I Do Declare or maybe the child will be inspired that their mother cares for people, learns the value of a good work ethic and passion for achieving something in life
Thank you for posting this Andrea!! Balancing life as a mom and a doctor is something i've always been anxious about... During my clinical volunteering time and job shadowing, I actively sought out physicians who were also moms and asked them about how they balance it all. The key answers that I keep hearing are 1) having a supportive spouse is HUGE, and 2) you have to adjust your expectations of yourself in each role, rather than striving to be perfect at everything. One doctor I spoke to put it very nicely: "I make sure that I have 'my' life, my husband has 'his' life, we as a couple have 'our' life, our kids have 'their' lives, and we as a family have our life together as well". :)
"I thought they were scary" I laughed really hard when she said that. I was a cancer patient when I was 18 and now I'm 20 and I'm looking forward to becoming an oncologist one day. I never thought I would be interested in medicine but when I was a patient my hospital had some amazing people working there, not just doctors, but all other staff. Being diagnosed with cancer can be scary and especially 18, but I felt none of that, I felt calm and relaxed. The dedication of the people at the hospital made me feel that way. I knew they were doing all they could to help me. Right now I'm working on my pre-requisites to transfer to UT-MD Anderson for their radiation therapy program and I plan to take my chemistry pre-requisites for med-school after I get my bachelor's. Wish me luck :) Btw- your videos are awesome!
+Leobardo Fernandez I am currently a radiation therapy student (not at MD Anderson) but I am loving it! I have less than a year before I graduate. I am 20 as well! What a small world. I am loving it so far and I think you will love it as well. I would highly recommend it. I too have thought about going on to pursue a PA degree or going to med school to further my education after the program. You are truly an inspiration and have a personal and touching journey.
+MelissaNicole hey, thank you! I still have a couple of years left until i get my bachelor's in radiation therapy but i hope i can start my major in the fall of 2016. i probably won't go to MD Anderson, but its more likely I will go to Texas State University for the program they have there. well I wish you luck with your studies. I have spent most of my free time just studying to get A's in my classes so that I would have a greater chance of being accepted into my major. so far I'm doing great.
+Leobardo Fernandez Your story is amazing! It's thoughtful people like you who really appreciate their doctors that make me so happy and why I want to be a doctor one day. I also have an interest in oncology! I am going to start college in the fall and I'm extremely excited for the journey ahead of me! I wish you luck in all your future endeavors and I know that great things will come out of you!
This has been a legitimate worry of mine for years now. Thank you addressing how women can really have great home lives while balancing a career in medicine !!
So important for everyone, especially women interested in becoming doctors, to know that you CAN have a family and be a successful physician at the same time. :) Thanks for conducting this interview, Dr. Tooley!
Dr. Thompson is very inspirational. She seems to genuinely care for all women and wants them to succeed overall, however it is defined by the individual. Thanks for the post!
andrea, i hope God blesses you 10 fold what you bless me and other aspiring doctors. you never fail in bringing encouragement just when its needed!! thank you and thank you, Dr. Thompson.
Sometimes when I feel like I can't do it, that I'll never have good enough grades or test scores for medical school, I come to your channel and watch your videos. Your videos and interviews are constant reminders for me that I love what I study, and how I cannot wait to be an MD or DO (or wherever I may fall in the next year, or two or even five). Thank you for constantly bringing me back to my center through all the doubt, chaos, and discouragement. It has been so valuable and you, my friend are quite a gem. Love love love.
As a guy who wants a medical education but also to start a family this video was really encouraging! I worry that if I have children I'll miss out on the important moments like soccer games, dance recitals etc but I think as long as I can find a balance and prioritise whats important to me I can be as accomplished as Dr. Thompson. Thanks for posting!
Sadly this is an overly optimistic video. Overtime many doctors will find that they don't have a good home life due to the fact that the profession has the worst work-life balance. Most end up divorced or just existing as roomates in their marriages. Many doctors also miss many milestones in their children's lives no matter their specialty. It's a noble profession but one that comes with ALOT of sacrifices! That's why you have to do it for the right reasons.
+MorrocanZween Actually, you'll find that that depends very heavily on the specialty. Most of the physicians I know have a pretty nice work-life balance. In the non-surgical specialties, almost all of the older physicians I know have families and children. In the surgical specialties, it's a little harder, but it's doable. You may have to push back plans for kids till after you're established as a surgeon, so you don't have to work as many hours, but you can do it (esp if your spouse has better work hours). Of course, it takes work; there are always sacrifices. There are those who divorce, who just decide they can't balance family with work. But if you really want to do it, you can. There are a lot more regulations on how many hours doctors can work now, which is why the lifestyle has gotten better.
Every time I see a video about having a family and going through medical school that is positive and encouraging, I hear about Cornell. Over and over. If there were more places like this, and less advisors who tell students not to apply, or lie about having kids, there would be no shortage of medical professional at the highest level.
This video made my day. I could not stop smiling the whole time i was watching it. Thank you for showing this too the world; everything in it was so realistic and positive. Much success to you both.
Hi Dr. Tooley! I was wondering if you could interview an OB/GYN and make a comparison with Paediatrics! Thanks for all these videos by the way -they are really encouraging and have contributed to me finally switching from a Political Theory background to a career in Medicine :)
This interview was very insightful! Thank you so much for doing this. I would love to see an interview with both a male and female surgeon or even a person of colour.
Love it. Yeah, I agree with the comment down below. Would you be able to talk to a surgeon for us? (That is if they even have the time to be interviewed lol)
***** and just a word of advice for the interviews. It's better to engage with the interviewee than look at the webcam during online interviews. Only saying this because I took a speech class and that was one of the tips, still a great video though :)
Hi Andrea I just wanted to say that I love your vlogs. I really look up to you and when ever I need to know something about being a doctor I look at your vlogs. My family does not have any doctors in it which is sometimes very hard for me to understand something's about going to college and going to medical school. So I just wanted to say thank you so much for making these vlogs. I was just searching TH-cam about doctors and I found your wonderful vlogs! THANKS!😊
Thank you so much for making this video, it was so helpful. I want to go to medical school and have a family, my husband is also a minister. He is not pasturing a church yet but didn't know if ministry, medicine and family would work. I do have a great support system. So thank you and Dr. Thompson for is video! Such a big burden has been lifted!
I interviewed at the Mayo Clinic last year and all the Minne"soda" accents were endearing. Not much to see in Rochester besides the hospitals but the cheese curds were pretty darn good. God bless those who find Hematology their passion, Oncogenes, TP53, TNF... not my thing.
This was such a great and beneficial interview! Could you do an interview on an older person going to med school like say 30? Thank you so much for what you do!
My wife is a doctor. She work 36hrs at the hospital here in Philippines. The doctors are very intelligent but they dont have the boldness to make a rule or law not to work for 24hrs or 36hrs. My wife doesnt have time for me and my son even for herself.Maybe you can make a law or convention regarding working works for a doctor. Thanks doc 😀
Wow! You both are so inspiring!! I am from Australia and currently in year 11 in high school. (Which is my second last year of schooling, and then I can apply for medical school! Eek!). I am interested in surgery and hopefully down the path of neuro! Thank you for this video gave me heaps of relief in terms of having a family and studying!! I wanted to make a suggestion for your next possible video. "How do you mange stress/ pressure/ anxiety in medical school and also with being a doctor?" Thank you so much Andrea, you have been a fantastic role model for me! Love Zoe! :)
Guidance You apply to med school straight out of high school in Australia??? Is it combined with college or something? In the US, the minimum requirement for applying to a medical school is completing a bachelor's degree in college/university and taking the MCAT (entrance exam, like the SAT but for med school). Hmm.. that's so different, but cool haha :)
AnaBanana In Australia year 11 and 12 are like senior years, its where you pick your own subjects! (As Australia is made up of many different states, some divide year 11 and 12 off and name it college. But its commonly known as high school. Which is the duration of year seven to twelve. ) I do English, Math, Physics, Biology and Chemistry! To go to med school its required that you've passed Math, English and depending on the University they want you to pass all 3 sciences or just Chemistry or Biology! Also, you get OP score and need to pass the UMAT(which is the same as MCAT). When you complete high school you get an OP score (year 12). -But only one state in Australia uses this system, which is the state I live in. An OP score is a ranking, this score is made up from how well you're doing compared to your peers/ how well you're doing academically and how well you are doing against the rest of the state. (The state I live in, is very competitive with schooling). For medical school you need an OP of 1, which is the best you can get! But also very hard to get! So, its common for students to do an undergraduate, which is a bachelor degree! But completely optional. I have spoke to many physicians and they say a undergraduate degree mentally preps you better for medical school. Are you currently in medical school or planning to be? If so, what field are you aspiring for? Is your schooling also competitive? Best of luck from Australia!
Guidance Wow, thanks for the info! And yes, I am planning to attend medical school too as I will be going into 12th grade this fall. The application process is fairly competitive since there is a lot of interest. Right now, I am interested in orthopedics. But who knows, that might change over time :) Which field are you going into?
We do in the UK, finish A Levels between the ages of 18/19 and then straight to medical school (some UK uni's require that you take the BMAT and some the UKCAT exams too). If you're successful in all areas including having undertaken some relevant work experience - to med school you go for 5 years followed by 2 additional years as a junior ( I think it's US equiv. is an internship/ residency) then, you're a doctor at age 25/26 if all goes as it should have. Then you continue learning about whatever vocational training path you decide to follow within the field of medicine taking exams along the way 😊 We do have graduate medicine courses but that's another story and certainly not as easy as going straight to med school at age 18/ 19. In many ways it would be nice to have a balance in both opportunities since not everyone knows what they want to be for the rest of their lives from the age of 18/19 but here we are highly skewed to the former and graduate medicine is much harder to get into 😐
Thanks so much for sharing Andrea! She is amazing, a lot of her thoughts coordinate with my own. I'll be a junior in college but I've always loved the elderly population as well and she inspired me to take a closer look at hematology now :)
Hi Andrea! Thank you so much for all your videos. They're so helpful and informative! You're truly an inspiration. I wish I found your videos sooner! Is there any way you can do an interview with a physician-scientist? In undergrad, I really enjoyed doing experiments, but it lacked the patient contact that I love so much. I've spoken to a lot of physicians and researchers, but no physician's who are in research. Thanks! I'm looking forward to your future videos!
I am currently majoring in health information management for my undergraduate degree. I plan on getting my doctorate degree in public health within the concentration of epidemiology and bio statistics, but I feel like it is not enough, and I am taking the easy way out. I've been inspired to hematology/oncology, due to the passing of six-year old Miyah Telemaque Nelson, who suffered from Burkitt's lymphoma. I am afraid of the debt and misconceptions of being a doctor, I do not know to cope with always being compared to others. In the state of Florida, particularly the university that I am attending, you can only change your major about three times. I was recently a pre-pharmacy student, my first semester after high school, I was taking seven class with seventeen credit hours. Coming out of high school, I did not know how to really study for exams. I did not do well my first semester so I decided to leave the program because I felt as if I could not live up to the expectations of the pharmacy, which is the most prestigious program at the university and is known all over the country. If I was in the pharmacy program as of today I would be taking eight classes with eighteen credit hours. I am deal with a lot of self-esteem issues, not just in my personal life, but most of all in my college life. In the past and even now, I would always dream of becoming a doctor, especially to help cure cancer in bodies of adolescence. But, I am not sure if I can live up to the expectations and longevity, of specializing in hematology/oncology.
Just want to say thanks for doing this video. By the time I'm in med school, my kids will be middle schoolers/pre-teens. So I think that'll be helpful with them being out of the really young ages. I'm married and have 3 kids also! It's nice to learn that there are mother mentors in the medical field. I hope that when I go through becoming a doctor that I can find some mama mentors to shadow and get to know well. Thanks again Andrea for doing this interview. :)
YOU should do a video about being a pediatrician! Maybe like Emergency medicine or pediatric general surgeon! (: I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL. I'm really interested on emergency medicine but I want to work with kids too so that would be an amazing and tough road for me!
I'm so excited you posted this interview! Thank you so much. This question is on my mind constantly, especially now that I'm doing infertility treatments and completing my bachelors/pre-med studies, and also hoping to start a family in the next few years.
I really like you interview type videos! I always watch them and really enjoy all the good advice that I get from them! I hope you keep making them because they are helpful! I was wondering if you could make a video with a surgeon asking about the time commitment and the crazy hours and things like that. Thank you!
Hi Andrea, I know you did not talk about this in this video but I wanted to know why you went to Africa? I really like your videos, they are so helpful. And I am truly inspired by you. Seriously after binge watching most of your videos I feel like I can keep going. Thanks
I really found this video informative and happy to hear that having a family is doable! But I was wondering if you work with any doctors that went through med school or/and residency as a single parent? I'm majoring right now in psychology and thinking about going to med school but my only concern is if it's even possible while being a single parent? I already have this guilt in me bc I don't quite spend as much time with her (I work 2 jobs and school ) and just the thought of med school and residency I kind of worry. But thank you so much for your videos they're so helpful and really has given me an insight on what should be expected going to med school! Keep the videos coming!!!
I love watching your videos! Can you please make a video and give advice to women wanting to enter medicine later in life and being able to manage that with family life? Thanks!
Thank you so much for your videos. They keep me so motivated. Could you please interview an obstetrician gynecologist if possible? I will be very happy. I want to know, her/his pathway, experience in residency, advises for pre-med students. what she/he did to get involved before and after enter in medical school? Just like you did in the first 5 minutes with Dr. Thompson. Thank you again!
Andrea can you please do a video with a gynecologist and ask how to maintain career with family life. I would like to know from a female doctor, cause I want to do obs & gynecology and also want to have a family knowing that this field has lot of stress involved.PLEASE for me..
This may be a very strange question, but do you think ( or maybe know anybody who knows) if being left-handed is a big disadvantage for surgeons. *Sorry for the mistakes, I am not a native English speaker:)
Hey Andrea, I love your blogs and vlogs they are very informative especially for an aspiring physician. One comment that I wanted to make is that I always have a hard time listening to the vlogs because the volume is low. Is it possible that you can raise it when editing so it could be a little easier. I always have to end up rewinding because I have a hard time hearing what is being said. Thanks again :). -Your lovely subscriber :)
Shanell George Hi! I am so sorry about this. I did edit this video to be as loud as it could be, and I can hear it fine on my computer, but I've heard this complaint from others as well. I will work on it! Thanks for watching!
hey there , my ambition is to become a neurological surgeon and to have a happy family with possible 9 to 12 children(Lol just kidding its 14 children). With that aside,do you think I would have time to spend with them? my friends told me about not having any time what so ever with guards to family, is this true? (from a neurosurgeons perspectives) and not having a social life. I would really appreciate a response.
Thank you again for another inspiring video. I will be done with med school in a few months from now. Not much of a personal life/time right know.. so BUSY!! I am also into some time consuming extra curriculum activities / volunteerism. Anyways.. Just wanted to ask you based on your experience how many hours do you work per week. People (by people I am referring to Residents ) keep telling me they basically reach 100hrs per week... even though they are supposed to work a lot less.. Is it true?
+JaneDoe each med school has its requirements printed on their admissions websites. You typically need an english credit, physics, which automatically means math/calc, some med schools require statistics but not all, although most subject areas require it like psychology for example. You also need a year of biology, chemistry, all with labs. Some med schools require you to have biochem with labs as well.
So happy a woman can have it all. I want to be a doctor, be married, and have kids. I was under the impression it wasn't possible. Thank you!
She scaled down her work hours though so don’t sleep on that.
I Do Declare or maybe the child will be inspired that their mother cares for people, learns the value of a good work ethic and passion for achieving something in life
Can you do a video with a surgeon talking about their life as surgeon (their schedule & residency)
This woman is my new role model!
Thank you for posting this Andrea!! Balancing life as a mom and a doctor is something i've always been anxious about... During my clinical volunteering time and job shadowing, I actively sought out physicians who were also moms and asked them about how they balance it all. The key answers that I keep hearing are 1) having a supportive spouse is HUGE, and 2) you have to adjust your expectations of yourself in each role, rather than striving to be perfect at everything. One doctor I spoke to put it very nicely: "I make sure that I have 'my' life, my husband has 'his' life, we as a couple have 'our' life, our kids have 'their' lives, and we as a family have our life together as well". :)
"I thought they were scary" I laughed really hard when she said that. I was a cancer patient when I was 18 and now I'm 20 and I'm looking forward to becoming an oncologist one day. I never thought I would be interested in medicine but when I was a patient my hospital had some amazing people working there, not just doctors, but all other staff. Being diagnosed with cancer can be scary and especially 18, but I felt none of that, I felt calm and relaxed. The dedication of the people at the hospital made me feel that way. I knew they were doing all they could to help me.
Right now I'm working on my pre-requisites to transfer to UT-MD Anderson for their radiation therapy program and I plan to take my chemistry pre-requisites for med-school after I get my bachelor's. Wish me luck :)
Btw- your videos are awesome!
Leobardo Fernandez Good luck!! What an amazing journey you have had.
+Leobardo Fernandez I am currently a radiation therapy student (not at MD Anderson) but I am loving it! I have less than a year before I graduate. I am 20 as well! What a small world. I am loving it so far and I think you will love it as well. I would highly recommend it. I too have thought about going on to pursue a PA degree or going to med school to further my education after the program. You are truly an inspiration and have a personal and touching journey.
+MelissaNicole hey, thank you! I still have a couple of years left until i get my bachelor's in radiation therapy but i hope i can start my major in the fall of 2016. i probably won't go to MD Anderson, but its more likely I will go to Texas State University for the program they have there. well I wish you luck with your studies. I have spent most of my free time just studying to get A's in my classes so that I would have a greater chance of being accepted into my major. so far I'm doing great.
+Leobardo Fernandez that's AWESOME!!
+Leobardo Fernandez Your story is amazing! It's thoughtful people like you who really appreciate their doctors that make me so happy and why I want to be a doctor one day. I also have an interest in oncology! I am going to start college in the fall and I'm extremely excited for the journey ahead of me! I wish you luck in all your future endeavors and I know that great things will come out of you!
This has been a legitimate worry of mine for years now. Thank you addressing how women can really have great home lives while balancing a career in medicine !!
So important for everyone, especially women interested in becoming doctors, to know that you CAN have a family and be a successful physician at the same time. :) Thanks for conducting this interview, Dr. Tooley!
Dr. Thompson is very inspirational. She seems to genuinely care for all women and wants them to succeed overall, however it is defined by the individual. Thanks for the post!
andrea, i hope God blesses you 10 fold what you bless me and other aspiring doctors. you never fail in bringing encouragement just when its needed!! thank you and thank you, Dr. Thompson.
One of the best detailed explanation of worklife balance for physicians
this is absolutely everything I wanted to hear!!!
She's an inspiration for me, thanks for the interview.
Sometimes when I feel like I can't do it, that I'll never have good enough grades or test scores for medical school, I come to your channel and watch your videos. Your videos and interviews are constant reminders for me that I love what I study, and how I cannot wait to be an MD or DO (or wherever I may fall in the next year, or two or even five). Thank you for constantly bringing me back to my center through all the doubt, chaos, and discouragement. It has been so valuable and you, my friend are quite a gem. Love love love.
This really hit home. Thank you so much and thank Dr. Thompson. She is awesome!
Andrea please please NP vs MD !!! 😊
As a guy who wants a medical education but also to start a family this video was really encouraging! I worry that if I have children I'll miss out on the important moments like soccer games, dance recitals etc but I think as long as I can find a balance and prioritise whats important to me I can be as accomplished as Dr. Thompson. Thanks for posting!
This was great, thank you! It would be great to see an interview with a physician who had children before/during medical school too!
I've always wondered if Id be able to balance family life and my career! Perfect start to my monday morning! Thanks you!
Hey Andrea! Great video!! You ladies are both huge inspirations! Could you do a video with an emergency medicine doctor?
Sadly this is an overly optimistic video. Overtime many doctors will find that they don't have a good home life due to the fact that the profession has the worst work-life balance. Most end up divorced or just existing as roomates in their marriages. Many doctors also miss many milestones in their children's lives no matter their specialty.
It's a noble profession but one that comes with ALOT of sacrifices! That's why you have to do it for the right reasons.
+MorrocanZween Actually, you'll find that that depends very heavily on the specialty. Most of the physicians I know have a pretty nice work-life balance. In the non-surgical specialties, almost all of the older physicians I know have families and children. In the surgical specialties, it's a little harder, but it's doable. You may have to push back plans for kids till after you're established as a surgeon, so you don't have to work as many hours, but you can do it (esp if your spouse has better work hours). Of course, it takes work; there are always sacrifices. There are those who divorce, who just decide they can't balance family with work. But if you really want to do it, you can. There are a lot more regulations on how many hours doctors can work now, which is why the lifestyle has gotten better.
Every time I see a video about having a family and going through medical school that is positive and encouraging, I hear about Cornell. Over and over. If there were more places like this, and less advisors who tell students not to apply, or lie about having kids, there would be no shortage of medical professional at the highest level.
Thanks for posting this video! This has been a huge concern of mine.
wow this really motivated me. it really solidified me becoming a doctor. thank you so much for this! now i know i really can "do it all"
This video made my day. I could not stop smiling the whole time i was watching it. Thank you for showing this too the world; everything in it was so realistic and positive. Much success to you both.
Hi Dr. Tooley!
I was wondering if you could interview an OB/GYN and make a comparison with Paediatrics! Thanks for all these videos by the way -they are really encouraging and have contributed to me finally switching from a Political Theory background to a career in Medicine :)
Hey Andrea can you please do a video with a dermatologist?
Nathalie Marichal Yes please Ms.Andrea I would love this!
This interview was very insightful! Thank you so much for doing this. I would love to see an interview with both a male and female surgeon or even a person of colour.
Love it. Yeah, I agree with the comment down below. Would you be able to talk to a surgeon for us? (That is if they even have the time to be interviewed lol)
***** and just a word of advice for the interviews. It's better to engage with the interviewee than look at the webcam during online interviews. Only saying this because I took a speech class and that was one of the tips, still a great video though :)
Hi Andrea I just wanted to say that I love your vlogs. I really look up to you and when ever I need to know something about being a doctor I look at your vlogs. My family does not have any doctors in it which is sometimes very hard for me to understand something's about going to college and going to medical school. So I just wanted to say thank you so much for making these vlogs. I was just searching TH-cam about doctors and I found your wonderful vlogs! THANKS!😊
Thank you for this! It's great to see that it's possible to find success as a mother and physician.
Thank you so much for making this video, it was so helpful. I want to go to medical school and have a family, my husband is also a minister. He is not pasturing a church yet but didn't know if ministry, medicine and family would work. I do have a great support system. So thank you and Dr. Thompson for is video! Such a big burden has been lifted!
Wow, this is such an amazing interview. You both remind me of how amazing the medical field is.
Amazing hard working women! No ordinary men can imagine this!
This was very enriching. Thank you, Dr. Andrea Tooley and Dr. Thompson, for the time you spent making this video!
I interviewed at the Mayo Clinic last year and all the Minne"soda" accents were endearing. Not much to see in Rochester besides the hospitals but the cheese curds were pretty darn good. God bless those who find Hematology their passion, Oncogenes, TP53, TNF... not my thing.
Loved the video and Dr. Thompson seems like a lovely person! It's great to hear realistic inputs on how to manage it all!
This was such an inspiring video. Thank you so much for this interview.
This was such a great and beneficial interview! Could you do an interview on an older person going to med school like say 30? Thank you so much for what you do!
My wife is a doctor. She work 36hrs at the hospital here in Philippines. The doctors are very intelligent but they dont have the boldness to make a rule or law not to work for 24hrs or 36hrs. My wife doesnt have time for me and my son even for herself.Maybe you can make a law or convention regarding working works for a doctor. Thanks doc 😀
Wow! You both are so inspiring!! I am from Australia and currently in year 11 in high school. (Which is my second last year of schooling, and then I can apply for medical school! Eek!). I am interested in surgery and hopefully down the path of neuro! Thank you for this video gave me heaps of relief in terms of having a family and studying!!
I wanted to make a suggestion for your next possible video.
"How do you mange stress/ pressure/ anxiety in medical school and also with being a doctor?"
Thank you so much Andrea, you have been a fantastic role model for me!
Love Zoe! :)
Guidance You apply to med school straight out of high school in Australia??? Is it combined with college or something? In the US, the minimum requirement for applying to a medical school is completing a bachelor's degree in college/university and taking the MCAT (entrance exam, like the SAT but for med school). Hmm.. that's so different, but cool haha :)
AnaBanana In Australia year 11 and 12 are like senior years, its where you pick your own subjects! (As Australia is made up of many different states, some divide year 11 and 12 off and name it college. But its commonly known as high school. Which is the duration of year seven to twelve. )
I do English, Math, Physics, Biology and Chemistry! To go to med school its required that you've passed Math, English and depending on the University they want you to pass all 3 sciences or just Chemistry or Biology! Also, you get OP score and need to pass the UMAT(which is the same as MCAT). When you complete high school you get an OP score (year 12). -But only one state in Australia uses this system, which is the state I live in.
An OP score is a ranking, this score is made up from how well you're doing compared to your peers/ how well you're doing academically and how well you are doing against the rest of the state. (The state I live in, is very competitive with schooling). For medical school you need an OP of 1, which is the best you can get! But also very hard to get! So, its common for students to do an undergraduate, which is a bachelor degree! But completely optional. I have spoke to many physicians and they say a undergraduate degree mentally preps you better for medical school.
Are you currently in medical school or planning to be? If so, what field are you aspiring for? Is your schooling also competitive?
Best of luck from Australia!
Guidance Wow, thanks for the info!
And yes, I am planning to attend medical school too as I will be going into 12th grade this fall. The application process is fairly competitive since there is a lot of interest. Right now, I am interested in orthopedics. But who knows, that might change over time :) Which field are you going into?
Best of luck to you as well!
We do in the UK, finish A Levels between the ages of 18/19 and then straight to medical school (some UK uni's require that you take the BMAT and some the UKCAT exams too). If you're successful in all areas including having undertaken some relevant work experience - to med school you go for 5 years followed by 2 additional years as a junior ( I think it's US equiv. is an internship/ residency) then, you're a doctor at age 25/26 if all goes as it should have. Then you continue learning about whatever vocational training path you decide to follow within the field of medicine taking exams along the way 😊 We do have graduate medicine courses but that's another story and certainly not as easy as going straight to med school at age 18/ 19. In many ways it would be nice to have a balance in both opportunities since not everyone knows what they want to be for the rest of their lives from the age of 18/19 but here we are highly skewed to the former and graduate medicine is much harder to get into 😐
What an amazing interview!! I want to be a Pediatrician :)
Thanks so much for sharing Andrea! She is amazing, a lot of her thoughts coordinate with my own. I'll be a junior in college but I've always loved the elderly population as well and she inspired me to take a closer look at hematology now :)
She is so motivating....Thanks for the interview!
Hi Andrea! Thank you so much for all your videos. They're so helpful and informative! You're truly an inspiration. I wish I found your videos sooner!
Is there any way you can do an interview with a physician-scientist? In undergrad, I really enjoyed doing experiments, but it lacked the patient contact that I love so much. I've spoken to a lot of physicians and researchers, but no physician's who are in research.
Thanks! I'm looking forward to your future videos!
This was such an awesome video ! I love the positive energy you both send. Thank you so much !
What a fantastic video Andrea! Thank you so much, keep these coming, please!
Great advice, and Andrea, you're always so professional. Thanks for this!
I am currently majoring in health information management for my undergraduate degree. I plan on getting my doctorate degree in public health within the concentration of epidemiology and bio statistics, but I feel like it is not enough, and I am taking the easy way out. I've been inspired to hematology/oncology, due to the passing of six-year old Miyah Telemaque Nelson, who suffered from Burkitt's lymphoma. I am afraid of the debt and misconceptions of being a doctor, I do not know to cope with always being compared to others. In the state of Florida, particularly the university that I am attending, you can only change your major about three times. I was recently a pre-pharmacy student, my first semester after high school, I was taking seven class with seventeen credit hours. Coming out of high school, I did not know how to really study for exams. I did not do well my first semester so I decided to leave the program because I felt as if I could not live up to the expectations of the pharmacy, which is the most prestigious program at the university and is known all over the country. If I was in the pharmacy program as of today I would be taking eight classes with eighteen credit hours. I am deal with a lot of self-esteem issues, not just in my personal life, but most of all in my college life. In the past and even now, I would always dream of becoming a doctor, especially to help cure cancer in bodies of adolescence. But, I am not sure if I can live up to the expectations and longevity, of specializing in hematology/oncology.
Just want to say thanks for doing this video. By the time I'm in med school, my kids will be middle schoolers/pre-teens. So I think that'll be helpful with them being out of the really young ages. I'm married and have 3 kids also! It's nice to learn that there are mother mentors in the medical field. I hope that when I go through becoming a doctor that I can find some mama mentors to shadow and get to know well. Thanks again Andrea for doing this interview. :)
Can we keep in touch I also have 3 children and i am seriously getting ready to start my journey to getting into medical school.
Jennifermlangham@gmail.com
This is an amazing video, thank you for uploading stuff like this, Andrea!
GUYS THATS MY MOM (Carrie Thompson)
WOW! This came right on time! I really needed to hear this.
ohmagoodness this is absolutely GOLD!! Thank you!
Thank you for the wonderful interview.
YOU should do a video about being a pediatrician! Maybe like Emergency medicine or pediatric general surgeon! (: I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL. I'm really interested on emergency medicine but I want to work with kids too so that would be an amazing and tough road for me!
Wow what an inspiration you both are . You both pretty much answered all my questions 😍
I'm so excited you posted this interview! Thank you so much. This question is on my mind constantly, especially now that I'm doing infertility treatments and completing my bachelors/pre-med studies, and also hoping to start a family in the next few years.
She's was great!!! Thanks!
Thank you so much for the encouragement and inspiration!
Lovely interview :) So glad you had her on to interview!
Very informative talk, thank you Dr. Tooley and Dr. Thompson for putting it in perspective :)
Could you please make a video with one of these "mom mentors"? Or a video about women in medicine in general, that would be great!
I learned soo much from this video thank you for this!
Thank you so much for this video. This is amazing! I'm so grateful for the inspiration! You rock!
she's my inspiration, both of you!
this is a really great perspective!! thank you for doing this interview
What an insightful interview!
This was a great video! Thanks for posting this!
I really like you interview type videos! I always watch them and really enjoy all the good advice that I get from them! I hope you keep making them because they are helpful! I was wondering if you could make a video with a surgeon asking about the time commitment and the crazy hours and things like that. Thank you!
What a great interview. Thanks
Love this video. Good advice for all of us in the medical field :)
This was just what I needed!!!!!!! Awesome
Hi Andrea, I know you did not talk about this in this video but I wanted to know why you went to Africa? I really like your videos, they are so helpful. And I am truly inspired by you. Seriously after binge watching most of your videos I feel like I can keep going.
Thanks
Both of you guys are my heroes. :)
That was awesome!!! Currently in med school !!
I loved this interview Andrea! You should read the book Lean In, it has great advice for career women!
I really found this video informative and happy to hear that having a family is doable! But I was wondering if you work with any doctors that went through med school or/and residency as a single parent? I'm majoring right now in psychology and thinking about going to med school but my only concern is if it's even possible while being a single parent? I already have this guilt in me bc I don't quite spend as much time with her (I work 2 jobs and school ) and just the thought of med school and residency I kind of worry. But thank you so much for your videos they're so helpful and really has given me an insight on what should be expected going to med school! Keep the videos coming!!!
I love watching your videos! Can you please make a video and give advice to women wanting to enter medicine later in life and being able to manage that with family life? Thanks!
Thank you so much for your videos. They keep me so motivated.
Could you please interview an obstetrician gynecologist if possible? I will be very happy.
I want to know, her/his pathway, experience in residency, advises for pre-med students. what she/he did to get involved before and after enter in medical school?
Just like you did in the first 5 minutes with Dr. Thompson.
Thank you again!
very informative. keep up the good work.
Thank you so much!! Love this
Fantastic video!
Very nice
And I want to know whether there r anyone who r doctors and also a singer or any other thing like this
I enjoygreat outdoors nature, keep it rolling!
Love this video .
I love this thank you so much
Andrea can you please do a video with a gynecologist and ask how to maintain career with family life. I would like to know from a female doctor, cause I want to do obs & gynecology and also want to have a family knowing that this field has lot of stress involved.PLEASE for me..
This may be a very strange question, but do you think ( or maybe know anybody who knows) if being left-handed is a big disadvantage for surgeons. *Sorry for the mistakes, I am not a native English speaker:)
If there r can u interview them about how they balance both doctor and other stream
Hey Andrea, I love your blogs and vlogs they are very informative especially for an aspiring physician. One comment that I wanted to make is that I always have a hard time listening to the vlogs because the volume is low. Is it possible that you can raise it when editing so it could be a little easier. I always have to end up rewinding because I have a hard time hearing what is being said. Thanks again :).
-Your lovely subscriber :)
Shanell George Hi! I am so sorry about this. I did edit this video to be as loud as it could be, and I can hear it fine on my computer, but I've heard this complaint from others as well. I will work on it! Thanks for watching!
I LOVE İT! Can you also do the same topic with a woman surgeon in male dominated fields?
So in other words, the trick is being a genius.
hey there , my ambition is to become a neurological surgeon and to have a happy family with possible 9 to 12 children(Lol just kidding its 14 children). With that aside,do you think I would have time to spend with them?
my friends told me about not having any time what so ever with guards to family, is this true? (from a neurosurgeons perspectives)
and not having a social life. I would really appreciate a response.
has anyone told u tht u look like perrie Edwards from little mix?
what about balancing family life (wife and mom) while being a surgeon?
Thank you again for another inspiring video. I will be done with med school in a few months from now. Not much of a personal life/time right know.. so BUSY!! I am also into some time consuming extra curriculum activities / volunteerism. Anyways.. Just wanted to ask you based on your experience how many hours do you work per week. People (by people I am referring to Residents ) keep telling me they basically reach 100hrs per week... even though they are supposed to work a lot less.. Is it true?
Hey Andrea! could you make a video with a person that was an engineering major for undergrad?
Hello, as far as fulfilling med school requirements go, should I take Statistics and Calculus 1 or should I take Calculus 1 & 2? Thanks!
+JaneDoe each med school has its requirements printed on their admissions websites. You typically need an english credit, physics, which automatically means math/calc, some med schools require statistics but not all, although most subject areas require it like psychology for example. You also need a year of biology, chemistry, all with labs. Some med schools require you to have biochem with labs as well.
Do you think ophthalmologists can effect a balance in their family lives?
If i were to want to be a surgeon... would i have ANY time to travel and stuff? Also, would i have that kind of free time as a resident?
aidan giordano You will have time when you finish training. You do get small breaks throughout residency, but not a lot :-)