As a current Biology Pre-Med student at Belmont University, one can say that I have a lot of years of schooling ahead of me if I want to be a doctor. In fact, I hear this statement all the time. I always reply with the same answer – “Yeah, I know... but I’ve always wanted to be one ever since I can remember.” When I was moving to college freshman year, I found a first grade memoir, a poster filled with things like what my favorite food was, places I want to travel in the future and of course the 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' question. In this blank, I listed “trauma surgeon,” even though I probably had no idea what kind of career that it actually entailed. I drew myself in blue scrubs, holding a scalpel, surgical mask and all. Well, that same little first grade girl recently got a job working at a hospital in critical care and she can say that she’s more motivated than ever to begin her life in the medical field. Here’s why:

1. Every single working day is different. Same routine and protocol, but hey – some patients can really surprise you (in the best and worst ways possible).
2. I work with an exuberant group of talented individuals from nurse care partners and RNs to surgical fellows and respiratory MDs. I am an important part of the team, just as any other employee on my unit is and together we make a team. Without one another, nothing can truly get accomplished to perfection.
3. I have learned to remain calm and keep my patience in some of the worst possible situations. When someone’s life is in your hands, it can be one of the scariest, adrenaline-filled experiences one can ever find themselves in. We’re living in a fast-paced world nowadays, folks.
4. I learn approximately 85,726,475 new things every shift. New terminology, procedures and medications are created on a regular basis and it’s my job to keep up. However, the human body also can do some new, weird and fascinating stuff once in a while; hence the new terminology, procedures and medications.
5. I get to care for others in such a way that almost seems unreal. I get to take an individual’s worst day and turn it into one of their best days. Sometimes all it takes is a smile with some reassurance and sometimes it takes some bed bath wipes. Both seem to do the trick.
6. The medical field is – and always will be – mentally challenging. It’s not a 9:00 – 5:00 desk job. It’s sprinting during a code. It’s being prepared for anything at any given moment. You are not on your own time, you’re on the patient’s time.
7. I’ve gotten more human bodily secretions on me than I would care to count; however, it was all for a good cause and patient comfort. It’s literally blood, sweat and tears... maybe mixed with a little urine here and there.
8. I have met some of the most genuine, intentional, and sweetest patients and families. It’s honestly the most rewarding sense of nostalgia looking back when a family thanks you for your care. It’s not just a job, it’s a growing passion and motivation for others above yourself.

At the end of the day, I get only 30 minutes for lunch during a 12-hour shift. I clock into work with it still being dark outside and then clock out when it’s dark once again. My steps on the iPhone health app spikes up by 14,000 steps on the days I work compared to the days I don’t. I’m sleep deprived 100 percent of the time and cram all of my school work into the late hours of the night and early hours of the morning. I don’t have time to call my family back home, or even hang out with friends like I used to. Despite the negatives, there are infinitely more reasons to love working in the medical field.