So You Do Not Want To Be A Doctor?

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Next Month would make it 5yrs since I took the Hippocratic oath to become a doctor. Choosing to be a doctor was more of an experiment for me. I wanted to know what it meant to be one. Being a doctor had some certain allure, and respect that was peculiar to the profession.

Obviously, not everyone feels the slant to take the trip through medical school to become a doctor, and that is totally fine. But recent trends are moving towards the reality of a world with fewer aspiring doctors and it is important to consider what this would mean for society.

We know that doctors are an essential part of society, not just in the role that they play in hospitals and in clinics, but in every aspect of community health and well-being. They are the frontline when health challenges engulf the world.

COVID was a testament to the fact that doctors are indispensable, and everyday, from diagnosing illness, to recommending treatments, and performing surgeries, doctors face multiple challenges that they have to overcome in other support ill people back to health.

With regular screenings and public health advocacy, doctors not only contribute in helping patients heal, but their role crosses into preventive care through vaccinations and general health advice.

What Would a World Without Doctors Look Like?

Having described in detail what a doctor does, imagine a world where there are actually no doctors to perform these essential activities.

A quick view at the statistics on visual capitalist reveals that only about 8 countries meet the WHO requirement of 44.5 doctors per 10,000.

Countries like Niger, and Guinea have figures as low as 0.2 doctors per 10,000. Which means that there are barely any doctors in most areas. Already, there is a massive shortage of doctors worldwide, and we can see it manifested in

• overburdened healthcare systems

• limited access to care--- most people have to wait months to see a doctor, some people wait for years to have an elective surgical procedure. A lot of the doctors available suffer from burnouts week in week out.

• With more doctors retiring due to age or other factors, there is an increasing loss of technical expertise and experience with no one to take their place.

• Because Nature abhors a vacuum, and in a bid to cover the huge gape left by the absence of doctors, people resort to alternative forms of medicine which have not been tested. From herbal remedies, to quack surgeons performing operations that leave patients with multiple complications.

Why You May Not Want To Be A Doctor.

There are multiple issues to overcome to become a doctor. From the long years of study, to long working hours, the significant financial burden it entails, being a doctor is not appealing.

When you become a doctor, the pay is not as good as your counterparts in other careers, which is making more doctors make a career switch. This is happening with young doctors like myself who are ambitious and have a lot to look forward to financially.

Why We Will Always Need Doctors.

Times are changing, the world is changing but the need for doctors is increasing. The need for compassionate, dedicated doctors is on the rise. Yes, technology is making giant strides with AI and diagnostics, but there will always be the need for doctors to provide the human touch, filled with compassion, empathy and understanding.

I know you do not want to be a doctor and this post is not an attempt to convince you otherwise. It is a doctor, in one part of the globe saying that you should consider what the world would be like with less doctors.

If less people decided to take up the stethoscope, what would life look like for the ill? Encouraging people to pursue the medical profession isn't just about filling hospital positions, it is about ensuring that our communities have access to the care and compassion that they need to flourish.

Thank you for reading.

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I am Covenant, a Medical Doctor with a passion for holistic medicine-( fancy word for treating a patient as an individual and not just addressing their symptoms).

My focus lies in the deep connection between mental health and overall wellbeing, and I create content across various medical topics with an emphasis on mental health. Follow me for insights into holistic medicine and approaches to health and wellness.