Can't decide on a career path

[dan4269]

I'm a non-trad student (only 25 though) who gave up a very good career because I decided I wanted to be happy rather than play it safe. However, I just can't decide on what I want to do in the healthcare field. Obviously some of this will be answered once I've knocked out some job shadowing (which I have already started with my Optometrist). I have time to decide as I'm not in any time crunch college wise but I thought if I gave a general idea of what I want then maybe you guys could help steer me in certain areas that you think match that description.

1. I want to work to live not live to work. Spending time with my wife and enjoying life outside of work is essential to me.
2. I want to work with patients 1on1 in a setting that can directly help their health. I love helping people and I love science. It's what I have wanted to do since as long as I can remember.
3. The option of being self-employed is very appealing to me
4. I hate retail and have no desire to work at some outlet Lenscrafter or Wal-greens.
5. I don't mind on-call hours or weird schedules provided I have a life I can enjoy outside of it.
6. Job satisfaction is essential to me. For whatever reason I need to have a sense of worth in the job I do to enjoy it. I need to feel like I impacted a life or made a difference in the world somehow.

Bottom line: Help people while maintaining a personal life.

Again, I'm not wanting you guys to help me fit a square into a circle just provide suggestions on what you think would be a good fit please. Currently I'm considering Optometry (loved it so far), Dentistry (whole family of dentists who seem very happy), or Clinical Pharmacy as the idea of helping treat a patient over diagnosing a patient seems very appealing.

Thanks

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[Scottish Chap]

I'm a non-trad student (only 25 though) who gave up a very good career because I decided I wanted to be happy rather than play it safe. However, I just can't decide on what I want to do in the healthcare field. Obviously some of this will be answered once I've knocked out some job shadowing (which I have already started with my Optometrist). I have time to decide as I'm not in any time crunch college wise but I thought if I gave a general idea of what I want then maybe you guys could help steer me in certain areas that you think match that description.

1. I want to work to live not live to work. Spending time with my wife and enjoying life outside of work is essential to me.
2. I want to work with patients 1on1 in a setting that can directly help their health. I love helping people and I love science. It's what I have wanted to do since as long as I can remember.
3. The option of being self-employed is very appealing to me
4. I hate retail and have no desire to work at some outlet Lenscrafter or Wal-greens.
5. I don't mind on-call hours or weird schedules provided I have a life I can enjoy outside of it.
6. Job satisfaction is essential to me. For whatever reason I need to have a sense of worth in the job I do to enjoy it. I need to feel like I impacted a life or made a difference in the world somehow.

Bottom line: Help people while maintaining a personal life.

Again, I'm not wanting you guys to help me fit a square into a circle just provide suggestions on what you think would be a good fit please. Currently I'm considering Optometry (loved it so far), Dentistry (whole family of dentists who seem very happy), or Clinical Pharmacy as the idea of helping treat a patient over diagnosing a patient seems very appealing.

Thanks

Sounds like dentistry is a good option. Keep in mind that all of those careers will require years of sacrifice and temporary discomfort as a trainee before you get the lifestyle you want.

 

[Farmacist2011]

I'm a non-trad student (only 25 though) who gave up a very good career because I decided I wanted to be happy rather than play it safe. However, I just can't decide on what I want to do in the healthcare field. Obviously some of this will be answered once I've knocked out some job shadowing (which I have already started with my Optometrist). I have time to decide as I'm not in any time crunch college wise but I thought if I gave a general idea of what I want then maybe you guys could help steer me in certain areas that you think match that description.

1. I want to work to live not live to work. Spending time with my wife and enjoying life outside of work is essential to me.
2. I want to work with patients 1on1 in a setting that can directly help their health. I love helping people and I love science. It's what I have wanted to do since as long as I can remember.
3. The option of being self-employed is very appealing to me
4. I hate retail and have no desire to work at some outlet Lenscrafter or Wal-greens.
5. I don't mind on-call hours or weird schedules provided I have a life I can enjoy outside of it.
6. Job satisfaction is essential to me. For whatever reason I need to have a sense of worth in the job I do to enjoy it. I need to feel like I impacted a life or made a difference in the world somehow.

Bottom line: Help people while maintaining a personal life.

Again, I'm not wanting you guys to help me fit a square into a circle just provide suggestions on what you think would be a good fit please. Currently I'm considering Optometry (loved it so far), Dentistry (whole family of dentists who seem very happy), or Clinical Pharmacy as the idea of helping treat a patient over diagnosing a patient seems very appealing.

Thanks

Before I finished your post, i was thinking dentistry and your family ocnnections would help a lot. Go with DDS/DMD for SURE!!!!!!

 

[lsu hopeful]

You mentioned maintaining a lifestyle outside of work several times and listed it as number 1 on your list, so I'm going to consider it one of your highest priorities, even if that list wasn't in order of importance.

I would suggest you seriously think about going PA. If you go MD or DDS, you will lose your lifestyle for years. Your social life will suffer and your marriage will suffer. That's not to say it will end, but, inevitably, it will put a strain on any social arrangement you may have.

PA seems like the way to go, IMHO! Good luck finding your path!

 

[Lazarus]

As the above poster mentioned: PA

I am friends with a number of PA's and they all say a huge part of their choice was patient contact and the ability to have a life outside of work.

 

[dan4269]

This is a lot of help.

PA was actually on my radar as well because I hear such good things about the career. Training wise I'm not very concerned as I'm ex-military so "long hours and lots of stress" aren't that big of a deal for me if it's just to get through my training.

The only concern I have with Dental is that because of my former job I am already starting to have pains in my hands and wrists and it is a concern of mine. That, combined with the fact that I don't seem to be very excited about the thought of working with my hands was my only reason I was shying away. Again, this is great feedback I'm just trying to provide as much of my thought process as I can so that I can get some more great feedback from everyone. They all have pros and cons for me I just brought up my Dental concerns because a large majority suggested it.

 

[emericana]

This is a lot of help.

PA was actually on my radar as well because I hear such good things about the career. Training wise I'm not very concerned as I'm ex-military so "long hours and lots of stress" aren't that big of a deal for me if it's just to get through my training.

The only concern I have with Dental is that because of my former job I am already starting to have pains in my hands and wrists and it is a concern of mine. That, combined with the fact that I don't seem to be very excited about the thought of working with my hands was my only reason I was shying away. Again, this is great feedback I'm just trying to provide as much of my thought process as I can so that I can get some more great feedback from everyone. They all have pros and cons for me I just brought up my Dental concerns because a large majority suggested it.

Why dont you look into podiatry? You would be surprised by the field. It has very flexable hours and you do private practice.

 

[dan4269]

I'll check into podiatry. It never stood out to me but I'm open to anything

 

[dan4269]

Anyone have any information on whether clinical pharmacy seems like a good fit? It seems to have that patient interaction that I want while maintaining decent work hours (but I'm not in the field and am going off of second hand information).

 

[deleted6669]

keep in mind that "pa is a lifestyle job" is the biggest myth out there.
sure, if you want to work outpt fp making 65k/yr you can work 40 hrs m-f 9-5 with no call.
but if you want to work in a specialty and/or make a decent living you will be working the hrs docs don't want to work( nights/weekends/holidays), doing the things they don't want to do( 1st call to the hospital, early am rounds,hospital admissions and d/c, night hospitalist, follow up wound clinics, HIV/hep c/std clinic etc) in places they don't want to work (rural, inner city, etc).
pa's and np's were created to do the work docs don't want to do to make their lives easier. I don't blame them. if I was a doc I would have a pa/np do all my scut too so I could concentrate on the parts of my job I enjoy most(operating for surgeons for example).
there are some good pa/np jobs out there but for the most part they are not available to new grads and you really need 5+ yrs experience to hope to land one.
I know very few pa's who work fewer hrs than the docs they work with. even in primary care the pa/np is often the first to arrive at the clinic and the last to leave.
CAVEAT: I'm feeling a little burnt right now as I haven't had a day off in almost a month and won't until june at the earliest. that doesn't make my statements any less true however...

 

[dan4269]

Emedpa I appreciate feedback from another point of view as it all seems helpful in some way so don't worry if it comes off negative. Hearing what people hate or dislike is just as helpful as what they enjoy in this case I think. Thanks

 

[jl lin]

Hey, this job looks pretty good. . .at least financially.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127827327

 

[dan4269]

I'm not very interested in working with hedge funds and could really care less about salary. If all I wanted was a big salary I would've stayed with my old job. Thanks though

 

[deleted6669]

Emedpa I appreciate feedback from another point of view as it all seems helpful in some way so don't worry if it comes off negative. Hearing what people hate or dislike is just as helpful as what they enjoy in this case I think. Thanks

I don't hate my job, I hate aspects of my job. on the bright side at my current position I work mostly solo nights and few things beat getting paid to sleep or watch zombie movies and eat pizza on slow shifts...

 

[jl lin]

I'm not very interested in working with hedge funds and could really care less about salary. If all I wanted was a big salary I would've stayed with my old job. Thanks though

It's alright. My sarcasm though was to make a big point. For medicine, there are seemingly endless hoops to jump through--they are so seemingly endless that it is hard to tell if indeed they are endless.

Don't underestimate the huge suck-factor in medicine. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for medicine, and I want to be a physician; but I am a little nuts. lol

I say that because of balancing out the realities to a fair degree. Some may say I don't have any claim on this; but I differ b/c of what I have worked up close and personal with for more years than I want to say. I say if you can look on that as long as I have and still want to do it, you are either functionally insane or are meant to do it.

So I say let others poo poo that. I know what I have worked around and seen. I know what many good physician-friends have had to go through. For 99.9% of them, I have an enormous amount of respect. It's a doable road, but it's beyond taxing. So if you can live with the beyond taxing parts of it (beyond many) and jump through all the hoops, while remaining truly caring, compassionate, and competent, well, go for it.

As far as dental sciences, some people love it. It's a nice income and better hours. It would just bore the life out of me.

Pharm sciences, interesting to a point. It is interesting for me to learn modes of action, but I'd always want to go many steps further in terms of application, and that would involve, well, working in medicine.


There is no way anyone can tell you what YOU are interested in and what really floats your boat. That is all about YOU knowing YOU. So we are at a major disadvantage there.

See what I mean.

 

[Lazarus]

keep in mind that "pa is a lifestyle job" is the biggest myth out there.
sure, if you want to work outpt fp making 65k/yr you can work 40 hrs m-f 9-5 with no call.
but if you want to work in a specialty and/or make a decent living you will be working the hrs docs don't want to work( nights/weekends/holidays), doing the things they don't want to do( 1st call to the hospital, early am rounds,hospital admissions and d/c, night hospitalist, follow up wound clinics, HIV/hep c/std clinic etc) in places they don't want to work (rural, inner city, etc).
pa's and np's were created to do the work docs don't want to do to make their lives easier. I don't blame them. if I was a doc I would have a pa/np do all my scut too so I could concentrate on the parts of my job I enjoy most(operating for surgeons for example).
there are some good pa/np jobs out there but for the most part they are not available to new grads and you really need 5+ yrs experience to hope to land one.
I know very few pa's who work fewer hrs than the docs they work with. even in primary care the pa/np is often the first to arrive at the clinic and the last to leave.
CAVEAT: I'm feeling a little burnt right now as I haven't had a day off in almost a month and won't until june at the earliest. that doesn't make my statements any less true however...

emedpa, I think this really depends on the specialty. (granted you are a PA, I am not)

Avg. 44.3hr/wk as per:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/40/physassist0809.pdf

Of the three PA's I know (2 neuro surg, 1 ENT) none of them complain about on-call.

Also, your pay seems a bit low. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics: "According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants' 2008 Census Report, median income for physician assistants in full-time clinical practice was $85,710 in 2008; median income for first-year graduates was $74,470"

But the OP isn't doing this for a money.

I really think if you want to be a part of medicine and you want to make a life style choice PA is the way to go. Flexibility, lowest opportunity cost of education, excellent pay, and expanding demand.

OP, this is me telling you what YOU are interested in and what really floats your boat. It is all about me knowing YOU.

 

[dan4269]

I appreciate the feedback but I think I'm being a little misinterpreted. I'm not asking anyone to tell me what I would like to do because that's just silly. I was simply saying "based on these factors of what I want in a job what profession do you think would be a good fit." I know job shadowing will be key and I've got plenty of it lined up however, I was just curious if people with more experience than me could recommend a career that I should look into and why they suggest that career. Thanks again.

 

[Lazarus]

Oh I was totally joking with the ME KNOWING YOU maddness...I was just poking fun at jl lin.

My point was to simply to submit some counter points to emedpa's post.

Mr. Dan, enjoy the ride and as you said shadowing and talking to people is your best friend. Take everything anyone says with a grain of salt and make your own evaluations.

 

[jl lin]

Oh I was totally joking with the ME KNOWING YOU maddness...I was just poking fun at jl lin.

*smirk* Huh? How do you figure?

 

[deleted6669]

emedpa, I think this really depends on the specialty. (granted you are a PA, I am not)

Avg. 44.3hr/wk as per:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/40/physassist0809.pdf

Of the three PA's I know (2 neuro surg, 1 ENT) none of them complain about on-call.

Also, your pay seems a bit low. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics: "According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants’ 2008 Census Report, median income for physician assistants in full-time clinical practice was $85,710 in 2008; median income for first-year graduates was $74,470"

I really think if you want to be a part of medicine and you want to make a life style choice PA is the way to go. Flexibility, lowest opportunity cost of education, excellent pay, and expanding demand.

I'm well aware of pa avgs for salary.
just be aware that there are pockets of pa concentration(like nyc for example) where there are lots of pa's relative to the # of jobs so employers will give low ball offers for salary( like 55k-65k) and new grads who want to stay in the area take these ridiculously low offers. a good friend of mine is a critical care pa in nyc at a prestigious hospital. he has been there for 10 yrs and makes 80k.
the entire state of pennsylvania avgs salaries < 80k because there is a huge # of programs there. I make almost twice what some of my colleagues in pennsylvannia who graduated with me make.
many surgical pa's work 60-80 hrs/week. this is more the norm than the exception. your "avg pa workweek" includes those who choose to work 20 hrs/week because they have small kids at home, etc.
among those working full time in most specialties outside of primary care the avg # hrs/mo is much higher.
I'm not saying don't go to pa school I'm saying talk to some actual pa's in multiple specialties in multiple areas before you make your decision.
check out the pa forum at www.physicianassistantforum.com to get some input from actual pa's, not those who think they know all about pa's.