Do Doctors in TV Dramas Make You Want to be a Doctor?

Article

Most people think that a doctor’s life is how it is portrayed in TV dramas but that is not the case! Here is why:

Doctors seem to be cool and make a lot of money

Well, it is true that medicine can be a money making profession but there are many years of education and it requires a lot of commitment. This does not just mean being a doctor, I mean being in any healthcare position

Good to know: Medicine is just not for professionals, everyone visits the health care centre at some point in life.

Doctors have a stress-free job

No, they don’t. They are stressed a lot more often because they care for their patients and do not want to misdiagnose them as it could cost a life. They have sleepless nights putting both their physical and mental state in stress

They work on shifts

Well, that is partially true but when in emergency they will be called in.

They don’t have a good family life

That is most often not true. They have a good family life, the partners are often understanding and most professionals create a balance between their career and their family

Patients can be saved most of the time even at the most critical state

This can’t be true! It is hard for the professionals to save patients who come in at critical state especially when they are nearly at the end. They try to make the best call based on their judgement. They are not to be blamed always.

Don't believe everything you see on TV

There are so many other things that could be listed out but in short the life of a doctor is way different than the ones that you see on television (one thing is true though, if you are in that profession you can make a difference) There are so many people in this world who are interested in medicine but only some pursue their professional degree and continue the journey to be a doctor. Some end up taking an alternative degree in health care so that they could stick to the field they like though they can achieve that qualification. But most people give up and switch their career paths.

Why is that?

The first thing that would come to your mind is that they might not have passed the entrance examination. Well, that is partially false. Even if there is an individual who might pass their examination they might not choose that path as it is expensive. No matter which country you go to, medical school is an expensive choice.

The other reason why they would not choose this path is because of the work environment they will be in. Doctors do not get to enjoy family life as well as others do, they are dedicated to their work, as they have to be. The other thing is about the patient-doctor relationship. There are people who cannot deal with patients directly.

Being a doctor might look classy but the “behind the scenes” is hell but it is totally worth it. Everything that is on your way when you try to pursue medicine is merely an obstacle. Whether you should still go for it or deflect from it, is one’s personal choice.

Is that the end of the dream?

Of course not! Medicine is a huge field and it is not the doctors alone who run the show. Every individual who works in a health care organization has to work hand in hand to have a successful organization and thus the medical industry paves the way to a lot of opportunities.

Nurse, paramedic, medical office assistant, receptionist, administrator, and a lot more positions. The ground requirement for any field in health care will be knowing the basics of medicine like terminology. There are other positions that might want to have knowledge about anatomy and physiology.

Still not sure? You can start with the foundation, that is learning medical terminology as that would cover most of your basics.

Medical terminology is the language of healthcare or related professionals. The success of the medical industry doesn’t just rely on quality of treatment, advanced equipment and tech, fast and safe service but it also depends on the communication between professionals and their aides.

Medical terminology basics

Accuracy: Even the slightest mistake with the terms can change the fate your patient
Example: Ileum – Part of the small intestine vs. Ilium – Part of the hip bone

Better communication: “Relationships get better when you communicate better.” Knowing Terminologies will help you communicate better with your colleagues, professionals and the others in your team

Fear: Medical terms sometimes can be scary, but when you know the meaning of it, it might not sound that bad!

What if someone tells you, “You have Pyrexia and Viral Rhinitis”. I would be scared! but it just means you have a fever (which you already might know) and a common cold.

Electronic Health Record: This will help you create, understand, interpret and maintain health records much faster and easier. This in turn will help you interact with the technologies used in health care.

Clinical Proceedings: Knowing terminologies aids with ease in performing clinical proceedings.

Uniform Language: Medical terminology is universally the same and thus helps to maintain a uniform language between professionals.

Clinical Care: When communication is better, care gets better, and when care gets better, your organisation blooms as well.

Jobs: Be it clinical, technical, administrative or any management, the medical industry has a lot of jobs opportunities. What makes you stand out is your proficiency in the medical terms

Trust – a strong word: Trust is an important to factor when it comes to patient-professional relationship and not just between the professionals and the patients and vice versa but it is equally important to have trust between professionals and knowing the medical language are one way you can build that relationship

Good to know: Medicine is just not for professionals, everyone visits the health care centre at some point in life. Some people may be in relation with people who need medical attention most of the time and maybe there is a “need” for them to understand the terms so that they could interpret better. Thus it is “Good to Know”

If you are in for the money or prestige then this is not the field you should be in but if you wish to stay in healthcare out of interest then you have hundreds of opportunities you can give a shot.