Sick of the desk job in corporate america

[Dexter12]

Hello everyone,

I finished my undergraduate degree 4 years ago with a dual degree in Finance and Biology. I know, it's an odd combination but it is what it is. During my college years, I had friends that were both pre-medicine and friends that wanted to go in the business route. Both routes seemed appealing to me for its own reasons. The pre-medicine side because of the prestige, status, money, job security, etc (not so much because I LOVED science) and the business side because it seemed cool to work for a top 4 accounting firm making 60k and earning money right out of the gate at the tender age of 22. My science is probably ~2.8-3.0ish. Cumulative GPA is a 3.4.

After I graduated, I was offered a job to go work for a management consulting firm where I made a decent amount of money for someone my age. After some time, I hated it so much. It was very stressful and there were a lot of incompetent people there. I left the company after 2 1/2 years and went to a new company where it is less stressful with very nice co workers.

I have the 8-5 job with good pay and benefits. But sometimes I seriously question whether or not I truly enjoy what I do. So it always points me to the medical field because that was my other option during my college years. After working in a stressful and crazy hour place, I realized that I probably wouldn't even joy being a doctor no matter how much money they paid me especially after reading about all the stories of how much people hate it.

I have been looking at other medical field jobs. For example, pharmacist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and physician assistant. After looking at both the pros and cons, it seems like the best option would be a physician therapist. All of them would require going back to school to take a few classes over again and taking some pre requirements that I have not taken. Physical/Occupational therapy would take me 3 years with close to 100k in debt and I would make less than what I make currently. Pharmacy is one field that I don't really find appealing and I question the job security for pharmacists in 5-10 years. Physician assistant seems like a great option since it is only a 2 year program with a decent salary coming out with lots of flexibility but would need to take some time to re-take classes and find a job in a hospital that would allow me to get the required patient care hours.

If I can help people in some way and not sit at a desk all day long, I think I would enjoy the job a lot more. It would allow me to feel accomplished end of the day and I could work maybe 4 days instead of 5 and it can vary. I also think when I'm 40-50 years old, I can be confident that if I lose my job, I can easily find a new one. Does anyone else feel this way? Has anyone been through this and actually made the move to the medical field?

It might be that I'm just crazy and need to get the f*** over it but I seriously consider it everyday and it hurts. Please don't say I'm worried about money. I could have stayed in management consulting for 2 more years and made well over a pharmacist or physician assistant with no debt. I just want a job that I want to get better at continuously and not be worried about losing my job when I'm 40 but at the same time enjoy what I do because nothing is worse than waking up to go to work that you don't enjoy.

Sorry the post is so long but I had a lot to say and I finally got the courage to put it up on here. Thanks in advance.

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[kraskadva]

Rather than spinning the wheels in your own head, you should go do some shadowing and find out if the reality of the job (rather that just what you're garnering from hearsay and imagination) actually appeals to you.
Weekends, evenings, vacation time- go spend them following anybody in the field that will let you (whichever field you're most interested it) and see if you really want to make the leap or not.

 

[kraskadva]

And welcome to the pack. There are a lot of us here that have jumped ship from various other careers, but no one would ever recommend jumping blind.

 

[Dexter12]

Thanks for your replies. My first step will be to start volunteering and then find someone to shadow.

Also, I was wondering if you could give me a little about your background. When did you first think about leaving the corporate world? What was it that you hated and what was the event that finally made you leave? Did you think about any other professions? What do you do now?

 

[DrMidlife]

Best to find out if you can like any job before you spend 10 years training for another job. Whatever you hate about your current/former jobs, you'll find it in medicine too, plus/minus a few irritants. Yup.

 

[Dexter12]

The things I hated during my consulting time was the people. Since we were often traveling at client sites, we had to bend over for the clients and work whenever they wanted us to. This pretty much meant work 8am- until you can't work anymore for the day and it starts all over again. This ultimately goes into the weekends. It was a never ending cycle.

I since left consulting and joined company that values work/life balance much more than consulting. However, I hate the fact that I have to sit in a cubicle all day long and give status on whether a report is complete, etc. Constantly looking forward to Fridays. I don't think I can live my entire life looking forward to fridays even though Fridays are awesome.

I think physical work would also be nice for me. Some days, I just sit at my desk and browse for couple of hours. I know this may seem fun for someone who can't do it at all but I rather be busy and work for 8 or 10 hours and be completely done with work. It just doesn't seem very fulfilling for me right now. The last thing that bothers me is job security. There are a lot of older folks that treat people like **** because that's the only way they know how to survive. I don't think I can do that when I'm older ...

It's ok for people to tell me to suck it up and judge and give your opinions. I've always wanted to post this but finally got the courage to

 

[GCSDOC]

You gotta shadow and talk to professionals and students in those fields. Your path will become MUCH clearer once you physically engage with the ideas in your head. Whatever you do, never jump into any path without spending time shadowing, talking to professionals, and considering the pros/cons of the decision. Good luck!

 

[W19]

Hello everyone,

I finished my undergraduate degree 4 years ago with a dual degree in Finance and Biology. I know, it's an odd combination but it is what it is. During my college years, I had friends that were both pre-medicine and friends that wanted to go in the business route. Both routes seemed appealing to me for its own reasons. The pre-medicine side because of the prestige, status, money, job security, etc (not so much because I LOVED science) and the business side because it seemed cool to work for a top 4 accounting firm making 60k and earning money right out of the gate at the tender age of 22. My science is probably ~2.8-3.0ish. Cumulative GPA is a 3.4.

Do you see yourself in that job for another 10, 15, 20 years? If you don't, it's time to explore other careers...

 

[Dexter12]

Gosh, from my point of view right now, I don't even know if I can do it for another 5 years. Some weeks are painful. So you're right... It is time for some exploring.

And that seems to be the common theme around here. If anyone has any examples of what they went through, would love to hear it.

 

[ridethecliche]

Bio and finance seem like a good combo for the pharmaceutical industry.

As for your reasons for doing pre-med, you'd probably never survive the first two years of med school with that attitude.

 

[Dexter12]

You're absolutely right. That's the reason I don't really want to go into being a doctor. I could have made a lot of money in management consulting but I learned that no matter how much money you are making, if you aren't happy, it is the worst feeling ever. But I want to help people because I find it more meaningful to help someone who just got out of surgery than to sit in a desk figuring out what fields I want to put in a report.

 

[BHB2008]

Best to find out if you can like any job before you spend 10 years training for another job. Whatever you hate about your current/former jobs, you'll find it in medicine too, plus/minus a few irritants. Yup.

I really dislike this response, and I see it around here a lot. It's simply not true. What OP doesn't like about his current job--being stuck in a cubicle in front of a computer at a desk all day--will not be part of his job as a doctor.

Basically this knee-jerk response places the burden of liking your job on you, regardless of what job it is.

Pre-Med: "Gee, I hate being a roof-layer" (the worst job in U.S. according to U Chicago study).

Grizzled Cynic: "Well, don't think medicine will be any better. You'll hate the same stuff at the new job as you do at that one."

Pre-Med: "Oh, okay. I guess there's something wrong with me and I'll hate every job since I hate this one. Guess I'll just accept that all jobs suck."

 

[ridethecliche]

@BHB2008 have any idea how much time doctors spend ordering tests, reviewing results, writing notes etc.

They do all of that in front of a screen and yeah, it takes hours a day.

You're absolutely right. That's the reason I don't really want to go into being a doctor. I could have made a lot of money in management consulting but I learned that no matter how much money you are making, if you aren't happy, it is the worst feeling ever. But I want to help people because I find it more meaningful to help someone who just got out of surgery than to sit in a desk figuring out what fields I want to put in a report.

Have you ever done this though?

 

[BHB2008]

@BHB2008 have any idea how much time doctors spend ordering tests, reviewing results, writing notes etc.

They do all of that in front of a screen and yeah, it takes hours a day.

Yes, it's a job in 2014. A computer is involved somehow. Not exactly a well-kept secret.

There is a difference between a few hours a day and the entire day, every single day, all year long, without fail. A huge difference.

Have you ever done *that* for any extended period of time?

The jobs are completely different. No use in bashing the OP for not liking the central aspect of his job and claiming that it'll be the same, because truth is, it just won't.

It's not as if career assessment tests rate "corporate desk jockey" and "doctor" as similar.

On the other hand, if OP has an absolute aversion to any sitting at a desk in front of a compter ever, perhaps he *should* look into roof-laying.

 

[ridethecliche]

How much do you know about pharma companies and what the jobs entail? What about device companies?

I work with a ton of device reps that get to work in cadaver labs, advise surgeons in the OR, lead educational opportunities etc. There are tons of jobs out there that fit the OP's current qualifications that don't require an MD.

Appreciate the snark though.

The OP needs to volunteer and shadow because they have an iota of a clue. Switching from finance/consulting to medicine is awesome and has worked for lots of people including many non-trads on this board, but they actually have a semblance of a clue as to the lifestyle and day to day duties of a physician.

 

[DrMidlife]

I really dislike this response, and I see it around here a lot. It's simply not true. What OP doesn't like about his current job--being stuck in a cubicle in front of a computer at a desk all day--will not be part of his job as a doctor.

S/he disliked a long list of other things in the other job. Lots of disliking things at work.

There will never actually be any shortage of things to complain about at any job. You will never find one where you can avoid being annoyed/irritated/bored. Being fulfilled/satisfied has to transcend the day-to-day aspects of a job. If you've never been in a job where you can feel satisfaction in the work despite day-to-day crap, medicine isn't going to fix you. Even if you find a job that isn't immediately annoying/irritating/boring. You can lose your office and get cubicled after 10 years in practice. Things change. The people you like working with move away, nurses go on strike, your practice gets bought out, Medicare reimbursements get more requirements attached, the EMR upgrade takes you back to the stone age, your project gets cancelled, you get transferred, etc etc etc. If suckage is going to derail you, stay in a lower stakes game that doesn't cost $250k+++.

Ditto the other comment about being in front of a computer all day. In med school and residency you'll borrow nearly every computer and desk space you use for the 5+ years you work on the wards. If you're lucky you may have something you can hang your winter coat on without fear of it being stolen. If you're lucky you can sometimes sit while you work between patients.

Basically this knee-jerk response places the burden of liking your job on you, regardless of what job it is.

Yup. You do have that responsibility. You have to be the one who figures out what makes you happy. Changing careers doesn't solve the day-to-day problem. Finding ways to handle the day-to-day stuff is WORK that you have to get good at. Forever.

Find posts by @cabinbuilder about how she chooses her locums - she's a great model for responsibility and self-awareness and knowing what you need and not expecting or trusting your employer to look out for you like your mom does. She's an impressive grownup about all this stuff.

Best of luck to you.

 

[kraskadva]

Thanks for your replies. My first step will be to start volunteering and then find someone to shadow.

Also, I was wondering if you could give me a little about your background. When did you first think about leaving the corporate world? What was it that you hated and what was the event that finally made you leave? Did you think about any other professions? What do you do now?

Well, for starters, I was never in the corporate world per se. And I didn't leave my previous career because I hated it, I left because I wanted medicine more.
I actually grew up in medicine- surrounded by docs in the family and very involved in running my dad's practice from an early age. When I went off to college, I ran as far and as fast AWAY from medicine at that time, because I'd seen most of the crappy parts of medicine and wanted nothing to do with them. I ended up teaching English internationally in all sorts of environments- from elementary schools to corporate CEOs offices. And I loved it. I love teaching and it's something I do and will continue to do.
However, at the same time, I saw all the business aspects of teaching (which suck) and they were mostly the same as the business aspects of medicine (which suck). And I realized that I could deal with those just fine, so long as the main reason for me being there was something worth going in for (teaching or medicine). And I missed the medical world and all that it entailed. So I made the decision to come back and do what I needed to in order to be a doctor.

So I 100% agree with DrMidlife:

S/he disliked a long list of other things in the other job. Lots of disliking things at work.

There will never actually be any shortage of things to complain about at any job. You will never find one where you can avoid being annoyed/irritated/bored. Being fulfilled/satisfied has to transcend the day-to-day aspects of a job. If you've never been in a job where you can feel satisfaction in the work despite day-to-day crap, medicine isn't going to fix you. Even if you find a job that isn't immediately annoying/irritating/boring. You can lose your office and get cubicled after 10 years in practice. Things change. The people you like working with move away, nurses go on strike, your practice gets bought out, Medicare reimbursements get more requirements attached, the EMR upgrade takes you back to the stone age, your project gets cancelled, you get transferred, etc etc etc. If suckage is going to derail you, stay in a lower stakes game that doesn't cost $250k+++.

Ditto the other comment about being in front of a computer all day. In med school and residency you'll borrow nearly every computer and desk space you use for the 5+ years you work on the wards. If you're lucky you may have something you can hang your winter coat on without fear of it being stolen. If you're lucky you can sometimes sit while you work between patients.

Yup. You do have that responsibility. You have to be the one who figures out what makes you happy. Changing careers doesn't solve the day-to-day problem. Finding ways to handle the day-to-day stuff is WORK that you have to get good at. Forever.

Find posts by @cabinbuilder about how she chooses her locums - she's a great model for responsibility and self-awareness and knowing what you need and not expecting or trusting your employer to look out for you like your mom does. She's an impressive grownup about all this stuff.

Best of luck to you.

If you absolutely hate where you are now, then yes, find a way out to something better. But medicine is not a field you can go into on a whim. You have to be running to medicine, not running away from something else. Or it will eat you alive.
All of those thing you said you hated about your current job exist in one form or another in medicine. You have to have a driving reason to put up with them or you'll never be satisfied with your career.
Best of luck.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Wow, @DrMidlife, I am honored at such a compliment. Yes, I figured out a long time ago how to be my own person and not let the corporate admin soul suckers make my life miserable. About the not wanting to be in front of a computer all day, that is for a rude awakening to the OP since 80% of what we do anymore involves typing into the beast.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I really dislike this response, and I see it around here a lot. It's simply not true. What OP doesn't like about his current job--being stuck in a cubicle in front of a computer at a desk all day--will not be part of his job as a doctor.
."

I beg to differ on this statement. After getting killed this week in urgent care, I am currently looking at almost 4 days of charting I was not able to get done to the tune of about 70 charts. That means at least a 10 hour day tomorrow sitting at a computer charting. That doesn't include looking at all my lab results, my xray results, my prescription refills, my referrals, etc. If you think being a doctor means you don't sit in front of a computer all day, then you are in for a HUGE wake up call. 80% of my day is spent on the computer.

 

[Traumweber]

The things I hated during my consulting time was the people. Since we were often traveling at client sites, we had to bend over for the clients and work whenever they wanted us to. This pretty much meant work 8am- until you can't work anymore for the day and it starts all over again. This ultimately goes into the weekends. It was a never ending cycle.

I since left consulting and joined company that values work/life balance much more than consulting. However, I hate the fact that I have to sit in a cubicle all day long and give status on whether a report is complete, etc. Constantly looking forward to Fridays. I don't think I can live my entire life looking forward to fridays even though Fridays are awesome.

I think physical work would also be nice for me. Some days, I just sit at my desk and browse for couple of hours. I know this may seem fun for someone who can't do it at all but I rather be busy and work for 8 or 10 hours and be completely done with work. It just doesn't seem very fulfilling for me right now. The last thing that bothers me is job security. There are a lot of older folks that treat people like **** because that's the only way they know how to survive. I don't think I can do that when I'm older ...

It's ok for people to tell me to suck it up and judge and give your opinions. I've always wanted to post this but finally got the courage to

I strongly suggest considering all opportunities to "help people" using your existing skills first. Get into medicine only because you really really enjoy the clinical aspect, and take your time figuring out that you really do. I have received the same advice from some very helpful members here, and I totally agree. Sick people are not the most cheerful ones, and if you hate people in your current job you may hate patients too because they may treat you like crap, are grumpy or thankless or don't recognize you for helping them. You definitely need to have the personality of someone you finds satisfaction and validation within yourself. Otherwise it may be a dis-service to you and your future patients.
Also even if you dream of being a botox and silicone doctor in L.A. or as a pathologist doing autopsy, you still have to go through 6+ years of medical training and specialization! So make sure you are really up to it. I suggest volunteering for atleast 1 year in a hospital with patient contact.
Considering a medical career for job security is not the best idea. A tenured faculty position at a university may be a better choice!

 

[ridethecliche]

I beg to differ on this statement. After getting killed this week in urgent care, I am currently looking at almost 4 days of charting I was not able to get done to the tune of about 70 charts. That means at least a 10 hour day tomorrow sitting at a computer charting. That doesn't include looking at all my lab results, my xray results, my prescription refills, my referrals, etc. If you think being a doctor means you don't sit in front of a computer all day, then you are in for a HUGE wake up call. 80% of my day is spent on the computer.

Exactly.

I've worked in a search hospital for 4 years. I've worked with mostly ID docs and Ortho surgeons. They all do crap tons of stuff on a computer although the ortho surgeons tend to dictate and often hire someone to do their chart stuff for them because they can afford to do it and they absolutely hate it.

I love pre-meds and med students telling me I'm wrong about this stuff because I spend a load of time working with residents, fellows, and attendings from various disciplines. Being a fly on the wall has its perks. I'm still figuring out how to translate that over to discuss it in interviews without sounding totally cynical.

I know there are parts of medicine I will absolutely hate, but I'm realistic about them. The other stuff just makes it worth it to me. I can't recall how many times I've been asked if I really want to do this by a resident that's post call, a fellow that's getting out of an urgent trauma case, or an attending that's been on the phone with the insurance company for an hour and wants to reach through the line and slap someone.

 

[BHB2008]

4 days of charting at a computer sucks, but it's offset by the period of time that you were *not* at a computer, and it's not 100% of your time, as in office jobs. And, as you said, that is an unusually high amount.

I think the uber-contrarian nature of this forum leads some to make ridiculous claims.

On one hand, you have the grizzled old cynics saying "You can never know what is' like unless XYZ, and it's like nothing else!!" On the other hand, "It's just like the job you hate! You'll hate the same things about it."

My original post was simply to point out that it's a knee-jerk response to say to someone that *simply* because you dislike job X, you will also automatically dislike job Y, when X and Y are very different jobs. (And can we agree that corporate desk jockey and physician are very different jobs?)

I wasn't claiming that OP has enough information to know s/he'll like being a physician. That's anybody's guess, and no one's, because guessing that would be a fool's errand, but I get so sick and tired of people on here who seem to think that if someone is unhappy in their current career it's some personal defect, and they won't be happy in any career. Re-read Dr. MidLife's first post which I was responding to, and *that* was most certainly the implication. It's rude, and just not true.

 

[BHB2008]

But that it's great to remind OP that physician life involves many mundane, menial, tedious tasks in front of a computer that involve laborious paperwork. That's all very good to remember!

 

[Dexter12]

First of all, thanks to everyone for responding. I really do appreciate your time.

Second, I don't think I necessarily want to be a doctor. When I was in undergrad, I thought that was the only option and if I didn't have big ego, I could have gone the physical therapy route when it could have been most efficient. I'm just possibility exploring the idea of working in healthcare. From all the posts on here, it is clearly obvious that physicians spend a lot of time documenting work and I can magine now that EMR is exploding. My job actually consists of implementing similar systems that manufacturing companies utilize. With that being said, what physicians do on a computer and what I do on a computer are VERY different.

So let me ask for the physicians or close to be physicians on here - do you feel like you are making a difference at the end of the day? Or is the whole 'charting' for 4 days bringing you down and wanting you to do something different?

I definitely don't intend to quit my job and jump on the becoming a doctor wagon anytime soon. I just wanted to see if there were anyone else in my position who feel that going into healthcare (that doesn't mean go become a doctor) would be a better life or satisfaction?

I also hear that some physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants work 7 days on for ~10 hours each and then get 7 days off. which I am so jealous of!! I wish I could do that. Is this true for any other professions in healthcare?

 

[cabinbuilder]

So let me ask for the physicians or close to be physicians on here - do you feel like you are making a difference at the end of the day? Or is the whole 'charting' for 4 days bringing you down and wanting you to do something different?

Let me clarify this: We all chart EVERY DAY. I'm not charting for 4 days. I'm behind on 4 days worth of charting=70 charts. There is a difference and some other person skewed my original reply. The point is that most of my day consists of sitting in front of a computer. I use it to order my labs, my xray,s my Rx, and I have to put in my chart note.

 

[kraskadva]

With that being said, what physicians do on a computer and what I do on a computer are VERY different.

Well, I don't know exactly what you do in the computer, and I sense that you don't know exactly what a heathcare professional does on the computer, but that's kinda beside the point. They will be different things, but neither will be fun or exciting.
The real issue I see here is if you hate those hours on the computer period (regardless of what you're entering) because computer hours won't go away in healthcare, only the keystrokes will change. It that's a deal breaker for you, then it's something to think about.

The things I hated during my consulting time was the people. Since we were often traveling at client sites, we had to bend over for the clients and work whenever they wanted us to. This pretty much meant work 8am- until you can't work anymore for the day and it starts all over again. This ultimately goes into the weekends. It was a never ending cycle.

Same with dealing with people and working long hours. The details will be different, and the power dynamic will be flipped to a certain degree (though not totally), but you still have to work with people and make them happy-ish and that will take many hours out of your week, every week.

This is kind of the heart of what @DrMidlife and @cabinbuilder and I have been saying, and what @BHB2008 seems to be missing our points on... medicine won't magically make any of these issues you dislike in your job disappear. But potentially it can give you a reason to put up with them and not hate your job. Potentially. But we can't tell you that. Only you can decide if healthcare will be a fulfilling career for you, and you can only do that if you know what the day to day actually entails. So you need to go see that, go shadow. If physical therapy is what sounds the best to you, then open up the phonebook and start calling all the PT people in driving distance until you find someone to let you shadow. Go and see.

I also hear that some physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants work 7 days on for ~10 hours each and then get 7 days off. which I am so jealous of!! I wish I could do that. Is this true for any other professions in healthcare?

FYI- This isn't that common. 3 on, 3 off is more common, but that's mostly in the Emergency Med/ hospitalist side of the game. If you're working out of an office of any variety, you typically get regular business hours. There are part time positions in a lot of fields, but part time often means less job security, which you were also worried about.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I also hear that some physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants work 7 days on for ~10 hours each and then get 7 days off. which I am so jealous of!! I wish I could do that. Is this true for any other professions in healthcare?

You see a lot of these types of work schedules in small rural places who can't get staffing otherwise and you fly into the site to put in your time and then fly home. A lot of locums jobs are like this. I am currently getting scheduled for a 7 on 7 off urgent care job in Wyoming (I live in Oregon) and will fly back and forth or will fill the the "off" weeks with another UC job in Texas. They are out there, but they are not the norm. Many hospitalist jobs are also weekly but you are on 24/7 for that week.

 

[W19]

First of all, thanks to everyone for responding. I really do appreciate your time.

Second, I don't think I necessarily want to be a doctor. When I was in undergrad, I thought that was the only option and if I didn't have big ego, I could have gone the physical therapy route when it could have been most efficient. I'm just possibility exploring the idea of working in healthcare. From all the posts on here, it is clearly obvious that physicians spend a lot of time documenting work and I can magine now that EMR is exploding. My job actually consists of implementing similar systems that manufacturing companies utilize. With that being said, what physicians do on a computer and what I do on a computer are VERY different.

So let me ask for the physicians or close to be physicians on here - do you feel like you are making a difference at the end of the day? Or is the whole 'charting' for 4 days bringing you down and wanting you to do something different?

I definitely don't intend to quit my job and jump on the becoming a doctor wagon anytime soon. I just wanted to see if there were anyone else in my position who feel that going into healthcare (that doesn't mean go become a doctor) would be a better life or satisfaction?

I also hear that some physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants work 7 days on for ~10 hours each and then get 7 days off. which I am so jealous of!! I wish I could do that. Is this true for any other professions in healthcare?

If you are ok with a 150k student loan and a prospect to make 60-75k/year, PT might be ok, but you still will spend time doing stuff in a computer... Almost everything is computerized these days... The best way to go about your situation is to start shadowing some of the healthcare professionals (MD/DO, PA, PT)...

 

[Law2Doc]

Rather than spinning the wheels in your own head, you should go do some shadowing and find out if the reality of the job (rather that just what you're garnering from hearsay and imagination) actually appeals to you.
Weekends, evenings, vacation time- go spend them following anybody in the field that will let you (whichever field you're most interested it) and see if you really want to make the leap or not.

Shadowing what? He already indicated he thought he wouldn't enjoy medicine no matter how much money he got paid. He indicated he didn't like working with people. He indicated he didn't like working on a computer. He doesn't seem to like stressful jobs with crazy hours, does like a good salary and prestige, and thinks he might enjoy something physical rather than at a desk. If he wasn't 40 I would advise him to join the peace corps for a few years and figure out what he wants to do with his life. I don't think anything in the medical field is going to work for him. You don't career change just for the sake of shaking things up, you need to be drawn to something. Absent that, this guy should keep his day job and just find something physical where he helps people on the weekends. (habitat for humanity pops to mind).

 

[kraskadva]

Shadowing what? He already indicated he thought he wouldn't enjoy medicine no matter how much money he got paid. He indicated he didn't like working with people. He indicated he didn't like working on a computer. He doesn't seem to like stressful jobs with crazy hours, does like a good salary and prestige, and thinks he might enjoy something physical rather than at a desk. If he wasn't 40 I would advise him to join the peace corps for a few years and figure out what he wants to do with his life. I don't think anything in the medical field is going to work for him. You don't career change just for the sake of shaking things up, you need to be drawn to something. Absent that, this guy should keep his day job and just find something physical where he helps people on the weekends. (habitat for humanity pops to mind).

Where'd you get that he's 40? I'm reading ~26...

I finished my undergraduate degree 4 years ago with a dual degree in Finance and Biology... earning money right out of the gate at the tender age of 22.

Yeah, OP definitely needs to figure out his life. To that end, both the peace corp and habitat sound like solid suggestions to me.
But the main issue that we've all been commenting on is how OP will just have to learn to deal like an adult with these aspects of work that he dislikes, and that medicine won't make them go away- just like you're saying.

 

[Law2Doc]

Where'd you get that he's 40? I'm reading ~26...


Yeah, OP definitely needs to figure out his life. To that end, both the peace corp and habitat sound like solid suggestions to me.
But the main issue that we've all been commenting on is how OP will just have to learn to deal like an adult with these aspects of work that he dislikes, and that medicine won't make them go away- just like you're saying.

My bad -- he mentioned 40 a few times in his post but I guess he was talking about the future. Yeah, I think medicine or healthcare isn't the answer to the questions he's posing. Absolutely shadowing doctors would be a waste of time for him. He needs to figure out what he wants to do, not launch into something else that all indications suggest he'll hate.

 

[W19]

My bad -- he mentioned 40 a few times in his post but I guess he was talking about the future. Yeah, I think medicine or healthcare isn't the answer to the questions he's posing. Absolutely shadowing doctors would be a waste of time for him. He needs to figure out what he wants to do, not launch into something else that all indications suggest he'll hate.

How shadowing physicians or other healthcare professionals would be a waste of time?

 

[Law2Doc]

How shadowing physicians or other healthcare professionals would be a waste of time?

Simple. He said "I realize that I probably wouldn't even enjoy being a doctor" and the thing he hated about consulting were the people/clients and their expectations. And also listed other issues he had with PT/OT, pharmacy, and the length of training to be PA. Given this insight I don't think healthcare is ever going to be a good fit, and thus a total waste of time for him. For me to say "go shadow" I need to see some semblance of interest in medicine, working with patients, etc. He has expressed none of that. He just isn't a fan of his desk job, demanding employers/clients and lack of job security. He is focused on how long it will take to retrain and whether the income will be better. Nowhere do i see a statement that hes excited about any aspect of medicine. So the answer to that statement is never "go shadow a doctor" (or PA, whatever). He first needs some insight into what interests him before it's worth wasting peoples time with shadowing them. If he said, I'm fascinated with medicine, working with patients, always thought being a doctor would be a better fit, etc, my answer might be different. But he didn't. He said "I probably wouldn't enjoy being a doctor", and PT/OT don't earn more than I do now, and pharmacists don't have good job security. I think those of you saying "go shadow" are answering your own questions rather than looking at his. The better answer to this guys post is "go find yourself" and maybe in the meantime get a hobby like Habitat for Humanity that gives you the ability to do something fulfilling and "physical" but won't cost you your income or job security.

 

[BHB2008]

@Law2Doc You're right. I didn't see that. Off to roof-laying it is. Hey, at least it's outside!

 

[Law2Doc]

@Law2Doc You're right. I didn't see that. Off to roof-laying it is. Hey, at least it's outside!

I'm picturing Peter cleaning up debris at the end of Office Space

 

[Meadow10]

have been wanting to be an OT for ten years but I have not gone because of the loans. Does anyone have any advice about whether this wAs the right decision?