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What piece of advice or insight would you give to your younger self as they were about to embark on medical school? #Spring25
I'm starting med school this fall!
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Dr’s Answer
A major issue in today's medical field is that many doctors don't think creatively. They are trained to follow set procedures, often becoming reliant on pharmaceuticals due to the industry's influence. Remember, standardized treatments may not suit everyone because individuals are unique. Even if a drug works for most, it often has side effects that are minimized or hidden. Foods can significantly improve a patient's health, but since drug companies don't profit from this, it's largely ignored in medical training. Look for books by doctors on Amazon who have discovered that certain foods can be more effective and safer than many medications. Check the "look inside" section for a preview, and you'll often find these doctors admitting that their training lacked nutritional education, which they now see as crucial for healing.
If you aspire to be a doctor to genuinely help people, stay focused on your goal. Many doctors become complacent, treating patients with a one-size-fits-all approach. Write a personal manifesto about why you want to be a doctor and what it means to be a great one. Save this document and review it every five years to ensure you're staying true to your mission. Good luck!
If you aspire to be a doctor to genuinely help people, stay focused on your goal. Many doctors become complacent, treating patients with a one-size-fits-all approach. Write a personal manifesto about why you want to be a doctor and what it means to be a great one. Save this document and review it every five years to ensure you're staying true to your mission. Good luck!
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Judith’s Answer
First of all - CONGRATULATIONS!
Training to become a physician is a long road, but worth it. Medicine is one of the most challenging, stimulating and rewarding careers.
Some insights and advice:
- Medicine involves lifelong learning. It is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself. It's impossible to know everything but your fund of knowledge increases exponentially with repetition and experience, so don't be intimidated and be gentle with yourself.
- Remember who you are and why you chose this field. Don't lose your uniqueness. Don't compare yourself with others - they are probably feeling the same as you are, but exhibiting a facade.
- Emulate people you respect and "good habits"; register "bad behaviors" and avoid doing them.
- Treat everyone (staff of ALL levels, patients) with respect and kindness - as if they were your family.
- To establish a trusting relationship with patients, know something personal about them you can share (not just their diagnosis). This is invaluable in establishing rapport and a good bedside manner. Respect their privacy.
- Keep an open mind about choosing a field of medicine - you never know what's out there until you experience different fields during your clinical rotations.
- Take care of yourself - don't give up your interests, healthy habits, friendships, etc. You need to "refresh" / "recharge".
- Seek help when you need it - there are support services, mentors, etc. who are there for you in addition to your friends and family. Medicine can be very draining and you are not expected to be super human.
Training to become a physician is a long road, but worth it. Medicine is one of the most challenging, stimulating and rewarding careers.
Some insights and advice:
- Medicine involves lifelong learning. It is a marathon, not a sprint, so pace yourself. It's impossible to know everything but your fund of knowledge increases exponentially with repetition and experience, so don't be intimidated and be gentle with yourself.
- Remember who you are and why you chose this field. Don't lose your uniqueness. Don't compare yourself with others - they are probably feeling the same as you are, but exhibiting a facade.
- Emulate people you respect and "good habits"; register "bad behaviors" and avoid doing them.
- Treat everyone (staff of ALL levels, patients) with respect and kindness - as if they were your family.
- To establish a trusting relationship with patients, know something personal about them you can share (not just their diagnosis). This is invaluable in establishing rapport and a good bedside manner. Respect their privacy.
- Keep an open mind about choosing a field of medicine - you never know what's out there until you experience different fields during your clinical rotations.
- Take care of yourself - don't give up your interests, healthy habits, friendships, etc. You need to "refresh" / "recharge".
- Seek help when you need it - there are support services, mentors, etc. who are there for you in addition to your friends and family. Medicine can be very draining and you are not expected to be super human.