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- Nov 28, 2015
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Well, I'm an 18 year old male, and after taking a year off after high school, I decided to apply for medical school in the UK. I decided to be a doctor, because....well to be honest, I'm not really sure. I'd had some slight inkling to pursue a medical career when I was younger. I actually liked being in hospitals, although I was always there dangerously sick and for emergency medical attention. I don't have the delusion that doctors are some great or noble saviours, and I spent several weeks shadowing at a hospital, so I have a reasonable idea of what it entails.
I am a very empathetic person (not boasting, It's just a characteristic like any other), and seeing people in pain has always made me want to help them, despite the situation (something that isn't as nice as it sounds). It's not like I applied for medicine because of some particular love for the career, it just felt the most right, and although I researched hundreds of other careers, (I was a bit reluctant to be exposed to all the pain that doctors will inevitably see) they all seemed hollow and just inexplicably dissatisfying.
As a result, I now have several interviews for medical school. I'm afraid that I might perform badly at these interviews, due to the fact that although I have an excellent application on paper, I have almost none of the stereotypical "morals" or behaviors generally expected for the occupation. I don't believe that human lives are "worth" any more than any other lives, but yet I'm not cruel or uncaring; on the contrary, I think I'm a pretty compassionate person (a paradox, I know, but I can't explain why I feel this way). Although, as I said, I don't have any belief in some intangible value or uniqueness of humanity, I believe that my drive to help people would be sufficient motivation for this career.
I'm also very antisocial, however I can thrive in social situations because I know how to act appropriately under social norms, but prefer not to unless necessary. In addition, due to my upbringing, I am unable to show certain emotions, particularly empathy. It's not that I don't feel them strongly, but I have stifled my expression of them for so long, that I am unable to show them without conscious, uncomfortable effort. I'm afraid that this might impact my ability to deal with patients.
I believe that I could make a great or at least a good doctor, but I'm afraid that my interviewer would take some of my opinions negatively and believe that I am cold and unmotivated. Would he/she be justified in doing this?
I am a very empathetic person (not boasting, It's just a characteristic like any other), and seeing people in pain has always made me want to help them, despite the situation (something that isn't as nice as it sounds). It's not like I applied for medicine because of some particular love for the career, it just felt the most right, and although I researched hundreds of other careers, (I was a bit reluctant to be exposed to all the pain that doctors will inevitably see) they all seemed hollow and just inexplicably dissatisfying.
As a result, I now have several interviews for medical school. I'm afraid that I might perform badly at these interviews, due to the fact that although I have an excellent application on paper, I have almost none of the stereotypical "morals" or behaviors generally expected for the occupation. I don't believe that human lives are "worth" any more than any other lives, but yet I'm not cruel or uncaring; on the contrary, I think I'm a pretty compassionate person (a paradox, I know, but I can't explain why I feel this way). Although, as I said, I don't have any belief in some intangible value or uniqueness of humanity, I believe that my drive to help people would be sufficient motivation for this career.
I'm also very antisocial, however I can thrive in social situations because I know how to act appropriately under social norms, but prefer not to unless necessary. In addition, due to my upbringing, I am unable to show certain emotions, particularly empathy. It's not that I don't feel them strongly, but I have stifled my expression of them for so long, that I am unable to show them without conscious, uncomfortable effort. I'm afraid that this might impact my ability to deal with patients.
I believe that I could make a great or at least a good doctor, but I'm afraid that my interviewer would take some of my opinions negatively and believe that I am cold and unmotivated. Would he/she be justified in doing this?