Introduction

Two of the most common ideas associated with being a doctor are: 1. They make a lot of money, and 2. They have one of the most stressful jobs on the planet. Of course, there are more pros and cons of being a doctor, and there are even advantages and disadvantages associated with becoming a doctor. But these pros and cons may not necessarily be considered good or bad, depending on who you’re talking to since becoming a doctor requires a certain interpersonal set of skills as well as knowledge and desire/aspiration of medicine. Here are some of the most common advantages and disadvantages of being a doctor.

Cons of Being a Doctor

As mentioned above, these “cons” may not necessarily be seen as something negative to everyone. If pursuing a career in the medical field is your passion, you may not see these facts as a bad thing, but it’s also important to understand the challenges that doctors do face.

Doctors have a lot of debt.

It’s no secret that it takes a lot of money to become a doctor, as attending a college or university for any degree can get really expensive. The average cost of medical school is close to $55,000 per year, but this depends on where you’re attending school and if there are any grants or scholarships available. If you’re considering medical school and you’re worried about the cost, look for schools within your own state so that you won’t be subject to any out-of-state fees and also look for scholarships. Keep in mind that doctors do make good money, and you should focus on paying off any debts once you’re practicing before buying luxurious items.

Doctors work long hours and don’t get to spend as much time with their families.

Again, this disadvantage depends on where you’re working. For example, if you choose to work at a family practice with several other doctors, it may be possible to work a standard 40-60 hour work week. Most family practices are open only Monday through Friday from 8:00A.M. to 6:00P.M. This will give you time in the evenings and weekends to spend with your family. However, if you’re working in a hospital setting or if you’re the type of doctor that’s on call often (such as an obstetrician), then this type of schedule may not be possible.

Doctors are always under a lot of pressure and stress.

There’s no way around this downside— doctors truly have a stressful job, as they have people’s lives in their hands. Something could go wrong and they could get sued, even if they’ve put their best efforts forward. As some would say, this is just “the nature of the job”, but it should still be considered when you’re thinking about becoming a doctor. Ask yourself questions like: How well do I perform under pressure? Am I good at managing my stress levels?

Pros of Being a Doctor

Though you may have some bad days as a doctor, you’ll definitely have more good ones— especially if you love what you do.

Doctors save lives.

There’s a reason that doctors have to go through so much schooling and continued education once they’ve become doctors— they save lives. Because they’re dealing with people on such a personal and important level, it’s imperative that they know how to do their jobs correctly. All of those years of schooling and residency prepare you well enough to prevent mistakes, and also to prepare you for the worst.

Doctors get to work with new technology.

Medical equipment has come a long way in the past century, and even in the past decade, but nothing compares to advancements that have been made due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All over the world, hospitals turned away anyone who wasn’t having complications from COVID, so people had to seek medical help and advice elsewhere. One of the things that really became popular was Telehealth, which allowed and continues to allow healthcare to be more accessible.

Doctors will always be needed.

Another thing that was impacted by COVID-19 was job security. However, this wasn’t the case for doctors and other essential workers. And even with all of these advancements in technology, a human doctor will always be needed, so you’ll never worry about losing your job to a machine or having trouble finding a job. Doctors are needed all over the country and the world, especially in times like these.

Overall, the advantages seem to outweigh the disadvantages because of the way the healthcare industry is evolving. Being a doctor is rewarding, yet stressful, but there are always advancements coming forth that make the job a little less stressful.