Does your partner or spouse understand the sacrifices you will make and are still willing to support your decision? I remember when I broke up with a serious partner, he couldn't accept the time I had to study or go out at night, weekends and holidays. Only when you and your partner or spouse know your values can you find the right answer. During your medical training, children also need to belong to the support category.
When MCAT is repeated too many times, will you honestly tell yourself that you didn't get high marks? Although fully prepared for the exam, some students have participated in the medical college entrance examination many times and obtained the same score. During your medical school and internship, you will take standardized exams in the next few years. If your MCAT score is below 25%, I suggest you consider other options.
What's your GPA? Will it stand up to the 3.7 GPA of most medical students? Some students brought 3.0 points into the post-undergraduate courses, and the results proved that they really learned how to deal with strict courses. However, not every school will exceed 3.0 GPA, because it is included in their class average. Some people will, and it may be worth spending another year or two to prove it.
Is this what your parents want or your real passion? If it's not what you want, medical school is too long and it's hard to force yourself. I have seen students drop out of school because they can't make themselves like it at the expense of what they need.
Are you willing to obey the rules and be very patient? These qualities are crucial to the survival of interns. For many years to come, you will take orders from others. This doesn't mean that you can't think independently, but almost every case is decided by the competent doctor. Before it's your turn, you have to do trivial work for a long time, not fancy surgery. Patience is important, because you know that you can't control your time, the choice of working days, and sometimes even heavy loans. Is patience something you can pull up when you need it?
Will the rigidity of medical training take away the control of your life that you don't want to give up? What if I don't get enough sleep on duty? If you don't get the vacation you asked for or the vacation you want, is that ok? This is really a burden when family support is far away.
Do you love science and are proficient in it? Are these courses easy to get good grades? You will spend your whole life learning more scientific knowledge.
What is your real passion? Don't deceive yourself. Did you make money? Investment banking, financial modeling, accounting or other professions can provide you with a position and a solid financial platform earlier than most doctors, so that you can have more control over your lifestyle. If you enter the medical field and may never recover to the level of achievement you once had, will music, art or other creative adventures have to be put on hold for a long time?
Do you like volunteering or sacrificing for others? It is very important to see this in medical college applicants for a long time (usually from high school). You can know when students put off volunteering until the end. "Shit, COVID-19 is here, I can't do this." I have heard and seen excellent applicants do this for a long time, because they knew it was important years ago.
Do you really know how difficult it is to be a doctor? Before the coronavirus epidemic, did you resist it because you thought it was not important enough? Do you know the pain that doctors go through when they try to make insurance companies take their patients' demands seriously? Have you asked them how many hours of family life they have to give up in order to deal with medical records and insurance claims? If you decide to become a doctor, please understand this and prepare for the future.
The reasons for not choosing medical school are unique. Not everyone is focused on getting a high enough GPA or getting a good enough score in MCAT. As a doctor, you may do things for a long time, especially if you have to invest a lot of money and 1 1 to train for 20 years, if you count the number of undergraduate years. Before you make this critical decision, please carefully consider each of these 10 questions.