DETROIT, MICHIGAN — Phillip Jin has become frustrated with the medical school application process.
From studying for the MCAT, asking for letters of recommendation from professors he barely talked with during undergrad and going through in-person interviews that seemed classist by design.
Phillip began to wonder if this whole “doctor thing” was right for him.
Was he going into the medical profession to help people?
Or was he becoming a doctor to monetize a broken healthcare system in the United States? A system that fails to achieve comparable health outcomes found in developed nations that refuse to profit over peoples’ suffering.
It was neither for Phillip. It’s just that he would rather be spending that time playing League of Legends.
So Instead of going through applications, schooling, boards, an Adderall addiction, and a residency program, he decided to take a short-cut by donating his body to science.
This would save him the crippling financial and emotional burden necessary to get into and through medical school.
“Why bother with the hassle? I’m proficient in Googling, plus I’ve watched 13 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Get me 50 ccs of ibuprofen, DNR, McSteamy and push one of Epi. STAT. I can probably pass the boards with that, right?”
Philip’s mother, Ashley Jin, who is an accomplished neurosurgeon, has other feelings.
“I’ve always wanted him [Phillip] to explore his interests. Sciences, arts, sports. I’ll love him regardless. But now he wants to stream on Twitch for a living? I saw him play. I had to join LoL and carry him because it was just that bad.”
Phillip remains adamant with his career path and believes his mother, along with the rest of society, will eventually see that this is the best way forward. And that it’ll be worth it in the long-term.
“So I don’t really need a degree, but it’d be nice to tell people I’ll be going to med school. In like 70 years.”