The Student Room Group

Doubts of doing medicine

I did medical work experience on tuesday ( shadowing a consultant on a geriatric ward ) and icl i don't know why but i feel as if its pushed me away from medicine. Like at first i was so excited but throughout the day i started getting doubts. For context I have been saying i want to become a doctor for longer than i can remember and still to this day I have a passion to treat people and make people's quality of life better - that has always been the dream. However it just seems like it takes you about 20 years before you're in a comfortable, stable position as a doctor with a good work-life balance. I'm wondering whether doing dentistry would be a better career option? because it doesn't take a long time to get a job and good salary and you're still treating people however i am less passionate about this. I am so confused right now about what career path to take... please help!
Original post by R.als
I did medical work experience on tuesday ( shadowing a consultant on a geriatric ward ) and icl i don't know why but i feel as if its pushed me away from medicine. Like at first i was so excited but throughout the day i started getting doubts. For context I have been saying i want to become a doctor for longer than i can remember and still to this day I have a passion to treat people and make people's quality of life better - that has always been the dream. However it just seems like it takes you about 20 years before you're in a comfortable, stable position as a doctor with a good work-life balance. I'm wondering whether doing dentistry would be a better career option? because it doesn't take a long time to get a job and good salary and you're still treating people however i am less passionate about this. I am so confused right now about what career path to take... please help!

This is a question that you yourself need to answer as everyone will have a different opinion. For example I’m starting med school in September and I don’t mind going down the long training pathway to become a consultant because it’s what I want to do. So look into it and see what your priorities are. Medicine and dentistry have their own pros and cons
Hey,

I'm currently a medical student going into my 3rd year. I can tell you this confidently that a lot of my peers and myself included have faced many questions like this to ourselves. It can sometimes be a constant ongoing battle with yourself to decide if this is something you want to commit to. It is many years of your life, that you will be committing to Medicine and whilst the training pathway is long and strenuous there is no doubt it is also one of the most rewarding pathways one can choose.

Most importantly, this question is very subjective and I recommend you reflect on what it is you want from your career in life and decide if medicine will do that for you.

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