Medicine as a discipline is predominantly rooted in science, particularly biology and chemistry. My strong performance in and enjoyment of sciences makes me an ideal candidate for medical school. Nevertheless, my greatest motivation to pursue the field comes from my passion for serving people. Right from elementary school through to college, I have always been passionate about serving people in a direct way. I have participated in numerous volunteer and community initiatives, which have further strengthened my desire to serve people. Serving people gives me satisfaction more than anything else. Medicine is one field that offers the opportunity to serve humanity. It is not only a job, but also a career. It enables one to practically apply the knowledge acquired in class in helping people.Dissimilar to most courses, medicine is a vocational course in the sense that one gets practical training in a specific job. Students do not just grapple with lots of class work; they get an opportunity to see how doctors work in the real world. Indeed, the importance of hands-on experience in the field of medicine cannot be overemphasised (Sacks, 2006). Hands-on experience introduces students to the real world of medicine. They become familiar with the practical complexities associated with a career in the field while still training.

I also love the variety of subjects that the medical field covers. Medicine covers not only science, but also subjects such as ethics and philosophy. As a result, one always has something to get their teeth into. This aspect is true not only at the training level, but also during the course of practice. Throughout a career in the medical field, one is constantly studying and enhancing their skills and knowledge. In fact, medicine is arguably the most dynamic career. Accordingly, practitioners have to remain up to date with innovations and medical advancements as what worked a few years or decades ago may not be relevant today. For example, bacteria keep on evolving and becoming immune to medication, meaning stronger treatment interventions have to be found.

I find this aspect quite appealing as I desire something that challenges me to get out of my comfort zone. However, some people may find it challenging, in large part due to the long hours involved. In fact, most people are reluctant to undertake...

Nonetheless, I strongly believe that by the time one is through with school training, the hours become pretty manageable. Furthermore, even if the hours are usually long, one goes home with the satisfaction of contributing to the wellbeing of other people.
The breadth of subjects covered by medicine means one has a wide variety of choices in terms of specialisation. These include oncology, cardiology, nephrology, dermatology, paediatrics, urology, gynaecology, obstetrics, pathology, surgery, emergency medicine, orthopaedics, and so on (Sacks, 2006). Besides the usual specialties, one can choose the context of practice. One may decide to be a hospital-based doctor, a general practitioner, a prison doctor, or a military doctor. This further makes medicine an exciting field for me.

An even more interesting aspect about medicine is that one never stops doing what they trained for as they move up the professional ladder. In most fields, one's work is increasingly restricted to paperwork as they climb the career ladder. For instance, when one becomes a manager, they leave much of the hands-on work to their juniors. With medicine, it is quite different as hands-on work is involved in virtually every level of seniority. As a person, fond of getting involved in doing the actual work, I find this aspect extremely appealing. My idea of a career is not a life of paperwork, but participating directly in the creation of that paperwork. For me, hands-on work is a rich source of fulfilment. It is always a rewarding experience when my involvement in doing the job makes a difference.

Direct involvement in work means endless opportunities for team work. Whereas other careers claim to value team work, I think there is no career where team work is more evident than in medicine. Every day, doctors work with one another and other practitioners (such as nurses) to deliver treatment interventions. Whether it is in the surgery room or interacting with patients and their families, working alongside others is important in medicine. This blends strongly with my passion for serving people. Without a doubt, a person that loves serving people tends to be fond of collaborating with others in resolving problems.

More fundamentally, medicine is a career…