Should You Quit Medicine? 4 Steps to Help You Decide

Dozens of medical students, residents, and even some attending reach out to me every year asking for guidance on whether or not they should quit medicine. I can’t tell you whether you should or shouldn’t, but in this video, I’ll cover a framework to empower yourself to make the best decision for you.

Quitting clinical medicine has been a thing for as long as clinical medicine has been a thing, but it doesn’t get much visibility, and there are very few resources for students who are considering quitting.

Here are the 5 steps to help you decide whether or not quitting medicine is right for you.

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
00:39 Health Assessment
01:31 Clarify Your Reason
06:32 Training Stage Waiting
13:52 Quitting to… What?
19:10 Mistakes to Avoid

LINKS FROM VIDEO:

#medicalcareer #doctorvlog #shouldyouquit
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Disclaimer: Content of this video is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice. The content and associated links provide general information for general educational purposes only. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Kevin Jubbal, M.D. will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death. May include affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through them (at no extra cost to you).

[kevinjubbalmd]

Are you having second thoughts about medicine? If you still have questions after watching this video, leave a comment for me below. 📝

[sigh]

I think the first major factor of leaving is the disilussionment of the system. Most healthcare workers started because we wanted to heal, not to sell our body and souls.

[mustang]

Do you like working? Stay in medicine. Do you like being happy? Leave

[conigliana]

i quit med school after two years in and then started a major in electrical engineering. i was way too idealistic and naive after high school, way too oblivious of how the healthcare system actually works and what kind of lifestyle this profession brings. people who haven't been there don't have a clue how much you actually have to sacrifice and unfortunately the fruits of your efforts and sacrifice usually aren't even worth it in the end. too much stress, bureaucracy and nepotism (at least here where i live). switching majors made me a bit insecure for a while since i felt a bit behind in comparison to my peers, but i knew i'd rather have a few years wasted than be unhappy for the rest of my life. also, i thrive so much more in this field, i finally feel like myself again. i'm also glad that quitting medicine is something that people talk about more since it takes a lot more courage to quit it in comparison to other fields where training is much shorter. i know i felt so alone in this back in the day. good luck to all of you, whether you decide to quit or keep going!

[wholeNwon]

The first important question is whether one should go to med. school at all. Do you know yourself well enough to make the decision? Have you actually approached practicing physicians and surgeons to ask for guidance? There are very few who would not find the time to talk with you and be happy to do so...really. Going to med. sch. because your family wants you to is a horrible reason to start the journey.

[surfmindwellness]

Thank you Kevin. I am premed and I have other interests so I'm really taking my time to decide. I'm 33. I made a serious of poor decisions which led me on a detour. The lesson I learned from that is that one poor decision in a major life decision can cost you years of time recovering. I am grateful for where I am, and I trust the best is yet to come. I am more mature now and making decisions based on how it will affect my life in 10, 20+ years. The things you mentioned: health, fitness, exploration and experimentation, and having a family and spending time with them are high on my list. I love using my hands, and writing, and I think I would be a good fit to work in medicine in some capacity. It's definitely not any easier to decide what to do now, but I do have a much better framework to use now and data to draw from to make a better decision that is a good fit for me and my values, morals, and ambitions. Thank you for what you do!

[Thomasromer]

I'm soon starting my 5. semester of the bachelor's. I don't like being at the hospital, I don't wanna work nights, I wanna have free time (where my friends also have free time). And one of the biggest things for me is, I really wanna do something, that I'm GOOD at. And meed-school is so hard, that even just following along is crazy, and I have never felt that I'm good at something in med-school, even though I get good grades. Just because "you can always learn more".
I suppose, if I worked in economics or IT, I would be good at something and get enjoyment in my work - I just really want enjoyment of my work. But when I look at doctors, it just doesn't look that enjoyable. Relatively low pay compared to stress, your work hours.

But then again, I can do other stuff with a degree in medicine. Maybe working in a pharma company or something. But idk. I'm really at a hard stage in this because I don't want to quit. After all, I like learning about the body. But IF I quit, I don't even know what to do.

I'm very lucky that I don't have to pay for med school or other degrees in my country, so that's not a factor for me. I just think it's really hard to choose.

haha there isnt one QUESTION in this, but i just want to be happy... and it just dosnt look like its a "happy" job to work as a hospital-doctor.

[kostasmira]

Nice video. Can you do a video so you want to be a space doctor? Or otherwise called aerospace medicine.

[rosefromwonderland]

I'm a fourth year medical student and I still have three years left to medical school to have my MD . I definitely would have loved to finish before quitting but three hard years seem like too much . Anyways, I'm binging these videos in order to make the right choice and I'm really grateful for them ! Such a clear guide !

[Vic-]

Thanks - I am on a career break (due to health issues and burnout), this is useful to help me decide my next steps

[sunriselotus]

Doing medicine doesn’t leave you anytime for your life. You just study/work. Where is your family, where are your friends and your relationships and your a doctor so people will look at you in that way.

[JayFitNurse]

Hi hopefully you see this and can answer… my cousin is 20 years old and currently in a rad tech program and is thinking about going to med school for radiology.. now he’s also flirting with the idea of going to RRA (registered radiologist assistant) school… which one is a better option… he’s not sure if he wants to give up all his time pursuing medicine because he hasn’t even completed all the science requirements to even apply for med school.. only the requirement for rad tech school.. what do you think? I know the easy answer would be only he can decide but what is your professional answer that can guide him in making his own decision

[Fifiandtheflowertots]

I'm a girl so I'm really scared of the age I'm going to graduate in ( 24 yo ) because to me it's old, + I failed the second year so I'm going to graduate later than my team