I like to listen to the conversations of the twentysomethings working in my department. They do everything from coordinating research activities to recruiting patients for new studies of kidney disease. Most have finished college and are thinking about medical school. At the lunch table, they talk about postcollege premedical classes (here’s an example of one in New York), the MCAT test, and admission interviews.
Hearing them, I realize the benefit of the practical experience they are getting.
First of all, they get to see a little bit of what medicine is like before investing four years and more than $100,000 in medical school. Once they’re in school, some of them may still decide that medicine isn’t for them, but working in a hospital will certainly decrease the likelihood of that happening. It would be awful to go through medical school and then realize that you don’t want to be a doctor (almost as awful as having that person as your doctor).
Second of all, they have something real to talk about during those medical school interviews. Sure, some people do this to try and win the admissions game (grades, check; references, check; real-life experience, check). But, it does help schools evaluate you when you can talk meaningfully about actual experiences in the field, even if it’s just enrolling patients in studies.
In retrospect, I’m not really sure how I managed to convince anyone I was ready for medical school, with my only previous experience being a two-day visit with my uncle the cardiologist.
Finally, our twentysomething workers might just end up being better, more mature, and more well-rounded physicians than people who blaze through college and medical school from age 18 to 26 without ever leaving school or living a nonstudent life. At least that’s what some people think. I don’t know if it’s ever been studied in a scientific way.
The only drawback I see is that these twentysomethings aren’t getting any younger, even though they’re getting great experience. Medical school and specialty training together take seven years at an absolute minimum. For some, this can stretch to 10 or 15 years. If they stay too long, they’ll be fortysomethings before they get their first real job.
That’s a long, long road, and it includes the time of life when most people are getting married, having children, and buying their first house. Still, if they’re going to invest the prime of their life in preparing for their career, shouldn’t they make sure they’ll enjoy the experience along the way?
(PHOTO:FOTOLIA)
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Comments (1)
Most of the kids I encounter that have worked a bit want to go to PA school. Med school is just too difficult from their perspective. Too long, too expensive and hard o family life. I get that even though I went to MD school. If anyone is listening my idea is to do it like other disciplines (Bachelors, masters, and doctorate)….get a BA/BS, then a PA degree…work a bit in the medical field, and then have the option of going to get the MD degree.