Hello Future Doctor!
Welcome to The MedMentor. I created this blog for aspiring physicians wanting to know MORE! No matter where you are in your path to becoming a doctor I want to help YOU achieve your dream by providing information and knowledge! The road to becoming a doctor is not a sprint . . . It is a marathon!
Who am I and why am I doing this?
I am an orthopedic surgeon early in my practice. I am the first in my family to become a doctor so I did not have a clue what I was getting myself into. All I know is that I wanted to become a doctor when I was kid. And that may be the case for many of you. As I went through my training, I wish I had a guide or someone to walk me through the process of training to be a doctor. I knew the path but I didn’t know the details. Luckily, I was still able to do what I love and enjoy the specialty that I have chosen, but it would have been a lot easier if I had some tips and pearls that you don’t read in a book along the way.
This blog is for anyone and everyone who wants to become a doctor and who wants to know more. Whatever stage you are in whether as a middle or high school student, college student, medical student, currently in residency or fellowship, non-traditional students or even a parent of somebody who wants to become a doctor, this is the place for you. Every physician has a completely different experience and journey on their path. I can only speak about mine but the goal is to provide you with some basic information at every phase and answer any specific questions that you have. I obviously don’t know all the answers but I can find you somebody who does or re-direct you to that right place.
This is a fulfilling, rewarding, yet difficult profession in so many ways. You have the opportunity to help and affect millions of lives in a positive way. There will be many times when you feel alone and you want to quit and I am here to tell you are not alone. We have all been there.
So please enjoy and learn. Ask me what you want to know.
You can contact me at info@themedmentor.com
Don’t forget to check in every two weeks where new content will be added and all answers to questions will be posted!
Carpe Diem!
First of all thank you I was wondering do yo do phone mentoring? I was also wondering what is a typical day for you starts at what time ends at what? How is the work life balance in ortho how often do you take call do you have a life outside medicine thanks
Great question! Unfortunately I do not do phone mentoring. Email is the best way contact me for any questions. (info@themedmentor.com)
A typical week for me would be 2.5 days of clinic and 2 to 2.5 days in the OR. For a clinic day, I normally begin at 730/8am and finish seeing patients around 5pm. On OR days, my first case begins around 730am and depending on how many cases I have scheduled, I could end around 3pm or 7pm. I do take trauma call at the hospital every 2 weeks as well. That usually consumes my weekends.
The key to a successful career and family/marriage is all about balancing your work and home life. While in residency this will be very difficult because your time is not your own. When you get into practice, you can dictate when and how much you work. I do have 3 kids and fortunately I am able to see all of their school and sporting events. It is really important to take time away from your job to support your spouse and enjoy your children while you can.
If you are single, take the time to take care of yourself whether that is eating right or exercising.
Hope this helps. Good luck and study hard!
Sincerely,
Your Med Mentor
Thank you for insights on students like myself how are considering a career in medicine. I had not considered the importance of a mentor until after reading your post. Where is a good place to find a mentor if you do not have any close relationships with a doctor?
Good question. It is always good to start at an academic institution if available in your area. If not, I would start at a primary care clinic. For example the emergency room, family medicine, general medicine or pediatrics. It is a harder to begin with a specialist. But if you know you are interested in dermatology for example then I would find a dermatology clinic in your area and just call to see if they offer observing opportunities for students. You will be surprised what they say. And the worse they can say is no.
Thank you for the information for students like me trying to pursue a career in the medical field. What does a typical day for you look like? What time do you usually end the day? What’s your favorite part of the day?
A typical day for me depends on if I am in the OR or in clinic. On Clinic days I usually start around 7:30/8:00am and end around 5/5:30pm. OR days starts around 7:30am to approximately 5pm depending on the case load. As a surgeon, I love being in the OR. It is my Zen. I love operating. I love my OR team.
I am a high school student interested in the medical pathway and I am so excited to listen to what you have to say, and hear from personal experiences!
I’m so thankful that this website exists. I am also the first person in my family wanting to go into the medical field but I’m thinking maybe a nurse instead of a doctor. I would love to know more about working in a healthcare profession. I truly don’t know much about it. What is/was your favorite thing to learn about?
There are two things that I love to learn about: First, I love the anatomy of the body. It’s amazing how everything comes together and what our bodies are capable of doing and how we heal ourselves. Second, I love learning and talking with people. I love listening to their stories. Sometimes patients just want somebody to listen to them. I find the patient-doctor relationship very special and I am honored that people trust me and allow me to perform surgery on them to help them heal.
Hello colleagues, its great article about cultureand entirely explained, keep it up all the time.