5 answers
Helen
Student
Dublin, County Dublin
1
Question
Asked
729 views
Apply medicine or economic?
I want to become a surgery doctor in the future, but in reality, my parent want me to study something related to economics, you know like you can earn money soon after graduating. And I do not have strong background and grades, I am afraid that none of the universities will accept me.
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5 answers
Praveen Prabhakar
Program Manager
48
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Praveen’s Answer
Choosing between medicine or economics as a career path is a deeply personal decision, and it's essential to consider your interests, talents, values, and long-term objectives. Here are some factors to ponder to help you make an empowered choice:
Medicine:
1. Love for healthcare: Do you genuinely care about assisting others, positively impacting people's lives, and contributing to the healthcare field?
2. Science and biology: Are you naturally skilled in science, enjoy exploring biology, and captivated by the human body and how it works?
3. Dedication to ongoing education: Are you prepared to commit several years to medical education, residency training, and continuous professional growth?
4. Empathy and communication skills: Do you possess compassion, patience, and the ability to connect with people from various backgrounds?
5. High responsibility level: Can you cope with the stress and responsibilities that come with diagnosing and addressing patients' health issues?
Economics:
1. Analytical and numerical abilities: Do you take pleasure in working with numbers, examining data, and tackling intricate problems using economic theories and models?
2. Curiosity about markets and policy: Are you fascinated by how economies operate, market dynamics, and the effect of economic policies on societies?
3. Critical thinking and research: Are you eager to conduct research, scrutinize economic trends, and offer insights and suggestions based on data analysis?
4. Business and finance: Are you drawn to the business aspects of economics, such as comprehending market forces, investments, or financial management?
5. Varied career opportunities: Economics can open doors to numerous career paths, including positions in finance, consulting, research, policy analysis, or academia.
In the end, it's vital to select a career that resonates with your passions, strengths, and long-term ambitions. Reflect on your abilities, personal interests, values, and the kind of impact you wish to have on the world. Gaining firsthand experience and insights by participating in informational interviews, internships, or shadowing opportunities in each field can be beneficial. Seeking advice from mentors, professionals, or career counselors in both areas can offer valuable guidance to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your unique aspirations.
Medicine:
1. Love for healthcare: Do you genuinely care about assisting others, positively impacting people's lives, and contributing to the healthcare field?
2. Science and biology: Are you naturally skilled in science, enjoy exploring biology, and captivated by the human body and how it works?
3. Dedication to ongoing education: Are you prepared to commit several years to medical education, residency training, and continuous professional growth?
4. Empathy and communication skills: Do you possess compassion, patience, and the ability to connect with people from various backgrounds?
5. High responsibility level: Can you cope with the stress and responsibilities that come with diagnosing and addressing patients' health issues?
Economics:
1. Analytical and numerical abilities: Do you take pleasure in working with numbers, examining data, and tackling intricate problems using economic theories and models?
2. Curiosity about markets and policy: Are you fascinated by how economies operate, market dynamics, and the effect of economic policies on societies?
3. Critical thinking and research: Are you eager to conduct research, scrutinize economic trends, and offer insights and suggestions based on data analysis?
4. Business and finance: Are you drawn to the business aspects of economics, such as comprehending market forces, investments, or financial management?
5. Varied career opportunities: Economics can open doors to numerous career paths, including positions in finance, consulting, research, policy analysis, or academia.
In the end, it's vital to select a career that resonates with your passions, strengths, and long-term ambitions. Reflect on your abilities, personal interests, values, and the kind of impact you wish to have on the world. Gaining firsthand experience and insights by participating in informational interviews, internships, or shadowing opportunities in each field can be beneficial. Seeking advice from mentors, professionals, or career counselors in both areas can offer valuable guidance to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your unique aspirations.
Claudia Salazar
foreign medical graduate
4
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Claudia’s Answer
As a doctor I can tell you that the medical carreer is a challenging one, but you can tackle it from day 1. If I did it you can do it too. The most important thing is to commit to this big investment of time and money your are gonna make in yourself, and take the first step of whatever career you wish to persue.
Tim McCarthy
President
4
Answers
Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Updated
Tim’s Answer
Hi you should do your passion. It’s your life. Your parents are great resources but deciding what you want to do the rest of your life is one of the toughest, biggest decisions you’ll ever make. Your parents don’t need the burden of you doing what “they wanted you to do.” Holidays could be tough. Don’t be afraid to go to school for a year or 2 with general classes that apply to most majors, and spend the next 2 years researching.I’d be happy to help you further if interested. Regards, Tim
T.J. Worthy
Mentor
203
Answers
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Updated
T.J.’s Answer
Hello Helen!
I think it's a good idea for you to do these things:
- Take a look at the fixed nature of the job for both medicine and economics
- Take a look at yourself and understand who you are.
- Take control over your goals.
The medical field and economics field are very distinct.
They both have similarities:
- Mathematics
- High earning opportunities
- Various specialties and career paths.
The differences you want to think about are:
- Medicine: Leans heavier into science knowledge. requires you to be service oriented as you're helping people in various states of health.
- Economics: Leans heavier into finance knowledge and business. requires you to be business oriented, as you're helping groups with understanding money trends within society.
Science and helping people are key aspects of medicine.
Money and business are key aspects of economics.
In a sense, these are fixed aspects of those field.
What this means for you...
- If you like science and want to help others in society, then you'll find science a good fit for you.
- If you hate science and interacting with people, then you might need to steer clear and run from medicine, because it wouldn't fit you.
Similarly:
- If you like thinking about the economy and want to help businesses: You'll find economics a good fit for you.
- If you don't like thinking about the economy and business: Run far. Run away. Because it wouldn't fit you.
It's hard to know what you'd like to do in the future, because you will change and grow over-time.
So... The best thing you can do is look at yourself as you are - 𝙉𝙤𝙬.
- What do you like 𝘯𝘰𝘸? At this moment of your life?
- What are you good at?
- What do you enjoy learning about?
Even though you're struggling with your grades in school, you still have strengths about yourself that can help you throughout your life.
For instance:
- You can take what you're good at and see if you can translate that into possible career options.
- You can take subjects you enjoy learning about and see if there's possible career options.
- You can see if what you enjoy doing translates into a possible job.
The last thing I mentioned above is important:
You need to take control over your goals.
Even though your loved ones mean well and want what's best for you...
You cannot live your life based on other's expectations.
I repeat: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
It is stressful for you to try to fit yourself into the mold of other's.
Plus, a lot of the decisions you'll make in the future will 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 to be your own decisions.
So... If you want to become a surgeon...
Maybe you can start taking control and making decisions that reflect your goals.
- That may mean working with your instructors to improve your grades in science.
- That may mean researching the day in the life of a surgeon online and taking notes on things that stand out to you.
- That may mean finding surgeons in your area who are open to answering questions about how to enter the field.
- That may mean not living up to your family's expectations.
However, that's okay.
Hopefully, this helps you out! (I'm also going to share resources below)
Sending you good luck + encouragement as you choose a path that works well for you :)
If you do pursue medicine, you'll want to take it one step at a time. Since you're grades a low, I recommend seeking help. Reach out to your instructors to meet during office hours, or find out if there's free tutoring near you.
Create a study plan. This page might help you with forming better academic habits for school: https://lsc.cornell.edu/how-to-study/studying-for-and-taking-exams/the-five-day-study-plan/
Give yourself time to prepare to meet the requirements. While I'm unfamiliar with Irish medical school, here are websites you should read: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/undergraduate/medicine/entry-requirements | https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/studying-medicine-abroad/studying-medicine-in-ireland/?v=7516fd43adaa
I think it's a good idea for you to do these things:
- Take a look at the fixed nature of the job for both medicine and economics
- Take a look at yourself and understand who you are.
- Take control over your goals.
The medical field and economics field are very distinct.
They both have similarities:
- Mathematics
- High earning opportunities
- Various specialties and career paths.
The differences you want to think about are:
- Medicine: Leans heavier into science knowledge. requires you to be service oriented as you're helping people in various states of health.
- Economics: Leans heavier into finance knowledge and business. requires you to be business oriented, as you're helping groups with understanding money trends within society.
Science and helping people are key aspects of medicine.
Money and business are key aspects of economics.
In a sense, these are fixed aspects of those field.
What this means for you...
- If you like science and want to help others in society, then you'll find science a good fit for you.
- If you hate science and interacting with people, then you might need to steer clear and run from medicine, because it wouldn't fit you.
Similarly:
- If you like thinking about the economy and want to help businesses: You'll find economics a good fit for you.
- If you don't like thinking about the economy and business: Run far. Run away. Because it wouldn't fit you.
It's hard to know what you'd like to do in the future, because you will change and grow over-time.
So... The best thing you can do is look at yourself as you are - 𝙉𝙤𝙬.
- What do you like 𝘯𝘰𝘸? At this moment of your life?
- What are you good at?
- What do you enjoy learning about?
Even though you're struggling with your grades in school, you still have strengths about yourself that can help you throughout your life.
For instance:
- You can take what you're good at and see if you can translate that into possible career options.
- You can take subjects you enjoy learning about and see if there's possible career options.
- You can see if what you enjoy doing translates into a possible job.
The last thing I mentioned above is important:
You need to take control over your goals.
Even though your loved ones mean well and want what's best for you...
You cannot live your life based on other's expectations.
I repeat: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
It is stressful for you to try to fit yourself into the mold of other's.
Plus, a lot of the decisions you'll make in the future will 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 to be your own decisions.
So... If you want to become a surgeon...
Maybe you can start taking control and making decisions that reflect your goals.
- That may mean working with your instructors to improve your grades in science.
- That may mean researching the day in the life of a surgeon online and taking notes on things that stand out to you.
- That may mean finding surgeons in your area who are open to answering questions about how to enter the field.
- That may mean not living up to your family's expectations.
However, that's okay.
Hopefully, this helps you out! (I'm also going to share resources below)
Sending you good luck + encouragement as you choose a path that works well for you :)
T.J. recommends the following next steps:
Luis Ilabaca
Data Scientist
8
Answers
Miami, Florida
Updated
Luis’s Answer
Hey Helen -
when you first start out college you will have to take pre-requisites - they will be your general classes like english, math, science..
economics will be part of these requirements and so will biology classes.. they will give you introduction into the fields..
little by little you can begin going to events hosted by the university and get a feel for the career.
when i was in school i went to lectures that were offered by the department of economics and saw speakers - they helped me decide and learn more about the field!
when you first start out college you will have to take pre-requisites - they will be your general classes like english, math, science..
economics will be part of these requirements and so will biology classes.. they will give you introduction into the fields..
little by little you can begin going to events hosted by the university and get a feel for the career.
when i was in school i went to lectures that were offered by the department of economics and saw speakers - they helped me decide and learn more about the field!