Knowing Yourself

There are many sites and services out there that give tips on how to get into medical school. However, I have seen a lot of students who want to get into medicine because it sounds like the right thing to do, rather than really understanding what it means to be a doctor.

When I was in medical school, I will always remember one of my friends who applied to medicine not because he wanted to be a doctor, but because his parents told him that he has to choose between law and medicine, otherwise he would be a shame to the family. Although my friend got into medicine and his parents were very happy about it, my friend wasn’t that happy. Medical school was hard for him because the passion was not there. The sacrifices seemed much bigger and the late nights of studying, even longer.

The purpose of this course is to provide you with some insight into what you may need to consider or change if you were to get into medical school. There are no right or wrong answers. Rather, this is more of a reflective exercise. If you come out of this course without any doubts, despite knowing the challenges, then you will know medicine is right for you!

In the next section you will be able to read about what it’s like to be a medical student.

But first, start by answering the questions below.