major career change?

[confused9]

Hi all,

 

I'm posting because I could really use some advice.

 

Both of my parents are physicians and when my brother and I were growing up, they were always pressuring us to go into the medical field.

 

To escape this pressure, upon entering college, I chose to go into engineering. I graduated with a civil/environmental engineering degree several years ago. Since then I have been working in environmental fields, have become a lead in my agency regarding environmental issues, and am about to complete a masters in environmental science.

 

However, the past few months, for a number of reasons, I've begun to consider medicine very seriously. I'm even about to go purchase an MCAT study guide.

 

However, I'm hesistant for a few reasons.

1. I haven't taken all of the coursework needed for acceptance into a good medical school (I believe the only courses I need are organic chemistry, but my bio, chemistry, and physics classes are quite dated (do i need to take updated coursework?)

 

2. I'm in a pretty serious relationship. I'd have to pick up and move most likely for medical school. Also, I'd love to get married and start a family in the next few years. I have heard of women who have had children while in medical school, but by the time I get to that point, I'll be in my early to mid 30s...I won't be quite as youthful as I once was

 

3. Pressure from my parents. I have decided that if I go through with this, I will do as much prep work as I can (take the MCAT, some courses, and even apply to medical programs) without their knowledge.

 

Am I crazy? Any advice from anyone?

[waveseer]

My advice is to follow your dreams without hesitation all the way until their natural conclusion. Accept only encouragement, you can do it.

[COtuner]

My best friend's wife was a nurse for 10 years and is starting medical school to be a doctor this fall. She had some additional preparatory coursework which went ok, but the MCAT is what was killing her. She didn't have enough time to study - so I'm thinking the biggest demands on your time will be that. She said you have to have really high scores to come accross from another field, but I don't know if that's always true.

 

Follow your dreams... I'm still trying to negotiate to see if I can get a chance to go back and get another bachelor's degree in another area of engineering. My employer does not want me gone in the mornings, but I'm hoping I can cut a deal one of these days, even if it takes me 10 years to make it through the coursework.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Before you do this really think through why you want to do this now when you didn't want to do it before. Are you not happy in your chosen field? Do you subconsciously feel that you need to please your parents? If you get accepted you won't be able to hide the fact that you are in medical school forever...if they put pressure on you about it in the past they might start putting pressure on you now...your grades, what you want to specialize in etc. So before you go ahead and do it, make absolutely, positively sure that this is YOUR dream and not simply that you are deep down doing this for your PARENT'S dream for you.

[poloplayer]

Hey,

Well, I am kind of in a similar situation. My parents are not physicians, but there are physicians in my family, as well as other healthcare professionals ranging from nursing to a plastic surgeon. It's always been a thorn on my side, and continues to be as now my youngest brother is in medical school.

 

I went into what I wanted (does anyone know what they want to do for work between 18-21?) which was finance. I was going to fly around the world and stomp all over Wall Street. I've been working in this industry for over 3 years now and I am climbing the ranks little by little. I've done post-graduate work in finance as well and I'm on my way to being a director. I've worked hard to define a nice path for my future.

 

But something about medicine intrigues me, so I've begun some exploring. I've been speaking with doctors, dentists and students quite a bit. I'm going to start shadowing/volunteering on my weekends, and like you, I did not have the pre-med. prerequisites. I did some digging around, and quite a few universities near me offer post-bacc. certificate programs for pre-med. coursework. I started my gen. chem. & physics coursework last year, and am finishing up organic chem. & bio. right now. This way if I do decide to apply, I will have the coursework completed and will have had my volunteer experience covered. The rest will fall on the MCAT.

 

I am not 100% yet, and I will NOT apply if I am not 100%. The road is far too grueling, time-consuming and, well, expensive. It's not something that should be taken lightly. There are many factors to consider, and I think the first is why medicine among many others. I'm giving myself another 1-2 years to explore some more and I don't want to jump into this. I've met many doctors and students who are miserable and wish they could go back, but for some they can't.

 

So I will continue to explore and prepare for application time, but if I don't do it, then I still have a finance career that is going well for me, even in this economy. I made sure to not slack on my career while I explore - I balance both, but the commitment isn't easy and the hours required are long.

 

Don't do it to appease your family, or others. Talk to healthcare folks outside of your family - you may find a more unbiased approach. An interest is there, so look into it. You won't be too old - the average age for an M1 in my brother's class is 30. He has a quite a handful of people in there 40's who are just starting medical school, with no healthcare background in their previous life.

 

Best of luck.

[CaptainPlanet]

Medicine is important. I think you should do go for it. If I thought I had any sort of shot I'd be trying too.

 

Having kids is equally as important for a female. You need ot decide which is more important to you and if you can do both.

 

Medicine is definitely a priority over engineering.

[confused9]

Wow. I really appreciate the great response I've had. I agree. I definitely want to do some more thinking about it. I did glance through an MCAT study guide and i noticed that A LOT of it was stuff that I had studied throughout my college coursework.

 

My reasoning for wanting to go into medicine lies in the fact that I love being able to really help people/society. Going into environmental engineering, I was hoping to make big positive differences in my communities. But I found that even environmental engineers tend to spend the majority of their time working for big, polluting businesses. Since then, I've spent a few years working quick turn around, high-priority environmental issues, but these are not engineering issues, or even issues that I can apply outside of my current field, so I am feeling unsatisfied. I also feel that my work right now is not making a huge difference in helping people.

 

As an ER physician I will know I can make an immediate impact on peoples' lives. I love fast paced environments. And I'm the kind of person that will always be busy doing something, I'm unhappy if I'm not. So why not use this characteristic for some good, and study to be a doctor?

[CaptainPlanet]

At the end of the day there are people who have people who have not. You get a job and you end up working that job because that is what you do. There are classes of people (some of us are poor). Some of us have a good life and some of us do not. You are an engineer. I don't know what to say because now you have so much and you want to take even more. So you are asking a group of strangers if you should become a doctor ? But you want to make an impact on people. When you are already an Engineer... so this must be a passion, then go and do it. Yet why are you doubting so much ?

 

My first reaction is if you want to be a doctor why did you become and Engineer. How many years have you been an Engineer ? Not like you've been struggling to get by either. Both parents are doctors. Likely you have little in common with me but I will give you advice anyway. Those questions you are asking now 'should you become a doctor' don't really need to be answered. You sound like you don't know what you want to do. You sound like you want to whimsically hop from one career to another because you want to. If you want to make an impact on people's lives become a waiter. You get to smile at them and make them happy. Work in a homeless shelter, deal with the public you do not need to become a doctor. Work in HR. Work for the government. There are tonnes of jobs to make an 'impact'.

 

Helping people in need is what is important. Not making an impact on people who are more or less fortunate than others.

 

You are already a well off person so I am sorry I am less than sympathetic. Do you want to help people in need ? If so unquestioningly become a doctor. I don't think this is a question that needs to be asked. A statement would have been better.What do I know. I'm just a lowly pleb. But that is my advice.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Before you give up your current career and spend lots of time and money studying to become a doctor and then specialize in emergency medicine I would suggest that you talk to ER doctors and find out what the job entails. There are so many ways that you can make a difference and help people without changing careers. I am concerned that you would go through the years of schooling and training only to find out that the "helping people" aspect is not as fulfilling as you thought it would...that there is a lot of drudgery involved in the job as well. Can you handle seeing trauma cases whom you might not be able to help? There is so much more to the job...it is not all glamorous with grateful patients. It can be tough and grueling. I would strongly recommend getting yourself well-educated in the field before actually committing to it. This is such a major decision and it might be a good idea to tap into your parents and their connections so that you can make a well-informed decision based on the reality of the career choice.

[poloplayer]

If you want to make an impact on people's lives become a waiter. You get to smile at them and make them happy. Work in a homeless shelter, deal with the public you do not need to become a doctor. Work in HR. Work for the government. There are tonnes of jobs to make an 'impact'.

 

Captain raises a good point here, and this is something which EVERY person in healthcare has asked me in my probing. It comes back to the very simple question of: Why medicine?

 

If you want to help people, or have a positive impact on their lives, then that is very weak. As Captain mentions, waiters do that. Counselors in homeless shelters do that. Teachers do that. Lawyers do that. Nurses do that. My dad who fixes cars does that. And people will ask you this, and it's almost like a professor who is not satisfied with your answer that will simply follow up with a 'why medicine' until they dismiss you or actually see something in you.

 

I think it's great that you have an interest in it, but is it genuine? I think it takes quite a bit of searching as an adult to determine that. For me, as I said before, I am not 100%, so I will give myself another 1-2 years to explore, but prepare by volunteering and finishing the coursework. I think of it as baby steps in reaching an answer as opposed to a 'sounds great' and diving in head first.

 

Take some time to really think about it. Most people have a certain perspective on what it means to be a doctor, but the reality is you will (1) deal with sick, severely sick people (2) have very ungrateful patients that do NOT want your help and (3) you'll spend 50% of your time with insurance companies. The current TV shows about doctors have an element of truth to them with some of the cases, but that's about it. The drama and character dynamics is what makes it so glamorous, and I have yet to meet a doctor that thinks his/her profession is glamorous. Many of them are actually not too happy. Seek some of those out in your hunting, and ascertain why.

[thejigsup]

I am the only person in my family who went to college and graduated. I had quite a bit of pressure to get a blue collar job. No one in my family understood college or anything about it. Well, I have been in college for years and years (I love going to school) and still work. I am finishing up my Masters and my teaching credential within the next year and I may go back for more! My son and nieces have all taken my lead and are all in college or have graduated. Do what you want to do, not what your family or you biological clock tells you to do.

[confused9]

I'm not really sure where you're going with this? I'm hearing that since I am well educated with a stable job, I don't need to be a doctor? Because I grew up with parents that were doctors I'm somehow fortunate compared to others that didn't? That just because I haven't been struggling to get by (which you don't know is true), I shouldn't be a doctor? Last I heard, past wealth doesn't determine a person's ability. My parents certainly have never taken my exams for me, that was my ability put to use. And you automatically assume that my parents paid my way throuh school. not true again. And my reasons for wanting to become a doctor go well beyond just wanting to simply help people.

 

I have worked as an engineer for about 5 years. And I work for the government, supposedly helping those in need. But quite frankly, after havin worked in both the private sector and the government, I have become disheartened by the real positive influence either has had in my field. I realize I could also quit my job and work for little pay, etc, doing greenpeace or something, but why? I have an analytic mind that should be put to good use, and I love working with people.

 

The reason I'm on this board is to get people's opinion on what methods/processes stand in the way of taking the MCAT and getting accepted to med school. My reasoning for not discussin this with my parents is that I don't want them influencing me on my decision. I believe this is one that I need to make without their pressure.

 

I like the idea of discussing with current students and ER doctors the processes and barriers to being a doctor. One benefit I do have from having both parents as physicians is that I understand the long hours, the time spent away from loved ones, and the heartbreak it often entails.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Take some time to really think about it. Most people have a certain perspective on what it means to be a doctor, but the reality is you will (1) deal with sick, severely sick people (2) have very ungrateful patients that do NOT want your help and (3) you'll spend 50% of your time with insurance companies.

 

Very true....and the patients who are "cured" and made "all better" will be grateful, as will their families......but then there are the patients who will inevitably die and you have angry, hostile families who want to financially capitalize on their loss so they sue the doctor, sue the hospital etc. I spend a lot of time working with physicians and I certainly don't see anything glamorous about their life.

[BeStrongBeHappy]

Competition to get into med school is intense, and most require you to have certain courses before they'll accept you, regardless of MCAT scores. So your best bet is to pick several medical schools you think you might be able to get into, and see what they require for acceptance.

 

You most likely will have to go back and take at least 2 years of courses as preparation before taking the MCAT if your major was engineering rather than biological sciences.

 

Do a lot of research into what it takes to get into those schools, as well as what it would cost to get the degree, and whether you would be able to get in (including things like necessary GPA to get in) etc. If you think you can take those courses, pass them with a sufficient GPA, afford the tuition, and get accepted to med school, then no reason not to do it.

[CaptainPlanet]

I'm not really sure where you're going with this? I'm hearing that since I am well educated with a stable job, I don't need to be a doctor? Because I grew up with parents that were doctors I'm somehow fortunate compared to others that didn't?

 

I'll get to where I am going in a minute.

 

Since you have a stable job you do not need to become a doctor, that is correct. You already have very good training that can be put to use in a lot of different jobs. The need for tertiary training for you is not a primary concern. Different from someone who had been working at Kmart.

 

Because you grew up with parents who are doctors, you are more fortunate than those who have not. That is correct.

 

That just because I haven't been struggling to get by (which you don't know is true), I shouldn't be a doctor? Last I heard, past wealth doesn't determine a person's ability. And you automatically assume that my parents paid my way throuh school.

 

I didn't say you should not be a doctor. Past wealth does determine future earnings. In the USA there is a strong connection between the wealth of the parents and the earnings of their children. That is just a cold hard correlation.

So yes, knowing little about you my guess would be you had a lot of advantages other people did not, and that you likely did not pay your way through college. Means nothing to me if you say otherwise because I do not know you. You could easily lie.

 

All of that doesn't matter. What matters is that the way I see the world there are two groups of people to put it in an enormous nutshell. There are those who are on the inside. Who get the good jobs. Go to the good colleges. Have the right family connections. These people can more or less do what they want to do. Change careers to medicine after having a previous career for example. Then there are the other people who are just not treated the same way. For them, trying to get out of a bad job is a paramount challenge. Because of the statistical inclination for them to be not overly gifted, and the various social constructs in place to keep them down. Both have a similar impact. An intelligent person born to a bad situation may never make it out. Particularly in the USA as compared to other western countries.

 

Here you are asking if you should become a doctor. From my perspective what I see is a person who has had every advantage in life. Has gotten off to a good start and is now an established professional. Naturally, I am jealous. Who has decided that a 5 year career in Engineering is no longer her thing, and wants to study Medicine despite shunning it as a career previously, when both parents had been Doctors. The best reason this person can come up with is wanting to make an impact of a people's lives. Also to mention the desire to have children.

 

I'm going to make a few more comments. Now this is all speculation. I don't know you so don't take offense because I'm just giving my opinion based on what has been presented.

 

I think the reason you want to be a doctor is because you have a belief that you should be able to do anything you want. A belief that has been cemented because you've more or less gone straight to an excellent job. So you don't see the limitations in society. You think you should be able to just whimsically make this change to something as important as medicine. You've never really been put down low to the ground.

 

Then you ask about having children. The answer is that you really cannot have children while going to medical school, paying of the debt, and find a man who is willing to support all of the above would be hard. Unless you already have one (did I miss that ?).

 

All of these things you're talking about doing. They're a big ask, and a lot of sacrifice to go through. Become a doctor will take about 7 years. A lot of student loans, and a lot of working for not much in comparison to what an Engineer would be getting. The road is going to be long and hard. (unless you have some sort of other support

 

With all of this in mind. I don't understand why a person who was so keen on doing medicine as to go through the above sacrifices and contrary to the easy way she has had life previously, would genuinely want to make such sacrifices. Especially when a concrete reason cannot be cited.

I'm not saying that you should not do the study. Merely presenting the scenario as I see it. I'm not sure of the part time ways you could study the pre.reqs. or if it were possible to study medicine after having children.

 

Hi all,

Since then I have been working in environmental fields, have become a lead in my agency regarding environmental issues, and am about to complete a masters in environmental science.

 

I don't want to the be mean but I person does not exactly acquire those degree's by accident. If you'd just completed and undergrad and spent 2 years or even 0 years in industry I'd be thinking a little differently, but 5 years ? And a masters ? I'm sure you could become a doctor I'm just not sure why you should.

 

Relating back to what I said about there being two different types of people. I think with sick or injured people it is a case of treating them all the same. If you don't have that point of view as to see all people as equal then I don't think you should do medicine because you would be doing it only for you own ego. Like when you said you wanted to use your technical ability.

 

In that case you view health care as a business as an investment for yourself then there would be things you could do that have a much greater return. There must be other ways you could contribute in that case. Does the US have a department of health or anything like that where you could work on the administrational or financial side of health care. Just as thought, not sure of the specifics.

[MetallicAguy]

If helping people is your passion, becoming a doctor is a great job to express that. I'm not implying that it is satisfying. I can't remember the study, but I believe it said 75% of doctors would not recommend becoming a doctor to their children and 32% of doctors reported job satisfaction. But it is in need and the pay is great. Like somebody else said, give it some thought and also keep in mind there is other jobs which make an impact.