Why are fewer and fewer young people choosing to become doctors?

Susan James42 said:Women can't get anywhere near a surgical residency here. Honestly, if you don't have some high-level connections, being a woman basically shuts the door in your face...

I definitely 🎉 🎉 🎉

tinitrus said:Why am I so curious? :-) Well, isn't it obvious—I'm working on a research paper, just a small publication really, but you know how it goes, you have to gather all those references, and once I've got enough under my belt, I'll finally be making my way into the Who's Who

I honestly can't wrap my head around why fewer and fewer young people seem interested in going into medicine these days, but... based on what I've seen from the discussions here and what you're calling a survey for your research paper or upcoming publication? 🤣
I mean, before my curiosity actually gets the better of me, could you tell me what field of science we're talking about?

Something’s gotta grab you by the collar, you know? You need that spark of curiosity to actually get moving.😍 😈

By the way, you think I could actually pull off writing a master's thesis based on nothing but a survey?...........-))))))

brightmarlin44 said:By the way, do you think I could actually use the data from this survey to put together a Master's thesis? Just a thought... lol

Honestly, a Master's degree isn't really the big move anymore; if you're going down that academic path, you might as well aim straight for the PhD right away.

brightmarlin44 said:Do you think I could actually base a Master's thesis on just a survey?

Good grief, give me a break. 😬

Look, before you think I’m trying to start something—I’m not actually doing any heavy lifting here. I’m just being a little nosy, honestly. Sometimes I just want to see if anyone else sees things through a different lens. It’s not like I always have to be right (even if, let’s be real, I usually am):-))

Anyway, just a quick thought—which one is actually more valuable: a scientific paper based on a tiny, microscopic sample size (meaning there’s a massive margin for error) or just a paper that rehashes existing research? I mean, they say repetition is how we learn, but still...

I mean, does anyone actually have a clue how they’re planning to roll out this whole Bologna mess for med school?
Everyone keeps droning on about these "miraculous" global reforms and how much better everything will be under the new system, but I can't help feeling like our medical program is just another one getting caught up in the whirlwind of these massive restructuring schemes.

Look, you don't study the history of medicine during your first year of med school in Chicago, you learn it by year six. 🥳 The changes they've made are just, well, unbelievable... 🤣 😂

I honestly don't know; they might have already mapped out exactly how all six years are going to look [User456 🙄], but clearly, they haven't decided to actually share those details with the students yet... 🙂

User123 said:It’s because we old-timers are nothing but corrupt, overpriced doctors 😍—hell, more like blood-sucking vampires. We've actually 😈
scared them so much (they're terrified we'll snatch away all the prestige and glamour surrounding us) that they won't even dare step foot near the medical school campus.

And also, for goodness' sake, the reason is 😵
Watch that blood. You never know if someone is in the early stages of Hepatitis or something else entirely.

brightmarlin44 said:By the way, I have a question: which is actually better—a scientific paper based on an incredibly tiny sample size (meaning there's a massive margin for error) or just a paper that essentially repeats existing research? You know, because repetition is supposed to be one of the foundations of learning.

To be honest, neither of those really qualifies as a legitimate scientific paper, so you can't really say one is superior to the other. It’s a bit of a false choice. This actually brings to mind that questionable "survey" people conducted regarding careerism and burnout among surgeons out in Chicago.

Scott Allen10 said:How exactly—if it’s even possible—is this whole "Bologna Process" mess supposed to be implemented in medical school?
.

It isn't.

northerncobra27, look, that whole thing about the scientific paper? It was just a joke, a bit of sarcasm, you know... just one of those things...etc., etc.😁 👍

brightmarlin44 said:Look, northerncobra27, you know how I mentioned that whole thing about the scientific paper? That was just me being cheeky, a bit of dry irony, nothing more than a passing joke... you know how it goes. So, I guess it finally clicked for you, didn't it?😁 👍

User456! Hang on a second, let me catch up... my brain works a little slower when it comes to catching those subtle jabs...😁 👍

Scott Allen10 said:So, how is the implementation of that famous Bologna-style curriculum actually supposed to work—if there's even a plan at all—for medical school?
Everyone keeps buzzing about those "miraculous" global academic reforms—you know, the ones everyone raves about—so I assume this degree went through some version of that too.

I really hope medical school undergoes some major reforms soon—specifically, I'd love to see them finally bake more foundational nutrition into the curriculum based on Hippocrates' principles. It’s honestly a bit surprising that we haven't seen much of that focus until now.

Justin Fox said:Medical school is definitely a grind—honestly, it’s pretty brutal. A lot of mindless repetition—honestly.It’s not something just anyone can pull off—you really have to put in the work.

Everything that's just "crammed" into your head tends to slip away just as fast—honestly, it's no wonder we have such a shortage of actual doctors out there. 😉

I’m more of a "living life with love and understanding" kind of person—just a little more simple than that. 🙂

Justin Fox said:The job market is looking pretty rough right now—there's a massive surplus of doctors and especially dentists. If you don't have some really solid connections, you're basically stuck trying to find work in some tiny, remote town you've never even heard of—assuming you can actually land a gig at all.

The market is wide open right now—we’re looking for nutritionists who want to shake things up a bit and actually make a tangible difference in people's health. 😉 👍

Justin Fox said:Working in healthcare can be pretty rough sometimes—we're often dealing with outdated facilities, aging equipment, a real shortage of supplies, and not many chances to actually level up our skills.
Medical professions tend to be pretty hierarchical—you've always got some director, chief, or manager breathing down your neck.

You start your own private practice—set everything up exactly how you like it—and best of all, there's no boss breathing down your neck. 🙂

Justin Fox said:The market is such a mess right now—you really can't count on landing a decent paycheck after graduation or eventually opening your own firm in your field.

Anything is possible if you really set your mind to it—but honestly, why go through all that stress jumping into the market alone? I'd much rather stick with a steady paycheck and just pick up some side gigs here and there to bring in a little extra cash under the table. 😉

Justin Fox said:- the reputation of the medical field and our healthcare system here in the States is pretty rough: lack of equipment, apathy, corruption, indifference, narrow-mindedness, and arrogance—it might actually scare off potential med students from choosing the profession altogether.

People tend to build their own reputations... I mean, if you know your stuff and aren't acting all stuck-up—if you're actually approachable and kind—people are going to love you... 😉 😕

Justin Fox said:I guess people eventually look at market trends and realize what's happening...

... that the future is really in wellness (health + profit) ... 👍

Honestly, any sane person today is going to think twice before choosing medicine because:
- Nobody wants to spend half their life buried in textbooks! Unless you’re some kind of absolute genius or a total nerd, you’re looking at over a decade of schooling. And if you want to specialize? You’re basically training from the time you start kindergarten until you're 30... which means by the time you actually start working, you've only got about 20 years left before retirement hits. It just doesn't add up.
And just imagine someone finally entering the workforce in their 30s... their entire generation is already established. Some people have been working for ten years, they've started families, they've got kids who are practically finishing middle school, and most have already sorted out buying a house. Meanwhile, our doctor is just "starting life" in their mid-30s.

I always tell this story about a buddy of mine. He finished a trade school, got married, has two kids, built a house, and has been working for years... then one day he runs into an old high school friend he hasn't seen in forever. He asks him what he's been up to, and the guy just goes, "Oh, I just graduated. Heading home now." 😬

Donna Chavez4 said:- Nobody wants to spend half their life just studying! Unless you're some kind of absolute genius or a total bookworm, you'll be grinding through medical school for over a decade. And if you decide to specialize... you end up training for nearly 30 years (from the time you're 6 or 7 until you're 30-something) just to have maybe 20 years left before retirement?!
Just picture someone hitting the workforce in their 30s (...) while our doctors are only just "starting their lives" in their 30s...

As far as I'm concerned, when you're in a field like medicine, the learning never actually stops. 🥳 It means that once you wrap up your degree, you can't just let your brain rot and say, "Eh, I don't care about the latest scientific breakthroughs." 🙄 Constant education and staying current isn't something that ends once you get that diploma.

The second thing is that you aren't graduating at 30+. You'll finish your formal schooling well before you hit 30. Generally speaking [assuming you started around 18 or 19], and from there, you're either working full-time or balancing a job with a residency or specialized fellowship. ☕

I honestly can't help but wonder why someone working at a local Chase branch can pull in $2,000 a month with just a bit of basic training and minimal effort, while a friend of mine who spent years grinding through medical school ends up stitching people up in some dive bar at 2 AM for nothing more than a few bucks and a couple of beers.😬