If you choose to become a doctor, you should know what you’re getting into. First, let me tell you that I really enjoy my job and am completely blessed to be able to do what I do. Being a doctor or professional in the medical field, however, isn’t always lollipops and giggles. If you are considering entering the medical field, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Below are 10 reasons not to pursue it. 1. The MCAT This is a beast. In college, once you decide to become a physician you must first take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). This is by far the most stressful and difficult test I have ever taken. You’re medical career hinges on doing well (no pressure!). 2. Medical School These were the four hardest years of my life. I studied every day! The first two years consisted of long hours studying in starbucks, study rooms or at home while taking tests on various subjects. The last two years consisted of clinical rotations with long hours in the hospital following residents and attendings followed by studying at home. Each rotation ended with a big test as well. There is a plethora of information throughout these four years. It is like trying to drink out of a fire hose, impossible to learn everything but trying to gulp up as much as you can. 3. Residency Residency can be variable depending on what specialty you choose. I chose family medicine which is only 3 years but some specialties can have residencies up to 9 years! During this time, I worked long hours and got paid less than minimum wage when calculated to an hourly wage. I had to take call up to every 4th night which got in the way of relationships and family. 4. The Massive Debt Obviously this is very dependent on your (and your parent’s) financial situation when entering college and medical school, but most doctors graduate with student loans. Mine totaled over $200,000! The average student loan debt for a doctor just out of medical school in 2017 was $189,000 according to the Association of American Medical Colleges(AAMC). So while you may make more money in the long run, you will miss out on the early years of saving and the benefits of compound interest. 5. Being On Call This is perhaps the worst reason to become a doctor in my opinion. I strongly dislike being on call! Some specialties will have a person on call in the hospital every 4th night (or more often) if there is no coverage. I fortunately just have to take phone call but even this can be an inconvenience in the middle of the night or during church. 6. The High Burnout Rate Physician well being and burnout have become hot topics recently in the medical field. Some specialties, such as emergency medicine, have a rate of burnout greater than 50% according to a recent study! That means that you are more likely to become burnt out that avoid it! This is due to the crazy amount of stress that comes with being a physician. 7. The Incredible Amount of Stress I think this probably goes without saying but when you deal with issues that can involve life and death or disability, it can be very stressful. This stress unfortunately does not go away when your at home either. There are always thoughts in the back of your mind about specific patients and how they are doing or if you may have missed something in a patient earlier. Some specialties are worse than others, but all doctor’s will deal with this throughout their career. 8. Paperwork Ugg, need I say more! Seeing patients and practicing medicine is actually pretty fulfilling but then you need to document everything. This usually takes twice as long as seeing them! This becomes a chore and can make the day really long. 9. Patients will Hate You If you are practicing medicine well, there will be patients who dislike your recommendations. It may be properly withholding antibiotics when a patient thinks they are needed or cutting off an addicted individual from their narcotics. It will happen and you will be yelled at, walked out on and given a bad review online (all of these have happened to me). 10. The State of Medical Insurance With changing politics every election cycle and differing opinions on private vs. universal healthcare, I do not see a leveling off of the current flux that healthcare insurance is in. As a physician, I often need to change the insurance plans that I accept due to changes in reimbursement or other reasons. I have gained and lost patients based solely on insurance. I am completely unsure where we will be in 5 to 10 years. Source
