In light of the rewards and obstacles of
medicine as a career, you are well advised to
give outmost serious consideration to the true
nature of your motives and the strength of
your convictions to achieve your goal. After all
the above facts are considered, you will
need to answer the following two fundamental
questions, to the best of your ability,
namely:
1. Do I have genuinely valid motives that serve
to compel me to choose medicine
as a career?
2. Do I have the necessary perseverance to
retain my career commitment in the
face of numerous potential impediments that
extend over many years of school-
ing and training?
If you elicit affirmative responses to these
basic, critical questions, you will feel
much more confident to proceed ahead. This
guidance and self-assessment manual (see
Appendix A, page 618) is designed to facilitate
your coming up with the correct answer
to these questions so that you achieve the goal
that is in your best interest.
Bottom Line
Although there are a minority of physicians who
will not recommend the medical pro-
fession to others, and some who are genuinely
unhappy with their lot, the conclusion
from these observations in reality
is
· Medicine is not a profession for
everyone, no matter how bright or talented they
are.
· The bulk of physicians enjoy their
work and are fully satisfied with their career
choice.
· Thoughtful consideration through
self-assessment, meaningful exposure, and
competent guidance from an advisor and/or
recognized occupational test can
assist you in making the appropriate career
choice.
· If you can anticipate any specific
problems, such as poor interview skills, a low
grade in a critical required science course,
etc., seek advice, and consider reason-
able steps to overcome handicaps before they
become a liability.
· If faced with a complex problem, try,
if possible, to dismantle it into smaller com-
ponents that may allow you to better manage the
situation.
· Generate within yourself the
self-confidence that assures you that you are on the
right path. However, be prepared to make course
corrections when it is both rea-
sonable and essential to do so.
· Try to always be of good cheer, even
in the face of formidable obstacles. This can
be achieved by trying to find a brighter side
to things to help you overcome many
issues and ultimately attain your
goal.
· There are about 20,000 freshmen slots
open in allopathic and osteopathic medical
institutions that need to be filled annually.
You need to be accepted by only one,
when all is said and done. If you feel you
really deserve a spot, and have only a
fair chance of getting it, seek to get it with
all you've got!
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
____________________________________________
In seeking to become a physician, you are
planning to join a fraternity of professional
men and women who have a profound influence,
both physically and emotionally, on
the lives of many millions of people. The roots
of medicine penetrate deeply into the
history of humankind. Cave paintings reveal the
existence of "healers" as far back as the
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