I didn't realize that there were so many healthcare professionals on here until you all came out of the woodwork for that hospital labwork thread. As for me, I am currently taking a year off from school to work in the world of public health and plan on attending medical school in the fall.

Some interesting points were made in the other thread about the future role and lifestyle of a physician and I thought I would ask statdoc/drex/soccerjunky et al. what their thoughts were on the profession. I am decidedly focused and dedicated to becoming a doctor for reasons outside of money. I am fairly confident that no intelligent person would subject his/herself to the grueling path of becoming a physician for the money/prestige factor anymore. I will be the first person in my family to pursue a path in medicine and therefore do not claim to know a lot about the innerworkings of the system.

*I will contradict one statement made in the other thread, however, that the current wave of doctors/med applicants is inferior to earlier generations. The average gpa and mcat score of med school applicants and matriculants has risen steadily in the past decade+. The increase spaces for students has remained essentially the same while the number of applicants has risen since 1996. Most recent expansion in the medical school world has come from the osteopathic medical schools which I see as an excellent and growing option as well. Therefore, there is either still some prospect of success as a doctor, or a s**tload of altruistic people wanting to help others and get paid nothing.
http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2007/2007mcatgpa.htm

Anyways, if any of you have a second from your busy days, I would love to hear (read) your opinions/discussions on how being a doctor has impacted your life and where you see medicine going in the future. Also, what kind of medicine you practice and where would be very interesting!

Many thanks from an aspiring doc!