Getting my Grey’s
April 28, 2008 by wellheeled
I am so happy that Grey’s Anatomy is back!
Also, can anyone answer this… why can’t Meredith and Derek just be happy together?
I’m just wondering… if I have any readers out there who is (or studying to be) a doctor or a policemen or a firefighter or lawyer (regardless of all the lawyer jokes, when you’re in trouble you want the best!) … do you think you’d find these jobs more satisfying that other professional occupations (corporate lawyers, consultants, bankers, marketing executives, etc. etc.)
I’m just thinking… if you are a doctor/police officer you KNOW you are helping people, you are saving lives. And every day you encounter situations that reaffirms that (even if you fail sometimes). Every occupation contributes value, but the impact on people every day is less visceral, less individual.
For example, I can contribute to helping a company arrive at a solution for a particular issue, and that’s value being created. But somehow, it doesn’t have the punch of Meredith & Co., saving lives all day and all night (and somehow, still have the time and energy for various romantic complications!)
Before i went into real estate i was a nurse. Its really hard, you know you are helping people but you do your best and sometimes bad things happen… its very hard to know that when you make an error someone could die, and i could only imagine that would be worse for doctors.
I didn’t find it ’satisfying’ at all… hence why i left.
as a real estate agent, i like helping people. its nice knowing that i’m helping people with their biggest assets. i find it satisfying, to help people… espescially first home buyers. problem is, people hear what i do and instantly distrust! that stinks!
Anyways,
Congrats on your retirement portfolio savings - 94%!!!
I’m so jealous you’ve got Grey’s to watch now… it’s probably going to be another couple of months till we get to see anything here in the UK…
And with regards to your question - my parents are both doctors and I’ve spoken to them a lot about their job(s). And yes, it is satisfying to help people who really need you, but most of your time you waste (apologies) with people that just want some attention, won’t follow your advice anyway and think they know it better regardless…
Kirsten, you can watch them online at http://www.abc.com (the US site), I don’t get ABC but I watch them online the day after they air. (they are posted 24 hours after the initial airing with only “limited commercials”
That being said… I haven’t watched this one yet. I was about to do that after reading blogs.
I went to law school and decided to not practice as a lawyer. Generally speaking, all jobs are jobs. Being a doctor is extremely stressful and difficult. Lawyers don’t generally spend their time making the world a better place. For both professions, the hours are long (40 hours is considered part time for a doctor, btw), the responsibility is high, and there is a lot of stress.
You get out of life what you put into it. As long as you aren’t out to make money at the expense of others, you probably aren’t making the world a worse place. And, one person at a time, you can make a difference in the world if you want. It is a personal decision, not necessarily a vocation, to make a difference in someone’s life and make the world a better place.
I originally went to school as a Pre-Med kid…then burnt out Sophomore year after Organic Chem kicked my tail. I switched to English, and got a job in Marketing/PR.
NOW I’m back in school for nursing…which I feel will not only give me more satisfaction, but be closer to my heart. I know how you feel about contributing - that’s how I feel at my current job.
However, I realized last week that even though I don’t care for my job, I’m helping a really wonderful boss live out her dream of owning a business. And that is a cool thing. I guess it’s all about perspective, ya know?
My husband is a police officer and he loves his job and finds it very rewarding. There are definitely days when he’s arresting that person he’s arrested several times before and it can be really frustrating, but he does find it satisfying to know that he helps a lot of people and that this is a job that must be done if our city is going to be safe. The job also really fits with his skills and personality, so I’m sure that’s part of why he enjoys it so much.
If they were happy together, no one would watch the show. It’s what keeps the interest - it isn’t trying to represent a potentially real-life situation.
Frankly, it’s a TV version of a chick-flick. I don’t think I know of any men who watch it. One fairly annoying women gets to choose among several good looking (if problematic) guys. It’s basically a drama of The Bachelorette.
That’s a question I’ve been wrestling with myself. I’m trying to decide whether to go back to school for occupational therapy, because I don’t find my current job (programming) all that satisfying on an “I contribute something of meaning to humanity” level. But then I wonder if, at the end of the day, every job is just a job that’ll have downsides that sometimes outweigh the good points.
Having never seen Grey’s anatomy I can only assume Meredith and Derek can’t be happy because they’re in a TV show, and you have to keep viewers watching. It’s the same reason the guys from Lost can’t get off the island (again, I’m assuming, haven’t seen that either).
This is why I’ve mostly given up on dramas that either don’t have a definite end point (mini-series) or have already come to an end.
For example, I just finished the fourth season of the excellent West Wing, and not only did I not have to wait forever for the next episode, but all of my friends told me there was no reason to watch past the fourth season, which saves me a lot of time and disappointment.
This also lets you cancel cable, which is good for the budget.
But I’m not cynical, I certainly understand a show can be a point of conversation for a group of friends and a reason to get together. Studio 60 and (regrettably) the first season of Heroes was that way for me and my friends.
I worked as a doctor. Yes, it is very satisfying to be able to help people day in day out. But honestly? Most of the time you don’t really get the gratitude vibes from the people you help. You get cranky, rude patients. You’re overworked. You’re stressed. Patients get mad at you because you are not God. Granted, there were moments you go “Now I remember why I’m in this profession!” but in the end, I decided to spend more time with my family. I wanted a career that is still intellectually challenging but allows a lot of time for other things in life. I went back to school for an engineering degree and now I work as biomedical engineer/consultant. I love my job now. It can occasionally be stressful but after med school and residency, it’s a breeze.
Honestly, I can’t even watch Grey’s. It’s way too glamorous. Real life as a doctor is nothing like that. But hey, everyone’s experience is different. Just wanted to add my two cents. 
My opinion here is based mostly off of friends who are physicians and various articles I’ve read. I really don’t think that television shows about doctors or lawyers or police officers reflect the reality of the work itself.
1. One of my physician friends told me that during her residency, she was so overworked and overtired that she now knows what she hallucinates when she’s been pushed beyond what she can physically handle. She barely saw her husband. All that canoodling I hear they do on Grey’s Anatomy is pretty much imaginary. Who has the time, the energy, or the lack of professionalism?
2. I read an article somewhere that the dramatic patient cases on television programs are very rare in reality and do not generally have outcomes as good as the ones you see on a show. People may survive a horrible medical situation, but they may never be the same. Also, sometimes the storylines rely on cutting-edge equipment that most hospitals/offices don’t have, and sometimes they rely on quicker turn-arounds on tests than are actually possible in reality.
3. Especially with HMOs and Medicare, there’s a TON of paperwork. And sitting at a desk doing paperwork and saying, “no, I have to finish three more hours’ worth of charts,” doesn’t exactly making for good television.
4. The difference you’ve made isn’t always clear and it isn’t always fast. On television, at the end of the day lives have clearly been saved and diagnoses are clearly correct and make a difference. In reality, sometimes you have to go through several diagnoses to get to the right one. Sometimes a treatment takes time before it works, if it works. And sometimes, the right diagnosis may not result in a cure, simply because science hasn’t gotten that far.
Aside from all of the fiction vs. reality stuff, I guess I don’t think any job is inherently more satisfying than any other job. I think whether or not a person feels satisfied in their job depends on if it’s a job that fits with their strengths and which they like most of the time.
As a medical school applicant (right now!) I fear that after all my work and sweat and stress medical school and/or medical profession won’t be what I expected or desire. but at the same time, i’d rather find out than wonder forever… even if it means giving up my job that has great potential!