Anyone else in my boat?

[dustinspeer]

I am beginning to cave under the pressure. My wife is supportive of me and my dream of med school. She is pregnant though, and I have started thinking that this long process is going to be too much for my new family. I really don't want my wife to have to work for 11 more years. She wants to be home with thr baby. I am looking into Pharmacy as an attainable possibility. Its still 4 years, but I don't have to finish a degree and I don't have to go through residency. For the school I would go to, average starting salary for 2001 grads was a little over $73k. That sounds great to me. Am I wrong in this reasoning? Will I regret it the rest of my life?

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[FLY]

Whatever you do for the BETTERMENT of your family is not worthy of being looked back upon... in my opinion...

 

[CardiacGuy]

Dustin,

I've spoken to many of the residents here about that issue. Med school and family is doable. I do realize that you would prefer that your wife not work, but as soon as you become a doc it will all be worth the sacrifice. One guy that I work with, Cardiologist, has four children. Starting in the last couple of years of med school and continuing through residency and fellowship. So, it can work. You just have to have great family support.

Go for it!!

 

[drdrtoledo]

Hi Dustin,
Just wanted to give you advice if you are going into pharmacy. The salary is great... in retail pharmacy. But the job satisfaction is VERY low. If you don't care about your job then it is a viable option. But if your job would play a major role in your mood, then you may do more harm than good. Make sure you hang out with a pharmacist a couple of days, preferably a Monday. I wish I did.
drdrtoledo Pharm.D., BS pharm, Rph

 

[lamyers]

I asked a pharmacist is he would do it all over again (Eckerd drugstore). He said not in a million years. He only had to have a masters and he said for two more years he could have an M.D. He is capped at about $60K a year and there's no way he can go back now. Of course, every profession has unsatisfied people, but in my opinion, if you had originally had your heart set on med school, make it work and do not settle or you will regret it later. At the very least, you will wonder, what if???

 

[cardiosurg]

First things first you should hug and kiss your wife for being so supportive and congratulations on the baby! My ex-husband was a pharmacist and hated it. He made about $80000/yr but worked 13-13.5 hr days! He was supportive of me going to med school until we were married. Grades and everything suffered. Needless to say I am back on track. Enough personal info about me. I guess that I am trying to say that support can be hard to find.
Several of my friends' dads were docs. Most of them were toddlers when their dads were in residency and fellowship. It is hard in the begging. My cousin had twins when her husband was at UCSF! They managed. She did work. Now she does not have to, but works as his receptionists!
You have to think long-term. The question of what type of doctor you want to be should also be considered. For instance, the vascular surgeon that I work for puts in about 60 -70 hours a week. The radiologist that I used to babysit for only worked about 30.
I once thought of becoming a pharmacist, too; then I went and worked with my husband. Literally, 12 hours in the OR went by faster than the 4 hours that I worked with him! I was bored out of my mind! Try it out for a while before you go and change degrees. Go with your heart and pray about it!
Best of luck!