Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The questions people ask medical students

Menachem Gurevitz, DO
Education
February 3, 2020
810 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Wow, you’re in medical school? So you are going to be a doctor? What year are you? When are you going to finish? What are you going to go into?

You should become a skin doctor, what do they call them again? It doesn’t matter, but they do good. But they are not real doctors, so maybe it’s not worth it.

You should become a doctor that gives vaccines. Are vaccines real? I mean, listen, I’m not crazy, so I vaccinate. It is the flu shot that I am worried about — last year, I took it and got the flu two days later.

What about a cancer doctor? I know someone who has cancer, and he has a doctor who is phenomenal. But you’d be crazy to hang around dying people all day.

Also, I think Elon Musk, the guy who does Tesla, is inventing a pill that’s going to fix cancer.

You take it once, and it’s gone. Listen, if you become a cancer guy, I’m sure they’ll find something else for you to do. Those skills must be transferable to something else, you know, like the PAs.

Hey, why didn’t you become a PA? Are you becoming the full thing or a PA, which is the same thing but less stress, and basically the same money — maybe more! I know this guy who is a PA, and everyone calls him “doctor.” The real doctor there is a mess, always stuck doing paperwork.

There is no more money in medicine these days. The loans are crazy — are you getting loans, or are your parents giving you a ride? PAs have all the benefits of doctors without the headache. Oh, so you are doing the full thing? Smart. You don’t want to spend all your life working for someone else.

One piece of advice I want to give you is not to become a psychiatrist. They are usually nutty — most of them should have been patients themselves. There is this one guy I know who is solid — he wears a bowtie. But most of them are a bit off and get depressed quickly. You just become crazy when you hang around the crazies.

So, you didn’t decide what type of doctor you are going to be yet? When do you get to pick?

You want to be a sleep doctor? Are they even real doctors? That’s great; I can use one. Everyone is tired these days, you know, with the current job market and stress. But are you sure they are the real thing? What about the money — do they get the same thing?

So, doctor, when can I start calling you “doctor”? Are you in the hospital already? Have you seen a live birth? Which hospital are you at — it’s great to know someone on the inside.

By the way, I totally forgot to ask you: Why do you want to be a doctor? Is this a new thing, or is this something that you always wanted to do? It’s a hard life, but I’m sure it’s worth it. You get to have a room full of people waiting for you — I would have done everything for that feeling. But is that really the case these days, you know with the urgent care stuff and all? I think there is no waiting at the urgent care. But I would never go into those places. They seem to be pill-pushing drug dealers staffed by foreigners. I think shady stuff goes on there — this must be the case.

There is a reason we haven’t seen them until Obamacare came around.

A guy I knew from high school also went to medical school. He never studied or anything — partied all the way through — and went straight to Harvard. Now he is some fancy doctor; I’m not sure exactly what type — I think he is at the Mayo or NIH — no, no, it’s Johns Hopkins.

So you are going to be a DO? What is a DO? It’s not a PA — right? Aha, it’s the same thing as an MD, but extra so it’s more, but it’s less, but it’s the same, and different, but no one knows the difference — the patient for sure doesn’t know. Let me ask you this: Can you still do the vaccines? Oh, so that’s a doctor — simple. Can you even do surgery? But why would you want to do that? Surgeons have no life, they never see their family, and the kids end up rotten with all that money.

How old are you now? Are you married? When are you going to get married? When are you going to have kids? Did you freeze your eggs? Wow, and how do you support yourself now?

Wait, is that Coke that are you drinking there? A doctor drinking Coke! Ah, that’s true, doctors don’t know anything about nutrition. Besides, you only have one life to live, so you might as well enjoy it.

I actually have this thing going on right here in my arm — don’t tell anyone — but what do you think of it — it’s not cancer, right? I was taking this red pill for it that cost $2,000 a dose, but I would only pay $20 because I had good insurance. I switched plans, and now it’s not covered anymore, so I stopped taking it, but I feel great. What do you think?

You know, I never really believed in doctors. My father smoked until he was 98, and he never needed a doctor. There is a vitamin that I take, which makes me feel great — fresh like new — I think that’s all you need.

Anyway, it was so nice talking to you. I have not had such an insightful conversation for a long time, which is expected, doctor, given how smart you are. You’re probably going to be some big guy next time I see you — don’t forget the folks who helped you along the way.

Menachem Gurevitz is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Talking about opioids can lead to strong emotions

February 2, 2020 Kevin 4
…
Next

Sharing medical records won't work

February 3, 2020 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Medical school

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Talking about opioids can lead to strong emotions
Next Post >
Sharing medical records won't work

More by Menachem Gurevitz, DO

  • A room once full of vitality lies empty

    Menachem Gurevitz, DO

Related Posts

  • How medical education fails minority students

    Shenyece Ferguson
  • Top 5 interview questions and strategies for medical students

    James W. Stewart, MD
  • Advice for first-year medical students

    Jamie Katuna
  • Physicians and medical students: Unlearn helplessness

    Jamie Katuna
  • Polarizing medical students do not foster discussion and education

    Anonymous
  • An open letter to graduating medical students

    Lilian White

More in Education

  • Improving medical specialty selection with pre-training examinations

    Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD
  • The erosion of compassion in medicine

    Daniel Luger, MD
  • Decoding doctor designations: the crucial need to ditch the “provider” label

    Austin Miller
  • September in medicine: scouting season for future doctors

    Stephen J. Foley
  • From medical humanities student to physician

    Nicholas Bellacicco, DO
  • How Tratak yoga reshaped my USMLE Step 2 prep

    Dr. Nikita Mehdiratta
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • There’s no place for “benevolent deception” in obstetrics

      Megan Nix | Conditions
    • A physician’s cry in light of world events

      Fareeha Khan, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionizing patient care: the convergence of AI and personalized medicine

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Navigating challenges in modern medicine through storytelling [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Value-based care: a prescription for physician well-being [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Navigating your first MRI: tips and insights

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medicare coverage saves lives. Enrolling shouldn’t be this complicated.

      Catherine L. Chen, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Antisemitism is at a historic high not just in other countries, but right here in America

      Joshua D. Lenchus, DO | Physician
    • Medicine has become the new McDonald’s of health care

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Policy
    • The erosion of compassion in medicine

      Daniel Luger, MD | Education
    • Emergency department burnout: a cry for change

      Anonymous | Conditions
    • Rising nurse practitioner burnout: charting and work-life balance

      Erica Dorn, FNP | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Navigating challenges in modern medicine through storytelling [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Lessons from historical drug prohibitions

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • World AIDS Day 2023: Remember and commit

      Toyin M. Falusi, MD | Conditions
    • Lacertus syndrome and the quest for diagnosis

      Dinaaz Lentin | Conditions
    • The role of emotions in therapist growth

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • Ketamine myths and facts: What PCPs need to know [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Prone Positioning Falls Flat for Weaning COVID Patients Off ECMO
  • Rare Syndrome After COVID Vaccines Described
  • 'Alexa, Titrate My Insulin': AI App Boosts Glycemic Control in Randomized Trial
  • Two-Week Prophylaxis May Prevent Hep C After Kidney Transplant
  • Let's Talk Drug Prices; Restoring the Sense of Touch; Learning From Tumors in a Dish

Meeting Coverage

  • Oncolytic Virus Shows High Response Rates in BCG-Unresponsive Bladder Cancer
  • Breast Cancer Screening Frequency Makes a Big Survival Difference
  • Noninvasive Therapy Shows Efficacy in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
  • Combining Immunotherapy and PARP Inhibition in Advanced Uterine Cancer
  • Deep-Learning Model Shows Promise for ADHD Diagnosis in Teens
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • There’s no place for “benevolent deception” in obstetrics

      Megan Nix | Conditions
    • A physician’s cry in light of world events

      Fareeha Khan, MD | Physician
    • Revolutionizing patient care: the convergence of AI and personalized medicine

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Navigating challenges in modern medicine through storytelling [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Value-based care: a prescription for physician well-being [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Navigating your first MRI: tips and insights

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medicare coverage saves lives. Enrolling shouldn’t be this complicated.

      Catherine L. Chen, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Antisemitism is at a historic high not just in other countries, but right here in America

      Joshua D. Lenchus, DO | Physician
    • Medicine has become the new McDonald’s of health care

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Policy
    • The erosion of compassion in medicine

      Daniel Luger, MD | Education
    • Emergency department burnout: a cry for change

      Anonymous | Conditions
    • Rising nurse practitioner burnout: charting and work-life balance

      Erica Dorn, FNP | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Navigating challenges in modern medicine through storytelling [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Lessons from historical drug prohibitions

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • World AIDS Day 2023: Remember and commit

      Toyin M. Falusi, MD | Conditions
    • Lacertus syndrome and the quest for diagnosis

      Dinaaz Lentin | Conditions
    • The role of emotions in therapist growth

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • Ketamine myths and facts: What PCPs need to know [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...