Second thoughts..

[Lizzie-Beth]

Gizmo, you always speak words of wisdom and I love the way you tell things how they are, but on this occasion I have to disagree. On the surface it's sensible to pursue something which gives you pleasure rather than causes you grief & anxiety ... but, in my experience, you're sometimes better off facing your demons rather than avoiding them.

I was severely phobic about my particular issue (no kidding, from the age of about 8) and although it was only one aspect of medicine, it stopped me from applying because I never thought I'd be able to overcome it. It took until my early 30s before I turned around and decided I'd had enough. There were other reasons why I came to medicine late, but this was one of the big issues ... I wish I'd stood up to it sooner, because I may have scraped back a few of those years.

It is easier to find something which doesn't require you to face your fears, but if you can face them - conquer them - and do something you really want to do, then that's pretty special.

[Gizmo says -]

i appreciate that sometimes one needs to face ones demons, macca, and you talk a lorra sense too (apart from your excursion to medsim which i've forgiven you for mind).
i dont fink that an 17 year old need neccessarily face any demon down, theres simply no necessity for it. in my view a 17 year old aspiring to fill her 'ead full of stuff that repels her is obviously someone being forced to select something they dont want to do.

theres somefing not right there.

[Lizzie-Beth]

I can see what you're saying ... and I think you're probably right, seventeen is not the age to be putting yourself through mental torture. I just wanted to say that you can face these things and beat them, if you really want to. If anyone is reading this who feels they would love to apply, but something like this is holding them back - take it from me, it can be done.

I'm glad you've forgiven me for medsim. I only wish I could forgive myself
x

[Selenaa]

thanks for all your input!
so for about one day i switched (in my mind of course, i ahve yet to actually apply) to psychology

and in that day, i felt like i was taking the easy road...yes i really like psychology, but i know that for the rest of my life in the back of my midn i'll ask the question 'what if' or 'why didn't i'... so i'm going to go for it.

i really do love medicine though i have doubts about a few things
i'm mentally trying to toughen up about the whole needles and stitches (i'm fine with blood though)

so medicine it is!! thanks ! any more input/experiences is still welcome.

oh, and what is medsim? (sorry if I sound stupid now to know that, but I've been out of England for years, so maybe i don't know the 'lingo' ?)

[hoonosewot88]

It's a course which is meant to teach you how to increase your chances of getting into medicine courses.
It's a bit of a joke in these circles though, as it's basically an excuse for middle class kids to go on an expensive 3 day holiday to be told stuff that they could find out by looking on the internet for 5 minutes.

[rjm]

Selenaa - you need to get some work experience ASAP so you can decide if you can cope with the needles thing. Obviously you wont be able to do anything, except maybe inject/stich up a banana, but you can try and observe these things and then you will have a better idea - as said, there are a lot more things done with needles in medicine that just "injections":
IM injections
SC injections
ID injections
Venepuncture
Venesection (thats cool, they're massive needles!)
Cannulation
Central lines
Arterial stabs
Arterial lines
Lumbar punctures
Suprapubic aspirations
Bone marrow aspirates
Ascitic drains/taps
Pleural taps
Chest drains
Needle thorococentesis
Needle biopsies of just about any organ you can think of
Ventricular taps
Suturing

There you go, thats just a few to be going on with (please feel free for anyone to add anymore!) - essentially we stick needles in any organ going!

[Gizmo says -]

def do some real work exp first, macca. where you get to see needles. you never know, you might enjoy em.
but if it still sickens and blood meks you reach for the bin, then there really is no point in doing something that sickens you, on a daily basis. thats like choosing a job that you hate, but being given a super dooper sounding title that compensates for its shittiness (like being an 'Arch Supreme' Toilet Cleaner).

you've not mentioned why you like medicine, and i've found that peeple who omit this are often the ones who arent actually interested in a 'ealthcare career, but instead love the idea of acquiring a label as a top dog at their school by picking medicine, so that they can compete wif the others there in terms of respect. its poor compensation for missing out on the things that you REALLY want to be doing at college and school - go out and do them, now, becos you wont get a second chance to go back.



i cant stand needles in me, but needles in others is fun, it meks me feel like i'm treating a terminator robot (a reprogrammed friendly one that is).

[Gizmo says -]

It's a course which is meant to teach you how to increase your chances of getting into medicine courses.
It's a bit of a joke in these circles though, as it's basically an excuse for middle class kids to go on an expensive 3 day holiday to be told stuff that they could find out by looking on the internet for 5 minutes.

such as 'waht is medsim'?

[rjm]

i cant stand needles in me, but needles in others is fun, it meks me feel like i'm treating a terminator robot (a reprogrammed friendly one that is).

Have to agree...the satisfaction of flashback...arterial definitetly the best, better than CSF any day!

[Lizzie-Beth]

such as 'waht is medsim'?

This is why I love Gizmo. Just as an aside.