Medicine, the stuff of myths and legends!

No really, this is a thing: Medicine is one of those professions where there is overwhelmingly positive press, to the point where ppl believe that if they become doctors:

• They’ll get rich
• They’ll get respect
• They’ll get dates and relationships
• They’ll find meaning for their lives
• They’ll live the good life
• They’ll be happy

So, like if medicine itself is the cure-all medicine for all their problems.

Why Do These Myth Exist?

There are two ways that the “Med will solve all your problems” myth happens: One is direct, the other is indirect.

Direct Myth-Building

If you’ve had the pleasure of growing up in a collectivistic culture (e.g. southeast Asian, Indian), you’ve probably been subjected to the whole “Med is the highest goal you can aim for in life” propaganda.

This likely started before you knew how to think critically, so no one’s really explained to you why becoming a doctor leads to the Promised Land, except simple kid-friendly sound bites like “You’ll make a lot of money” or “You can afford a car and a house and holidays and lollies” or “A good girl will want to marry you” or “People will respect you” or “Everyone will be proud of you”; and since you grew up with the message, you’ve probably not thought to question things, or felt pressure not to question things.

That’s how you get the myths directly.

Indirect Myth-Building

That doesn’t mean that individualistic cultures (most western countries) aren’t susceptible to such myths: Mainstream media like House or The Good Doctor or Dr Strange show medical professionals getting respected, ordering ppl around, getting shit done, saving lives, flirting and getting laid competently, buying and owning expensive shit, having friends, leading exciting lives, and having meaning in their lives.

And for ppl who struggled throughout life to get money, get dates and relationships, or get respect; or to find a meaningful life, or a good life – they may see medicine as a sort of hail-mary pathway to aim for, to solve all their problems.

That’s how you get the myths indirectly.

Of course, just because ppl believe it, doesn’t make it real.

Why Are These Things Not Real?

The hero-worship of the medical profession has been around for a while, but I think the reason for their occurrence stems from not knowing how to solve a problem directly, and is exacerbated by the trend of instant gratification.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

You might have heard of the saying “You don’t know what you don’t know”, and it may have been the most stupidly obvious things you’ve heard in your life.

But the saying is not as stupid as it sounds, and is in fact extremely important if you want to get anywhere in life.

Let’s use a puzzle as an example:

Draw 4 straight lines to connect all 9 dots, without lifting your pen off the paper.

Most ppl may be familiar with this puzzle already, but if you’re not, it might take you a while to get the answer. Scroll down for the answer.

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The answer:

The answer will probably click immediately (“You’re supposed to think and draw outside the box…”), and you’re unlikely to ever forget it now. However, before you got the right way to think, you could have stared at the puzzle all day, and not made any progress.

A lot of challenges in life are like this: Even with the knowledge of the world at your fingertips with Google, if you don’t know that a solution is possible, or even exists, you will continue through life with the issue remaining unresolved.

For example, a trucker may think he has no time to learn, since he’s on the road so much. Then he discovers podcasts and audiobooks.

Or a poor person figures he can’t get a decent education because he has no money. Then he learns he can borrow or read books for free at the library – which will even purchase in books if none of the branches have them. Or he realises that he can use the library computer and internet for free, and there are free online courses (e.g. Khan Academy, Udacity, heaps more), and library membership (free) can even grant free access to paid learning platforms. Oh and that even paid learning platforms regularly make courses free (and that this is searchable on bargain websites).

Or a person with money to invest may complain about high mutual fund fees, risky stock markets, and shitty uncompetitive bank interest rates. Then they learn about index funds, value investing, and non-traditional investment platforms like peer-to-peer lending.

Or a guy who’s sick of being friendzoned, learning about pick-up and attraction.

Or a school-leaver hates the prospect of having to work for decades before she can retire, then she learns other ways to think (e.g. Millionaire Fastlane, Early Retirement EXTREME, Mr Money Mustache)

(The above examples are just a taste of the shifts in thinking that I’ll be bringing your way – I’ll expand on them in their own myth sections)

Because ppl don’t know how to go about solving their problems, or feel trapped in their circumstances, the tendency is to look for the most straightforward solution.

If Advertising has gotten to them, they’ll drink a Coca Cola, or buy designer clothes, or expose their bodies to celebrity-endorsed perfumes.

If they spend too much time on Instagram, they may get their teeth whitened, sign up for a year’s gym membership, or take out a loan for a fancy car or holiday.

And if they’re considering their career, they might choose modelling, or acting, or medicine.

But is Medicine Necessary?

Think about the ppl you know – who are successful, who are happy, who are respected, who have fulfilling friendships and relationships, who live meaningful lives.

Now ask yourself: Are these ppl all doctors?

Now, I’m willing to bet, these ppl with the kind of life you want, aren’t all doctors. And because that’s the case, you don’t need to be a doctor to have these things in your life.

Mythbusters, Impending

In this Myth series, I will be going through the most common myths of “Do med -> ??? -> Profit”, and how to get to the good stuff without being all roundabout and doing medicine.

In the series are:

• Do Med to get Money
• Do Med to get Power
• Do Med to get Women
• Do Med to have Impact
• Do Med to live the Good Life
• Do Med to be Happy