Training takes up alot of years!

[DrLemon]

Hi all,

I am currently considering a medical profession, but I am not sure if I have the patient skills to be a great doctor.

I am considering pathology, but it seems it will take up to 14 years to qualify.

Does anyone have any specialty ideas, which dont take as long to train?

[thugster786]

The way your looking at this is incorrect!! Do not let how long it trains for a specialty put you off!!!

You need to answer the most fundamental question!!!! DO I WANT TO BE A DOCTOR?!! If yes, then you go for it! But, you must realise a career in medicine is a big decision, and your in for the long haul! Whatever specialty you end up doing, your going to have to train for a minimum of 5 years after foundation programme once you graduate! The shortest route is General Practice, which is 5/6 years med school, 2 years on foundation programme, and then 3 years on GP specialist training system! But, I think they are increasing the GP training to 5 years now! All other specialties, both medical and surgical are a minimum of 6 years post foundation programme ie. for Path, 5/6 years of med school, 2 years of foundation programme, and then 5/6 years training in Path, so +/- 12 years!

Its a big decision, but don't be put off by length of training! The buck stops at, whether or not you truly wanna be a doctor!!

[Henrik88]

DrLemon () I agree with the key point Thugster mentions of Do you want to be a doctor, and dont be vague think about exactly what kind of a doctor you want to be, what specialty but realize that its ok if you find many appealing as you will come to learn alot more - research it information is widely available in books and on the internet(z).

So think of pro's and con's in the different specialties and settings.

In addition i find it interesting that you write "I am not sure if I have the patient skills to be a great doctor."

I quite think that you can aquire these, i dont think it to be some extraordinary skill that you are either born with or not, rather i think its a talent that you can hone to whichever level you want to through practice, if you WANT to work with an area that also involves patient contact, i believe that you can learn it and if you are passionate about your chosen field it will shine through in your patient contact and they will reckognize that, i think the passion for the field will outshine beginning fears of patient contact as that is not a lasting thing, whereas passion through a well chosen field is lasting.