People go into medicine for a whole host of reasons โ they like science, they crave variety, they want their work to make a difference in the field โ but underlying all of these motives is a desire to help people. Still, you donโt need to become a doctor to put your altruism into practice, or to pursue your passion for, say, biology; there are, in fact, many related options.
Here are six alternatives to consider that align with different interests, temperaments, and talents, and also draw on various aspects of medicine.
1. Teacher
In many ways, the day-to-day work of a doctor involves teaching. For most physicians, residency โ the time devoted to training in a particular specialty โ is also spent mentoring medical students through the confusing world of clinical practice. At some point, most residents and attending physicians are required to give instructional lectures to their colleagues or other healthcare professionals-in-training. Moreover, patients themselves seek out their physician to instruct them on medical conditions. In this sense, nearly every clinical interaction involves some degree of teaching on the part of a physician.
If you are passionate about expanding peopleโs knowledge and understanding, consider what you could achieve as a teacher โ without experiencing endless sleep deprivation or an educational debt equivalent to the cost of a mansion in a midwestern city. For example, teaching children in elementary school draws on many of the same temperamental strengths as pediatricians possess. On the other hand, if you like distilling complex concepts into clear, comprehensible tidbits, becoming a college chemistry or philosophy professor may be your path.
2. Scientist
Many aspiring pre-meds have their hearts set on becoming a doctor because they have a mistaken assumption that medicine is simply applied biology. Even some practicing physicians operate under this misguided notion. Despite the fact that medicine relies on science, it is really much more of an art.
Scientists seek to comprehend the unknown; in a sense, they pursue knowledge for its own sake. Medical practice, by contrast, involves using the current state of scientific understanding to craft a treatment plan tailored to a particular individualโs circumstances, desires, or goals. That is, doctors use available materials, like drugs or medical procedures, to try and produce a particular outcome โ much like a painter uses paint, brushes, and a canvas to produce a work of art. Indeed, doctors sculpt the insights and understandings that emerge from scientific inquiry into an approach to care for their patients.
The opportunities available in the realm of โpure scienceโ are unlimited. Some researchers leave their field to become doctors, only to discover that what they really loved was simply the type of research that concerned itself with clinical outcomes โ whether a drug worked to treat a specific disease, or whether a particular test could be developed to diagnose a rare medical condition. Such clinical researchers still interact with patients, other scientists, and health-care professionals, but their focus remains principally on the science behind the treatment tools rather than the patients themselves. They run investigative procedures to shed light on disease processes or pharmacological effects, and their work may eventually result in the cure for an illness or an intervention that changes the course of many patientsโ lives.
If the strongest passion you can imagine for a potential stint in medical school is the content youโll read in your science textbooks, or an uninterrupted investigation into a particular bacteria, consider pursuing a career in research โ or โpure scienceโ โ without the unnecessary detour through medical school.
3. Writer
Most doctors spend the majority of their time writing, and about an equal amount complaining about the paperwork. While the notes that physicians record to document their conversations, thoughts, and plans regarding patients are confidential and arenโt going to wind up on The New York Timesโ bestseller list, they constitute writing nonetheless.
It is revealing that quite a few physicians become authors โ think Walker Percy, William Carlos Williams, Michael Crichton, and Khaled Hosseini, to name a few. The intimate experiences physicians share with their patients at moments of great vulnerability likely afford them insights into the human condition that feed such creativity.
If youโre drawn to writing โ whether such expression is fictional or documentary โ there are many successful writers who either leave their practice or turn away from medicine after pursuing pre-med undergraduate studies. Indeed, Columbia University now offers a master of science in an interdisciplinary program known as narrative medicine, in which graduate students study literary theory, psychology, and philosophy to more effectively listen to, record, and recount patient needs in healthcare settings. Such a course of study may be the ideal path for those who love writing and are fascinated by medicine.
4. Pharmacist
Pharmacists work in a variety of settings, from small, independent pharmacies to retail chains to inpatient hospital wards. In pharmacy doctoral programs, students learn the intricacies of drug mechanisms, their chemical structures, and applications for a variety of health conditions. These professionals are often better informed about medications than the physicians who prescribe them.
If you truly love chemistry, but are rethinking applying to medical school, consider a Pharm.D. program. Youโll make a solid income, have the freedom to work in a range of settings, and finish your education sooner than a prospective physician.
5. Dentist
For those who like the satisfaction of helping someone immediately, being involved in preventive care, and playing a role in maintaining an essential part of a personโs health, dentistry is an excellent option. For many, this profession is the singular goal theyโve always had when mapping out their educational plans, but others donโt consider it until they begin to question a career in medicine. Four years of dental school following an undergraduate degree will enable you to perform surgeries, work with your hands, and keep predictable work hours, all while earning a respectable income.
6. Veterinarian
Veterinarians are the comparative anatomists of health-care practitioners. If anatomy is what piques your interest and the thought of working with patients with fur or feathers makes you smile, consider veterinary school. Youโll have the opportunity to study the wonders of different species and play an integral part in maintaining the health of a beloved member of many families. Veterinary medicine is intellectually challenging โ and thereโs a good shot youโll get to hold puppies and kittens on a daily basis.
Whichever path you choose, remember Hippocratesโ adage: โArs longa, vita brevisโ โ the art (of medicine) is long, life is short. If you are not completely sold on a career in medicine, think deeply about why youโre considering it in the first place. Such reflection may open a door to a path you had never before considered.
After all, life is too short not to love what you do.
