Why I am a MD wannabe

No this is not me.

I have always wanted to be a doctor. When I was ten years old, I asked my mom if Doctors needed to be good in English . My mom  unfortunately told me yes and explained that it is because doctors have to read and write up patient reports. Grudgingly, I decided to put more effort to do well in my English classes. 

Eleven years later I'm an English Lit minor, how ironic! :)

Missy Elliot in her 2002 song "Work it" raps, "Is it worth it, let me work it."

This is the same question I now now ask about medical school. Is med school worth it? If so, let me work it with my GPA, MCAT score and extra extracurricular activities. But if not, I want to know now instead of 20 years later when I'm in $100,000 in debt from med school bills.

This is why I am a MD wannabe, I have fantasized about life as a doctor, but in all honesty, I don't know much about the field. I know I want to help people, but let's be honest--there are LESS STRESSFUL careers one can pursue in order to help people. I know I love science ( I have to in order to be a biochem nerd at DePauw) and I don't hate people so that's a plus.

 But what makes me (us) wake up everyday and say: I am going to be a doctor? One of my friends describes this question saying that it's like asking him why does he breathes. However, at the end of the day, that is what  pursuing our career choices is all about: why we are breathing. We all believe that we have something to live for, a purpose to fulfill  (if not, we all would be stress free living on our mother's couch).  It's just figuring out what the reason and purpose for our lives is, and that is our ultimate question to answer. 

For me, I think that it is through the field of medicine.  Being a doctor, to me would allow me the opportunity to interact with people on a subject I love: the human body.  As a doctor I will be given the opportunity the be a patient advocate, a collaborator with other doctors and specialists if necessary. I am allowed to be a researcher, if I want, and better learn and understand why certain diseases and disorders occur in people. I can also be a public voice on health topics such as vaccinations (which by the way don't cause autism) and health disparities in America and even around the world. I can even become a professor and share the knowledge I have learned with other "MD wannabees" who are working to earn the right to be called an MD. Knowing that two letters have  so much meaning  and allow me to do more than any other "helping people" job can, is amazing. I believe that because being a doctor is multifaceted, that it's the path that will best help me to fulfill my purpose in life.

For others it may be another field. Just putting my two cents in.


Sidenote: Can you believe Missy's song is that old? I miss the 90s and early 2000s music!