I'm not Pre-Med.
To some that may be an arbitrary statement, but to others like myself, it changes us completely.
I will give you some background:
Ever since I was a kid all I dreamed about was going to med school, and becoming a doctor. It was not because of family pressures, but rather my love for science and helping others. Now in my spring semester of junior year, I come to realize that isn't me anymore. This past winter, while studying for the MCAT's (which I was planning to take in May of this year), I didn't find myself enjoying it. Don't get me wrong I know, no one likes to study, but in general, I kept thinking is this worth it? Will I be happy, with half my life spent studying, and cramming along with the agonizing years of residency after med school?
I weighed the pros and the cons.
Pros:
- Your dream
- Being called Dr. Khan
- Money (let's face it that's a big one)
- Satisfaction of hard work being paid off
- Helping others
Cons:
- Years of studying
- The debt
- Most of your life spent in the hospital
- Being on call
- You could still help people while doing something else
- Do you really need all that money?
There were more on those lists but you get the idea. Well, I got to thinking and figured, maybe I'm pre-med because I don't know myself without that label. So over that winter break, I really tried to find myself. I questioned my love for science and my whole integrity and it struck me; I am not going to be pre-med.
Weight lifted off of my shoulders, right? No.
The first thing I did was tell my family. Guess what, they were fine with it. I am blessed to have such an accepting family. My mother did bring up, if not medical school, then what? I didn't have an answer.
Well, the remainder of the break I searched and searched, different career paths that were in the science community (because my love for science did not die) and also something that I could still be helping people. Personally, teaching called me. I loved teaching my friends while studying, I like kids, I want a career in which I can go in my classroom and educate and help my students with in-school and out of school problems.
Now, if you're reading this and you are iffy about being pre-med, just know that's not the only career out there. Take some time and write your own pros and cons. Remember you only get one life. I wish you good luck in whatever you decide to do.
