Being a doctor is hard, and I’m not referring to the vast amounts of knowledge that are required. In addition to the number of years of education, there are years of training where the pay is meager at best, less-than-minimum wage at worst. And after training is complete, the wages of a junior doctor or resident may be less than enough to cover the bills.
As hard as it is being a doctor, becoming—and then working as—a surgeon is even harder. The work can exceed 100 hours per week, and in addition to book learning, surgeons must also learn the techniques of operating, oftentimes in the wee hours of the night. Interminably long hours, meager pay, and the unspeakable stress of holding lives in our hands all add up to very unsociable people.
It often seems that medical students must make a choice: career or family. You can be a good, dedicated doctor—or you can be a good, dedicated mother or father.