Sachin Narayan—From Premed to a Purposeful Medical Career

Sachin Narayan is the founder and former CEO of Cathartic, a nonprofit company that focuses on preventative health of under-resourced populations. He is recent graduate from the University of Southern California and is matriculating as an MS1 this fall at the Stanford School of Medicine.

In this captivating podcast episode, join me as I sit down with this remarkable young man who achieved the extraordinary feat of getting accepted into the nation's top medical schools. Discover the secrets behind his success, delve into his insights on navigating the pre-med journey, and explore the intersection of AI and medicine. Together, we explore the inspiring story of how he started a social impact non-profit, while also discussing the profound question of knowing whether a medical career is truly the right path for you. Prepare to be inspired, informed, and empowered by this enlightening conversation.

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Is Being A Doctor Worth It?

She was a little older than me, had no medical problems, and was in my operating room with no heartbeat. She was found down in a snowstorm and brought in with severe hypothernmia. For the remainder of that freezing night I forgot about the long work hours and the hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and worked with the other doctors, putting our patient onto cardiopulmonary bypass, warming her up, and getting her heart beating again. She woke up the next day and was totally fine. A few days later she walked out of our hospital. I will never forget how one moment she was dead…and then she was fine.

Practicing medicine is a highly respected and prestigious profession. However, it comes with long hours, stress, and significant financial investments. It’s extremely difficult to get into medical school and a long road to becoming an attending.

It’s no wonder why the #1 question I get from students is: is being a doctor worth it?

If you had asked me that when I was a second year medical student or an intern, you would have gotten a different answer than what I’d say today.

Myself, the 2nd year Medical student: Oh my God, what have I done? All I do is study. I have no social life and it’s only going to get worse. I really don’t know if I did the right thing. I like learning but I’m not really seeing patients. I’m just not sure if it’s worth it.

Look what second year med school did to my hair!

Surgery Intern: I’m ALWAYS at the hospital. I’m not seeing my friends, I’m not exercising, I’m getting yelled at and ridiculed. This isn’t worth it.

It’s not true that I was ALWAYS in the hospital. Look, here’s me in Ecuador—pretty sure I was having fun that day!

Today: It’s absolutely worth it. It’s satisfying to do hard things. I love the non-stop learning and it feels good to be taking care of people. Every year or so, there is something really hard to deal with: a big exam, a patient death, etc. None of those things are enjoyable, but each challenge pushed me to grow. I don’t think I could have grown as much if I had chosen an easier path. Now I’m working part time and have time for my family.

In 2021, I took a radical sabbatical and lived in an RV with my wife and kids. I don’t know if I could have done that if I had not worked so hard. Moab 2021

I want to ackowledge the downsides. Yes, the educational path to becoming a doctor is a long and arduous one, involving many years of study and high levels of competition. Yes, it requires a significant financial investment, with medical school fees alone averaging around $40,000 per year. And yes, the high levels of responsibility and pressure that come with the job can lead to significant levels of stress and burnout. Yes, all that is true but it doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.

Christmas at Yale New Haven Hospital. At least we had each other!

There are many compelling reasons why being a doctor is worth it. The opportunity to help people and make a positive impact on their lives is incredibly rewarding. We doctors save lives, alleviate pain and suffering, and provide hope to patients and their families.

In addition, the medical profession offers a high degree of job security and financial stability. The demand for healthcare services is only increasing, and the average salary for a doctor is around $200,000 per year. While this salary may come with significant student loan debt, it is typically considered a good return on investment, particularly given the ability to make a real difference in people's lives.

A career in medicine is an acquired taste. Estonia 2010

Moreover, being a doctor provides a great deal of flexibility in terms of career paths and opportunities for advancement. Doctors can choose to specialize in a particular area of medicine, such as cardiology or pediatrics, or they can pursue research or administrative positions. This allows doctors to shape their careers in a way that aligns with their interests and goals.

Working as a doctor in New Zealand was a great way to get to know this wonderful country! Milford Sound, NZ 2012

Being a doctor offers a sense of fulfillment and purpose that is difficult to find in many other professions. Doctors are part of a respected and trusted community, and they have the opportunity to work alongside other healthcare professionals to make a real difference in people's lives.

In conclusion, whether it’s worth it depends on who you ask and when you ask them. I don’t think I would have given out good advice as an intern because while there are certainly challenges associated with pursuing a career in medicine, the benefits are significant.

Being a doctor is great! Being a patient is not. South Sudan 2010

We all need to spend our lives doing something. Having the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives, the financial stability, and the sense of purpose and fulfillment that comes with being a doctor make it a highly worthwhile and rewarding profession.

Ultimately, for those who are passionate about learning, helping others, and willing to make the necessary sacrifices, being a doctor is definitely worth it.

What do you think? Is being a doctor worth it? If you’re a premed or a medical student, let me know what you think?

When Everything Clicks Into Place: How Foreign Travel Can Make You a Better Doctor

This essay can be found on the Whitecoat Investor Blog.

Malaria check negative!

I was always going to travel. I’ve known this since I was in fifth grade, when as an exchange student, my French “mom” shoved a few francs into my hand and dispatched me, a kid from the North side of Chicago, into the streets of Paris for bread. The urge for adventure never left me.

I put on the white t-shirt with MSF in red letters and flew from Paris to Kampala to Juba. I disembarked and the most unusual thing happened: nobody noticed me. There were no touts, nobody selling, and nobody asking for anything.

The next day, I flew to Wau and finally to my village, Aweil, about a hundred clicks south of Darfur. We landed a sketchy twin prop onto a patch of red dirt. The heat was a kick in the groin, like summer in Phoenix, but humid. I sweated buckets and looked around—no airport—just dirt—in every direction. I wanted to ask the pilot to take me home, but six flights in as many days was wretched enough. Besides, I didn’t speak Arabic. 

A land-cruiser with an MSF flag appeared, as if by magic, to fetch me. We drove past fields with straw and mud huts and reached a compound surrounded by stone and barbed wire. I went into a non-ventilated stand up latrine and dry-heaved. Then, before even setting down a bag, Nancy, the medical director, asked me to go straight to the hospital and do cases. 

“Now?”

“Yes, now,” she said.

“I haven’t eaten. I haven’t slept.”

“After lunch, then.”

Read the full essay on the Whitecoat Investor Blog.

Relationships and the Road

You can’t have a typical relationship while you travel the world, but that doesn’t mean romance is always out of reach.

Only the Essentials

The last year of travel have been a story of reduction. When we first set out, I was proud of living in a 200 sq ft trailer. Today, I see the world with only five essential items.

Man vs Wild

I don’t think of myself in competition with nature. Nature recharges us. Wild animals prefer to be left alone. Snakes want nothing to do with humans and. Far more sharks are killed by humans than humans killed by sharks.

Six Things to do Before Quitting Your Job

I’ve had nine different jobs as an attending doctor which qualifies me to talk about quitting.

Everyone loves a good quitting story. But it may not play out like your fantasy.