Conflicted between two career choices

  • Thread starter Thread starter deleted421268
  • Start date Start date
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
OP - what careers are you considering and what makes you conflicted?

Although there are many here who say they’ve wanted to be a doctor since they were an embryo, plenty of us were deciding between different careers. There are also many ‘non-trads’ who actually had different careers for some time before deciding to switch paths.

Deciding to pursue medicine is a big decision as it’s a long and difficult road. I think it’s wise to consider other paths before committing oneself to this one.
 
Oso said:
OP - what careers are you considering and what makes you conflicted?

Although there are many here who say they’ve wanted to be a doctor since they were an embryo, plenty of us were deciding between different careers. There are also many ‘non-trads’ who actually had different careers for some time before deciding to switch paths.

Deciding to pursue medicine is a big decision as it’s a long and difficult road. I think it’s wise to consider other paths before committing oneself to this one.
Click to expand...

I was also looking into dentistry and have been shadowing a general dentist this summer as well. I'm kind of conflicted between dentistry and medicine as of now
 
Fuarky said:
Have any of you ever been conflicted between medicine and another career? Or knew you wanted to go into medicine?
Click to expand...

i think i've always kind of known that medicine was the path i should pursue, but on occasion i'll watch a tv show and be hell bent on going into business or something
 
What do you guys think for someone whose considering between dentistry and medicine
 
Attempted to do aerospace engineering for 1 semester. Didn’t do horrible but I didn’t enjoy it at all.
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
Yes. I wanted to go into law enforcement. My parents nixed that idea as it involved being shot at, and I’m an only child. Sigh.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...


Similarly, I wanted to be a stormchaser and my mom nixed that cuz I'm an only child.

Then there was an ebola outbreak in Kikwit when I was like 12. I read all about it and read the Hot Zone and everything else I could on the subject. I decided I was going to be a physician and epidemiologist and study these deadly viruses. That went over like a ton of bricks. She kinda panicked.

For awhile I drifted to neuroscience.

But now a couple decades later and I've come full circle. I'm finishing an MPH in Epidemiology with plans to become an ID doc...who researches emerging diseases.

Sorry mom. 😳


(Also, I took my profile pic, so that dream never really went away either. 😛 )
 
My pediatrician told me I said I wanted to be a vet until I was about 10 and then I said I wanted to be a "person doctor." I think it's cute that she remembered my responses up until the last appointment I had with her before college.

I also for like a week thought I'd go into graphic design despite my bitter hatred for computers
 
Wanted to do a career in law... I explored that avenue and it wasn't as glamorous as I thought it out to be.

Still deciding whether that, research, or teaching will be my plan B. Leaning towards teaching right now.
 
Fuarky said:
What do you guys think for someone whose considering between dentistry and medicine
Click to expand...

Consider your ability to think spacially (perceptual ability) and your physical dexterity and coordination. Helpful in some medical specialties but not essential in all of them. Essential in dentistry to the point where perceptual ability is part of the DAT.
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
Yes. I wanted to go into law enforcement. My parents nixed that idea as it involved being shot at, and I’m an only child. Sigh.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

I got hired by a state police department and then was told I had to remove all my tattoos to be unconditionally hired. I was like wtf, no one even mentioned that the entire 7 months of processing I went through.

So I joined the Navy instead and got several more tattoos. I showed them!
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
I got hired by a state police department and then was told I had to remove all my tattoos to be unconditionally hired. I was like wtf, no one even mentioned that the entire 7 months of processing I went through.

So I joined the Navy instead and got several more tattoos. I showed them!
Click to expand...

Now I am incredibly confused because I know cops who have tattoos.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
Now I am incredibly confused because I know cops who have tattoos.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

Yeah this department doesn’t allow tattoos that can be seen in a short sleeve shirt. I have several on my forearms and left bicep that goes down to the elbow. They treat everything like a paramilitary organization. Their academy is like a live in boot camp. Which is funny, since like every one of my RDCs in actual boot camp had tattoos.
 
I was pre-business and wanted to do investment banking, but then I realized there's little satisfaction of just seeing digits move around. Plus I can option trade as a hobby. Granted, it would have been more financially rewarding to do the i-banking route. I was actually asked about this in an interview LOL.
 
gyngyn said:
One path is shorter and surer.
I can't recommend the longer and less sure if you are conflicted.
Click to expand...

I'll most likely be 25 by the time I start professional schooling so with dentistry I could be done with schooling and work at 28 as compared to medicine where I won't be an attending until 32 or so but I would be still getting paid during residency assuming I matriculate for Fall of 2020 for either
 
Fuarky said:
I'll most likely be 25 by the time I start professional schooling so with dentistry I could be done with schooling and work at 28 as compared to medicine where I won't be an attending until 32 or so but I would be still getting paid during residency assuming I matriculate for Fall of 2020 for either
Click to expand...
Are you conflicted?
 
Also in regards to prestige you think Dentistry and Medicine are fairly equal? Both are well-respected professions! Win-Win either way
 
Fuarky said:
Also in regards to prestige you think Dentistry and Medicine are fairly equal? Both are well-respected professions! Win-Win either way
Click to expand...
If prestige is so important to you, join the military.

Really, who would be possibly be so shallow as to pick a career based upon prestige?
 
Goro said:
If prestige is so important to you, join the military.

Really, who would be possibly be so shallow as to pick a career based upon prestige?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately many people, two kids in my research lab literally want an MD just to not fall short of another family member/sibling. One of them will probably make it because they work hard regardless but the other I feel like is gonna fall short from what I've seen so far since all they can think about is the prestige and just wanna take whatever shortcuts they can to get there.
 
OrthoTraumaMD said:
Yes. I wanted to go into law enforcement. My parents nixed that idea as it involved being shot at, and I’m an only child. Sigh.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
As prior LEO- you made the right choice. And many of the state troopers and other road dogs I see either seem to be reliving military glory days or regretting that they couldn't cut it in the military. Local cops where I live seem more down to earth generally speaking. Now outside the military base I was stationed at, they were racist, xenophobic, and on a power trip.


Also I can't recommend the military as anything other than a stepping stone. You won't be respected, rank means everything. It doesn't matter what actually knowledge you have, and common sense is very much frowned upon. It's a bunch of blowhards trying to be someone and a bunch of followers.
IMG_2911.JPG
 
Last edited:
RNtoMD87 said:
As prior LEO- you made the right choice. And many of the state troopers and other road dogs I see either seem to be reliving military glory days or regretting that they couldn't cut it in the military. Local cops where I live seem more down to earth generally speaking. Now outside the military base I was stationed at, they were racist, xenophobic, and on a power trip.


Also I can't recommend the military as anything other than a stepping stone. You won't be respected, rank means everything. It doesn't matter what actually knowledge you have, and common sense is very much frowned upon. It's a bunch of blowhards trying to be someone and a bunch of followers. View attachment 235528
Click to expand...
You completely missed what I was trying get across. Obviously, respect isn't IN the military among its members , it's what the American public has FOR our military.
 
RNtoMD87 said:
Also I can't recommend the military as anything other than a stepping stone. You won't be respected, rank means everything. It doesn't matter what actually knowledge you have, and common sense is very much frowned upon. It's a bunch of blowhards trying to be someone and a bunch of followers.
Click to expand...

Maybe keep it to your own experience and say you can't recommend the Army as more than a stepping stone. My experience in the Navy has been totally different.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Yeah this department doesn’t allow tattoos that can be seen in a short sleeve shirt. I have several on my forearms and left bicep that goes down to the elbow. They treat everything like a paramilitary organization. Their academy is like a live in boot camp. Which is funny, since like every one of my RDCs in actual boot camp had tattoos.
Click to expand...
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Maybe keep it to your own experience and say you can't recommend the Army as more than a stepping stone. My experience in the Navy has been totally different.
Click to expand...
Well I'm glad your experience is different. But are you a physician in the military? Completely different experience than being in a line unit. Army docs loved their jobs too minus the pay. But most lifer MPs, infantry, etc do it because they have no life skills and need a guaranteed income. Very few lifers seemed to have their lives in order. Most of us did our initial contract and got out, some re upped and got out.

Can't beat the disability pay, GI Bill, and benefits though I must say. Really helps you see how bad the world really is too. I was pretty naive before serving.

I don't regret it, but I sure wouldn't want to do it over.
 
RNtoMD87 said:
Well I'm glad your experience is different. But are you a physician in the military? Completely different experience than being in a line unit. Army docs loved their jobs too minus the pay. But most lifer MPs, infantry, etc do it because they have no life skills and need a guaranteed income. Very few lifers seemed to have their lives in order. Most of us did our initial contract and got out, some re upped and got out.
Click to expand...

I was an enlisted **** stain on two arduous sea duty boats for 6 years prior to joining a medical commissioning program. I started out as an undesignated seaman (read: indentured servant) on a ship chipping paint, splicing lines, and working 16-18 hours per day with a 36 hour work day every 4-6 days depending on what was going on. Oh, and underway, we were 5 and dimes, so every 3 days, I got to work 40 hours straight. Life got better once I got a rate and some rank, but being enlisted on a ship still sucks if you're not in a super cush rate.

That said, I have had some great leaders and some ****ty leaders. But my experience is far from being based on a cushy medical officer's lifestyle.
 
Goro said:
You completely missed what I was trying get across. Obviously, respect isn't IN the military among its members , it's what the American public has FOR our military.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say that either though, respectfully. It depends. Near army bases we got in fights with the locals because they hated the military. Very much civilian vs military. The cops really hated us, even us military police. You hid the fact that you were a soldier the best you could. It was hard with the haircut, but I usually wore a ball cap. Now when it comes to back home and applying for jobs it's helped. I've never had to submit a resume or anything for a nursing job. Just my nursing license.
 
RNtoMD87 said:
I wouldn't say that either though, respectfully. It depends. Near army bases we got in fights with the locals because they hated the military. Very much civilian vs military. The cops really hated us, even us military police. You hid the fact that you were a soldier the best you could. It was hard with the haircut, but I usually wore a ball cap. Now when it comes to back home and applying for jobs it's helped. I've never had to submit a resume or anything for a nursing job. Just my nursing license.
Click to expand...

Man, being in the Army sounds ****ty. Almost everyone loves the Navy. The only place I've been stationed in the US where the locals hated us was Hawaii, and that's just because they hate the US government. Everywhere else I've been stationed, people love the Navy and the military. ****, military gets a 50% or greater discount at like almost every restaurant here (at smoothie king, we get 80% off).
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
I was an enlisted **** stain on two arduous sea duty boats for 6 years prior to joining a medical commissioning program. I started out as an undesignated seaman (read: indentured servant) on a ship chipping paint, splicing lines, and working 16-18 hours per day with a 36 hour work day every 4-6 days depending on what was going on. Oh, and underway, we were 5 and dimes, so every 3 days, I got to work 40 hours straight. Life got better once I got a rate and some rank, but being enlisted on a ship still sucks if you're not in a super cush rate.

That said, I have had some great leaders and some ****ty leaders. But my experience is far from being based on a cushy medical officer's lifestyle.
Click to expand...
An ex-Navy friend of mine who served on a tin can in the Pacific from 1980-84 said it was like "being in jail, with a chance of drowning".
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
I was an enlisted **** stain on two arduous sea duty boats for 6 years prior to joining a medical commissioning program. I started out as an undesignated seaman (read: indentured servant) on a ship chipping paint, splicing lines, and working 16-18 hours per day with a 36 hour work day every 4-6 days depending on what was going on. Oh, and underway, we were 5 and dimes, so every 3 days, I got to work 40 hours straight. Life got better once I got a rate and some rank, but being enlisted on a ship still sucks if you're not in a super cush rate.

That said, I have had some great leaders and some ****ty leaders. But my experience is far from being based on a cushy medical officer's lifestyle.
Click to expand...
Ah okay, well my experience is 5 years as military police. Deployed to Iraq about 9 months into enlisting. Had a horrible commander who didn't care about us and would put us in harms way just to get himself medals, and was 350+ pounds. Eventually when we got placed under 508th MP out of fort Lewis he ended up being relieved of command (he was so bad people would talk about shooting him and weren't joking.) His relief was pretty decent. The rest of deployment was bearable. Did everything from PSD for generals to con air missions to site hardening to running Taji TIFRC.

Got back, and did patrol until first of all my buddy blew his brains out back in January 2011 and I was the first on scene. After they let me work again went back to patrolling we had trouble with the civilian DA police we worked alongside with pulling shady s*^%. I told them they better not do anything shady in front of me because I wasn't going down to lie for them. They falsified a police report, and my report didn't match theirs. My SGM took me off the road because he had a cush job lined up for his pending retirement.

Got stuck in the arms room and as people ETSed or PCSed, I ended up being the only armorer. Since we worked the road and also trained for deployment, I had to be there to provide weapons for 3 shifts and also be there for turn in as well as draw NVGs, crew serveds, etc for people doing training.

The worst time I had, I worked 22 days in a row and only got 4 hours off per day, non consecutive. I got written up for moving a cot into the arms room and sleeping there. Then I got written up for leaving the 3 million dollars worth of equipment unsecured and the only thing that saved me from a courts martial was a narcolepsy diagnosis. I would literally be passed out in the middle of the floor in the middle of a workday. Luckily etsed with a spot free record.
 
Last edited:
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Man, being in the Army sounds ****ty. Almost everyone loves the Navy. The only place I've been stationed in the US where the locals hated us was Hawaii, and that's just because they hate the US government. Everywhere else I've been stationed, people love the Navy and the military. ****, military gets a 50% or greater discount at like almost every restaurant here (at smoothie king, we get 80% off).
Click to expand...
You have to understand. Enlisted soldiers screw all the underage high school girls, get drunk and start fights in bars, etc. Especially infantry. It used to be MP vs infantry. They would have some crazy party in the barracks with underage girls, drinking, etc and we would get called and it would be a huge brawl. We would go over there just to fight, and not get in trouble because "we were the police".

But honestly many MPs were just as bad. Right after deployment, we were just getting drunk in the barracks for a month or so because they wouldn't let us drive or carry a gun on us. They had a crazy party one night in my barrack with strippers, lots of booze, etc. My squad mate grabbed a stripper by the neck, pulled out his knife and threatened to slit her throat because she reached for his bottle of Jameson. Another guy I once called a friend, held his fiancé hostage in a hotel room for like 5 days while taking leave.

Some of these ppl were f'ing insane..
 
Last edited:
RNtoMD87 said:
Ah okay, well my experience is 5 years as military police. Deployed to Iraq about 9 months into enlisting. Had a horrible commander who didn't care about us and would put us in harms way just to get himself medals, and was 350+ pounds. Eventually when we got placed under 508th MP out of fort Lewis he ended up being relieved of command (he was so bad people would talk about shooting him and weren't joking.) His relief was pretty decent. The rest of deployment was bearable. Did everything from PSD for generals to con air missions to site hardening to running Taji TIFRC.

Got back, and did patrol until first of all my buddy blew his brains out back in January 2011 and I was the first on scene. After they let me work again went back to patrolling we had trouble with the civilian DA police we worked alongside with pulling shady s*^%. I told them they better not do anything shady in front of me because I wasn't going down to lie for them. They falsified a police report, and my report didn't match theirs. My SGM took me off the road because he had a cush job lined up for his pending retirement.

Got stuck in the arms room and as people ETSed or PCSed, I ended up being the only armorer. Since we worked the road and also trained for deployment, I had to be there to provide weapons for 3 shifts and also be there for turn in as well as draw NVGs, crew serveds, etc for people doing training.

The worst time I had, I worked 22 days in a row and only got 4 hours off per day, non consecutive. I got written up for moving a cot into the arms room and sleeping there. Then I got written up for leaving the 3 million dollars worth of equipment unsecured and the only thing that saved me from a courts martial was a narcolepsy diagnosis. I would literally be passed out in the middle of the floor in the middle of a workday. Luckily etsed with a spot free record.
Click to expand...

Yep. Military life is hard for various reasons. I have had my share of ****ty experiences. Deployment on a boat is ****ing horrible and awesome at the same time. Working 120 hours per week blows. I still have an overall great opinion of my military experience as the good has way outweighed the bad.
 
RNtoMD87 said:
You have to understand. Enlisted soldiers screw all the underage high school girls, get drunk and start fights in bars, etc. Especially infantry. It used to be MP vs infantry. They would have some crazy party in the barracks with underage girls, drinking, etc and we would get called and it would be a huge brawl. We would go over there just to fight, and not get in trouble because "we were the police".

But honestly many MPs were just as bad. Right after deployment, we were just getting drunk in the barracks for a month or so because they wouldn't let us drive or carry a gun on us. They had a crazy party one night in my barrack with strippers, lots of booze, etc. My squad mate grabbed a stripper by the neck, pulled out his knife and threatened to slit her throat because she reached for his bottle of Jameson. Another guy I once called a friend, held his fiancé hostage in a hotel room for like 5 days while taking leave.

Some of these ppl were f'ing insane..
Click to expand...

Now I know why they told me at MEPS that the Navy and the Air Force were the "smart" branches.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Now I know why they told me at MEPS that the Navy and the Air Force were the "smart" branches.
Click to expand...
Mostly why I hate military life is explained by that pic I shared regarding the soup. That's exactly what every day in the Army was like. Or unloading 5 connexes in 100 degree heat and delaying it dress right dress so the commander could inventory it only to be told "nevermind he's busy, load it back up. We do it again tomorrow"

Or to be called in at 1 am on a Saturday a week before deployment because someone in another platoon lost a radio out a field problem
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
Now I know why they told me at MEPS that the Navy and the Air Force were the "smart" branches.
Click to expand...
Hah we loved the AF pilots. When we were transporting prisoners they would take off at sharp angles and abruptly turn and tell us they loved scaring the s*^% out of the detainees.
 
...So Im guessing no one else thought of becoming a stripper :whoa:
 
RNtoMD87 said:
Mostly why I hate military life is explained by that pic I shared regarding the soup. That's exactly what every day in the Army was like. Or unloading 5 connexes in 100 degree heat and delaying it dress right dress so the commander could inventory it only to be told "nevermind he's busy, load it back up. We do it again tomorrow"

Or to be called in at 1 am on a Saturday a week before deployment because someone in another platoon lost a radio out a field problem
Click to expand...

That **** happens in the Navy too. But the benefits have outweighed the negatives for me.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
That **** happens in the Navy too. But the benefits have outweighed the negatives for me.
Click to expand...
I just hate having my time wasted. It's too important. The military was a huge waste of my abilities.
 
RNtoMD87 said:
I just hate having my time wasted. It's too important. The military was a huge waste of my abilities.
Click to expand...

I don't get that attitude. I get that you think you're hot **** and too good for anything you view as being beneath you, but I've got news for you: if you enlisted as an MP, then being an MP isn't beneath you. But I don't want to get into a dick measuring contest with you, because I don't care.
 
Matthew9Thirtyfive said:
I don't get that attitude. I get that you think you're hot **** and too good for anything you view as being beneath you, but I've got news for you: if you enlisted as an MP, then being an MP isn't beneath you. But I don't want to get into a dick measuring contest with you, because I don't care.
Click to expand...
Since when were we measuring dicks? I'm simply saying it sucked and I'm glad to be in a better situation where I feel respected and useful.


I'm glad you enjoyed your time in the navy.
 
RNtoMD87 said:
Since when were we measuring dicks? I'm simply saying it sucked and I'm glad to be in a better situation where I feel respected and useful.
Click to expand...

A lot of your posts come across as one-upsmanship. Like you had it way worse because of this, and you're too good for the Army. Maybe that's not what you're intending, but it's coming across that way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
  • Question Question
Deciding between two research labs
Replies
5
Views
735
GoSpursGo
GoSpursGo
I
Narrowing Down Choices
Replies
9
Views
921
pedneuro6894
P
V
Maximizing ECs over the next two years
Replies
4
Views
471
vexation
V
T
Looking for Feedback on LOR choices
Replies
1
Views
320
LizzyM
LizzyM
P
Difference between interviewers
Replies
5
Views
1K
pedneuro6894
P
Top