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Hello! My name is Lizeth and I am a current high school student. I'm conducting an interview with any professional in the family physician field for a Foundations in Health Science Class project about careers! I have created a total of 13 questions. Comment on this post, answering all 13 questions to be a part of my assignment.
1) What profession did you choose Why?
2)How many years of college did you need to go through?
3)What jobs did you work before you landed your present professional job?
4)How can I decide if I should earn a Ph.D. in this field?
5)Were you in a college program?
6)Did you have to pivot and go back to school at a later date?
7)Did you shadow another professional in the field?
8) Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession?
9) Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years?
10) What skill sets did you learn or gain while pursuing your career?
11) What was the last stressful situation you encountered in your job, and how did you react?
12)What's one challenge you occasionally or regularly face in your job?
13) What is your philosophy with medicine and treating patients?
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Scott’s Answer
1) I became a physician because I was always interested in science and the idea of helping and interacting with people was enticing. It is also a very intellectually stimulating field which was important to me.
2) Generally it requires 4 years of college and 4 years of medical school followed by at least 3 years of additional training depending on what type of doctor you want to be.
3) In HS I mowed lawns and then in college, I was a tennis instructor.
4) You get a different kind of doctorate degree in medicine if you want to be a doctor, an M.D. There are other professions in the medical field such as nursing or being a physicians assistant where you still are involved in patient care that do not require a doctorate. There are also allied health professions such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and others you can look into.
5) Yes, as noted in question #2
6) I did not but some people go to college and go to work but then decide later they would like to go to medical school.
7) I had a physician role models in my life but never really formally shadowed anyone.
8) I did not but some people do although I think trying out many different experiences is important and may help you decide what direction you would like to go in. You might find out you like marine biology, who knows?
9) I was fortunate and there were none I struggled with. That's not to say I did not have to work hard.
10) I have learned to listen well to people and to think critically about any given set of facts and information.
11) There can be many depending on what type of physician one is. Not to sound dramatic, but as an internist each day can involve life and death decisions although that is not usually the case but it certainly does happen. (Is that chest pain a heart attack or just indigestion?)
12) Trying to get to the heart of the issue with patients can be challenging. It involves listening not just to the physical ailment but to understanding what is happening in their life at the time. Sometimes people are hesitant and the problems have to be gently teased out of them.
13) It is important to treat each person as an individual so take the time to listen. Everyone is just trying to make it through their life and they deserve the time and attention.
2) Generally it requires 4 years of college and 4 years of medical school followed by at least 3 years of additional training depending on what type of doctor you want to be.
3) In HS I mowed lawns and then in college, I was a tennis instructor.
4) You get a different kind of doctorate degree in medicine if you want to be a doctor, an M.D. There are other professions in the medical field such as nursing or being a physicians assistant where you still are involved in patient care that do not require a doctorate. There are also allied health professions such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and others you can look into.
5) Yes, as noted in question #2
6) I did not but some people go to college and go to work but then decide later they would like to go to medical school.
7) I had a physician role models in my life but never really formally shadowed anyone.
8) I did not but some people do although I think trying out many different experiences is important and may help you decide what direction you would like to go in. You might find out you like marine biology, who knows?
9) I was fortunate and there were none I struggled with. That's not to say I did not have to work hard.
10) I have learned to listen well to people and to think critically about any given set of facts and information.
11) There can be many depending on what type of physician one is. Not to sound dramatic, but as an internist each day can involve life and death decisions although that is not usually the case but it certainly does happen. (Is that chest pain a heart attack or just indigestion?)
12) Trying to get to the heart of the issue with patients can be challenging. It involves listening not just to the physical ailment but to understanding what is happening in their life at the time. Sometimes people are hesitant and the problems have to be gently teased out of them.
13) It is important to treat each person as an individual so take the time to listen. Everyone is just trying to make it through their life and they deserve the time and attention.
Updated
Gina’s Answer
1) What profession did you choose Why? Nursing because it is much more verastile than being a physician, and required less schooling (HAH!)
2)How many years of college did you need to go through? I have a masters in nursing so I did a 4 years bachelors and a 3 years Masters + RN compbined.
3)What jobs did you work before you landed your present professional job? I worked as a quality assurance associate in a lab and an executive assistant/office manager before getting my Master's and working in the nursing field. I did this for 2 years.
4)How can I decide if I should earn a Ph.D. in this field? You can't this early, you will have to work for awhile and complete a lot of schooling before you know if that's a right thing for you.
5)Were you in a college program? Yes at a 4 year university.
6)Did you have to pivot and go back to school at a later date? No
7)Did you shadow another professional in the field? No
8) Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession? No
9) Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years? Physics was very hard. It was a requirement for my bachelor's in molecular biology.
10) What skill sets did you learn or gain while pursuing your career? Criticial thinking, leadreship, diplomacy, working with colleagues/professionalism. Patience, professional tangible things like how to provide certain types of patient care.
11) What was the last stressful situation you encountered in your job, and how did you react? Without getting into too many details it was related to a patient who needed a specific medical device, nobody seemed to care that the patient didn't have it and wasn't going above their job to get it done. I had to coordinate several members of the health care team to get it done and was literally moving mountains. I reminded myself that's why I am a nurse and if I don't help this patient who will??
12)What's one challenge you occasionally or regularly face in your job? Difficult patients who don't seem to care abou their own care and incompetent nurses/doctors who don't really care.
13) What is your philosophy with medicine and treating patients? Always advocate for your patient but remember that good care is also cost effective.
2)How many years of college did you need to go through? I have a masters in nursing so I did a 4 years bachelors and a 3 years Masters + RN compbined.
3)What jobs did you work before you landed your present professional job? I worked as a quality assurance associate in a lab and an executive assistant/office manager before getting my Master's and working in the nursing field. I did this for 2 years.
4)How can I decide if I should earn a Ph.D. in this field? You can't this early, you will have to work for awhile and complete a lot of schooling before you know if that's a right thing for you.
5)Were you in a college program? Yes at a 4 year university.
6)Did you have to pivot and go back to school at a later date? No
7)Did you shadow another professional in the field? No
8) Did you join any school clubs related to your current profession? No
9) Was there a particular subject you struggled with during your school years? Physics was very hard. It was a requirement for my bachelor's in molecular biology.
10) What skill sets did you learn or gain while pursuing your career? Criticial thinking, leadreship, diplomacy, working with colleagues/professionalism. Patience, professional tangible things like how to provide certain types of patient care.
11) What was the last stressful situation you encountered in your job, and how did you react? Without getting into too many details it was related to a patient who needed a specific medical device, nobody seemed to care that the patient didn't have it and wasn't going above their job to get it done. I had to coordinate several members of the health care team to get it done and was literally moving mountains. I reminded myself that's why I am a nurse and if I don't help this patient who will??
12)What's one challenge you occasionally or regularly face in your job? Difficult patients who don't seem to care abou their own care and incompetent nurses/doctors who don't really care.
13) What is your philosophy with medicine and treating patients? Always advocate for your patient but remember that good care is also cost effective.