As you already might have known, I used to want to be a doctor. What happened? What made me change my mind?
Reason #1: I was extremely afraid of the MCAT. Sure, to those who have already taken the MCAT and are currently in medical school, you will probably disagree with me and say that it's just another "test." But to me, the MCAT was the deciding factor of whether or not I would attend medical school. My GPA isn't competitive and my extracurricular activities aren't extraordinary. My MCAT score would either make or break my application. Suppose if I did take the MCAT and I did poorly, it would've crushed my dreams and remind me of how I couldn't achieve my dream. The pressure of taking the MCAT and applying to medical school overwhelmed me. Usually for those who dream of becoming a doctor, these pressures would only serve as motivation to fulfill their dream. But for me, it was the complete opposite. I lacked the motivation to study for the MCAT. So even when I did lock myself into my room and force myself to study, with no motivation, I was unable to study for the MCAT.
Reason #2: For the past 4 years, I've been contemplating whether I should become a doctor. My main concern was that my GPA was not competitive enough to get into medical school. Therefore, I kept searching for other professions in the health care field. However, the only reason I turned to becoming a doctor was because of the pressure applied by my parents. My parents wanted me to become a doctor because they believed it was the only stable and most profitable job in the industry. Because I was very obedient, I listened to them and continued to pursue medical school, thinking that that was the only option for me. When I graduated, I finally realized that although, there was a point in time where I did want to be a doctor, I did not want to be a doctor anymore. It was my parents' dream, not mine. How could I get through 7 years of medical school and residency without the passion to become a doctor? It would be impossible.
Although I did not want to pursue a career as a doctor, I did however want a career in the health care field. Why? My favorite class when I was in high school and college was Anatomy and Physiology. Although these classes were beyond me and I struggled through them to make an A, I loved everything that I was able to learn. I loved learning the makeup of the body and how the body functions. I wanted to use this knowledge that I've learned and apply it to my everyday life. I wanted to help people who were sick. It would be the greatest gift I give to others.
Therefore, after spending countless of days researching health care professions and I finally decided to be a physician assistant. A physician assistant was the closest profession, besides a doctor, that would be able to apply the knowledge they have learned about the body and treat people.
I'm very excited to see where life will take me from here. Come share this journey with me as I pursue my dream of becoming a physician assistant. <3
