Medical Students

Medical students are very particular. I've been thinking lately about the types of people who self-select into this profession. We're detail-oriented, hard-working, commitment-comfortable (that is professional, not necessarily relationship-wise) people. We pay attention to things that others might dismiss, we picked a path that takes a substantial investment. Medical students often have a bit of obsessive-compulsive personality trait. I'm not sure why. I have some that may help my studying, but most of my obsessions and compulsions really don't seem to be that adaptive to medical school. Most of us like security and are risk-averse. We don't usually take chances, and this is probably a good thing for our patients.

Medical students aren't brilliant. Most of us aren't going to hold patents to world-changing inventions or write symphonies or make unprecedented discoveries. Our skill set isn't built around that (this is why I have such great respect for my peers who are pursuing PhD's, MPHs, even MFA's). We're not spontaneous. We don't set off on great adventures backpacking across Europe with empty pockets. We don't play hedge fund gambling.

Obviously, all the things mentioned here are generalizations.