4 answers
Alayna
Student
Decatur, Illinois
2
Questions
Updated
1324 views
What is the most difficult part about going into the medical field?
What is the hardest part of the job? I’m truly interested in a career in medicine and I’m curious about the hardest part of it.
4 answers
Bo Kim
Health Administration
11
Answers
Springfield, Missouri
Updated
Bo’s Answer
Hi Alayna,
The answer depends on the type of career you are interested in pursuing within medicine. I'll assume you are referring to the clinical aspect of healthcare, meaning that you are interested in direct patient care (although there are many non-clinical healthcare career options, too).
Here are some things to consider:
1. Extensive Education and Training: Becoming a healthcare professional typically involves several years of education and training. It begins with a rigorous undergraduate program, followed by medical school or other specialized programs, and possibly residency or fellowship training. This journey demands a significant investment of time, effort, and financial resources.
2. Academic Demands: Medical studies are academically demanding, requiring a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and critical thinking. The sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, and you'll need to stay disciplined and motivated to excel in your studies.
3. Emotional Resilience: Working in the medical field often means dealing with life and death situations, human suffering, and challenging emotional circumstances. As a healthcare professional, you'll need to develop emotional resilience to cope with the stress and maintain a compassionate approach to patient care.
4. Long Working Hours: Medical professionals, especially those in hospitals or emergency settings, often work long and irregular hours. The job doesn't always adhere to a standard 9-to-5 schedule, and you might be required to work on weekends and holidays.
5. Responsibility and Decision-Making: Healthcare professionals bear significant responsibility for their patients' well-being. Making critical decisions that directly impact someone's health and life can be overwhelming, especially in high-pressure situations.
6. Physical and Mental Strain: The medical field can be physically and mentally demanding. Healthcare professionals may spend long hours on their feet, perform physically demanding tasks, and face the constant pressure to stay sharp and attentive.
7. Balancing Personal Life: Due to the demanding nature of the job, maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging. It's essential to find ways to take care of yourself and make time for family, friends, and hobbies.
8. Dealing with Difficult Patients or Situations: Not all patients may be cooperative or grateful, and healthcare professionals may encounter challenging interpersonal situations. It's essential to remain professional, empathetic, and patient-focused, even in difficult circumstances.
9. Continuous Learning: Medicine is an ever-evolving field with new research, technologies, and treatments emerging regularly. Healthcare professionals need to stay updated and committed to lifelong learning to provide the best care possible.
The answer depends on the type of career you are interested in pursuing within medicine. I'll assume you are referring to the clinical aspect of healthcare, meaning that you are interested in direct patient care (although there are many non-clinical healthcare career options, too).
Here are some things to consider:
1. Extensive Education and Training: Becoming a healthcare professional typically involves several years of education and training. It begins with a rigorous undergraduate program, followed by medical school or other specialized programs, and possibly residency or fellowship training. This journey demands a significant investment of time, effort, and financial resources.
2. Academic Demands: Medical studies are academically demanding, requiring a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and critical thinking. The sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, and you'll need to stay disciplined and motivated to excel in your studies.
3. Emotional Resilience: Working in the medical field often means dealing with life and death situations, human suffering, and challenging emotional circumstances. As a healthcare professional, you'll need to develop emotional resilience to cope with the stress and maintain a compassionate approach to patient care.
4. Long Working Hours: Medical professionals, especially those in hospitals or emergency settings, often work long and irregular hours. The job doesn't always adhere to a standard 9-to-5 schedule, and you might be required to work on weekends and holidays.
5. Responsibility and Decision-Making: Healthcare professionals bear significant responsibility for their patients' well-being. Making critical decisions that directly impact someone's health and life can be overwhelming, especially in high-pressure situations.
6. Physical and Mental Strain: The medical field can be physically and mentally demanding. Healthcare professionals may spend long hours on their feet, perform physically demanding tasks, and face the constant pressure to stay sharp and attentive.
7. Balancing Personal Life: Due to the demanding nature of the job, maintaining a work-life balance can be challenging. It's essential to find ways to take care of yourself and make time for family, friends, and hobbies.
8. Dealing with Difficult Patients or Situations: Not all patients may be cooperative or grateful, and healthcare professionals may encounter challenging interpersonal situations. It's essential to remain professional, empathetic, and patient-focused, even in difficult circumstances.
9. Continuous Learning: Medicine is an ever-evolving field with new research, technologies, and treatments emerging regularly. Healthcare professionals need to stay updated and committed to lifelong learning to provide the best care possible.
Midwest Heart Surgeon
Cardiac surgeon
57
Answers
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Updated
Midwest’s Answer
The most difficult part will certainly vary depending on which aspect of the medical field you choose to pursue. Personally, I find the hardest part of cardiac surgery to be balancing physical and psychological commitments and demands in day-to-day life. While one of the most attractive parts of surgery is the opportunity to make a profound, immediate impact in a person's life through a very personal interaction in surgery, everything does not always go well. When it doesn't go well, you must remain at the top of your professional abilities when treating the next patient, sometimes mere minutes or hours after a negative outcome. In addition, many of the outside pressures of life such as family dynamics, finances, political changes, insurance, hospital billing, EMR requirements, institutional requirements, etc. consume time and require attention. Accordingly, functioning highly requires figuring out how to balance these demands while maintaining perspective and protecting quality of care. That can wear on people physically and psychologically! That being said, the rewards of this career are exceptional and I am thrilled to have chosen this path.
In terms of "getting into the field," that is a very different question and again depends on which aspect of medicine you wish to enter. For medical school, the most important items to focus on leading up to it are exposure to medicine, academic excellence, and building a resume of experience. This is purposely vague since any experience which contains depth can be an impactful part of your application to medical school.
Next steps:
Shadow different medical personnel
Ask multiple people - never trust one opinion alone
In terms of "getting into the field," that is a very different question and again depends on which aspect of medicine you wish to enter. For medical school, the most important items to focus on leading up to it are exposure to medicine, academic excellence, and building a resume of experience. This is purposely vague since any experience which contains depth can be an impactful part of your application to medical school.
Next steps:
Midwest recommends the following next steps:
Chera-Mia Ries
Paramedic
2
Answers
Douglas, Wyoming
Updated
Chera-Mia’s Answer
I think this question is better answered once you know which part of medicine interests you the most. While no one chooses medicine for the pay, it is important for you to know that EMS, in MOST places, is the lowest paid of all medical careers. If a higher pay is something that it is additionally important to you, you’ll want to focus your medical career on the “in house” stuff like nursing, PA, NP, OR, doctor, etc. Secondly, understand that if you do choose emergency care, the stuff you see will effect you in ways you might not have considered. Meaning, take what you see on TV and amplify it. I absolutely LOVE my career in EMS, even with the hard stuff. Good luck!
Godfrey Magawe
Clinical officer nephrology
111
Answers
Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya
Updated
Godfrey’s Answer
Medical field is very tasking and really requires a commited person,
You also need to have passion and heart more so when dealing with cardevers during anatomy and pathology units.
Medical field can also be frustrating when your clients don't get well despite doing all what's needed for them .
You also need to have passion and heart more so when dealing with cardevers during anatomy and pathology units.
Medical field can also be frustrating when your clients don't get well despite doing all what's needed for them .
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