Strategies for quitting medicine

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Drake Mooch

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Hello! I'm considering leaving medicine for a less stressful career. I'm currently in my first year of residency and I haven't made any definite decisions. No matter what, I'm going to complete this year and sit Step 3. Beyond that, I can't be certain. The details of why I'm considering leaving are immaterial, but it suffices to say that it's something I've been considering for a long time. I have two questions.

1) Does anyone have input about loan management after leaving the field? My loans are relatively manageable compared to my peers (<$100,000). Are there any volunteer organizations that offer loan forgiveness programs? I can't find anything through the Peace Corps, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. Are there any medical volunteer programs that have loan forgiveness, and would I be eligible for them without completing residency? I know there is an NIH Research program, but I have very little research background.

2) What sort of work should I be on the lookout for? I don't care about earning big money; I'd just like something with a regular schedule and where I won't constantly be taking work home.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to your help.
 
If you work in Michigan at ANY non-profit for 10 years you'll get all of your loans forgiven. This was designed to encourage future docs to pursue Family in rural areas. There are only 3 hospitals in Michigan that are for-profit by the way. But if you don't want a medical career and you have a large debt obligation then this could be a way out to I suppose. Just to clarify, you don't have to have an MD or work at a hospital to qualify for this. I don't know if other states do this or not, but it might be something to look into in your state.
 
I quit clinical medicine for various personal reasons and currently working as a senior clinical consultant for medical/healthcare IT company. The pay isnt as glorious as medicine, but the work schedule is much more humane, M-F 9-5/6ish, no weekends, no overnights, no holidays, but do have some traveling but company paid. It gives me more time for my family, so to me it is worth it.
 
HIJay said:
I quit clinical medicine for various personal reasons and currently working as a senior clinical consultant for medical/healthcare IT company. The pay isnt as glorious as medicine, but the work schedule is much more humane, M-F 9-5/6ish, no weekends, no overnights, no holidays, but do have some traveling but company paid. It gives me more time for my family, so to me it is worth it.
Click to expand...

This right here is a banner f**king post.

This may be the first time that somebody who has left left clinical medicine for another career has posted in response to an SDN post asking "what else can I do besides by a doctor" with anything other than "I got out...you can too" or "there are lots of non-clinical jobs out there, just look" or "work for McKinsey as a consultant."

Thanks for providing some slightly useful information before the usual, useless suspects chimed in on this topic.
 
gutonc said:
This right here is a banner f**king post.

This may be the first time that somebody who has left left clinical medicine for another career has posted in response to an SDN post asking "what else can I do besides by a doctor" with anything other than "I got out...you can too" or "there are lots of non-clinical jobs out there, just look" or "work for McKinsey as a consultant."

Thanks for providing some slightly useful information before the usual, useless suspects chimed in on this topic.
Click to expand...

I wish there was a "like" button where I could like your post (this one and many others). I completely agree with you about the usual useless "advice" given out on this topic.

And apparently McKinsey is recruiting, applications due on 21st Sept., 2011 to start Sept., 2012-we just had a presentation at our campus. They take students straight out of medical school and pay them a starting salary of $125k a year-I asked and that's what they said.

To the OP, I don't have any advice for you, but good luck with whatever path you take.
 
OP should make sure this is what he/she wants to do, because this is a big decision. Also, when you are near a final decision, make sure to tell the PD early, or per your contract, so that the program has time to find a replacement. Make it clear that you want to finish internship, too. On the other hand, if the program is malignant, you might not want to reveal it too early before you have finalized your plans. I don't have much advice for you because I haven't found another career yet. I do know that loan forgiveness options for Federal Loans are fairly limited. As other have posted, the options are usually working many years in a rural or underserved program.
 
You could do alot of things, just ask yourself: what is it that would really make me feel good about myself and my life? Sometimes, medicine tricks us into thinking that it is the only way - the lights and the illusions of money and glamor blind us.

You could teach, have you ever read the book "The Color of Atmosphere" by Maggie Kozol, MD? or you could go into business, start your own or work in insurance or where ever. In other words, having a background in medicine means you are smart and are able/willing to work hard. Apply those same principles to another field.

I met a great lawyer who decided he didn't want to be so cut-throat anymore. Made some changes in his life and now is finishing up a social work degree. He wanted to make a difference and now he really can. It's not all about the money or the title. Sometimes, it really is good to come home to a happy, healthy family and be able to be a good parent and spouse. Truly, the best things in life cannot be bought with money - time with people we love, peace of mind and the love of those we also love.

If you look on Sermo, you will see that many physicians also want to leave and have done it in many different ways. You can too.
 
gutonc said:
I don't think that anyone, including healthcare consultants, could give you an honest answer to that question.
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That is very true. After their presentation at our campus, the McKinsey healthcare consultants stayed over for enlightening us. There were three people with medical backgrounds, two surgeons and one guy straight out of med. school. None of them could really explain to me what they actually did, at least in any way that would make sense to me. Maybe I am not cut out for consultancy. They all claimed to never miss surgery though!

I did ask the HR chief point-blank what they pay, that's how I know that the starting salary is $125k plus $20k signing bonus. So if that rocks anyone's boat more than the medical field does, then go for it. I guess this is as good a way out of residency-related issues as any other.
 
Great thread! Are there any readers who have worked for a consulting company who can attempt to describe what they did, or a 'day in the life'?
 
before I took on my job, I was thinking of going into teaching (bio, anatomy/phsyio) back in my alma mater HS. There is a NYC teaching fellowship for people who has no teaching experience/background and they will give you a crash course in 8 weeks in june and you start teaching in NYC school system in Sept. Granted NYC teacher are paid the lowest, i think 40sK starting but with an advanced degree like MD or other master degree it can be increased to 50s K starting. But hey the schedule rocks, every weekend, night, holiday, winter break, spring break, summer vacation off. Something to think about if you want to teach in HS/middle school or even elementary school level

you can just google NYC teaching fellowship for the website
 
peerie said:
You could do alot of things, just ask yourself: what is it that would really make me feel good about myself and my life? Sometimes, medicine tricks us into thinking that it is the only way - the lights and the illusions of money and glamor blind us.

You could teach, have you ever read the book "The Color of Atmosphere" by Maggie Kozol, MD? or you could go into business, start your own or work in insurance or where ever. In other words, having a background in medicine means you are smart and are able/willing to work hard. Apply those same principles to another field.

I met a great lawyer who decided he didn't want to be so cut-throat anymore. Made some changes in his life and now is finishing up a social work degree. He wanted to make a difference and now he really can. It's not all about the money or the title. Sometimes, it really is good to come home to a happy, healthy family and be able to be a good parent and spouse. Truly, the best things in life cannot be bought with money - time with people we love, peace of mind and the love of those we also love.
If you look on Sermo, you will see that many physicians also want to leave and have done it in many different ways. You can too.
Click to expand...

i agree with the bolded statement above. however, in this economy all these positions and options are much different and not necessarily easy to come by anymore.
 
HIJay said:
before I took on my job, I was thinking of going into teaching (bio, anatomy/phsyio) back in my alma mater HS. There is a NYC teaching fellowship for people who has no teaching experience/background and they will give you a crash course in 8 weeks in june and you start teaching in NYC school system in Sept. Granted NYC teacher are paid the lowest, i think 40sK starting but with an advanced degree like MD or other master degree it can be increased to 50s K starting. But hey the schedule rocks, every weekend, night, holiday, winter break, spring break, summer vacation off. Something to think about if you want to teach in HS/middle school or even elementary school level

you can just google NYC teaching fellowship for the website
Click to expand...


i stress not to do it for the perks. look how pharmacy is changing: sign on bonuses gone, work setup getting abusive. do what type of job you would like not the money type job.
 
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. This is all very helpful. Like I said, I haven't made any definite decisions yet, but it's reassuring to know that options exist. A consulting job sounds ideal, although I'm sure they are difficult to land. At >$100K/year, though, I could significantly pay down my loans even if I only stayed on for a couple of years. Getting back to a financial blank slate would be wonderful.
 
HIJay said:
I quit clinical medicine for various personal reasons and currently working as a senior clinical consultant for medical/healthcare IT company. The pay isnt as glorious as medicine, but the work schedule is much more humane, M-F 9-5/6ish, no weekends, no overnights, no holidays, but do have some traveling but company paid. It gives me more time for my family, so to me it is worth it.
Click to expand...
I agree with those who expressed appreciation for your posts here! Substantial advice on this topic seems to be difficult to find.
Since we pretty regularly have threads on here about residents getting fired from residency or people who were not able to match, it's nice to have some idea of where to point people who are struggling the issue of what options other than residency exist for MDs/DOs.
 
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