients. all the best xxx

I’ve struggled with my mental health quite a bit in the last few years and it’s only ever aggravated due to stress. Knowing that medicine is such a stressful career I’m concerned I will end up depressed again. I like the science behind medicine but I’m not sure if I would even like the clinical side of things. During my work experience all the doctors seemed burnt out and stressed which was concerning.

Radiology has frequent patient contact Anyway as ecolier stated, you still need to do many years of work on the wards before you can switch to a histopathology or public health or the like.