Seeking advice! Failed to repeat first year at DO school. What are my non-MD/DO clinical careers?

[MaxCycle42]

What are my options moving forward? Please advice!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[FMPHYSICIANDO]

I'm sorry for your situation. If you still want to pursue a medical career I would recommend the PA route or NP route. These routes still won't be easy, but with hard work you can get there. Also PA school is only two years and then you start working. As a physician I find that PA's are very well respected these days and are compensated well. Part of me wishes I pursued PA school instead.

 

[MaxCycle42]

I'm actually thinking about PA or PT school at the moment but not sure if they are even possible. Probably need 1-2 years to improve my resume for them

 

[FMPHYSICIANDO]

It sounds like you have the correct mindset which is good. Your medical school experiencing will definitely make it harder, but not impossible to pursue PA or PT school, especially if you are willing to put in the work to improve your resume. I'm sure it also depends on which pa/pt schools you apply to.

 

[Bluesandstuff]

You can’t do much with what you learned in med school but if I could change I’d either go into tech and hope they start hiring by the time you’re ready or go into orthopedic device sales (they actually get to go into the OR and essentially walk surgeons through surgery). S
Less cool is a ell breast implants or consulting.

 

[Goro]

Phlebotomy
Lab tech
Patient tech, like pulmonary
PT
clinical research coordinator
Blood banking
Ultrasound

 

[Ho0v-man]

PT is pretty nice tbh. I know people making low six figures at their M-F no call forever jobs. Not too bad.

If you just want money, go CRNA and out earn some of your med school classmates.

 

[Dantes]

PT is pretty nice tbh. I know people making low six figures at their M-F no call forever jobs. Not too bad.

If you just want money, go CRNA and out earn some of your med school classmates.

The ceiling in PT is very low. Most aren't making six figures. Median around 80k and most start lower. With the now mandatory three-year DPT with increasingly ridiculous tuition, it's just not a good value anymore unless you really love it. Those making six figures are hustling with multiple PRN jobs or owning clinics. PA or NP will make more with lower debt burden.

I agree CRNA is pretty solid. OP if you got accepted to med school don't discount being successful in non-healthcare careers either if you have interest.

 

[Ho0v-man]

The ceiling in PT is very low. Most aren't making six figures. Median around 80k and most start lower. With the now mandatory three-year DPT with increasingly ridiculous tuition, it's just not a good value anymore unless you really love it. Those making six figures are hustling with multiple PRN jobs or owning clinics. PA or NP will make more with lower debt burden.

I agree CRNA is pretty solid. OP if you got accepted to med school don't discount being successful in non-healthcare careers either if you have interest.

While you’re generally correct, there are PTs making six gigs just M-F 5 days/week as employees. It’s kind of like making $300k in primary care. It’s rare but it’s not THAT rare.

I agree with the rest of your post though.

 

[NeuroHopeful1]

Anesthesiology assistant school!
one of my classmates who failed out first year enrolled in a 2 year program
finished this year and is making $150k

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Don't become some mid-level. Do DPM, OD, or DPT. I think DPM is extremely underrated

 

[synphade]

Don't become some mid-level. Do DPM, OD, or DPT. I think DPM is extremely underrated

interestingly, optometrists are considered midlevels

source: Mid-Level Practitioners Authorization by State

(Edit: it's in the pdf listed on the page)

 

[Splenda88]

I'm actually thinking about PA or PT school at the moment but not sure if they are even possible. Probably need 1-2 years to improve my resume for them

Dont do PT. The ROI for PT is terrible. You should consider these 12 months RN program for people who have a bachelor, then NP (psych or CRNA).

You might not get into PA school because it is competitive to get in.

 

[Splenda88]

While you’re generally correct, there are PTs making six gigs just M-F 5 days/week as employees. It’s kind of like making $300k in primary care. It’s rare but it’s not THAT rare.

I agree with the rest of your post though.

If you are talking about IM/FM (I don't know much about peds and obgyn salary), most of us who work FT make 300k+. It is not rare. I would say it's not even difficult to make 300k+ as an IM/FM doc. I made a little over 400k last year working 17.5 days/month as an IM hospitalist.

 

[Ho0v-man]

If you are talking about IM/FM (I don't know much about peds and obgyn salary), most of us who work FT make 300k+. It is not rare. I would say it's not even difficult to make 300k+ as an IM/FM doc. I made a little over 400k last year working 17.5 days/month as an IM hospitalist.

Mostly referring to outpatient FM.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

interestingly, optometrists are considered midlevels

source: Mid-Level Practitioners Authorization by State

The link doesn't mention optometrists. Either way, I don't think optometrists are under-prepared for their role or see them trying to encroach on physicians except for a small minority that want to do Lasik surgery. If there's an Ophthalmologist reading, I hope they can chime in