Are you curious about what happens after medical school? Here, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) touches on what recent medical school graduates may encounter as they embark on their new journey as physicians.
A medical education is hard work, so it can help to remember what’s after medical school. There are rewards awaiting recent med school graduates—more than just the reward of becoming physicians. Below are eight things to keep in mind as you work toward the goal of becoming a medical professional.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MEDICAL SCHOOL - sTARTING YOUR CAREER IN MEDICINE
1. You have more control
Don’t get us wrong, being a doctor is hard work. But so is medical school and residency! The long hours and demanding studies can be stressful and tough. The good news is that you will have more control over your schedule after residency.
It’s important to think about your ideal work/ life balance while you are still in medical school. The reason why is that some of the choices you make as a student, especially your choice of specialty, can have a major impact on how many hours you work every week as a doctor, and whether you have a “regular” nine-to-five schedule.
2. Specialty matters
Your medical career will largely be shaped by your choice of specialty. For example, if you have a passion for dermatology, you will have the opportunity to set regular hours. On the other hand, if you want to work in emergency medicine, long hours are part of the job . However, many emergency medicine physicians find the unpredictable nature of the day exciting and a worthwhile tradeoff.
There will be other factors to consider when it comes to your personal time, but your choice of specialty may well have the greatest impact. Be sure to take this into account as you consider what to do after medical school.
3. New opportunities to build
Becoming a doctor can also mean becoming the owner of a small business. Many doctors open private practices that they manage independently. There are pros and cons to this approach. The pros are that you have total control over your practice and staff, and you can follow your personal vision. The cons are that it can mean long hours and more risk, as any business carries risk. As a recent medical school graduate, you may want to take classes or seminars or find another way to sharpen your business acumen.
Today, many young doctors choose an alternate path, such as employment by a health network or hospital system. The attraction for the doctor is that it usually means fewer hours and a regular schedule. You will not have to worry as much about revenue and administration. But you will also have less control over policies and staff.
The point is that these are your decisions to make. You will have a wealth of options, in terms of where you want to live and how you want to practice.
4. Success and confidence
You will begin your medical career with new confidence won from years of difficult but successful training. Completing medical school and residency is a major accomplishment. After all, few people are even willing to try walking such a difficult path.
One success breeds another. That is, proving yourself in medical school and residency shows what you can accomplish through hard work, intelligence, and discipline. For most physicians, obtaining a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree is the first success of many.
5. Lifelong learning
What happens after medical school? The learning isn’t over. You may no longer be in a lecture hall, but doctors never cease studying their specialty, and the rewards of lifelong learning are an often overlooked part of medicine. Long after they have left school, physicians enthusiastically snap up new research in their field. Their interest may be in learning about a rare condition, boning up on the periphery of the field, researching conditions they see regularly, and finding new methods to help patients.
You will also have the chance to conduct personal research, even if you do not teach at a university. You are joining a community that builds and debates knowledge, for the practical benefit of patients. Welcome to the party!
6. Trust and respect
Some students may be surprised by the change in their stature with family and friends. Do not be surprised if people who once discounted your opinion now come to you for advice—it may not even be for medical advice.
Of course, it is entirely up to you how much free advice, medical or otherwise, you wish to dispense. You may find the need to set boundaries. But the point here is that when you are a physician, your opinion on medical matters is an expert opinion, and people will take you seriously.
7. Prestige
Along with trust and respect, you may notice a jump in prestige—a change in how you are seen and treated in public—when people know you are a physician. Even in our busy, sometimes cold modern world, people usually treat doctors with respect. Generally, people know that doctors are serious people who deserve respect and even deference. Not everyone will have this attitude, but it might surprise you how many people do.
“Is there a doctor in the house?” We have all seen the moment in movies, if not yet in daily life. Whenever there is an emergency, people will look to you for reassurance and leadership.
8. You could change the world
Ultimately, people are drawn to medicine out of a desire to make a positive change in the world. Patients will come to you in pain and suffering, and you may both reassure and heal them. Many people don’t get to see the good they do in the world. Doctors get to see this on a daily basis.
You will, however, have moments of exhaustion, frustration, and even sadness. Nothing that is truly rewarding comes easily. But you will also have many profound and satisfying moments of compassion, healing, and care.
Now that you know a bit more about what happens after medical school, contact AUC to learn more about our medical school. And if you are ready to begin your journey to become a physician, apply to AUC today!
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