I cant decide between medicine and physics!?

[mrronoah]

Has anyone had the same problem in the past(or right now)? How did you decide?
I know 8 people with physics degrees and they are all either teaching or changed profession. I DEFINITELY don't want to be a teacher especially in the first few years of my career but that seems like the only physics jobs available. I would want to be researching and winning nobel prizes (I know a little over the top haha).

If i was going to go into medicine i would want to be a surgeon (I'm pretty sure). Money is not really important to me, nice, but not important.
I still have a while to decide. I'm still in high school and hopefully my scores will be good enough to get into a good school but I need to submit applications soon... but for physics or medicine?

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[MedPR]

Has anyone had the same problem in the past(or right now)? How did you decide?
I know 8 people with physics degrees and they are all either teaching or changed profession. I DEFINITELY don't want to be a teacher especially in the first few years of my career but that seems like the only physics jobs available. I would want to be researching and winning nobel prizes (I know a little over the top haha).

If i was going to go into medicine i would want to be a surgeon (I'm pretty sure). Money is not really important to me, nice, but not important.
I still have a while to decide. I'm still in high school and hopefully my scores will be good enough to get into a good school but I need to submit applications soon... but for physics or medicine?

Get into college first.

 

[mrronoah]

Get into college first.

You don't know how hard physics can become. Worry about your own education in high school first, then get into college, then we'll talk.

I'm in Australia and we have undergrad medicine. Otherwise i wouldn't be to worried about it yet.

 

[Aerus]

Has anyone had the same problem in the past(or right now)? How did you decide?
I know 8 people with physics degrees and they are all either teaching or changed profession. I DEFINITELY don't want to be a teacher especially in the first few years of my career but that seems like the only physics jobs available. I would want to be researching and winning nobel prizes (I know a little over the top haha).

If i was going to go into medicine i would want to be a surgeon (I'm pretty sure). Money is not really important to me, nice, but not important.
I still have a while to decide. I'm still in high school and hopefully my scores will be good enough to get into a good school but I need to submit applications soon... but for physics or medicine?

You don't know how hard physics can become. Worry about your own education in high school first, then get into college, then we'll talk.

 

[CuttingCorneas]

Look into medical physics. Best of both worlds.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Then do Medicine.

You aren't going to be doing cool research and winning nobel prizes with your bachelors degree; you'll need a doctorate before you lead a research lab and you'll still most likely never contribute anything significant, much less get a nobel prize. That's just the reality of the basic science world.

 

[MedPR]

I'm in Australia and we have undergrad medicine. Otherwise i wouldn't be to worried about it yet.

Oh. I'm dumb then.

Medicine imo, but I hate physics so I might be a tad biased.

 

[Captain Sisko]

Oh. I'm dumb then.

Medicine imo, but I hate physics so I might be a tad biased.

Haha if you look in your old mcat forum threads that is manifestly evident.

But yeah high school physics is not the same as college physics, at least not in the US. I don't think Australian kids are that much smarter than US ones, maybe you guys use calculus earlier in high school than we do, but you probably don't get into the higher level stuff. It's really quite different. Odds are you will hate physics. There's also a chance you'll hate medicine.

That doesn't help, does it?

 

[mrronoah]

Then do Medicine.

You aren't going to be doing cool research and winning nobel prizes with your bachelors degree; you'll need a doctorate before you lead a research lab and you'll still most likely never contribute anything significant, much less get a nobel prize. That's just the reality of the basic science world.

I know I will have to get a doctorate before I could do anything significant but If i was to do physics I wouldn't be happy without giving at least one (somewhat) significant contribution to the field.

 

[mrronoah]

I don't think Australian kids are that much smarter than US ones, maybe you guys use calculus earlier in high school than we do, but you probably don't get into the higher level stuff. It's really quite different. Odds are you will hate physics. There's also a chance you'll hate medicine.

That doesn't help, does it?

Im sure the US and AU school systems are fairly comparable but yea it doesn't really help haha

 

[MedPR]

Haha if you look in your old mcat forum threads that is manifestly evident.

But yeah high school physics is not the same as college physics, at least not in the US. I don't think Australian kids are that much smarter than US ones, maybe you guys use calculus earlier in high school than we do, but you probably don't get into the higher level stuff. It's really quite different. Odds are you will hate physics. There's also a chance you'll hate medicine.

That doesn't help, does it?

The part about being dumb? Or the part about hating physics? The case could be made for both based on my MCAT forum threads

 

[Captain Sisko]

Im sure the US and AU school systems are fairly comparable but yea it doesn't really help haha

You should join Sea Shephard. That would be best. You'd probably bring up the boat's average IQ by at least 10 points. Actually a koala would...

 

[487806]

Has anyone had the same problem in the past(or right now)? How did you decide?
I know 8 people with physics degrees and they are all either teaching or changed profession. I DEFINITELY don't want to be a teacher especially in the first few years of my career but that seems like the only physics jobs available. I would want to be researching and winning nobel prizes (I know a little over the top haha).

If i was going to go into medicine i would want to be a surgeon (I'm pretty sure). Money is not really important to me, nice, but not important.
I still have a while to decide. I'm still in high school and hopefully my scores will be good enough to get into a good school but I need to submit applications soon... but for physics or medicine?

Physics. We want you to help us find more details about the Higgs Boson and produce 10 grams of antihydrogen (we will strike it rich!).

 

[mrronoah]

Physics. We want you to help us find more details about the Higgs Boson and produce 10 grams of antihydrogen (we will strike it rich!).

I wish it was that simple

 

[RangerBob]

That's a tough choice--I love physics. I remember slaving hours over a single quantum mechanics problem and loving it. And that's still relatively simple as far as upper division physics classes go. But I also love medicine. I think a lot of it comes down to where do you see yourself in 10 years--in the classroom, research lab, clinic, or OR? As someone mentioned, medical physics is a really fascinating and wide open field. In general very few people want to major in the sciences, and physicists are highly in demand in so many jobs, not just teaching or research. Bioengineering or rehab engineering might also be a good field to consider--especially if you like biomechanics, etc.

If you haven't done so already, try meeting with and shadowing a couple physicists and physicians (not just surgeons--you might like other fields more) and ask yourself if you feel like you belong in one place more than the others.

 

[Medstart108]

Has anyone had the same problem in the past(or right now)? How did you decide?
I know 8 people with physics degrees and they are all either teaching or changed profession. I DEFINITELY don't want to be a teacher especially in the first few years of my career but that seems like the only physics jobs available. I would want to be researching and winning nobel prizes (I know a little over the top haha).

If i was going to go into medicine i would want to be a surgeon (I'm pretty sure). Money is not really important to me, nice, but not important.
I still have a while to decide. I'm still in high school and hopefully my scores will be good enough to get into a good school but I need to submit applications soon... but for physics or medicine?

Medicine. Physics will land you a job if you go to a good university and get good grades ( a lot of people can get physics degrees, but not every physics degree holder is of the same quality). Not to sure about australia, but i know that in the US a physics degree will get you very far. You could work in finance, you could work for engineering companies or academia.

Medicine will guarantee you a job, give you prestige, give you pay, give you the option to do research (same with physics).

 

[mrronoah]

A few people have mentioned medical physics and it doesnt really interest me as much as they do separately.
In terms of physics i am more interested in particle physics or astrophysics than bioengineering or medical physics.

If you haven't done so already, try meeting with and shadowing a couple physicists and physicians (not just surgeons--you might like other fields more) and ask yourself if you feel like you belong in one place more than the others.

How would you go about that? I have never tried to shadow anyone because ive never known how. Would i contact the hospital (for medicine) or a university (for physics) or what? I have never known anyone to actually do that.

 

[mrronoah]

Not to sure about australia, but i know that in the US a physics degree will get you very far. You could work in finance, you could work for engineering companies or academia.

Thats the thing. I dont want to go into those fields AT ALL. I would definitely want to do research into physics and if i could, particle or astrophysics.

 

[Medstart108]

A few people have mentioned medical physics and it doesnt really interest me as much as they do separately.
In terms of physics i am more interested in particle physics or astrophysics than bioengineering or medical physics.

How would you go about that? I have never tried to shadow anyone because ive never known how. Would i contact the hospital (for medicine) or a university (for physics) or what? I have never known anyone to actually do that.

Contact people directly through email. If you know a doctor/physicist it will be easier. Its all about networking. If you don't have networks like me, just cold email professors and doctors. I think people in academia will be much more accommodating to shadowers. Keep in mind you will likely get a lot of no replies and a lot of nos before you get a yes.

 

[mrronoah]

OK I will give it a try. I dont really know anyone in either fields(who are still in the field). I will have to look up a few in my area. Yes i can imagine getting a lot of no replies haha.
Thanks

 

[galaxyx]

Its going to be really hard to find a Physics research job that doesn't involve some sort of teaching. Even big name research centers have PhD candidates. I don't know what it's like in Australia, but in the states if you want to do physics it's PhD--->post doc doing someone else's research for a few years --->professor/research if you're really lucky. But you'll find very few research opportunities that don't have teaching requirements. You can't be a waste of space. If you like physics and want a non teaching profession, consider engineering. More practical applications and you can make a more substantial contribution on a daily basis.

 

[Dreamer29]

I think that physics is an amazing field, and I sometimes wish I had maybe considered that path more seriously. However, I believe that you need to have some sort of "predisposition" to be successful in physics. I think a lot of people could be doctors if they worked really hard at it, but not anyone can go into physics and be good at it. I dunno, just my 2 cents.

 

[Captain Sisko]

hey this reminds me, op you should pm a user called md odyssey. he's a nontrad with a physics degree, runs a blog. might be helpful.

 

[DrEnderW]

I think that physics is an amazing field, and I sometimes wish I had maybe considered that path more seriously. However, I believe that you need to have some sort of "predisposition" to be successful in physics. I think a lot of people could be doctors if they worked really hard at it, but not anyone can go into physics and be good at it. I dunno, just my 2 cents.

I couldn't agree more. You truly have to be a mathematical genius/ physics savant to contribute the kind of meaningful advances to the field you speak of. You know right now if you have that gift or not, it's not something you slowly uncover messing around in Calc I in college. Read one of Michio Kaku's books where he describes childhood experiments for some insight.

Conversely, I believe you can be a successful physician with dedication, hard work, and significantly lower intelligence threshold than a top physicist.

 

[FSU2013]

I loved physics. I got my BS in it and considered continuing for my phd. (I never considered not going to grad school.). I loved research and would have enjoyed doing research or being a professor, but I ultimately decided that I needed more interaction with people. That's what led me to medicine.

If you're debating phd in physics in medicine, its safe to say you can be intellectually challenged in either. You can get your fill of science and research in both. You need to decide what you want to do and what crap you can put up with. Would you rather work on research, have very regular hours and a nice office, but deal with research funding or work with patients but haves lot more hours and possibly an unpredictable schedule.

 

[Mehd School]

Thanks for the laughs, OP. It's been pretty slow in the office this morning.

Come back after your Quantum and Thermo physics classes, and we'll see where your interests lie.

 

[mrronoah]

Its going to be really hard to find a Physics research job that doesn't involve some sort of teaching. Even big name research centers have PhD candidates. I don't know what it's like in Australia, but in the states if you want to do physics it's PhD--->post doc doing someone else's research for a few years --->professor/research if you're really lucky. But you'll find very few research opportunities that don't have teaching requirements. You can't be a waste of space. If you like physics and want a non teaching profession, consider engineering. More practical applications and you can make a more substantial contribution on a daily basis.

I know i will have to teach one day but preferablt later in my career. When i said it I meant that i wouldnt ONLY want to be a professor. To be honest if being a professor was just on the side it would be pretty cool to do.

 

[mrronoah]

hey this reminds me, op you should pm a user called md odyssey. he's a nontrad with a physics degree, runs a blog. might be helpful.

Thanks i will look him up

 

[mrronoah]

I couldn't agree more. You truly have to be a mathematical genius/ physics savant to contribute the kind of meaningful advances to the field you speak of. You know right now if you have that gift or not, it's not something you slowly uncover messing around in Calc I in college. Read one of Michio Kaku's books where he describes childhood experiments for some insight.

Conversely, I believe you can be a successful physician with dedication, hard work, and significantly lower intelligence threshold than a top physicist.

Actually I love maths. Once I understand a concept it just clicks. I have heard about some of his experiments and i have been messing around and trying to make a few cool things throughout highschool. I love math and i love physics but how do i know if i have this gift you speak of? haha

 

[mrronoah]

Come back after your Quantum and Thermo physics classes, and we'll see where your interests lie.

Cant say ive been to a thermo class but i have sat in on a couple of quantum physics classes, I thought it was pretty interesting.

 

[gyngyn]

I know i will have to teach one day but preferablt later in my career. When i said it I meant that i wouldnt ONLY want to be a professor. To be honest if being a professor was just on the side it would be pretty cool to do.

If you become a physician you need to be a teacher every day, even from the very beginning.

 

[mrronoah]

If you become a physician you need to be a teacher every day, even from the very beginning.

Did you read what you quoted? Like i said it would be pretty cool to teach but primarily I would want to focus on my own career. But medicine is a whole different thing when it comes to teaching (especially surgery).

 

[def1]

do you know what its like to actually do research? Its not very fun, imo and its definitely something you individually have to enjoy. and often "breakthroughs" are at least ten years in the making and that might even be for a minor contribution.

Research is very tedious.

I like physics as well but I am not smart enough to do theoretical physics in any significant way and I do not enjoy bench work so I gave up on it pretty quickly.

 

[deleted127837]

The vast majority of the time, if you're between doing medicine and doing XYZ, you'll probably be better off doing XYZ. Unless that XYZ is law.

 

[gyngyn]

Did you read what you quoted? Like i said it would be pretty cool to teach but primarily I would want to focus on my own career. But medicine is a whole different thing when it comes to teaching (especially surgery).

Yes, I did.

 

[HughMyron]

The vast majority of the time, if you're between doing medicine and doing XYZ, you'll probably be better off doing XYZ. Unless that XYZ is law.

Or a Ph.D.

Or most Liberal Arts degrees if you don't back them up with sufficient extracurricular work.

 

[HughMyron]

And yeah, you're wayyyyyyy too young to worry about this stuff right now. Focus on stuff like acing the SAT, benching 2 plates, losing your virginity, and whatever else high school kids care about these days.

 

[deleted127837]

Or a Ph.D.

Or most Liberal Arts degrees if you don't back them up with sufficient extracurricular work.

Disagree on the Ph.D. If you're debating Ph.D vs. medicine, you should do the Ph.D every time.

 

[mrronoah]

do you know what its like to actually do research? Its not very fun, imo and its definitely something you individually have to enjoy. and often "breakthroughs" are at least ten years in the making and that might even be for a minor contribution.

I could imagine it wouldnt be fun if you were researching something that you are uninterested in. But if i was researching something that i was passionate about then 10 years would be nothing.

I like physics as well but I am not smart enough to do theoretical physics in any significant way and I do not enjoy bench work so I gave up on it pretty quickly.

I'm also worried about that. I think i would be more interested in theoretical than experimental. I am certainly not a genius, but i am curious and committed, would it be enough!!!??

 

[HughMyron]

Disagree on the Ph.D. If you're debating Ph.D vs. medicine, you should do the Ph.D every time.

Medicine will actually get you a job. The only thing a Ph.D. will guarantee is a permanent postdoc, which pays horribly. Even if you get a faculty job, which is rare, it doesn't pay as well as medicine except for a select few careers.

 

[Lollygag]

If you become a physician you need to be a teacher every day, even from the very beginning.

I get that if you're at a teaching hospital then yea you'll usually have people following you around but if you're just an average family medicine doctor in a private practice then when would you really be teaching people?

 

[HughMyron]

I get that if you're at a teaching hospital then yea you'll usually have people following you around but if you're just an average family medicine doctor in a private practice then when would you really be teaching people?

You're teaching patients.

 

[mrronoah]

The vast majority of the time, if you're between doing medicine and doing XYZ, you'll probably be better off doing XYZ. Unless that XYZ is law.

I'm guessing you are referring to the difficulties of pursuing medicine? If so, then i think physics is as hard or even harder to succeed in.

 

[mrronoah]

I get that if you're at a teaching hospital then yea you'll usually have people following you around but if you're just an average family medicine doctor in a private practice then when would you really be teaching people?

No offence to anyone who is, but i think being a GP would get boring. So many people would just come in and pretend to be sick to get a few days of work.
I would want something more interesting! If I was to chose medicine i think i would want to be a surgeon.

 

[circulus vitios]

If Australia is anything like the US:

There are many more physics post-docs (and many, many more physics PhDs) than there are physics professorship openings -- literally hundreds of applicants for a $50k/year adjunct professorship at a liberal arts college in some flyover state hellhole. Unless you're a genius, you stand no chance at getting a job as a physics professor. If you choose to look outside of academia then you're similarly screwed with a concentration in theoretical particle physics or astrophysics. Experimentalists might fare better because they typically have strong programming skills, so employment as a software engineer is an option...but then you just spent 4 years in undergrad and 6 years in grad school to make the same amount of money as a 4 year computer science graduate could make.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The vast majority of the time, if you're between doing medicine and doing XYZ, you'll probably be better off doing XYZ. Unless that XYZ is law.

Why do you think that?

Disagree on the Ph.D. If you're debating Ph.D vs. medicine, you should do the Ph.D every time.

Why? I'm honestly skeptical anyone beyond a handful of people can enjoy a life of research.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If Australia is anything like the US:

There are many more physics post-docs (and many, many more physics PhDs) than there are physicians professorship openings -- literally hundreds of applicants for a $50k/year adjunct professorship at a liberal arts college in some flyover state hellhole. Unless you're a genius, you stand no chance at getting a job as a physics professor. If you choose to look outside of academia then you're similarly screwed with a concentration in theoretical particle physics or astrophysics. Experimentalists might fare better because they typically have strong programming skills, so employment as a software engineer is an option...but then you just spend 4 years of undergrad and 6 years in grad school to make the same amount of money as a 4 year computer science graduate could make.

I was under the impression a Physics PhD is like math or engineering, i.e 3 to 4 years long max.

 

[Lollygag]

You're teaching patients.

Telling someone how to take their medication and teaching a resident how to be a doctor seem like two different things to me.

No offence to anyone who is, but i think being a GP would get boring. So many people would just come in and pretend to be sick to get a few days of work.
I would want something more interesting! If I was to chose medicine i think i would want to be a surgeon.

I agree that it would get boring and I used to really not understand why so many people choose GP, but someone explained to me the other day that some doctors value having a good relationship with their patients and sometimes it's harder to do that in other fields. So in some ways, I kinda get it.

 

[circulus vitios]

I was under the impression a Physics PhD is like math or engineering, i.e 3 to 4 years long max.

Maybe if you get a masters degree (at the same school, because graduate level coursework rarely transfers between schools.)

 

[def1]

Telling someone how to take their medication and teaching a resident how to be a doctor seem like two different things to me.



I agree that it would get boring and I used to really not understand why so many people choose GP, but someone explained to me the other day that some doctors value having a good relationship with their patients and sometimes it's harder to do that in other fields. So in some ways, I kinda get it.

I dont think GP would be that boring. It depends where you practice at though. I'd imagine a GP working in a rural community will see a lot more interesting things than another working in a suburban area. My PCP absolutely loves his job. Plus you will occasionally get an interesting case that's rare for a GP to come across, compared to a specialist who sees the same "interesting" case day in day out.