I have a question about medical studies.

[Pawelk198604]

I've always wanted to be a doctor, but rather will definitely not be a doctor :-(

(Im to old 29 years old)

Anyway, I have a great estimations for doctors and for work they do.

I wonder how it is in the United States and England, because in Poland to study medicine last 6 years, and people from these studies are awarded the title of physican of medicine, physican of dental medicine or physician of veterinary medicine, to be doctor they must finish additional several years of doctoral studies, as it is in any other university discipline in Poland not every doctor finish it , yet we always call them doctors, regardless whether they have Ph.D.

or not.

I'm wonder how it look in other countries

[SomeGuy12]

It's just how it happened to have worked out. The "total of 6 years" is how initial medical training should have worked in the United States, just like the metric system, but it doesn't and there's too many entrenched institutions who have no plans to change and too much power to be made to. There are 6 years MD programs in the U.S., they are just very rare. (I'm talking about 2 years of undergraduate basic science, 2 years of med school science, 2 years of clinicals). In both Poland and the USA, there's some post medical school training for doctors to actually learn on the job what they are doing in a specialized area. In both countries, graduates are considered "doctors", however, in the USA, interns and residents get treated very shabbily and they are not called "doctor" by other physicians even though they do hold the degree of MD.

[lodestar]

29 years-old and you think you're too old for medical school? Are you kidding?

[SomeGuy12]

29 years-old and you think you're too old for medical school? Are you kidding?

He probably doesn't have the pre-requisites, either. If he started in the United States, say, with a bachlors degree and an average GPA, he'd have to first spend about 2-4 years taking classes full time and taking and retaking the MCATs just to get his numbers high enough to even be considered for med school. (with no guarantee of success, either - all the schools might just reject him every time, it's a dice roll)

Then he'd have to spend 4 years in med school. Then an average of 4 years in residency. 3+4+4 = 11 years. He'd be 40 when he finishes. If he already has a degree and a job that pays decent money, he'll never catch up financially. He'll be treated shabbily for a decade. It's not impossible, just not worth it. I wish I could be a rock star, but I can't.

[Pawelk198604]

He probably doesn't have the pre-requisites, either. If he started in the United States, say, with a bachlors degree and an average GPA, he'd have to first spend about 2-4 years taking classes full time and taking and retaking the MCATs just to get his numbers high enough to even be considered for med school. (with no guarantee of success, either - all the schools might just reject him every time, it's a dice roll)

Then he'd have to spend 4 years in med school. Then an average of 4 years in residency. 3+4+4 = 11 years. He'd be 40 when he finishes. If he already has a degree and a job that pays decent money, he'll never catch up financially. He'll be treated shabbily for a decade. It's not impossible, just not worth it. I wish I could be a rock star, but I can't.

Thanks you very supportive

By the way, I wonder how old the oldest person who has completed medical studies.

[lodestar]

He probably doesn't have the pre-requisites, either. If he started in the United States, say, with a bachlors degree and an average GPA, he'd have to first spend about 2-4 years taking classes full time and taking and retaking the MCATs just to get his numbers high enough to even be considered for med school. (with no guarantee of success, either - all the schools might just reject him every time, it's a dice roll)

Then your priority is being financially successful, not being a medical doctor. If what you want from life is being a doctor, 29 years-old is far from being too late.

[SomeGuy12]

Thanks you very supportive

By the way, I wonder how old the oldest person who has completed medical studies.

Look. I made it personally pretty far. And it's not worth it. Seeing people die is the worst experience you can ever imagine. And the vast majority of serious medical problems you will only have half ass bandaid measures or no real effective treatment at all. It's nothing like on TV. Get a decent job with decent pay and manageable stress, and enjoy the nice things in life.

[Camacha]

Look. I made it personally pretty far. And it's not worth it. Seeing people die is the worst experience you can ever imagine.

Luckily, not all doctors think like this. Having people die is indeed one of the worst things imaginable, but without doctors, even more would die. I would just be less obvious that they are dying.

[Guest]

Luckily, not all doctors think like this. Having people die is indeed one of the worst things imaginable, but without doctors, even more would die. I would just be less obvious that they are dying.

Doctors have absolutely nothing to do with how many people die (everyone dies) but a good doctor might have something to do with when a person dies. Kind of a morbid subject, but I am personally not a fan of doctors, or should say bad ones. I've had a few bad personal experiences with some doctors that I have no clue as to how they passed grade school, much less med school.

[Camacha]

Doctors have absolutely nothing to do with how many people die (everyone dies) but a good doctor might have something to do with when a person dies.

I think it was obvious I was talking about people needing medical attention, but if there was any doubt: I was talking about people needing medical attention.

[RainDreamer]

I wonder if you can be a vet instead. Would that have more lax requirement?

[SomeGuy12]

I wonder if you can be a vet instead. Would that have more lax requirement?

No. The actual difficulty ordering, from easiest to hardest, is

1. Podiatrist (doctor limited by tradition enforced by law to surgery below the knee)

2. DO (doctor also trained in spinal manipulation, aka ......... Kind of like if Miss Cleo started a school of fortune telling and the schools also offered legitimate training in psychiatry.)

3. MD

4. Dentist

5. Vet

Yep, it's harder than anything else to become a vet. And vets make the least of everything on that list, about as much as people with an undergrad degree in a useful field. Vets have trouble finding jobs at all.

[Camacha]

Yep, it's harder than anything else to become a vet.

[citation needed]

[Pawelk198604]

Luckily, not all doctors think like this. Having people die is indeed one of the worst things imaginable, but without doctors, even more would die. I would just be less obvious that they are dying.

Thanks, we in Poland have free education, we not need pay, but selection of University is determined by Matura special exam who is taken after completion of High school, you not need to take it or re take it later on, for medical studies you need at lest 90% from advanced: chemistry, biology, physics and math, and obligatory "Polish language(with include world literature" but as i live in Poland so is kind of obvious.

I take Advanced History, Civic Science, and Advanced English Exam, because from this subjects are feel the most secure. To study in Med Academy i will have to take additional exams. But with exams i already pass i can study Psychology and be psychologist "the doctor of soul"

In childhood a lot of sick, really owe a lot to the doctors.

I would like to be a doctor to help others, but on the other hand, the same can be achieved by studying psychology, this year should get a master's degree in library science. Maybe I should study psychology?

[Darnok]

Thanks, we in Poland have free education, we not need pay,

You pay for it every day doing shopping. It would be free if teachers would work for free, but they want money for their jobs, so we as society have to pay for their work.

[MinimumSky5]

I'd much rather have a small rise in VAT to pay for my university education over my career, rather than start with £45,000 debt before my career properly starts.

[Camacha]

You pay for it every day doing shopping. It would be free if teachers would work for free, but they want money for their jobs, so we as society have to pay for their work.

The teachers do not work for free, but the education is free. This is demonstrated by the fact that you pay the same, whether you are making use of the educational system or not. Pawel is right. Besides, no need to get technical about it anyway.

At least being technically wrong is the best kind of wrong

[Pawelk198604]

You pay for it every day doing shopping. It would be free if teachers would work for free, but they want money for their jobs, so we as society have to pay for their work.

I'd much rather have a small rise in VAT to pay for my university education over my career, rather than start with £45,000 debt before my career properly starts.

The teachers do not work for free, but the education is free. This is demonstrated by the fact that you pay the same, whether you are making use of the educational system or not. Pawel is right. Besides, no need to get technical about it anyway.

At least being technically wrong is the best kind of wrong

In Poland there are also private universities, tuition in which you must pay.

But in Poland in relation to the graduates of these universities refers to the light reserve and contempt.

"That someone like is too stupid to educate the public university"

for those graduates are treated as clients of guess who

[Hcube]

I'm in first year of medschool in France, i browse this forum when i'm in a pause (rarely, like 15minutes a day). Here it's an exam the first year wich is incredibly hard in order to select people.. We are 2800 and only the 240 who score the best results can pass in the 2nd year ^^

So it's pretty much studying-eating-sleeping-repeat for a year. No KSP for me until may :/ !

I have no idea about how it works in the US...

(Pause is over, end of post ! Back to work )

[Darnok]

The teachers do not work for free, but the education is free. This is demonstrated by the fact that you pay the same, whether you are making use of the educational system or not. Pawel is right. Besides, no need to get technical about it anyway.

At least being technically wrong is the best kind of wrong

What? Hahaha wow... that means all have to pay for those who study. It is simply not fair for poor people who can't afford to go to this "free studies" and they have to work for 10h per day and pay high taxes, what makes them more poor, for education of students from wealthier families.

[Camacha]

What? Hahaha wow... that means all have to pay for those who study.

I acknowledged that. Meanwhile, it changes nothing about the fact that the education is still free. Not without cost, but without payment. Free.

It is simply not fair for poor people who can't afford to go to this "free studies" and they have to work for 10h per day and pay high taxes, what makes them more poor, for education of students from wealthier families.

You do understand that free explicitly means that you do not have to pay for it? This means it benefits exactly those poor people you speak of, who would otherwise never have a chance to go to college. Besides, poor people tend to pay less taxes than the rich (relative and absolute), so in relative terms, they benefit much more.