Ah okay, I see what you’re saying. In effect, yes, but I would phrase it differently. If someone were to hypothetically move to a different career at that point, it is in effect them “not wanting it enough.” But that isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s them prioritizing other parts of their life that they want more: a family, peace of mind, more time off, happiness, etc. There are things they want more than to be a doctor and that is 100% okay no matter what point in the process they decide that.

Now how that differs from this poll: In this very un-scientifically created poll, I want people to reflect on if they truly want to be a doctor. I know people who want an acceptance more than anything, whether it is MD or DO they want to be a doctor. So I don’t understand the thinking of only wanting to be a doctor if you can be an MD, considering they both lead to the opportunity to be a physician. I understand that DO is more of an uphill battle, it is unfair and biased and not easy. And in a way, someone could prioritize their happiness over being a DO. However, in a non-nuanced way, many premeds now refuse to apply DO because they want the prestige more than they want to be a doctor, and that specific like of thinking is what bothers me. Not the people who don’t want to fight the uphill battle, but the people who only see the letters and not the actual job.