Thursday, August 18, 2011

Is Medicine for You?

The main objective of this class is to help you decide whether a medical profession is for you. After hearing from Dr. Langstaff and Dr. Reynolds answer the questions below:

What interests you about a career in Medicine?

What scares you about a career in Medicine?

At this point, what area of Medicine do you consider to be the most interesting and why?

Be as detailed as possible!

70 comments:

Anonymous said...

Medicine interests me because I really like science and learning new things, and since medicine involves science and changes with new technology, it's a perfect fit. But, it's scary because of how competitive it is and how many intelligent people try and get into this feild. The area I find most interesting is pharamacy because you get to deal with a lot of different people and putting all of the perscriptions and things together sounds like a good time to me.

Anonymous said...

The idea of helping someone with a skill package that only a select few individuals posses is an interest of mine regarding the field of medicine. We as humans always see how the body works and looks from an outsider's perspective, but getting a degree as a doctor would allow for an in depth understanding of the specifics of the body. Both doctors that have talked to our class have commented on the huge commitment regarding the time and school needed to become a doctor. That time commitment is a fear of mine as so many things can happen at so many different times throughout life and interests can change very rapidly. I would like to go into orthopedics at this point because dealing with bones, how they work, and how to fix/repair them seems appealing.

Anonymous said...

The thing that interests me most about a career in medicine is simply becoming a doctor. There seems to be a certain draw to it that make me want to take a dive into the medical field.

Although becoming a doctor interests me very much, I do worry about the amount of things you have to know. To be a doctor, you must be incredibly smart and you MUST remember everything you read. I feel if I became a doctor, I would have trouble doing such. Remembering all the parts of the body and what could happen to them seems like it would be difficult.

I find the most interesting area of medicine to be any type of surgery. Being able to keep calm and use all of the knowledge fixing someone just seems very interesting to me.

jordang2012 said...

What interests me is mainly the fact that you can really help people. Along with that is the fact that you make a ton of money doing that, so it is a win-win. The thing that scares me is that we would have to do a very good job at every surgery, or you get sued/get your license revoked. At this point, I am looking into EMT stuff or even possible military medicine.

Lance L. said...

The thing that interest me most in the career of medicine is that I would have a job that I enjoy waking up in the morning and going to and knowing that it truly matters. The thing that scares me about medicine is all the schooling I would have to go to. It also scares me how much loans i would build up. At this point of medicine i,m not really sure what i would be most interested in i still want to learn a lot more about all the fields.

Anonymous said...

To be totally honest, I'm not interested in Medicine. I think it's fascinating to learn about though and I thought it would be super educational. Which it is! Therefore, I'm only interested to an extent.

So nothing really scares me about a career in Medicine because I don't think I will be going into that field. Then again, I could easily change my mind with all of these surgeons and doctors coming in to speak about their practice.

I have not figured out the area of Medicine that I'm most interested in. It's all new to me and I have yet to discover what that is, but I'm sure when I do find that interest, it will be awesome.

Anonymous said...

I am interested in medicine because I find the human body and the way it works really interesting and I think it would be great to help people. But medicine also scares me because I know that the health of individuals is at stake and I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize anybodies well being. I don't have a specific area of medicine that I find most interesting but I do think surgery is amazing and that's really interesting in my eyes.

Anonymous said...

Medicince has always appealed to the side of me that likes to problem solve. Combined with my people-oriented state of mind, I know I want to be a doctor.
The most threatening thing about the medical field is the political tension involving the subject; it is unsure how the field will be affected by the time I go into residency.
I am drawn to trauma and transplant surgery because it seems like every case would be different. Of course, House got my hopes up about diagnostics, then a family friend in his residency clued me in that that field doesn't exist.

Anonymous said...

What interests me in a career about medicine is helping people/animals (depending on the field I choose to go into)and what I can do that would allow me to help those in need of medical attention. I also find injuries interesting and being able to fix those.
What scares me about medicine is the process at which it takes to finally have a career in the medical professions. It takes many years of schooling to have a profession in the medical world, and although I am willing to go through that process, it also scares me.
I haven't fully decided on what I want to do in Medicine, however I find the area of Veterinary Medicine, and Dentistry to be two interesting fields. I like Veterinary Medicine interesting because I like working with animals and being able to do that everyday would be something I would enjoy. I also find Dentistry to be interesting because I think that the way the mouth works and teeth are just an interesting subject.

Anonymous said...

There are many things that interest me in medicine, but mainly I want to have those interactions with people as well as helping them in a huge way. I have always wanted to help people and I think that a career in medicine is the most fascinating and challenging way to do that.

The main things that scare me about medicine are the large amount of schooling needed to become a physician as well as how hard it is to have a family and be a good mother as well as having such an intense career.

I think that orthopedics and any kind of trauma are the most intersting areas of medicine because in trauma, you are faced with situations that call for possible life or death decisions and nothing is ever "routine". Orthopedics is interesting because of the new technology being vreated for the surgery as well as dealing with athletic related injuries.

HannahS said...

Helping people and having a rewarding career is what interests me most about medicine. In addition, the human body has always fascinated me. I am curious to know how the muscles work in order to help us perform daily activities. I want to be able to interact with patients and get to know them on a personal level. What scares me the most about a career in medicine is the content being incredibly hard causing me to fall behind and become lost. I ask myself, am I the right person to pursue a career in medicine? Considering my interest in the muscles and their functions, I am most interested in Physical or Occupational therapy. I also love the aspect of treating athletes and helping them heal so they can continue participating in sports.

Haley said...

What interests me about a career in medicine is the chance to get to help people on a daily basis and to be constantly learning. I also like that most careers in medicine will much more than just a desk job. I really find medicine fascinating and I believe a career in medicine would be extremely rewarding.
The things that scare me about a career in medicine are the length of education required to pursue it and the competitiveness among those trying to get into med school or residency. Both of the concerns are pretty major but not enough so to make me consider pursuing a different career.
At the moment I think neurosurgery is the most interesting aspect of medicine. I think the human brain is fascinating in the way that it is so complex and that we may never fully understand it. Over the summer I got a chance to observe a neurosurgery where a tumor was removed from a man’s brain and it made me quite sure that I wanted to pursue a career in neurosurgery.

Anonymous said...

What interests me most about medicine is being able to save peoples lives every day, and have it just be a part of the job

Being in charge of someones life is what scares me most about medicine. I dont want to mess up and kill the person.

I find the nursing/PA side of medicine to be most interesting. It is a lot more hands on than Dr. It also has A LOT less schooling. More specifically I want to work in the ER. It is so faced paced that I would never get bored and would always have something interesting and exciting to do.

Anonymous said...

I am interested in a career in medicine because I have a desire to help people and solve their problems. I also have an interest in biology and am very interested in human anatomy and how the human body functions. Also, I have wanted to go into medicine for about two years now. However I am not sure exactly what path of medicine to go towards; at this point I just want to start out wanting to be a physician and then finding my way in med school, but if I had to choose now I may want to go into cardiology or pulminology because these systems are complex and interesting.

Some things I'm afraid about going into medicine is that I'm worried I'll go into medicine and realize that it is not right for me. This is a big part of why I am taking medicine in the morning; to determine if it is right for me. Also I am afraid of malpractice lawsuits.

Anonymous said...

What interests me about a career in Medicine is being able to help people every day and that what I am doing is going to benefit the lives of others. I have always wanted to be in an environment that is fulfilling and in which I have to opportunity to help people. What scares me the most about Medicine is having to see people in pain. I know that that’s a requirement when it comes to having a career in any kind of medicine field, and I hope that I can overcome this. I consider pediatric care, neurology, and psychology the most interesting areas of Medicine because I have always been interested in the mind and how it works and why it works in a certain way. Plus, I love kids and I think being a pediatrician would a really amazing career.

Anonymous said...

Medicine is an interesting field, I think the science behind the practice. I'm also interested in the connection between doctors and patients, and working twards saving lives.
My fears about this career are mainly the long hours, the stress, and the stain of family life.
I'm mostly considering psychiatry, because it is a combination of both psychology and medicine.

Anonymous said...

I've always known that I want to have a career in the medical field. People have always told me that I have a helpful personality, and I know that I'm a huge problem solver. When a problem is brought to me, I usually focus all my attention on fixing said problem until I reach a solution. My family is all in the medical field as well, which captured my interest very early on in my life.

A few things that make me anxious about being in the medical field (for me, a Physician) is that no matter what, you've got to be able to make a smart decision when no one else can make it for you. Sometimes I feel like I can be a very indesicive person which will be something I'm going to have to overcome before I begin my practice.

Right now, I'm very interested in becoming a PA, maybe in Pediatrics, because I love working with kids. Also, because I know first hand that when you go to the doctors for a checkup for because you have a cold, you spend more time with your PA and in most cases see your doctor only in the last 5 minutes of your visit.

Anonymous said...

To me, the most interesting thing about a career in medicine is that your job changes every single day. I also think it would be a challenging and rewarding career once you got through all the school. Also, it would be amazing to have such a huge impact in society.
The only thing that I am scared about in a career in Medicine is the amount of time it takes to become a doctor. Schooling takes anywhere around 10 years and that is a lot to do before you enter the real world. The process it takes to get into medical school scares me as well.
In Medicine, I think that being an orthopedic surgeon like Dr. Reynolds is very interesting. I think this would be interesting because you would get to work with sports related injuries. Also, I think that repairing key ligaments and bones would be very rewarding because it really is necessary for those people. The chance to work for any college or professional sports team would be an incredible oppurtunity and that would be very interesting.

Amanda E said...

In medicine, I am interested in either Physical Therapy, or some type of rehab after surgery, or a Pediatrition. The medicine career scares me because of all the schooling that has to be done in order to acheive the degree I want. It also scares me to think that there is so much responsiblity in every decision you make because other people's lives are in your hands. At this time, I consider the area of Sports Medicine and Pediatrics to be most interesting becuase, after playing sports I have visited many orthopedics and find that very interesting. Also, I enjoy working with and helping kids in need,and being a Pediatrition would give me that opportunity.

Anonymous said...

I am interested in medicine as a career for bio-medical engineering. Medicine interests me because it demonstrates our advances as our ability to preserve life increases. Nothing is frightening to me about medicine, but rather I am concerned about the competitiveness of medical school in general.

Anonymous said...

My interest in the field of medicine is the study of trauma and aftershock of surgical procedures. I hope to become a psychologist, and many people have a difficult time dealing with themselves after specific surgeries. While doctors and the like can fix a person physically, there can be internal damage to a person’s mind. For example, if a man had a 2X4 sticking out of his chest, he might have a hard time dealing with that. What worries me about the medical careers is the harsh competition that exists for the positions. The most interesting field of medicine would be trauma, because it involves the most psychological aspect.

Anonymous said...

It is interesting to me how much the world has advanced on a medical stand point. How they have been able to remove pieces of your body, reconstruct, or put something into your body and improve it immensely.
The thing I fear most about going into medicine is the fact that even though you'll have some time to spend with your family it would not be nearly the amount of time I would like to. And family is extremely important to me.
The area of medicine I consider to be most interesting is Oncology. I find it fascinating how cells can live in your body for so long and then at any given point something triggers it and the cell multiply at such a fast rate they are almost uncontrollable to the point it can kill you.

Anonymous said...

Medecine is easily the most interesting field of occupation in my eyes for many reasons. I love working with other people, and it's cool how many people's lives you can touch through the medical field. I think it's interesting how much information is out there about every specific medical proffession and I wish I could obtain it all, but I also think it would be surreal to specialize in one area where I could become an expert on the field of study which interests me most. Which moves me to my next point. My dad has been an anesthesiologist my entire life, and growinig up exposed to the work he did inspired me to become one likewise. I think dealing with patients and putting them to sleep is a cool specialty because it is very important in surgery and other trauma. I also like anesthesiology because of the variety of people you get to work with, because "one size fits all", if you will, with the practice of anesthesiology. My dad tells me it's cool to deliver babies in the morning and help a cancer patient in the evening. My dad's work has inspired to follow his passion as well as mine (I believe). I think the scariest concept of the medical field is the competitiveness that is existant from the moment you enter pre-med to the final bell in a residency or a fellowship. I know it's competitive and I accept the challenge, but I also don't want to fail at achieving my goal to become a specialty doctor. I guess hard work and dedication will determine the outcome of that. Farewell and thanks!

Anonymous said...

As a diabetic, I am greatly interested into the endocrinology portion of medicine. I really would like to better understand how the immune system works and how certain diseases weaken your body’s immune system naturally. My fear, when I think of medicine would have to be related to finding a path in medicine that I absolutely love, especially after all the schooling the career entails. My greatest interest in medicine is likely to be the nutritional aspects and how our body uses certain antibodies to resist some products humans consume because it’s a very profitable field with the multitude of people being diagnosed with allergies.

Anonymous said...

After hearing from Dr. Langstaff and Dr. Reynolds I am still feeling very interested in a medical profession. A career in medicine is interesting to me because it is a profession that combines several of my interests. I am interested in a profession that combines caring for and helping others, science, as well as an opportunity to continue learning long after I have graduated from school. I am also interested in medicine because of the flexibility it gives those who work in the medical field. With a degree in medicine I would be able to travel all over the world practicing medicine and be able to form my work schedule around my family when I have one.

What scares me about medicine is the large amount of competition that exists in this field. Getting into a medical school will be difficult but this is a profession that will allow me to strive to be the best that I can be.

At this point I am most interested in nursing because the amount of schooling is not as long as that of a doctor. Also, I feel that nurses are the ones responsible for building and maintaining relationships with patients in ways that the doctor is not able.

Madison B. said...

After listening to Dr. Langstaff and Dr. Reynolds I have grown a great apprectiation for this class. The main reason why I chose this class was because I hope to one day be a doctor (one like Dr. Reynolds). My favorite subjects are Math and Science. I also enjoy sports, so I feel that Orthopedic surgery would be a good fit for me. I have had many sport related injuries so I actually visited the Orthopedic Surgeon quite a bit. Even though I would be upset having to come in with a injury, the visits would always be an enriching experience. Their interaction with people and their involvment with sports and sciences combined is what really sparked my interest. However what scares me the most is picking the right undergraduate school so I can give myself the best opportunity to get into medical school. I am also scared about the MCAT because I know I am not a good test taker.

Anonymous said...

The thing that interests me in a career in Medicine is the amount of money to be made and also the thought of a flexible schedule, depending on what your profession is. But the thing that scares me most about pursuing a career in Medicine is the pile of loans and the years spent training. It scares me because what if in the end of it all I end up changing my mind, there goes what are suppossed to be the greatest years of my life plus I'm buried in loans. The area of Medicine I'm most interested in would have to be being some sort of surgeon.

Anonymous said...

What interests me most about a career in Medicine is the patient interaction. I feel like there is no other career that you can touch people's lifes in the way this one can. I also really enjoy how this field is always changing and I can constantly be learning. What scares me is how competitive the medical field can be and the stress that is put on you and your family. I have always been most interested in surgery, more specifically cardiothoracic. Last year in a Health Science Program, our class did a heart transplant on a pig's heart then stitched it up. It was the most facinating thing I have ever done. It made me realize just how much passion I have for Medicine.

Anonymous said...

I am interested in a career in medicine because I really like the study of the body, I think the way everything moves and the mechanics behind it is really fascinating. I also like the idea of being able to help people, it seems like it would be really fulfilling and I would like to be able to help people in third world countries who do not have access to medicine. A career in medicine does also seem a little frightening; I am worried about the debt I will have accumulated by the end of medical school. I also am worried about if I would be able to have a family and work. I think orthopedic surgery sounds really interesting, I want to major in engineering before I go to medical school and so I would like to apply the mechanics to the body.

Anonymous said...

I find the body fascinating. Everything is connected to everything else. There's a lot of cause and effect, and the problem solving related to that would keep it interesting for me. I like that the science is constantly evolving to. I can't imagine doing exactly the same thing every day for the rest of my life and medicine seems to be full of fresh new people, problems, and techniques all the time.
The amount you have to invest in this career is formidable to think about, especially since I'm not quite sure what field i want to go into yet. I'd like to help people, but I'm not too much of a people person. I can just imagine myself being blunt and factual when the patient really needed a caring physician.
Right now, I am looking to get trained in BIT, Brain Integration Technique. It deals a lot with the electrical circuitry in the body. Muscle activation, allergy elimination and all sorts of things tie into it. Again, it is the cause effect pairs that I find so interesting. I could also see myself in surgery.

Anonymous said...

Medicine interests me because of the constant changes and advances in technology and science. The thing that scares me about medicine is the work load and length of college. The most interesting area of medicine for me is physical therapy. I love being around sports and I hurt my knee often. Because of this I have already been learning different ways to help injuries.

Anonymous said...

What interests me about a career in medicine is the constant growth and expansion of the field. There are new discoveries and new methods constantly revising the system, and to be part of this would be fascinating to me. Also, having the opportunity to help others and do so as a job would be a dream come true for me.
What scares me about a career in medicine is the competitiveness of getting into medical school and succeeding, as well as the idea that people's lives are entrusted into your hands. The amount of responsibility that comes with a career like this is intimidating, but worth it, in my opinion.
Currently, I am not sure which field of medicine I am most interested in, but there are a couple that have definitely caught my attention. I love the complexity of the brain, and I constantly revel in the overall majesty of the control center of the entire body. However, I have also been intrigued by oncology and the mysterious and devastating effects of cancer. To be able to research this would be a challenge and a privilege.

Anonymous said...

The most interesting part of a career in medicine is the innovation used to save lives. The medical field has come up with different ways to improve quality of life in their patients. Artificial hearts, pacemakers, MRI scans etc. For me the most interesting part is the meeting between medicine and technology.

The thing that scares me the most about medicine is not being able to help someone at all. All problems have some solution, but there are always some cases that there's simply nothing that can be done. The last thing I want is to have someone come to me for help and have to tell them or their family that there's nothing I can do.

The most interesting area to me is in medical technology or biomedical engineering. I like building and making things and designing to solve a problem and I also want to be able to help people directly as in medicine.

drew said...

When asked the question what interests me in a career in medecine, I think of things like helping people who are in bad to worse conditions and making them better off through what I do to help them. Even though doctors tend to get paid well and are highly respected, a defenite scare for me is the debt coming out of college. According to Dr. Langstaff, coming out of college you on average have a 180 to 200 thousand dollar debt to student loans for medical school. For me personally, I think that finding a career in medecing is something I have to put some thought into and by taking this class I can get a more general idea.

Anonymous said...

A career in medicine interests me because it's a field where the main objective is to help people and make people more healthy.

The main thing that scares me about medicine is the amount of responsibility. It's imperative that I remember every procedure and every order for helping someone.

At this point I consider the most interesting area of medicine as something that integrates mechanical engineering. Whether it be creating procedures or putting together new prosthetics, or developing a small computer to work with the prosthetics.

Anonymous said...

My interest in pursuing a career in medicine is because I enjoy working with people but also have a big love for sports and want to help people who have injuries from sports. But also because science is a subject I enjoy learning about and having fun in the class whether it’s a test or note or a lab it all is exciting and new and would be fun to have a job about science. But what scares me about a career in medicine is what if you screw up something you’re trying to do and damage the person you were trying to help. And also it is a lot of school and money so I don’t know if I want to go through that process. My top area in medicine right now would be sports medicine one because it involves sports which I love but I enjoy help athletes and working with them and hearing their stories.

Anonymous said...

The interests I have about a career in Medicine is that I want to become a nurse and science has always interested me, especially the human anatomy and the world around us. Helping people is also one of my strong points and through medicine I can help people and make them feel comfortable. What scares me is all the work that will be put into this and remembering all the little details. Also, when you are in medicine, you have someone else's life in your hands and it is a lot of pressure. I just don't want to mess up and hurt someone when I am trying to help them. I consider the nursing in medicine to be the most interesting because it is your job to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible and really all the prep activities is really fun. Also, meeting different people is interesting towards me and seeing all the different problems people come into without the pressure of doing surgery or finding out the problem.

Anonymous said...

To me the most interesting thing about medicine is the aspect that not every day is the same, each person that you meet in medicine will have a different medical history that will effect how you will treat the patient. This will mean that every day a new challenge will be presented to the doctor every time that he walks through the door. To me the diversity that comes from the medical field provides a way to have a job where there will never be a dull moment. Another thing that interests me in a career in medicine is how it takes a wide range of academic fields and combines them to form a separate unique field that no other career can match.

The scariest thing about medicine is the fact that there is no room for error, every mistake that you make has the potential to blow up and turn into something unexpected that can endanger the patient's life. The responsibility that rests on the doctors' shoulders is a heavy burden, and the responsibility of doing every thing that you can and still having the patient die on you, and the responsibility that you would feel for the patient's death is by far the scariest thing about medicine.

I would like to go into the pediatric field right now because I like the unique element that children bring into medicine, and I would like to help kids and their parents through the wild and crazy years of childhood.

Anonymous said...

I am interested in a career in medicine because I am fascinated with the human body. I also am a very big people person and love helping people. Medicine combines my love of the human body and helping people together. What scares me about medicine is the schooling. I am nervous I wont be smart enough to get where I want to be, but I am willing to work hard to get where I want to go. At this point Sports Medicine interest me the most because I am an athlete myself, and as most I have had many injuries.

Anonymous said...

Medicine intrests me because i have always been intrested in learning about the human body and how it works. i also love helping people. the thing that scares me about medice is that it takes so much time to complete and that it is such a competetive field so not everyone will get to do exactly what they would want. I consider medicine to be interesting because there are so many different types of medicine that arn't the same so it will never be boring.

Anonymous said...

To me, some interesting things about a career in medicine is being able to help other people through hard times. Dr. Reynolds commented on this and mentioned that he feels a satisfaction when helping others. Another thing that interests me is being able to be social with everyone. One of Dr. Langstaff’s important things when going into medicine is being a good people person. I enjoy being sociable so this is a positive of a medicine career.
One thing that scares me about a career in medicine is the education. It worries me that you have to go through so many years of school.
Orthopedic surgery is the most interesting field of medicine to me because I play a lot of sports and would love to work with other athletes. I am familiar with some sports injuries from personal experience and I think I would enjoy learning about all of the injuries that are happening in sports.

Anonymous said...

In medicine, I am very interested in the opportunity to help people in a very real way. It’s a career where you get to talk to people and interact while always having the opportunity to learn more about the human body and how science applies to it.
The highly competitive and utter possibility of failure is what scares me the most in medicine. I appreciate the process because it helps everyone to know that most doctors are pretty top tier, so from a patient’s perspective I do really appreciate that. It seems like a good gauge to know if you have what it takes but the possibility of failure is very scary.
At this point I am really interested critical care and trauma. I went to a camp where we did a lot of backpacking and hiking. I found learning about the first aid to be so interesting and seeing how something that you can do will have an effect on someone’s well being. I think I would really like the “on your toes” feeling and the need to think quickly in trauma and just the opportunity to save someone’s life or loved one after something bad has happened.

Anonymous said...

The main thing that interests me in the field of medicine is the ability to help people. I like to work with my hands, so a combination of people and the work would be a good fit for me. It’s not the actual career that scares me. Once you get past the schooling it seems like an awesome job. From what I’ve heard med school is very rigorous and can sometimes be very hard to even get in. I would say that is the one down side of practicing medicine but at the same time very worth it once you succeed. The field of medicine I would like to pursue possibly is orthopedics. Once or if I got the degree I would take my practice to Africa where I have seen the most need for orthopedic surgeons.

Anonymous said...

A career in Medicine interests me because I love working with people, especially when I matter to them. I don’t want a career where someone is thankful I fixed their car or something; I want to be helpful when help is essential. I also love science and think Anatomy is really cool. The whole fact that everything in your body is linked to everything else and everything works together… that’s awesome. It’s definitely enough to spend your life learning about, and that’s also key. I can’t imagine myself doing one single thing for the rest of my life over and over again, but in Medicine every day is different. That’s the number one thing I want, to be challenged and happy, everyday.
What scares me about choosing Medicine is the commitment. You don’t really change your mind once you’re in Med School, and the financial aspect is huge. It’s no easy decision. Also the fact that my friends will be making a living four years from now, but I won’t is pretty discouraging.
I’m interested in Neurology, General Surgery, and Emergency Medicine right now, but who know. I am 100% sure I don’t want to be a Pediatrician though.

Anonymous said...

After hearing Dr. Langstaff and Dr. Reynolds tell us their knowledge in Medicine and their experiences I still believe that I am interested in the Medical profession. I would pursue a career in medicine because I would get the chance to help people and travel abroad. Also, in the medical career people are continually learning new facts and ways to cure certain illnesses. Though, having responsibility for people's lives and the possibility of people dying under my care is a scary thing to consider when pursuing the medical career. I think being a radiologist of a midwife would be the most interesting medical career to pursue because it would give me a chance to work with new born kids and help families.

Anonymous said...

I’m interested in a career in medicine because I would have the ability to help others. As cliché as that sounds, it’s true. The point of medicine is to help others in various ways whether that’s completing knee surgery or checking a heart beat for a physical. Yes, it’s possible to help others in various ways, however I would like to combind my love for biology with my desire to help and connect with patients.
The MCATs kind of scare me. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like a very difficult test, yet in the end it would be worthwhile. Also, making an error on a patient whether that’s completing a surgery incorrectly or misdignosing the patient kind of makes me nervous.
For me, I’m thinking similarly to the work of Dr. Reynolds in orthopedics or pediatrician. For me, I’d like to do medicine for sport or working with kids.

Anonymous said...

Initially medicine appealed to me from a diagnostic approach, I found it fascinating all of the different illnesses and injuries that could occur and set out to know more about them. As I got to know the subject more I realized that I would love trying to remedy these problems. I volunteered at Littleton Hospital a few summers ago and additionally realized that I loved to help the patients and do whatever I could to make them feel better under their condition.
I am scared the most about a career in medicine because of the responsibility of peoples lives in your hands. I also am not positive that this is the career path I want due to the large amount of schooling and its impact upon building and maintaining a family.
I think becoming an anesthesiologist would be fascinating. I love the idea of using chemistry and figuring out the correct dosage and interacting with people, though not to the extent of a nurse. I also would love to choose an area in which I could determine what hours to work instead of at unusual hours.

Anonymous said...

I am most interested in using my knowledge and education in medicine to help people and improve their life. I want to have the opportunity to change lives, and a career in Medicine allows an opportunity for that on a daily basis.

I am most scared of the rigorous classes to prepare with a career in Medicine, as well as the competition between my fellow classmates. I have the passion for helping people, so I know I will be driven to perform well in Medicine.

At this point, I consider cardiology to be the most interesting area because it is fascinating to see the advancements today. Infants born with heart defects have a higher chance of surviving today because of brave surgeons and increasing success in technology. Also, pacemakers greatly improve the lifespan of many people by monitoring their heart rhythm. If I continue my studies in the medical field, I know that I will see great advancements that improve the longevity of people's lives.

Anonymous said...

Meicine intersests me because it seems to be a very interesting job with several options. It also gives me a chance to help people which in my opinoin is a great reward ontop of the pay. Medicine also seems very scary. There is alot of competition and from what i hear alot of work. I find surgery and things along that line also terriffying. I am still unsure about what field in medicine i want to participate in. I want to learn more in medicine class before i make that desicion.

Anonymous said...

Medicine has always come as an interest to me. I have always wanted to be a pediatrics nurse, and I believe it would be a perfect career for my personality type. I love the idea of helping people on an every day basis.
A career with Medicine would be stressful a lot of the times. That is what scares me most, is thinking about the amount of stress and hard work that comes with a medical career, even though it would be worth it.
At this point, I consider a nursing career to be the most interesting, because you get to work with a wide variety of people and make a difference in many lives. I think being a nurse would help me make a difference in many lives and it would be a career that I could see myself in for a very long time, as well as it being something I would enjoy doing.

Anonymous said...

I have always been interested in a career in medicine. It's just always been something that I've wanted to do - knowing I'm helping people I guess.
What scares me the most about medicine is not getting accepting into rthe program. I'm interested in nursing, and at the University of Wyoming (where I'd like to study), they only admit 48 students into the nursing program. Also, when I get into the program (because I know that when I work hard I will get in), they have SIM men. I really don't want to kill one of them. They say that they've had students walk out of the simulation room crying - I don't really want to be one of those people but hey, it might happen.
The area of medicine I am interested in is pediatric nursing. I've always loved kids, and they seem to love being around me too. Just ask the 8 year old who lives across the street who has come over to my house to ask if I can play everyday of the summer isnce she was 2 years old. I also know a pediatric cardiogist (nurse) who works at Children's Hospital who I could shadow once I turn 18 next August (they JUST changed the policy).

Anonymous said...

what interests me is homeopathic medicine. I don't really think I want to go to medical school, to be a doctor I just like to have the ability of knowing about the subject and about how to help people. The reason I am most intrested in homeopathy is because I want to be a botanist. Also because I am very interested I biology medicine just seems like a fun thing to learn.

What scares me about it is that there always seems to be someone better than you at what you do. Also that we discover more and more every day and what you learn can become outdated very fast, but that can be a good thing to if you like to learn, which I do. So it seems in the field of medicine you never stop learning.

Anonymous said...

Many aspects of practicing medicine are particularly interesting to me. Strange as it may seen, I love the idea of having another few years of school after college. The opportunity to learn more is always appreciated. Additionally, I find medicine interesting in that opportunities for research and volunteering are already incorporated. The idea that I could contribute to the field through the form of research before I even become a certified M.D. is very appealing.
There are many aspects of the medical fields I find “scary” as well. First and foremost, I am terrified that if I made a mistake in a person’s treatment regimen, they could die due to my incompetence. From what I have heard it is an unavoidable part of the field, and while I know most mistakes occur in earnest, I am pretty sure that the weight of my mistake would stay with me for the rest of my life. Another aspect of medicine I find scary is the apparent difficulty of the application process. In addition, everyone I talked to acted like med school IS your life for the years you are in it; they had no time for social activities. I know I could find that to be very tiring, very quickly.
The area of medicine I consider to be most interesting is Radiology, specifically the specialty of Diagnostic Radiology. There are to primary reasons for this view. The first is I feel radiology is the staging point for all other medical fields. It is what any doctor looks at, maybe with some crucial blood tests, to find any major problems in the body and to begin formulating solutions. I like that radiology is such a central branch of medicine. The second reason is that, of all of the medical fields, Radiology is experiencing one of the quickest advancements (due to increased complexity and capability of technology). The imaging technologies we use today, MRI, X-Ray, Nuclear scans, will soon be replaced with new advanced technologies leading to better, probably 3-D images.

Anonymous said...

What interests me about Medicine is anatomy. I think the human body is amazing at what it can do and how it works. There is just so much intricacy in every action we do or thought that we have. Medicine harnesses the understanding of these intricacies and makes it possible to help others, which to me is something I want to do with my life.
I am scared about the commitment. Medicine takes up your life, and I am scared that I may decided not to follow a career in medicine half way through the process and have to start from the beginning again to get a job.
Physical Therapy really interests me. As I said before, the human body is astounding, and our ability to recover from trauma is equally amazing. I love sports and I not only want to help athletes through rehabilitation but also help them play with efficiency while being healthy. Nursing also interests me because it is helping the doctors and more forming relationships with the patients.

nicoles said...

My interest in medicine definitely peaked when I got an osteochondroma removed from my left knee in the beginning of eighth grade. I had always loved biology in middle school, and after meeting with my surgeon and going through the entire recovery process, I realized that I wanted to be a doctor. By the time I had my shoulder surgery done two years later, I was completely convinced that a career in medicine was the way to go! I love learning about the human body, and how we function, regardless of the stresses we put on ourselves on a day-to-day basis. I’ve always wanted to pursue a career where I can do something that I love, live comfortably, and most importantly, help people. Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life, and, with medicine, I would be able to incorporate it into my profession. I have been volunteering at Porter Hospital on the Cardiology floor, and even though I play a small part in its facility, I believe I have truly helped several patients. As cliché as it sounds, helping others is the most rewarding experience. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else with my life, and even though becoming a doctor is a huge commitment, I am in for the long haul.
However, I am scared about going through all of the years of necessary school and being financially, for lack of a better word, “screwed.” I know that the average amount of debt from medicine school is around $200,000, which is not easily paid off in a short amount of time. It obviously can work out, but that is one of my major concerns. Also, if I ever do want to have a family, I hope I am able to. Becoming a doctor is a time consuming profession, and I will always be busy. I hope that marriage and children will have a place in my life.

At this point, I would love to become a trauma surgeon. From the research that I have done, and the people I have talked to, it seems to be one of the most exciting fields in medicine. I love the fact that as a trauma surgeon you never know what will enter the emergency room. Saving people from near death experiences is such an amazing concept, and I cannot wait to become a surgeon. Even though I would have to go to school for another several years in order to become a practicing surgeon, I think it will be completely worth it. Although I may change my mind about what kind of doctor or surgeon I would like to become, the fact that I will be saving peoples’ lives is what matters most to me.

Anonymous said...

There are several things that interest me in a medical career such as always being challenged, eventually having flexible hours, and the fascination of the human body. I have always loved going to the doctor’s office and interacting with the doctor and other medical professionals.

One thing that scares me in Medicine is the amount of schooling and training required. After four years of college, I would think that I would be burnt out of school and ready to start my career, not add 7-10 more years of schooling on top of that. When everything has been completed and you are finally out on your own, it is very possible that you are 30 and haven’t started a life or a family.

I consider pediatrics and emergency care the most interesting. Ideally, I would like a career in pediatric emergency care, which combines both interests. Currently, becoming a nurse seems more appealing because it requires less schooling and training.

Anonymous said...

My interest in a medical career originated at a young age. I was always in and out of my GP's office because of sports related injuries. The doctor's sheer knowledge of complex injuries and ability to determine what was wrong with my body never ceased to amaze me. It made me consider that medicine may be something I would like to pursue.
Injuries scare me more than anything. It isn't seeing blood or broken bones that gets me though; it is concretely the idea that someone is in pain. When I get hurt, it doesn't bother me at all. However, seeing someone else who is injured is a whole other story. I really don't deal with that very well.
After seven years of basketball, 14 years of soccer, 5 on and off years of tennis and an endless supply of injuries, sports medicine appeals to me more than anything. After knee surgery in March to repair my torn meniscus, I really felt a desire to help other athletes recover from injuries and fix their problems like my orthopedic surgeon did for me.

Kailynw said...

 -
 
What interests you about a career in Medicine?  
 I am interested in Medicine for a few reasons. Primarily I would like to help people. I believe, like Dr. Langstaff, that part of my responsibility as a capable and healthy person is to aid those in need. This said there exist a plethora of possible careers that provide assistance. I love science. As a curious person I can satisfy bits of my craving for knowledge in this field. The capabilities of the human body fascinate me to a level unequaled by anything else. Additionally, I define myself as a student, and want to have a career in which I challenge myself and learn on a daily basis.
However it really all comes down to the fact that: I want to cure.

- 
What scares you about a career in Medicine?  
I am not so much scared, but certainly apprehensive, about a few aspects in Medicine. I believe that the amount of responsibility held by a doctor is certainly exhilarating but, at this point seems slightly extreme. I am also curious to hear how women, specifically, in the medical field balance family life with work. I am interested in very specific rigorous areas of medicine and wonder if all of my goals and desires can work together.

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At this point, what area of Medicine do you consider to be the most interesting and why?  
At this point I find two areas of Medicine particularly eye-catching. For the last few years I have been extremely intrigued by Emergency Medicine.  I love the constant problem-solving nature and believe that such a continual variance of care would coincide with my personality. I volunteered for a year in an Emergency Room and have had the incredible opportunity of shadowing a few E.R. doctors and P.A.’s. I crave the intense immediacy of this area. This past year, however, I also had some exposure to surgery. There is an element of surgery that particularly caught my attention. I am fascinated by the possibility of surgery providing a solution to a problem, not simply postponing imminent danger. Both of these areas are ones that I am excited to explore to a greater extent.
 


Aizlinne S said...

I want a career that allows me to help people; medicine will give me the unique opportunity to have a patient’s complete trust, and therefore will let me help said patient in the best way that I know how. There is no other career where the client asks you to poke and prod them, and run whatever tests are needed. Patients trust their doctors to fix them, and improve their condition of living.
The thing that scares me the most about medicine is making a mistake that could potentially harm a patient. All of the fields I am considering are at least somewhat high risk jobs, (neonatal, emergency pediatrics, and trauma).
The areas that I consider the most interesting are the different types of trauma, there’s always something new and exciting happening and you have to be ready for the unexpected.
I also am looking at neonatal and pediatric type jobs because of my love for children and babies.

Anonymous said...

I am interested in a career in medicine because science and the human body really interest me. My mom is a pharmacist so I know a lot about medicine. What scares me is first of all, how much school is required, and how long it takes to actually get to a point in your life where you are practicing and making money. At this point, I really don't think I know enough about enough different areas of medicine to decide which area I am interested in, so I am looking forward to hearing from doctors in all these different specialties.

DrewS. said...

Medicine interests me because it demonstrates our advances as our ability to preserve life and because it is aver changing. There is nothing that really scares me about medicine yet. But rather I am a little nervous about the course load. At this point, Paramedicine is very interesting to me and I want to become a Firefighter/Paramedic.

Anonymous said...

The best explanation that I have for my interest in medicine is that I have a gut feeling about it. I love the idea of a challenge and dealing with the natural forces. I want to be able to go home at the end of the day and know that I helped someone or saved someones life and that someone will remember me because I did something right. I believe that when you are making a difference, you are living a purposeful life. I am only going to live once and if there is any kindness that I can show or any good thing I can do for a fellow human being, I would, because its my only chance. The practice of medicine is universal and I can look forward, even in my retirement years, to volunteer to serve in groups of doctors that travel worldwide to treat a variety of patients with different illnesses.


Medicine in itself is scary because when people don't know whats wrong with them, they look to doctors for help. And those doctors take responsibility for treating their patients and it can get scary when the patient can't be helped. Doctors respond to the symptoms that people have and sometimes there is no correct diagnosis or cure and it becomes a matter of instict to decide how to help. And sometimes you can't.


At this point, the most interesting area of medicine for me is biomedical engineering. Biomedical engineering is where you apply engineering principles to create new devices and approaches to solve existing medical problems.

Anonymous said...

One area of a career in Medicine that really intrigues me is the idea of following a patient from the first sign of injury or illness through to recovery. Within the field of Medicine, I know that my interest lies in working directly with patients. I enjoy forming relationships with others and think that I would prefer an area of Medicine that would allow me to work with patients on an ongoing basis. I believe that Medicine is an ongoing learning experience that I must keep up with in order to provide the best care for my patients.

At this point, what scares me about Medicine is the fear of not being accepted into Medical School after my bachelor’s degree. I worry about what degree to pursue and how in the world I will afford to pay off student loans. My own research was confirmed when Dr. Langstaff and Dr. Reynolds told us that Medical School programs are highly competitive. I am definitely willing to put in the work but I am already worried about each decision I make; whether it’s what school to go to, what degree best fits my interests, or even if I am doing enough volunteer work at the hospital.

Right now, my interest is leaning toward a career in Chiropractic Medicine or Physical Therapy. As a freshman, I sustained a rib injury that I continue to battle. My primary care doctor originally suggested a few months rest. When I decided that rest was not improving the injury, I was encouraged to see a chiropractor, acupuncturist and physical therapist. All three of these specialists have helped me to understand my injury and how to best treat it so that I am able to continue participating in the physical activities I love. The injury I have isn’t “curable” but the specialists that I have worked with have created plans for me to stay active instead of telling me that I cannot participate. This experience has sparked a passion to work with other athletes with injuries; the answers may not be black and white but there are answers if you are persistent.

Erica said...

What interests you about a career in Medicine?
What interests me in the field of medicine is the fact that is is always changing. It is interesting because you make think you know whats wrong; and it turns out it is something completely different and new. What also intrigues me about medicine is Trauma units. It must be very interesting seeing the wide variety of traumatic injuries on a daily basis.

What scares you about a career in Medicine?
What scares me about medicine is having the responsibility of someones life on your shoulders. You being the expert should know what to do in most cases; what happens if you don't know what to do or you make a wrong diagnosis?


At this point, what area of Medicine do you consider to be the most interesting and why?
I consider Neurology being the most interesting. I think this because there is still so much we don't know about the human brain and how it works with the body.

Anonymous said...

What interests me the most about medicine is the ability to not only diagnose an illness in such a complex organism, but to be able to treat/prevent it.
The thing that scares me about a career in Medicine is if I will be able to make it a career, or if it will be more of a "volunteer" kind of thing depending on how the whole freee health care plan works out.
At this point, I would consider the area of Cardiovascular surgery because I find the heart to be very interesting/cool...it's also one of the most important things in your body.

Alli A said...

I am very interested in a career in Medicine because I love helping people. My very good friend, Sydney Schmeling, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a tumor in the brain stem. She has been fighting this awful cancer for two years now. This is the main reason why I want to choose a career in medicine. Nothing really scares me about medicine, however I am a very emotional person, so I don't think I could choose a career that has to do with Sydney's condition. At this point, I find all areas of medicine very interesting. Every area of the human body fascinates me. I am hoping this class will help me find an area of medicine that interests me the most.

Anonymous said...

I have always been interested in the medicine field. My mom was a nurse and now a Chronic Care Coordinator. Although I am not interested in the same job as her I have always been curious about medicine. I love having to solve problems, make choices and decisions, and helping people. Also knowing that things are always changing and you never know what will happen next truly excites me and keeps me fascinated with the field of medicine.
What scares me about medicine is that someone is depending on you to find them help, to make them better, and maybe even save their life. Despite this fear, I want to be there for someone when they need me most.
At this point I’m not sure what area of medicine I’m interested in. I haven’t seen, heard or learned about the many areas of medicine to understand what area is right for me. On the other hand, I am very interested in the process of surgery. It interests me because I like everything about the body including its capabilities. I also like challenging myself on a daily basis with something new. Like I said before I love making decisions and choices, solving problems and helping people and I feel that surgery includes all those aspects.

Anonymous said...

Im interested in medicine because I would like to know the way the body works and why it does what it does. I also have been looking into colleges that have good nursing programs because I would like to become a neonatal nurse. I am taking this class to see if maybe Im wrong and maybe I do want to become a doctor so Im just exploring my options. What scares me the most about medicine is how much schooling it would take to become a doctor. I plan on having a life outside of school and Im not sure how easy that would be going through another 4 years of medical school. What interests me the most would be something to do with the heart. This being because my cousin had heart surgery. I was really interested in becoming a heart surgeon at that time and decided to write a school paper on it. That research led me to finding out what I could do in nursing as well. So anything to do with the heart interests me. However I am not sure what all is out there so thats why Im taking this class!

Anonymous said...

Medicine interest me because I think the human body is fascinating and I want to help people. What scares me is that sometimes the patient’s life depends on you, and you are the deciding factor of whether they will live or die. I consider nursing to be the most interesting area of medicine because you can go so many different directions with a nursing degree. You could be in the ER in a hospital, in an office, or go on missions around the world, helping others, which is what I’d love to do.

dylang said...

I am interested in medicine beacause not only is it very interesting to me, but also because I want to help people in their time of need. The thing that scares me is the thought of having a patient and not knowing how to treat their symptoms. What if I mess up? The thing that I want to go into the most is veterinary medicine, nursing, or maybe physical therapy. I really love animals, but I have an equal passion for people.