Synthesis Blog- Future Doctors

College freshmen who are interested in or simply care about health should look into the several components of the medical field, understand what it takes to be a part of the world of medicine,and treat their bodies right (inside and out), whether you want to do so professionally or just because (it’s good for you)!

There are several components of the medical field:

There are several jobs in the medical field that work together to keep one thing running smoothly- us. Of course, the main job and desire of the professionals of the medical field is to prevent, treat, and cure us of sickness and disease. An example of the importance of a medical professional can be found on our blog when you click here.

The medical field consists of several aspects that come together to work as one. These jobs include, but are not limited to the following:

• Audiologists

• Cardiovascular Technologists

• Chiropractors

• Dental Hygienists

• Dentists

• Dietitians and Nutritionists

• Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics

• Nursing

• Massage Therapists

• Medical Laboratory Scientists

• Medical Assistants

• Orthotists and Prosthetists
• Pharmacists

• Physical Therapists

• Physician Assistants

• Physicians and Surgeons

• Podiatrists

• Radiologic Technologists

Knowing what the medical field is all about is an essential part of actually becoming a part of it! The different areas allow for a variety of majors to find a home in medicine. It has been especially important for our blog team to discover and explore these parts of the medical field because it has helped us grasp an understanding of medicine from several different perspectives.

Understanding what it takes to be part of the medical world:
Once you know what field in medicine best fits, you have to understand how to get there. Like anything worthwhile, becoming a part of the medical world is a difficult task. Being in the field of medicine is not for everyone so you have to know for sure that it is your passion. The number of hours of hands-on training required to complete your residency is incredible, and that is just one aspect of getting your Ph.D. or whichever medical-inspired degree you are striving to get. A broad explanation of the path to becoming a medical professional can be found here.

In general, if you are thinking about becoming a medical professional, expect to be in school for at least 4 years because on average, surgeons, doctors, and sometimes nurses are in school for a very minimum of 6 years. There are several different paths however that can allow for several variations of years in school. An example on our blog of this can be found by clicking here. The post goes on to explain that as someone with goals of becoming a Nurse Practitioner, they should still expect to be in college for around eight years. Even though NP’s don’t have the fancy title of ‘Dr.’, they still are responsible for many serious tasks, which takes years of training and practice to be field ready.  Any medical profession takes a serious amount of work, whether it’s four years of schooling as a pre-med student or 12 as a grad student hoping to get your MD. All degrees start somewhere and the more prestigious the role in the world of medicine the more schooling, training, and money spent comes into play.

Being fully part of the medical world takes a lot of time and practice. There are various different language and learning obstacles you will have to overcome to feel entirely involved with this field. Medicine is a complex language with many acronyms used that those outside the medical field do not understand. Being able to communicate fluently with other medical professionals takes time just like any new thing you have to learn. It makes things even harder since the language of medicine continues to grow as humans/technologies grow at the same rate. With new and improved technologies, developments, and discoveries, new lingo and acronyms continue to be invented, meaning that’s just another step added in the learning process of becoming entirely part of the world of medicine.

Treat yo’self right:

While the other aspects of becoming a medical professional are very important, it is just as important, if not more, to take care of your body in your everyday life, whether you are in the medical field or not. Little steps can be taken and added to your everyday life to make huge improvements. 

It all starts with what you put into your body, nutrition is a very big aspect (see blog-link this right here).  A balanced plate is the easiest way to do so. Vegetables should be the biggest portion, they help with improving all bodily functions. Protein is essential for building and maintaining a strong muscular system. Carbs give you the energy to do the activities throughout your day, but too much carbs is a bad thing. Dairy is perfect and necessary for keeping your skeletal system strong. What you eat is very important and can change everything. A couple of great examples of this point can be found by clicking here and here.

Staying well hydrated is the single most important thing a person can do to stay healthy. Drinking water is good, but sports drinks and other sugary drinks is bad news. It is recommended that a person should drink 2 liters of water (half gallon) minimum to stay healthy and there is no such thing as too much water.  Drinking water helps control the balance of body fluids, help control calories, energize muscles, makes skin look better and younger, helps your kidneys, and much more.

The next part to keep your body healthy is all about working out and staying in shape. The most effective way to keep your body right is stretching, flexibility prevents injuries and soreness, plus only takes 10 minutes a day. Chances are the more flexible you are the better in shape you are, yoga is not a joke and is extremely beneficial to the mind and body. Lifting is not for everyone, but little workouts such as push-ups and sit-ups is all anyone needs to stay strong. Another thing is cardio, most people do not like it, but it's the best way to get rid of fat.

A good mental state helps keep your body right. It is important to get lots of sleep (at least 8 hours a night) and also put yourself in a good environment. The people you interact with everyday, your family, and friends are a big impact on your mentality. If you're strong and happy of mind chances are your body will be too.

Taking good care of yourself is key, and following all the steps above, plus even more, is crucial for success. Regardless of your job or status in life,  your health should be very important to you. Everyone is different, but everyone can have a healthy life.

 Given these three major ideas, it is clear to see the work and efforts needed to pursue a major in medicine. These ideas are important but do not set the limitations of exploring the field.