Hey Everyone,
I'm a Canadian student currently nearing the deadline to apply to university. I've always wanted to be a veterinarian all my life, since a) I love animals, b) I love science and I find the study of disease and how the body functions absolutely fascinating and c) I want a job that can make a difference in people's/animal's lives, and not be stuck in a lab all day working on cells. Over the last 6 years, I have lost motivation for becoming a vet due to the lowish salary relative to school debt and the thought of having to euthanize animals, which I absolutely cannot do. As a result, I have convinced myself that becoming a doctor is the best route for me, since it is essentially the same thing without the overly emotional attachment I have with animals. Recently however, I have been questioning my motives for entering medicine. I am a very shy/socially awkward person, so I'm not necessarily keen on having to deal with many angry, irritable patients on a daily basis...I would prefer animals much more, or people that I am familiar with such as coworkers or reccurent patients. I also despise the hospital environment. I have been volunteering at my local hospital on the geriatric general medicine floor for a year now and I just find everything about it sad, disgusting, unsanitary, and even cruel. I loathe going there, and I hate dealing with the irritability of very sick/dying patients and having to see their conditions. I can survive clinical rotations in medical school, but I refuse to work on a hospital floor for the rest of my career. I am also a person who has a huge fear of liability and screwing up someone's life from a mistake I make, and I'm not very good with my hands nor decisive...I rely more on theory and carefully planning out things (pros and cons) before I undertake or decide on them. This has had me narrow down to the specialties where people are a) young, mostly healthy or with easily treatable illnesses with very low procedural risk, b) with as little patient contact and liability as possible, and c) one where I can practice at a clinic or my own private practice and not in hospital, that has a good work/life balance and the least stress, and d) something where there aren't many surprises, long hours or inconsistencies...disruptions in schedule, call, being stuck with treating a critical patient within minutes...etc. As a result, I have considered pediatric specialties or pediatrician, Diagnostic Radiology, Opthalmology, Derm or Path. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
However, because of all the previous personality traits, I wonder if medical school, residency, and the job of physician are even right for my personality...regardless of specialty. I am afraid that if I become a doctor and don't like the realities of the job, I will have wasted such a big chunk of my life for nothing. And I admit that a big part of wanting to become a doctor is the prestige, security, and the money, however, I also really do want a career that makes a difference in healthcare and involves the science of disease and cures, just without intense patient interaction or procedures. Now, I have started to reconsider vet school since I like dealing with animals far more than irritable people, but I am now considering a veterinary specialty such as clinical pharmacology, ophthalmology, nutrition, or something else where I won't have to put down animals and that pay more than the typical 90-100k. Unfortunately, I don't know if that fact is even true for these specialties despite a ton of research, or how promising the employability, lifestyle, and salary is for these in the US/Canada, so I was wondering if anyone can help with that.
Recently, I have also been considering optometry, dentistry, audiology or even pharmacy. My goal in life is to have a healthcare job, with a good lifestyle first and foremost, and a good salary (at least over 150k after 5 years experience, with more salary growth possible after that). Equally, I also consider growth and expansion important since I have a strong entrepeneurial side to me. I have been reading how optometrists, dentists and the other aforementioned fields can open their own practices, set their own schedules and be their own boss while making a very good salary (I've heard some optometrists in western canada can be making between 250k-500k or more, and I've heard of dentists working 4 days a week and making 330k-400k) much easier than any doctor can. (I should mention however that the dentistry option is a little late, since I'd have less than a month to prepare for the last DAT but will nonetheless do so if it is the best option for me). However, going into these fields would have me give up the great diversity of medicine or veterinary medicine and the things that attract me to those careers (possibility for research, teaching, etc.). Also, I'd be giving up the "safety" of a doctor's job and salary, not to mention the amount, as well as prestige (yes, I value prestige A LOT). Please note that my parents actually don't want me to be a doctor because of the crappy lifestyle, difficulty, and length of studies, and these realities have started seeping in the closer I get. However, they will support me in anything I choose to do, so no influence is coming from them.
My ultimate question is: Should I stick with medicine since it has been what I wanted longest and what I have prepared for and researched tirelessly? These second thoughts have only surfaced in the last few weeks since the application deadline is close, so I wonder if they are natural fears every pre-med student has.
Any input from anyone currently studying in these fields or in the workforce would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you went through the same dilemma before entering your respective programs, any reassurance would be highly appreciated. Please do not be mean about my priorities on salary and growth potential, since for me, these are important factors in a career choice, especially since all of these jobs are in the same sector and I can see myself doing any with sufficient satisfaction.
I'm a Canadian student currently nearing the deadline to apply to university. I've always wanted to be a veterinarian all my life, since a) I love animals, b) I love science and I find the study of disease and how the body functions absolutely fascinating and c) I want a job that can make a difference in people's/animal's lives, and not be stuck in a lab all day working on cells. Over the last 6 years, I have lost motivation for becoming a vet due to the lowish salary relative to school debt and the thought of having to euthanize animals, which I absolutely cannot do. As a result, I have convinced myself that becoming a doctor is the best route for me, since it is essentially the same thing without the overly emotional attachment I have with animals. Recently however, I have been questioning my motives for entering medicine. I am a very shy/socially awkward person, so I'm not necessarily keen on having to deal with many angry, irritable patients on a daily basis...I would prefer animals much more, or people that I am familiar with such as coworkers or reccurent patients. I also despise the hospital environment. I have been volunteering at my local hospital on the geriatric general medicine floor for a year now and I just find everything about it sad, disgusting, unsanitary, and even cruel. I loathe going there, and I hate dealing with the irritability of very sick/dying patients and having to see their conditions. I can survive clinical rotations in medical school, but I refuse to work on a hospital floor for the rest of my career. I am also a person who has a huge fear of liability and screwing up someone's life from a mistake I make, and I'm not very good with my hands nor decisive...I rely more on theory and carefully planning out things (pros and cons) before I undertake or decide on them. This has had me narrow down to the specialties where people are a) young, mostly healthy or with easily treatable illnesses with very low procedural risk, b) with as little patient contact and liability as possible, and c) one where I can practice at a clinic or my own private practice and not in hospital, that has a good work/life balance and the least stress, and d) something where there aren't many surprises, long hours or inconsistencies...disruptions in schedule, call, being stuck with treating a critical patient within minutes...etc. As a result, I have considered pediatric specialties or pediatrician, Diagnostic Radiology, Opthalmology, Derm or Path. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
However, because of all the previous personality traits, I wonder if medical school, residency, and the job of physician are even right for my personality...regardless of specialty. I am afraid that if I become a doctor and don't like the realities of the job, I will have wasted such a big chunk of my life for nothing. And I admit that a big part of wanting to become a doctor is the prestige, security, and the money, however, I also really do want a career that makes a difference in healthcare and involves the science of disease and cures, just without intense patient interaction or procedures. Now, I have started to reconsider vet school since I like dealing with animals far more than irritable people, but I am now considering a veterinary specialty such as clinical pharmacology, ophthalmology, nutrition, or something else where I won't have to put down animals and that pay more than the typical 90-100k. Unfortunately, I don't know if that fact is even true for these specialties despite a ton of research, or how promising the employability, lifestyle, and salary is for these in the US/Canada, so I was wondering if anyone can help with that.
Recently, I have also been considering optometry, dentistry, audiology or even pharmacy. My goal in life is to have a healthcare job, with a good lifestyle first and foremost, and a good salary (at least over 150k after 5 years experience, with more salary growth possible after that). Equally, I also consider growth and expansion important since I have a strong entrepeneurial side to me. I have been reading how optometrists, dentists and the other aforementioned fields can open their own practices, set their own schedules and be their own boss while making a very good salary (I've heard some optometrists in western canada can be making between 250k-500k or more, and I've heard of dentists working 4 days a week and making 330k-400k) much easier than any doctor can. (I should mention however that the dentistry option is a little late, since I'd have less than a month to prepare for the last DAT but will nonetheless do so if it is the best option for me). However, going into these fields would have me give up the great diversity of medicine or veterinary medicine and the things that attract me to those careers (possibility for research, teaching, etc.). Also, I'd be giving up the "safety" of a doctor's job and salary, not to mention the amount, as well as prestige (yes, I value prestige A LOT). Please note that my parents actually don't want me to be a doctor because of the crappy lifestyle, difficulty, and length of studies, and these realities have started seeping in the closer I get. However, they will support me in anything I choose to do, so no influence is coming from them.
My ultimate question is: Should I stick with medicine since it has been what I wanted longest and what I have prepared for and researched tirelessly? These second thoughts have only surfaced in the last few weeks since the application deadline is close, so I wonder if they are natural fears every pre-med student has.
Any input from anyone currently studying in these fields or in the workforce would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you went through the same dilemma before entering your respective programs, any reassurance would be highly appreciated. Please do not be mean about my priorities on salary and growth potential, since for me, these are important factors in a career choice, especially since all of these jobs are in the same sector and I can see myself doing any with sufficient satisfaction.
I'd suggest Accounting and getting a CPA designation. Avoid health professions altogether and still have the potential to make the income OP wants 5 years out.
