Medicine is one of the oldest and most respected professions in the world. Being in this profession allows you to positively impact other people’s lives, and the satisfaction you get from it is unmatched. However, there are various reasons why different people opt for a medical degree in college.
Some of them do it as a personal calling, others do it because it is a well-paying job, while others do it because they’re passionate about preserving lives. Before making your decision, it is very important to note that studying medicine is a long-term commitment.
Therefore you need to ensure that your heart is in the right place.
The following are some of the best reasons why choosing a medical degree is a smart choice.
Diverse Medical Career Options
One of the best reasons most students choose a medical degree is that you open yourself up to a wide range of career options after graduation. There are basically around 60 specialties you can choose from, meaning that you won’t be lacking in choice. For example, you can earn a degree in public health, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedicine, among many others depending on your preference.
It’s important to note that earning a degree is not the end of the road for most healthcare professionals because some of them proceed to acquire more certifications. For example, according to GraduateNursingEdu.org, you can become a certified professional midwife and provide care for pregnant women by obtaining additional certification.
You also get to choose your preferred working environment since the hospital isn’t the only place where a person who holds a medical degree can work. You can choose to work in medical departments, science institutions, learning institutions, research labs, among many others.
It might interest you to know that there are even medical graduates that specialize in managing health care costs in different economic departments while others contribute to the legal work intended at verifying medical errors and also defending patients’ rights.
Therefore, do not worry if you don’t see yourself becoming a future surgeon or even a pediatrician. This is because you’ll have six years to decide where your passion lies.
Medicine is a Globally Recognized Field
Another great reason you want to choose a medical degree is that medicine is a globally recognized field. Across the globe, there is great uniformity of medical knowledge and even practice which means that you can work anywhere in the world. This doesn’t always apply to the majority of the disciplines.
Also, it’s important to note that the uniformity of medical knowledge means that you can pursue your degree in any university of your choosing and still be eligible to work overseas. Once you’ve graduated with your medical degree, you have the freedom to apply for a job in any medical institution you want.
However, you need to bear in mind that English isn’t widely spoken in every country across the globe. Therefore, if you’d like to work in another country, you might need to learn about the local language so that you’re able to communicate and interact with your patients quite easily.
For this reason, you may want to learn a second or third language while you are in college. Even if you don’t decide to move overseas, your resume will be highly sought after graduation since you can communicate with patients that others may not be able to communicate with.
Ease People’s Pain and Suffering
If you’ve ever been hospitalized in the past, you’ll know that people who are brought to the hospitals usually undergo a very difficult time. This explains why it is very easy for patients to feel desperate and suffer even if they’re undergoing a minor medical intervention. This is where doctors and nurses come in.
When you pursue a medical degree, you’re able to ease people’s pain and suffering and even help them recover from different illnesses. There is a great sense of satisfaction that nurses and doctors get for ensuring that their patients are healthy.
Actually, many doctors and nurses have confessed that their interactions with their patients often touch them deeply and even influence how they view life priorities and the profession.
In those moments when you’re taking care of a patient, you remember why you chose the profession in the first place, and it gives you fulfillment. Even if you’re not working in a hospital, your contribution to the medical field impacts the lives of patients in one way or another. There is no greater feeling than knowing that you’ve played a critical role in helping patients feel better again.
Doctors Are in High Demand
In general, there isn’t a job that is in as high of demand as the one done by doctors and nurses. Every single day, the world needs more doctors. It has been projected that by 2030, there will be a deficit of over 14 million healthcare professionals across the globe.
This means that when you choose to pursue a medical degree, the chances are that you’ll never lack a job.
Some countries such as the United States, Germany, Russia, and France have an even higher demand for nurses, physicians, and doctors. Even the countries that restrict the employment of foreigners do not apply this regulation to healthcare providers.
This is because, in some countries, the need for healthcare professions is so high that some medical students get a permanent job immediately after graduation. Therefore, if you’re looking to pursue a degree that will land you a job in the shortest time possible, this is the one.
It doesn’t matter whether you want to work locally or overseas, so long as you’ve graduated with the degree, you can land a job anywhere you want.
Higher Salaries and Job Security
Another reason why you should choose a medical degree is that the medical field offers some of the most stable and well-paying jobs you can find. You can become a travel nurse, ICU nurse, and etc.
This is quite a huge reason, especially in countries where young people are finding it hard to get a job. Additionally, in developed countries, healthcare professionals earn high salaries and benefits.
The biggest reason why most healthcare professionals earn higher salaries compared to most professions is that their job is very important. Also, there is always a high demand for qualified professionals. It’s also important to note that the salary you earn at the beginning of your career will increase as you earn more experience and certifications in the field.
However, you need to be prepared to deal with more sleepless nights, overwhelming nightshifts, and spending time away from your loved ones because medical emergencies can’t be predicted. Also, do not be surprised to find out that the healthcare professionals in your country are underpaid, especially if you live in a developing country.
There are so many reasons why you should choose to pursue a medical degree in college.
Before embarking on this journey, it’s important to understand that studying medicine won’t be so easy and will involve a big financial and time investment. However, the benefits you’ll get from this profession will definitely be worth it.
