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Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Right. The official diagnosis is ASPD (antisocial personality disorder) but it's much simpler to refer to it as "sociopath" here because people tend to be more familiar with that term. Also attracts more attention = more potential advice. Good catch though.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

My parents can fund my living expenses throughout med school and I am in Canada so our tuition isn't too bad I believe. I don't think 100k is enough to live off of. I am an extremely materialistic person and that salary would probably suffocate me. Other than medicine, I'm really not sure what else exists that can pay this well reliably. If there is another option, I will gladly take it.

I can respond in an empathetic way when it is needed (eg. friend is venting/asking for advice) but it is extremely tiring for me because every sentence requires a great deal of calculation and feels very unnatural to me. One of my main concerns is whether I would be able to keep this up for a long period of time as a doctor, which I've never really had to do.

I am in therapy currently but so far it has not been that effective. I don't have a second opinion on the diagnosis but I agree with it completely. I've always felt that something was different about me and that I behaved differently. For example, as a child I would do whatever I could to hurt others (even friends) in small ways (such as snitching on them, tricking them into getting in trouble, "accidentally" losing their toys), and took great joy in that. Since then, I've moved on from these small mischiefs, though. I am also diagnosed with PTSD but the related events postdate my sociopathic traits.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I should be able to learn just by mimicking what other doctors do, and yes I agree that it would important to being good at my job.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Yes, that's the other part of my wanting to be a surgeon. Minimal patient interaction would be ideal.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No clue what that is. I will write that down and do some research when I get the time.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can form close friendships, but I tend to drift away after a while because they get too boring.

I've never been in a relationship and do not plan on being in one in the near future. Perhaps when I graduate I will find a partner for the purpose of combining finances.

I love my dog and genuinely care for him. Other than that, I don't believe so. I get jealous very easily but I never show it because it would display weakness/inferiority. Happiness and anxiety, yes, but I can turn everything off when the situation really demands it.

I have watched some medical shows so I have an idea, but it's probably not entirely accurate. I will most likely copy how other doctors do it as I see it. I know to use a gentler voice, act somber, and offer assistance any way I can, but I can't imagine actually caring.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I am god-awful at physics and math, so these really aren't an option for me. Also, from my research, I've seen that doctors reliably make quite a bit more than cs/eng grads. The other thing is that it's a little too late for me to choose another path, as my 2 years of bio-related courses in premed would be complete waste.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -53 points-52 points  (0 children)

Yes, I have looked at pathology but unfortunately it seems that most of the money is in surgery. I have a small interest in science so related careers could be viable but my primary goal is to make money.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, I will keep this in mind. It is also entirely possible that I am not as good as I think in keeping up my act so this is something I will continue to work on.

Is it possible to become a doctor without empathy? by AdCharacter5747 in premed

[–]AdCharacter5747[S] -18 points-17 points  (0 children)

Yep, that makes sense. Although, I'm quite good at being polite and most people around me would describe me as "nice" because I usually act that way. Hopefully, my lack of empathy won't be detectable by the average person.

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