If you weren't going to medical school you would....

[Farrah]

If you weren't going to medical school what would you do?....

I wanted to go to New York University (Tisch for Film) to study film (especially since I had a chance to go there). I've been making films since I was a kid and I really was hoping to go into that. There aren't any good film schools here where I live but I study what I can and work on projects on some indie films here. I know that my parents took it a lot easier when I told them that I was going to stick to the med stuff I had been planning on doing all along. But I got no regrets, I'm going to be attending some summer programs in NY.

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[asama527]

I would

a) Liquidate all of my assetts and move to So-Cal and live on the beach.

or

b) Move to Tibet and become a Buddhist monk.

I'm actually not kidding.

 

[kwanny]

Originally posted by asama527
b) Move to Tibet and become a Buddhist monk.

I'm actually not kidding.

Why Tibet when you could be a monk right here in the states (or in Japan, in your case)?

 

[jlee9531]

thats very cool farrah....i love film too...

i took an upperdiv film studies class on s.korean film...it was amazing...

i try and go to the sf film festivals every year...

but anyways...if you do make a small film... i will mos def support it.

as for myself...if i wasnt doing medicine....something with education perhaps...trying to improve the areas in which the educational environment is sorely lacking....ie minority neighborhoods...

 

[crazy250]

pitch for boston red sox so i can be the number 3 starter after curt schillling and pedro martinez

 

[Jugador75]

Go Yankees!!

 

[ixitixl]

If I don't get in, I'm joining the peace corps for a couple of years. If that can't prove that I'm devoted to improving the well-being of others, then I doubt anything else I can do will.

 

[Insert]

I would eat chocolate.

 

[felipe5]

I would move to Spain to solely play Spanish guitar

 

[DrJ2B]

Turn tricks on 3rd avenue because 42nd street has been cleaned up!

 

[rCubed]

go into international health policy, which I plan to do anyway, i just think i'll have a better backgorund if i do go to medical school, but...

OR

become an anchorwoman for CNN int'l

 

[PhillyEaglesFan]

cop or an FBI agent.

anything that would allow me to wear a bulletproof vest and pack a nine. Legally.

 

[Supadupafly]

I'd go into business making poop hot dogs for premeds to eat.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by Supadupafly
I'd go into business making poop hot dogs for premeds to eat.

id like to footlong it please for an extra 39 cents...

 

[Spitting Camel]

Teach high school bio, baby! I wanna go talk to high schoolers too while I'm in med school and maybe even mentor some when I'm a doctor.

 

[bakedlay]

play cello...in fact, i kinda want to do that instead of med school, but i don't want to wind up playing on a street corner for a living. hard to imagine, but making it in the classical music business is more competitive than med school.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by bakedlay
play cello...in fact, i kinda want to do that instead of med school, but i don't want to wind up playing on a street corner for a living. hard to imagine, but making it in the classical music business is more competitive than med school.

nah i think a good number of know that there are fields out there way more competitive than medicine.

classical music especially...

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by bakedlay
play cello...in fact, i kinda want to do that instead of med school, but i don't want to wind up playing on a street corner for a living. hard to imagine, but making it in the classical music business is more competitive than med school.

Don't I know it, I play the French horn and thought about majoring in music back in the day, but I realized there are like 20 professional horn players in the world or something (I'm exaggerating just a little for dramatic effect)

If I hadn't gotten into med school, I'd:
a become a film and special effects make-up artist - I'm great with mascara and a powder brush
b get some liposuction and marry rich.

 

[Brickhouse]

oops sorry about the winks on that last post - I guess I hit semi-colon parenthasis instead of....oh no one cares.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by Brickhouse
oops sorry about the winks on that last post - I guess I hit semi-colon parenthasis instead of....oh no one cares.

awkward isnt it?

 

[SarahGM]

i would try to write THE great american novel....

 

[musiclink213]

i would be a broadway musician. i love being in the PIT bands, and if i could have done it for a living, i would've in a heartbaet.

 

[princessd3]

Two things I always wanted to be really bad...physician is one of them...but the other is, a model. I think I probably want to be a model a little more than be a physician. The thing about it is it's the one thing people always say I should be. I just never knew where to start and I let my dream fade away.

If I wasn't a doctor I would become a model. Matter of fact I'm taking a year off before med school and I hope to do a little modeling. Probably won't accomplish a whole lot but at least I could say I gave it a shot.

Also, I love classical music. Going to learn to play the oboe during my year off. That's probably something I would do on the side if I wasn't a doctor.

 

[Rendar5]

Go to the CIA in Hyde Park to become a chef. I think I'm good enough to get in, though I'm not 100% sure on the requirements.

 

[hanahbanana]

I would do all of these
1) Be a chef
2) Dancer
3) Move to Hollywood and become an actress!

 

[SunnyS81]

Either

a) Go to grad school in Industrial engineering and enter academia
b) Go to the national security agency or CIA and work for them..

Either way, I wouldn't be working my butt off like I am now.......makes ya wonder.........

 

[uniqueseraph]

I can't think of doing anything else I would love to do more than medicine. But if hypothetically speaking doctors were run off the face of this Earth, I would probably do something related to music, arts, or film. I always thought directing a music video would be fun because it's the visual to the music. It's open to interpretation and there is so much you can portray with room for creativity. An author or script writer could be neat too. Writing a book or film inspired based on my life would be cool. I like sports, but I think it would be a little late to chase Olympic dreams. And if I became really successful at any of these things, I would devote some free time and money to other charitable causes becasue I really believe every child should have a meal and be able to read.

 

[thekaratekim]

get an art history degree.
become a museum curator/docent.
spend most of my free time doing art.
learn to play keyboards better in order to start a band.

 

[musiclink213]

actually, now that i think about it, i might actually join the navy. it always seemed like something really cool, i would love to do something like that. either that, or air force, cause i always wanted to fly.

 

[smartreader]

I find all the alternative careers that I have read very Interesting. What I find intriguing is why none of you proposed careers in any of the allied health profeesions? Nursing, Physicians Assistant, Physical therapy, Occupations Therapy, Speech disorders, clinical Neuropsychology, etc. etc. So many of these professions seem to have overlapping aspects with medicine. Why does it have to be all or none phenomenon? If someone took your dream of medicine away from you, why would you completely abandon it to become a navy officer/ musician etc?

 

[Epsilon]

If I weren't pursuing medicine, I'd likely be studying electrical engineering.

 

[Rendar5]

Originally posted by smartreader
I find all the alternative careers that I have read very Interesting. What I find intriguing is why none of you proposed careers in any of the allied health profeesions? Nursing, Physicians Assistant, Physical therapy, Occupations Therapy, Speech disorders, clinical Neuropsychology, etc. etc. So many of these professions seem to have overlapping aspects with medicine. Why does it have to be all or none phenomenon? If someone took your dream of medicine away from you, why would you completely abandon it to become a navy officer/ musician etc?

I don't really have a good answer to that. I guess it still goes to personal satisfaction for me, or maybe I just never considered alternate health care jobs. Even though I have the utmost respect for PT's and Nurses simply from personal experience I just never really saw myself doing that.

 

[TheFlash]

Help create the next MegaMan game for Capcom.

 

[Elysium]

Yeah, I thought it was interesting that so many future docs would choose to be artists, filmmakers, or writers. I got a film degree and worked in movies for 4 years (indies and studio) and it TOTALLY SUCKS. 98% of people in the business are total
bull****ers who don't know their heads from theirs asses. There's really nothing too glamorous about making movies. Actors are dinguses (and by and large totally uneducated), producers are just looking to make a buck, directors are completely guided by ego, etc. I love movies, but I hate film making.
So, I guess I'd say that if I wasn't going to be a doc I would probably be an FBI agent (something like Scully in "The X-Files". Oh, and if you could throw in Mulder, that would be good too!)

 

[ocean11]

If I couldn't become a 'human' physician I'd DEFINETLY go into veterinary medicine......

An animal might be a little harder to communicate with, BUT at least I'd still be practicing medicine THE ONLY thing I want to do with my life......

 

[Heal&Teach]

When I was younger, I was sure that I wanted to become a fashion designer or artists.... but then:

enter medicine from stage left.

I would definitely pick up drawing and painting again.

Actually, I would become a pre-health counselor! I was a mentor during college and loved it. I also spent a lot of time telling the advisor what to do! Most of them haven't stepped anywhere near a science course or have any experience with pre-health students anyway, so why not!

 

[thekaratekim]

i guess because we have multiple interests and would like to try them out.

 

[KHep]

It's funny how so many people suggested law enforcement. Is that because we are all so uptight and hell bent on order?

I can't say with certainty what I would do, but I'm leaning towards dentistry. Dentistry would allow enough flexiblity in my schedule that I could still have a chance at being supermom.

The other choice would be clinical psychology. This however finds you catering to your clients schedules a bit more, so that you have to work more evening hours.

On the other hand, if I were talking about my "fantasy" job as I suspect many of you were, I would become a potter in a heartbeat. I love working with clay; there's nothing like it. But, unless I want to live like a pauper and expect my kids to pay their own way through school, it's just not gonna happen!

 

[pawster]

Having already tried professional violin-- the competition for orchestra positions is MUCH MORE competitive than getting into med school, but there are definate similarities.

Now, I'm thinking law enformcement too!! Have a couple of friends in that area, and they LOVE their jobs!

 

[emily69]

Did you know that if you're a Lousiana resident you can send your kids to any of the state schools in the South free of tuition no matter how much money you make???

so with college tuition taken care of, now I could do what I please!!! yes!!!

But seriously tho, even w/out the money consideration, in the end, I know I made the right choice by deciding against my burning desire to be an artist. I would come to hate the fact that my work isn't "concrete", universally applicable, and useful as medicine.

 

[ixitixl]

Anyone here willing to settle for nursing school? Maybe operating room technician? What about becoming a paramedic?

 

[Califlower]

I think no body is considering nursing, PT, PA, etc. because they have been premed possibly all their life, immersed in science. If I was taking all these science related classes and talking about medicine all the time and suddenly have to decide, I'd do something different for once too. Although I am doing nursing before I start on my premed journey.

As for classical musicians -- if you play a violin, cello, or piano, it will be hard for you to get a job -- it is really competetive. However, if you played the French horn (as someone mentioned) or viola, and a few other instruments, it will be relatively easier, since they are in more demand.

If I had to give up medicine, I'd definitely spend more time in nursing, and probably go into teaching, or join the peace corps, or medicins sans frontieres, or something like that. Or do public health. Or write the great American Novel. Whatever floats my boat at the time, I guess.

 

[NDESTRUKT]

i'd continue being an engineer =)

 

[tugbug]

I had the next 5 - 10 yrs lined up either way... I was either going to get acceptances to med schools... or start a career as a Medical school arsonist. Either way, school or Jail for many years. Im farely certain that telling my interviewers about my backup plan pushed me into the acceptance pile. Lucky for them.

As for why not other medical careers as backup plans to Medicine... For me, it wouldnt work simply becuase they would always be "almost as good" as the career I really wanted in medicine. Better to go a completely different direction than to feel like you were forced to settle for second best. Which is what any medical career other than MD/DO is to a pre-med.

 

[liberaeas]

Star in Broadway Musicals! I have been a music major for the past 3 years (along with slowly taking the med school prereqs) and only last month decided to switch to a bio major and do a music minor. I love singing, and have always though it would be awesome to be in Les Mis, Phantom, Ragtime, and many other wonderful broadway shows. (whether I'm good enough or not is another question, but this is a fantasy thread anyways...) Just out of curiousity, are there any other sdners who are also musical theater dorks? In between rounds of studying physics and orgo I sit around and sing showtunes on the piano. And mom wonders why I don't have a girlfriend....

 

[smfernando]

I'd build a naturally aspirated 4-rotor RX-7 and compete in GT style circuit races for the sake of building some driving skills. Then I'll have to find some way into F1, and oust the likes of Michael Schumacher. Run, Schumie Run !!!

 

[CaMD]

Originally posted by liberaeas
Star in Broadway Musicals! I have been a music major for the past 3 years (along with slowly taking the med school prereqs) and only last month decided to switch to a bio major and do a music minor. I love singing, and have always though it would be awesome to be in Les Mis, Phantom, Ragtime, and many other wonderful broadway shows. (whether I'm good enough or not is another question, but this is a fantasy thread anyways...) Just out of curiousity, are there any other sdners who are also musical theater dorks? In between rounds of studying physics and orgo I sit around and sing showtunes on the piano. And mom wonders why I don't have a girlfriend....

Liberaeas, I am a major musical theatre dork myself. Stephen Sondheim is my idol. If I couldn't be a doctor I'd try to make it writing librettos... That would probably fail and I'd go into public health. That or become a society lady who spends all day planning dinner parties and benefit balls. Appealing, though unlikely and improbable.

 

[DrWuStar]

probably i would be a writer, which i used to be until i realized i wanted to go to med school and had to find a more stable job in order to make that happen. as it is, i will probably continue to be a writer for the rest of my life. but with MD after my name, and interesting MD things to write about, i will get paid more than i would without the MD. writing is delicious. i just adore it.

i would also consider going to cooking school and becoming a legit chef. cause i also love to cook.

 

[DrSal]

Well,

3 things, i'd get an MBA and work for a pharamceutical company, get a PhD and be a marriage/family counselor...or become a professional dancer.

 

[CaMD]

Oooh, marriage and family therapist! That was something I wanted to do prior to becoming pre-med. I got turned off by feeling like 90% of them were quacks (based on journals I read, and talking to some MFTs. No disrespect meant to any MFTs on SDN, I think good ones are worth their weight in gold!).