Choosing to become a doctor is truly a life changing decision. The training is long and arduous and successful career progression places demands on you that are not seen in most ‘normal’ jobs. Being a doctor can be very hard work and emotionally draining. The rewards for this can be extraordinary. You are likely to have an impact on thousands of people’s lives. Depending on what speciality you train in you may be responsible for delivering a baby during a complicated birth or being present to ensure that the last moments before death are comfortable for your patient and their family. Between these extremes you could be performing open-heart surgery as a cardiothoracic surgeon or helping the police solve the cause of an unexplained death as a forensic pathologist. Many people with medical degrees have gone on to make extraordinary contributions to society in every field from politics to literature and business. A medical degree is one of the most prestigious qualifications one can achieve and opens the door to a world of opportunities.