Career advice

[CaffineDoc24]

Hey guys. So up until now I was pursuing medicine. After a rigorous SMP and a gap year, I have been reconsidering it. I realized that although I want a job where I can work with people, use science, and be my own boss, the inherit extremely high level of stress in medical education and as a doctor may not be for me. From moving every couple of years, to matching, to residency itself, to the high hours doctors work, less (but of course there is some some) time for stuff outside of medicine (dating, hobbies, exercise, quality travel, family time etc) and dealing with life or death decisions. I know different specialties may have more or less of each. But who knows what specialty I’ll be able to match into. Although I have an interest, but not an overt “passion” for medicine, I feel like these cons might outweigh the pros. Part of me just wants a job that has the above qualities, but in the end of the day is a job and doesn’t consume my life.

As a result, I have been considering dentistry. I know we’re all different, and no one can tell me what to do. Just want to know if you guys think my worries are warranted, and if in your opinion dentistry may be more for me. Again, I have some interest for dentistry (but possibly a little less than medicine from a scientific perspective), but there seems to be less sacrifice and stress to even that out. I’m young (24), and probably naive. As older adults, I would love to hear your perspectives about my concerns and if they may change over time. (In the US btw)

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[deleted804295]

Hey guys. So up until now I was pursuing medicine. After a rigorous SMP and a gap year, I have been reconsidering it. I realized that although I want a job where I can work with people, use science, and be my own boss, the inherit extremely high level of stress in medical education and as a doctor may not be for me. From moving every couple of years, to matching, to residency itself, to the high hours doctors work, less (but of course there is some some) time for stuff outside of medicine (dating, hobbies, exercise, quality travel, family time etc) and dealing with life or death decisions. I know different specialties may have more or less of each. But who knows what specialty I’ll be able to match into. Although I have an interest, but not an overt “passion” for medicine, I feel like these cons might outweigh the pros. Part of me just wants a job that has the above qualities, but in the end of the day is a job and doesn’t consume my life.

As a result, I have been considering dentistry. I know we’re all different, and no one can tell me what to do. Just want to know if you guys think my worries are warranted, and if in your opinion dentistry may be more for me. Again, I have some interest for dentistry (but possibly a little less than medicine from a scientific perspective), but there seems to be less sacrifice and stress to even that out. I’m young (24), and probably naive. As older adults, I would love to hear your perspectives about my concerns and if they may change over time. (In the US btw)

From the concerns you listed medicine does not seem like a right fit for you. There has to be a passion and if the passion isn't there then medicine isn't worth all the sacrifices.

We have a pre-dent forum on SDN and I think they might be better equipped to answer if dentistry is a right fit for you.