Li Shuhan, 13, Nanjing
Since I was a child, my mom has been in poor health, so I’ve been dreaming of becoming a doctor. I wish to get into the School of Medicine of Tsinghua University one day.  

Li Yi, 32, Hangzhou
I studied at Central South University for five years. Then I spent six years on my master’s and doctoral degrees at Peking Union Medical College. Now I’m a neurologist at The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.   

(Li Yi)

Li: Do doctors all have doctor’s degrees?
Li: Not necessarily. A medical school undergraduate can also be a doctor. But if you want to get into a grade A tertiary hospital, you need to get your doctoral degree from the country’s top universities. It usually takes eight to 11 years to study in medical schools before getting a doctoral degree. 


Li: What is a day like for a doctor? 
Li: Except for seeing patients in clinics, we spend the most time in inpatient departments. We need to check our patients twice a day, communicate with them and their families, have meetings with other doctors, plan treatment and write medical records. Doctors in top hospitals also have research and teaching tasks. We need to write medical papers and tutor interns. So if you choose to become a doctor, you’d better forget about having full weekends or vacations. Sometimes we need to be on call 24 hours, in case there are emergency treatments.


Li: Do different specialists require different qualities and abilities?
Li: Yes. At undergraduate school, clinical medical students study all basic medical subjects, and then we usually choose our specialty at graduate school. Neurologists meet many rare diseases, so research ability is important. Surgeons need to have steady hands and good strength as they do lots of operations. Pediatricians need to be good at communicating as they often deal with a whole family instead of one patient.


Li: Are doctors all regimen masters? 
Li: Haha, we do know more about human bodies and may avoid unhealthy living habits. A friend of mine wouldn’t go skiing with us. He’s afraid of hurting his hands or legs. Then he may not be able to do his operations. 

By GUI QIAN, 21st Century Teens