Question from a lowly undergrad

[SilleAngyl]

Hey everyone,
As older and wiser people that are more experienced in the profession of medicine than I, I was wondering if you all could give me some advice about my career choice. I started undergrad as premed. But, I think the long road through medical school and residency started to scare me a bit. Also, the harsh and busy that some phyisicians lead seemed like it might threaten one value that I will one day hold dear: my future family. So, lately I have been considering the field of Optometry. But, I dont think it is really right for me, besides the better lifestyle and still relatively high salary. I still feel like medicine is the career for me, its a feeling that I just can't shake. I understand that there are "lifestyle specialties" in medicine, but what if I am not interested in one of these? Is it possible to make any specialty a "lifestyle specialty" if you are choosy enough with the job you take? I just want to make sure that if I choose medicine I will at least have the oppurtunity to work part time whil my future kids are young. Any insight will be helpful! Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Doczilla]

You may take some time off from school and see if this clarifies your options any. Sometimes getting away from the 16 years of schooling that you've already gone through is a welcome break. I know that medical school would have been too difficult for me if I hadn't gotten away for a while. For me, it helped to make clear my reasons for going into medicine, which always helps when I'm down and things aren't going well. The break also gives you a chance to rest before buckling down again for med school.

Consider working in a healthcare-related field to get a closer look at caring for patients and confirm that this is what you want to do with your life. You could become a lab tech or ER tech or medical assistant and see if that influences your choices (see if you get "bitten by the bug"). Lifestyle alone is not a great reason to go into medicine. There are specialties which are easier on the hours, but it's a long and grueling road to get there. If you are willing to sacrifice a certain amount of income and prestige, virtually any specialty can give you the extra time you want with your family. You may find also that a more demanding specialty is the one that makes you really happy. You may not mind the hours if it is really something you love to do.

If you go into optometry now as the "safe choice", even though you don't think it is the right career for you, I don't think you'll be very happy with it. You will forever wonder what might have been. This isn't a life-ender; there are plenty of optometrists who go to medical school (and stockbrokers and lawyers and Navy SEALs and paramedics too), so don't feel that this choice is the last one you get to make.


'zilla

 

[SilleAngyl]

Thanks for the suggestions Doczilla. Working in a healthcare may be something that would really help my decision. I plan on doing some more shadowing in both the optometry and medical fields. I just worry that if I choose to go to Medical Schoole, get through residency, and finally become board certified, I wont be able to find a job that will agree with the type of lifestyle I want to lead. I dont want work to be my life. I want it to be my job. I want to be a mom and see my kids grow up. Any other suggestions from anyone out there?

 

[SCDoc]

Thanks for the suggestions Doczilla. Working in a healthcare may be something that would really help my decision. I plan on doing some more shadowing in both the optometry and medical fields. I just worry that if I choose to go to Medical Schoole, get through residency, and finally become board certified, I wont be able to find a job that will agree with the type of lifestyle I want to lead. I dont want work to be my life. I want it to be my job. I want to be a mom and see my kids grow up. Any other suggestions from anyone out there?

I am still in medical school, so I don't have first-hand knowledge of practicing in the real world, but from all the docs and students that I know, you can make your practice fit to your needs. Many people in my class are already married, and many of them have small children now. They are very creative in their scheduling, but they have managed to make plenty of family time. Some opt to only study at scheduled times (ie, when the kids are napping or at soccer practice), or dedicate particular nights only to family events (ie, friday night dates, etc, etc). You just have to learn to be efficient, but med school studying can be arranged to fit your study needs and your family needs at the same time. For some that means forgoing going out to lunch with friends and instead eating a brown bag lunch in the library studying, but you end up with plenty of time at night that way.

As for residency and practicing, I think there are alot of options there as well. In residency, there is an option of a shared, or part-time residency at some programs. I think you have to find your own partner to share with, and I dont think many places offer it, honestly. But, it offers the two the ability to only work part time in residency, although you sacrifice half the salary and must stay in residency twice as long. In practice, you can always work part-time if you want, in most specialties I would think. Family, Internal, Peds, ER seem fairly easy to work with as far as part time work. You could look into locum tenems work, where you are basically a sub for docs on vacation or on leave and work the hours that you are comfortable with. As far as the more specialized physicians, I'm sure that you could work your hours around your schedule. There might not be as many jobs available, but I'm sure that you wouldnt have that much trouble. You might have to be willing to move though, if you are in a more specialized field. You would obviously not have as many opportunities for advancement or salary, however with a part time job. But it would offer the time off that you are looking for.

But, as a final note, the most important thing is doing what makes you happy. Don't settle for a job that you can live with or you will be miserable. I like the suggestion of the previous poster - do some volunteer work, some shadowing to see how medicine fits for you. Another good idea might be to contact the admissions secretary of your local medical school and see if they will forward your name and email to some of their students who have first-hand knowledge of what its like to go to med school while raising a family.

Hope that helps, and good luck to you!

 

[Goose...Fraba]

I can give you a perspective from someone going through medical school with kids, I PM'd you.
Goose