Applying to study medicine is a life-changing decision. It is not a decision that anybody else can make for you. You can't be certain until you’ve been put through the job itself, but you can try to make an informed decision beforehand. I hope that in this article I can begin to guide you towards making a choice.

When I was in secondary school, my head of year thought it would be a good idea to make all 120 15-year-olds participate in an online careers personality and aptitude test. We performed a 30-minute online questionnaire and the software suggested I would be well suited to life as an airline pilot, tree surgeon or journalist. Apart from the fact that these careers are so diverse in nature that they might as well have been picked from a hat, I think my fear of heights and pollen allergy may have led to early retirement. As for journalism, I’ll stick to the odd blog post.

It is very difficult to screen individuals to see if they will make successful doctors. So, I am going to mention a few qualities you need for a career in medicine, and you should consider if the medical career path is something you want to do.

1. Is lifelong learning something that appeals to you?

Medicine is a broad topic which is constantly evolving. As a result, medical students spend longer in university than the majority of other professions and must also partake in lifelong learning, sitting exams and revalidating your skills throughout your lifetime. 

2. Are you a good decision maker? Do you enjoy taking on responsibility?

As a doctor, you have responsibility thrust your way very early on in your career. You take on more responsibility at the age of 24 than most people take on in their lifetime. You make life and death decisions, sometimes on the spot.

3. Do you have 'FOMO' if your friend's party without you?

Doctors’ long hours are notoriously antisocial. Hospitals don’t close on weekends and often you find yourself staying on after your shift to look after sick patients. I would be lying if I told you your social life and personal relationships won’t take a hit. But you'll still find time to have more than enough fun!

4. Do you work well as part of a team?

Medicine is a team sport. The sheer breadth of subjects and specialities means that you will always be working as part of a wider team to deliver your goals. This is something that's really special.

5. Do you communicate well & connect emotionally with people?

Whilst being a good scientist is a key aspect of life as a doctor, medicine is a mix of basic science, humanitarian science and the art of communication. To be a good doctor, you have to be able to connect with people from all walks of life and discuss with them the most private and intimate aspects of their health. It is a privileged position to be in. Though some medical professionals like surgeons and anaesthetists will tell you most of their patients are asleep or unconscious, if you don’t like talking to strangers or listening to other people’s problems, you may not enjoy medicine as much as you think.

Mythbusters

There are many 'expectations' of what life as a medical professional will be like. 'Good doctors' must be superhuman, they must know everything; they must never sleep. In this part, I aim to dispel some of the myths surrounding life as a doctor.