An Existential Perspective on Medicine: Part 1

Guest Contributor  29 Nov, 2007  Medical School

First I’d like to give a shout out, if you will, to this website and its creator(s). A fascinating concept and an equally fascinating read. No doubt.

Next, I’d like to state in clear and unfortunate terms that I am a recent medical school graduate. I state that so you’ll take me seriously, as I plan to offer several insights about the profession in the coming paragraphs. I’ll also state that I’m not a D.O. or an international medical graduate, thus increasing my status, if you will, even more in your minds. Really though, no offense to my osteopathic colleagues and immigrant/temporary emigrant physicians/physicians-in-training.

I’d like to start out in existential mode, if you’ll allow me. *Squints eyes and rubs chin*. Why would anyone in their right mind choose to apply to, or for that matter, attend medical school? Ah! You’re taking on the pensive pose too now, aren’t you?

Brief and simple answers first come to mind. Money. Status. Ego. Race. Ethnicity. Those were too easy to come up with. I’ll expound on those very shortly, but let’s brainstorm, as my KG teacher used to say, and think of a few more. Ah yes, it’s coming to me now. Retardedness. Delusion. Lack of common sense. Boredom. My parents told me to. My parents did not tell me to, but I know they would have if I didn’t. I pretend like my family did not influence my decisions, but in reality (and don’t tell anyone), I’m a complete slave and bitch and indeed they are the reason why I am an aspiring physician.

Okay good, now we’re getting somewhere. We’ve laid the groundwork to incredibly profound thoughts which are yet to come.

I have to go eat dinner now, so as they did in 1980s sit-coms, I’ll make this a to-be-continued. Rest assured that I will be back for several follow-up visits (no put intended.. medical and medical-related jargon is not my cup of tea and frankly bores the shit out of me). Let me rephrase.. I will be with you in my usual brilliant form in the coming days. And to those of you starting to get pissy, I say pipe down, take a step back, and re-evaluate your existence. What do you really have? A kick-ass histology text? Superior ABG obtaining technique? A stethoscope with a hip pediatric chest piece? Sweet pics from your “white coat ceremony” which you subsequently uploaded on Friendster? Wait, did the AMA hook it up with a free Netter’s? Man that is lame. I suggest you take a seat and listen to what I have to say…

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7 Comments so far »

  1. a fellow medder said

    November 29 2007 @ 10:49 pm

    you’re starting to sound like the guy who blogs “ahyesmedschool” (in short, his message was: DON”T GO TO MEDSCHOOL!!!)

  2. Hoover said

    November 29 2007 @ 11:09 pm

    @a fellow medder:

    This is a post written by a guest author. I must say that it’s extremely well-written and I’m looking forward to part 2.

    To the author: Thanks for the contribution, I really appreciate it.

  3. bronx43 said

    November 30 2007 @ 2:56 am

    I don’t think it’s well written at all, Hoover. But I do look forward to part 2.

  4. Wally said

    November 30 2007 @ 3:01 pm

    I’m really interested in future posts written by this guy. Always interesting to hear from someone telling it like it is instead of a recent med school grad saying how awesome and amazing it is when in reality, they are hiding their sorrows and frustration. BTW, if you ever post the real reason why so many naive kids go to med school on SDN (I pretend like my family did not influence my decisions, but in reality (and don’t tell anyone), I’m a complete slave and bitch and indeed they are the reason why I am an aspiring physician), just watch how defensive they all get.

  5. Half MD said

    November 30 2007 @ 7:04 pm

    Well, I’ll say that my parents had no influence on my decision to go to medical school. I certainly don’t regret wanting to become a physician—I just wish that the whole ordeal wasn’t painted to be a fairly tale when it really isn’t.

  6. Tea said

    November 30 2007 @ 7:17 pm

    It’s sad that the people who would be good doctors are not going in to the field, leaving us with frazzled good people (like Charity Doc– does anyone know how he is?) who leave, and oblivious people who aren’t good and run the show. . . which is why I trust nothing that my doctors say.

  7. 2011Doc said

    December 2 2007 @ 2:30 pm

    Looking forward to seeing what you have to say. It does seem to be in vogue to rant/rave about the current status of medicine and its shortcomings, and though I don’t have that much experience yet, would venture to say that a lot of reasons people give are true. BUT…to me at least, it seems as if some are going out of their way to show future students the “light”. I agree that students need to go into this with their eyes wide open and not because of something like money, ego, etc… And from my fellow classmates it seems like most of them do have an idea of what they’re getting into and decided to pursue this because, what a shock, they WANT to be a physician. There’s always the 21 yr old fresh from undergrad who may not have a lot of life “experience” under their belt, but we do have a health group of slightly older students, many of which are career-changers and have plenty of experience in the working real world or other academic arenas.

    Looking forward to the other parts….oh, and I’m a future DO. : )

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