Studying medicine is one of the hardest and most respectable career courses out there. Whether you aim to become a dermatologist or a cardiologist, there’s no denying the amount of hard work and effort you need to put in. Choosing a medical profession can be hard too, and choosing the right one for you is important. From the difficulty of the course to the demand of the job, there are plenty of things to consider.
Unless you have a very fixed idea of what you want to do, it can be difficult to make a decision. If you’re considering studying a medical course but not which one, you’ve come to the right place.
Here is a list of reasons why it’s important to choose wisely, to help you make a decision best fit for you:
Find your passion
Most people’s futures are going to involve spending the bulk of their lives working, so it’s important to choose the right course or field of work. As a future medical student, choosing the right course means that you’ll be passionate about it for longer. You will have to spend long hours and years studying the topic, and if it’s not your passion, it will be much harder to do. If you choose the wrong course, you might find yourself in a rut with no inspiration or will to go on. This can spell disaster for your future as you might need to change courses or even professions down the line. This can be difficult, costly, and nerve-wracking to pull off.
Hard work and effort
Working hard for a degree or course to get you where you want to be is admirable. However, spending countless hours and long nights working on something you’re not going to use in the future can be considered a tragedy. If push comes to shove, you can always change your course, but until then you will have to put in some elbow grease.
If you’re set on the long road ahead, you better get to work revising and studying hard for those medical exams. There are plenty of medical exams to get through, depending on what course or degree you decide on. Try looking up MCAT or USMLE review courses online to help you deal with the workload. Some medical exams are easier than others, so take the exam difficulty into consideration when deciding. Don’t let an exam get between you and your goals of working in the medical field.
Make the best use of your skills
Choosing a course or degree is all about choosing what you do best and what you enjoy. When deciding on what course to take, you need to think about where your skills lie and find a way to work them into a future job or career. All medical degrees or courses require skills unique to those in the medical field like a steady hand or good interpersonal skills. However, each branch and level of medicine requires different specific skills and abilities. These abilities might be more or less suitable for you, depending on your capabilities. When choosing a course or degree, find one that combines the areas you excel in, if you want to do the best job of it.
Job availability
Often, passion for a job or calling is not enough to make a living out of it. When choosing a medical course, or any profession for that matter, it’s important to work with the current job market. There is nothing worse than putting all that work in just to get a degree that can’t get you a job because no one is hiring.
Predicting what will be needed in the future is hard, but there are ways around it. Although jobs in medicine are always in demand, not all are equally popular. To be on the safe side, do some research and choose a course that is more likely to be in demand in the future. Look out for which positions and courses are in demand in your town or city for starters, and work your way up.
So there you have it. To choose a career in the medical field is to choose a huge responsibility but a rewarding and admirable one. The world will always need more doctors, nurses, and health professionals. Choosing the right medical course or field is important, so you need to make sure you choose wisely.
Choose a course that you are passionate about to keep yourself motivated. Be prepared for the hard work and dedication required, so choose something you’re willing to work for. Think about your skills and capabilities and go for the course or field that works to your advantage. Finally, think ahead and try to make your choice based on job availability in the future. Keeping all this in mind will ensure that you make the best decision and make the most out of your medical degree or course.
Robert Haynes did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in mental health and well-being.
