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Right now my oldest child wants to be an inventor, my next wants to be a teacher, and my last isn’t sure. Granted, they all have a lot of time to decide.
None of them wants to be a doctor. I’m glad.
In seventh grade, I had to interview someone about their job. Like most kids, I picked my dad. He was a lawyer, and so we chatted about his field while a cassette tape slowly turned. At one point, I asked him if he’d recommend law to others, and he said, to my surprise, "no." He elaborated by saying that the field had changed so much since he’d started that he didn’t feel it was a rewarding career anymore.
It’s been 35 years since then, and now I feel the same way.
I once loved medicine. In the idealism of youth, I viewed it as a calling, a chance to help and make a difference in the lives of others. To a large extent, I still feel that way. I like what I do, even though time and reality have dimmed the fires.
But would I recommend this to anyone else? No.
Like Dad said a long time ago, things have changed. I wouldn’t want to walk out of medical school $200,000 (or more) in debt. That puts such a huge shadow over your future – I don’t see it as being worthwhile. I didn’t become a doctor to get rich, but starting out behind the eight-ball is never good.
Medicine isn’t the same. We’re not the old family docs of yore. Our cause is still just, but we’re often vilified for political or legal expediency – or profit. People who know nothing about medicine try to tell us what we can or can’t do. We get stuck in the middle of battles we never wanted to be a part of. Internet and television charlatans are treated like miracle workers.
Through it all, most of us try to do our best for our patients. But over time, it’s the other things that whittle you down. It’s those reasons that make me glad none of my kids is currently interested in doing this job.
Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Right now my oldest child wants to be an inventor, my next wants to be a teacher, and my last isn’t sure. Granted, they all have a lot of time to decide.
None of them wants to be a doctor. I’m glad.
In seventh grade, I had to interview someone about their job. Like most kids, I picked my dad. He was a lawyer, and so we chatted about his field while a cassette tape slowly turned. At one point, I asked him if he’d recommend law to others, and he said, to my surprise, "no." He elaborated by saying that the field had changed so much since he’d started that he didn’t feel it was a rewarding career anymore.
It’s been 35 years since then, and now I feel the same way.
I once loved medicine. In the idealism of youth, I viewed it as a calling, a chance to help and make a difference in the lives of others. To a large extent, I still feel that way. I like what I do, even though time and reality have dimmed the fires.
But would I recommend this to anyone else? No.
Like Dad said a long time ago, things have changed. I wouldn’t want to walk out of medical school $200,000 (or more) in debt. That puts such a huge shadow over your future – I don’t see it as being worthwhile. I didn’t become a doctor to get rich, but starting out behind the eight-ball is never good.
Medicine isn’t the same. We’re not the old family docs of yore. Our cause is still just, but we’re often vilified for political or legal expediency – or profit. People who know nothing about medicine try to tell us what we can or can’t do. We get stuck in the middle of battles we never wanted to be a part of. Internet and television charlatans are treated like miracle workers.
Through it all, most of us try to do our best for our patients. But over time, it’s the other things that whittle you down. It’s those reasons that make me glad none of my kids is currently interested in doing this job.
Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Right now my oldest child wants to be an inventor, my next wants to be a teacher, and my last isn’t sure. Granted, they all have a lot of time to decide.
None of them wants to be a doctor. I’m glad.
In seventh grade, I had to interview someone about their job. Like most kids, I picked my dad. He was a lawyer, and so we chatted about his field while a cassette tape slowly turned. At one point, I asked him if he’d recommend law to others, and he said, to my surprise, "no." He elaborated by saying that the field had changed so much since he’d started that he didn’t feel it was a rewarding career anymore.
It’s been 35 years since then, and now I feel the same way.
I once loved medicine. In the idealism of youth, I viewed it as a calling, a chance to help and make a difference in the lives of others. To a large extent, I still feel that way. I like what I do, even though time and reality have dimmed the fires.
But would I recommend this to anyone else? No.
Like Dad said a long time ago, things have changed. I wouldn’t want to walk out of medical school $200,000 (or more) in debt. That puts such a huge shadow over your future – I don’t see it as being worthwhile. I didn’t become a doctor to get rich, but starting out behind the eight-ball is never good.
Medicine isn’t the same. We’re not the old family docs of yore. Our cause is still just, but we’re often vilified for political or legal expediency – or profit. People who know nothing about medicine try to tell us what we can or can’t do. We get stuck in the middle of battles we never wanted to be a part of. Internet and television charlatans are treated like miracle workers.
Through it all, most of us try to do our best for our patients. But over time, it’s the other things that whittle you down. It’s those reasons that make me glad none of my kids is currently interested in doing this job.
Dr. Block has a solo neurology practice in Scottsdale, Ariz.
