4 answers
shifali
Student
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
1
Question
Asked
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How do I know what I want to be because I am currently so confused.?
I want to be something in the medical field, but I don't know what exactly it is. I want to be want to be a surgeon, but then I am not sure about the years it takes, and if it is worth it, but I also wanted to be a dermatologist but looking at those years I feel like I can just become a surgeon because they require the same amount of years and I also don't know if that's worth it. Lastly, I was thinking of becoming a nurse, but I'm not sure because I'm split between all of it and I'm so confused.
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4 answers
Allen Kornitsky, CTRS
Recreational therapist
1
Answer
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Updated
Allen’s Answer
What I know about the nursing field is that you have a lot of oprotunity to find jobs in the field compared to a surgeon where jobs are less frequent and tougher to obtain. I’m a recreational therapist and my field also has limited oprotunity for work that I wasn’t aware of when first going to school for it.
A lot of nurses start as CNA’s and you may want to look at professions that have stepping stones to obtain a higher rank such as a nurse practitioner that has similar job as doctors.
I learned about recreational therapy through a book I found that went over many different types of jobs so maybe start out finding a profession book for a certain field or medical type field to see what resonates with you. Best of luck!
A lot of nurses start as CNA’s and you may want to look at professions that have stepping stones to obtain a higher rank such as a nurse practitioner that has similar job as doctors.
I learned about recreational therapy through a book I found that went over many different types of jobs so maybe start out finding a profession book for a certain field or medical type field to see what resonates with you. Best of luck!
To add to the above excellent answers, consider taking some free online tests for aptitude (what you are good at), attitude (what you like) and values (what's important to you, such as working alone, having power, or earning the big bucks). Here is one such test:https://www.truity.com/test/career-personality-profiler-test?itm_source=menu&msclkid=d9c49bb92b7a11225b08fd007b004b78&ppcga=fixed&utm_source=pocket_saves. Look online for "free career test for high schooler" to find at least one more test. Second, search for professional associations of tge careeras that interest yo; they may have info there for students. I am a speech-language pathologist, and like nurses, we can work in many settings. Learn more at https://www.asha.org/students/
Katie Schwartz, CCC-SLP
Grace Chen
Occupational Therapy Aide
4
Answers
Orange, California
Updated
Grace’s Answer
Hi! First of all, it is important to know yourself:
- What do you enjoy?
- What are you also good at?
- What are some things you absolutely don't want in a job?
- What lifestyle do you want to have in the future?
- What matches your beliefs?
Every career will have something you like and something you dislike. A good match would be something that you are passionate about so that you are able to overcome the day to day difficulties.
It's also important that you're decently good at that field. For example, being a surgeon requires a significant amount of scientific knowledge, good hand eye-coordination, top grades, and working under pressure. I love science and studying but I don’t have the best coordination and stress really stresses me out! Doctors in general are also really busy and in the future I want to have a family and spend a lot of my time with my kids. So even though surgery was cool I knew I wouldn’t pursue it.
I always wanted to be a family doctor growing up but after shadowing I knew it wasn't for me! I wanted to work in a lower stress environment where I would be able to talk to people and help them without continually prescribing medications for them. There are also times when doctors may have to compromise their beliefs and I didn’t want to do that. Also, what mattered more than prestige and salary is my family and making a positive difference in other people's lives.
All the career tests I took always put therapy as the best fit for my personality. So, I messaged some Occupational Therapists on LinkedIn and two got back to me. I did informational interviews and one of them said I could shadow her! Then shadowing turned into volunteering... and then working at the clinic. I really enjoyed the time I had to interact one on one with patients and watch them improve and be able to do daily tasks again. It's so much fun and so rewarding. That’s how I knew OT was the field for me.
Take a free career personality test. Answer the questions honestly and then choose 1-3 that you are interested in.
Reach out to professionals in your field (LinkedIn is a great resource!) and ask if you can talk to them about their profession for 10-15 minutes. Prepare questions and if you have the opportunity, ask if you can shadow them.
Find shadowing/volunteer/internship opportunities to learn more.
Talk to your parents, relatives, close friends, teachers, and people who know you well.
- What do you enjoy?
- What are you also good at?
- What are some things you absolutely don't want in a job?
- What lifestyle do you want to have in the future?
- What matches your beliefs?
Every career will have something you like and something you dislike. A good match would be something that you are passionate about so that you are able to overcome the day to day difficulties.
It's also important that you're decently good at that field. For example, being a surgeon requires a significant amount of scientific knowledge, good hand eye-coordination, top grades, and working under pressure. I love science and studying but I don’t have the best coordination and stress really stresses me out! Doctors in general are also really busy and in the future I want to have a family and spend a lot of my time with my kids. So even though surgery was cool I knew I wouldn’t pursue it.
I always wanted to be a family doctor growing up but after shadowing I knew it wasn't for me! I wanted to work in a lower stress environment where I would be able to talk to people and help them without continually prescribing medications for them. There are also times when doctors may have to compromise their beliefs and I didn’t want to do that. Also, what mattered more than prestige and salary is my family and making a positive difference in other people's lives.
All the career tests I took always put therapy as the best fit for my personality. So, I messaged some Occupational Therapists on LinkedIn and two got back to me. I did informational interviews and one of them said I could shadow her! Then shadowing turned into volunteering... and then working at the clinic. I really enjoyed the time I had to interact one on one with patients and watch them improve and be able to do daily tasks again. It's so much fun and so rewarding. That’s how I knew OT was the field for me.
Grace recommends the following next steps:
Stephanie Stogner
Registered Nurse
13
Answers
Louisburg, North Carolina
Updated
Stephanie’s Answer
Greetings!
The medical profession offers a vast array of exciting opportunities. As a seasoned registered nurse, I've had the privilege of experiencing numerous roles throughout my career. The dynamic nature of healthcare continually presents fresh possibilities!
If you're considering a path towards medical school, it's advisable to focus on science-related subjects now. The journey to becoming a doctor may be lengthy, but it's certainly rewarding. One of the perks is the chance to delve into various specialties, much like in nursing school!
Another appealing alternative, as previously mentioned, is the Physician Assistant program. This option requires less schooling, carries slightly fewer responsibilities, and still allows you to work within a specialized field. Another route could be enrolling in nursing school and later advancing to a nurse practitioner role!
During my high school years, I volunteered at a hospital. This experience proved invaluable in guiding my decision to pursue a career in healthcare. I would highly recommend seeking out volunteer work or shadowing opportunities in the field.
The medical profession offers a vast array of exciting opportunities. As a seasoned registered nurse, I've had the privilege of experiencing numerous roles throughout my career. The dynamic nature of healthcare continually presents fresh possibilities!
If you're considering a path towards medical school, it's advisable to focus on science-related subjects now. The journey to becoming a doctor may be lengthy, but it's certainly rewarding. One of the perks is the chance to delve into various specialties, much like in nursing school!
Another appealing alternative, as previously mentioned, is the Physician Assistant program. This option requires less schooling, carries slightly fewer responsibilities, and still allows you to work within a specialized field. Another route could be enrolling in nursing school and later advancing to a nurse practitioner role!
During my high school years, I volunteered at a hospital. This experience proved invaluable in guiding my decision to pursue a career in healthcare. I would highly recommend seeking out volunteer work or shadowing opportunities in the field.
Hwal Lee
DMSc, PA-C
218
Answers
Albany, New York
Updated
Hwal’s Answer
Shifali,
I feel your dilemma because there really are so many career options in medicine and even more in health care generally. Based on what you shared, here's my thought: what made you want to become a surgeon? What about a dermatologist? And a nurse? I'm thinking that there must be some things that all three have in common that interest you. That would be a good place to start in thinking about and establishing what you enjoy/like in a career and why you want what you want.
Another thought I have is career counselling. Your school, if you're currently in school, likely has someone who can help you figure out the best career options for you, or at least there may be someone who know a person or place that can help.
Since you're interested in health care and I'm a PA, you might want to check out the steps to become a PA:
https://www.aapa.org/career-central/become-a-pa/
PAs practice medicine in all specialties and in settings. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Good luck!
Hwal
I feel your dilemma because there really are so many career options in medicine and even more in health care generally. Based on what you shared, here's my thought: what made you want to become a surgeon? What about a dermatologist? And a nurse? I'm thinking that there must be some things that all three have in common that interest you. That would be a good place to start in thinking about and establishing what you enjoy/like in a career and why you want what you want.
Another thought I have is career counselling. Your school, if you're currently in school, likely has someone who can help you figure out the best career options for you, or at least there may be someone who know a person or place that can help.
Since you're interested in health care and I'm a PA, you might want to check out the steps to become a PA:
https://www.aapa.org/career-central/become-a-pa/
PAs practice medicine in all specialties and in settings. Let me know if you have any specific questions I can help with.
Good luck!
Hwal