Hi I'm a 19 year old guy from Sweden that hasn't decided whether he wants to study medicine or dentistry but I have been admitted to both. In Sweden medicine and dentistry are both undergraduate courses and like any other university education free of cost. The dentistry program is 5 years long and the medicine program is 5.5 years long so it's not so much different.
I've read a lot about medicine and dentistry in the US and heard about the enormous costs involved in getting such an education. Well, here in Sweden it's completely free to study, and you only have to pay for books and for a place in a student dorm!
So I got some good grades and have been admitted to both, and now comes my dilemma. Throughout my life I have always wanted to be a doctor. I have spent the last three summers acting as a volunteer in a hospital and have done some shadowing work as well. Now it might seem cheeky to say it but I feel like the hospital is my home. It's just such an awesome feeling to be there and work and contribute. I mean who would spend 12 hours a day for 9 months (in total) being in a hospital if they didn't genuinely like it there.
However I really dislike living in Sweden. Being a first generation immigrant (I was born and have been raised in Sweden but my parents are Iraqi) I have kinda struggled to get into society. The swedes are generally quite hard to become friends with and socially they are very awkward and cold. Some would even argue that they are blatantly rude. They have a worldwide reputation of being very compassionate and that is very true (many immigrants from war-torn countries are granted permanent residence), but they like to mix with their "own" kind and look at us immigrants in a distasteful fashion. Honestly I feel unwanted and looked down upon and so I have decided that I want to emigrate to the USA/Canada after I graduate in hopes of feeling more accepted and appreciated there.
I studied in an International School and so I've come in contact with many nationalities and have found the Americans and Canadians to be far more friendly and welcoming that the Swedes. Other people have also reciprocated this view.
Now here comes the issue. I have heard that it's much easier to emigrate and work as a dentist in USA/Canada that it is if you were a doctor. Like for example in the US you have to do a residency if you want to practice as a doctor but I think dentists are exempted from this? How's the situation in Canada, can I just bring my medical degree from Sweden and start working in a hospital immediately without doing the residency?
I'm also quite a family orientated person (quite strange at 19 I know!) and in the future when I want to start my own family I would like to spend a lot of time with them. I don't want to lose out on being around my gf/wife and our kids. This is very important to me. My father was kinda absent in my life and it really affected me badly. I don't want my kids to go through the same experience that I and my brother did. Now I heard that supposedly dentists have far more flexible working hours than doctors and generally don't get called in as much. As much as I genuinely love working in the hospital, and would love to be there all the time, I would not sacrifice precious and valuable time with my wife and kids for it.
For the two above reasons I am kinda leaning towards dentistry at the moment, what do you guys think?
As far as the pay goes I'm not too bothered. Sure it's always nice to earn more money but this is not something I value a lot. Both doctors and dentists have a good enough income for me to be happy!
I'm really looking forward to hearing some advice from you guys as it's a very important and potentially life changing decision I have in front of me. Every input will be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Mustafa from Sweden!!!
I've read a lot about medicine and dentistry in the US and heard about the enormous costs involved in getting such an education. Well, here in Sweden it's completely free to study, and you only have to pay for books and for a place in a student dorm!
So I got some good grades and have been admitted to both, and now comes my dilemma. Throughout my life I have always wanted to be a doctor. I have spent the last three summers acting as a volunteer in a hospital and have done some shadowing work as well. Now it might seem cheeky to say it but I feel like the hospital is my home. It's just such an awesome feeling to be there and work and contribute. I mean who would spend 12 hours a day for 9 months (in total) being in a hospital if they didn't genuinely like it there.
However I really dislike living in Sweden. Being a first generation immigrant (I was born and have been raised in Sweden but my parents are Iraqi) I have kinda struggled to get into society. The swedes are generally quite hard to become friends with and socially they are very awkward and cold. Some would even argue that they are blatantly rude. They have a worldwide reputation of being very compassionate and that is very true (many immigrants from war-torn countries are granted permanent residence), but they like to mix with their "own" kind and look at us immigrants in a distasteful fashion. Honestly I feel unwanted and looked down upon and so I have decided that I want to emigrate to the USA/Canada after I graduate in hopes of feeling more accepted and appreciated there.
I studied in an International School and so I've come in contact with many nationalities and have found the Americans and Canadians to be far more friendly and welcoming that the Swedes. Other people have also reciprocated this view.
Now here comes the issue. I have heard that it's much easier to emigrate and work as a dentist in USA/Canada that it is if you were a doctor. Like for example in the US you have to do a residency if you want to practice as a doctor but I think dentists are exempted from this? How's the situation in Canada, can I just bring my medical degree from Sweden and start working in a hospital immediately without doing the residency?
I'm also quite a family orientated person (quite strange at 19 I know!) and in the future when I want to start my own family I would like to spend a lot of time with them. I don't want to lose out on being around my gf/wife and our kids. This is very important to me. My father was kinda absent in my life and it really affected me badly. I don't want my kids to go through the same experience that I and my brother did. Now I heard that supposedly dentists have far more flexible working hours than doctors and generally don't get called in as much. As much as I genuinely love working in the hospital, and would love to be there all the time, I would not sacrifice precious and valuable time with my wife and kids for it.
For the two above reasons I am kinda leaning towards dentistry at the moment, what do you guys think?
As far as the pay goes I'm not too bothered. Sure it's always nice to earn more money but this is not something I value a lot. Both doctors and dentists have a good enough income for me to be happy!
I'm really looking forward to hearing some advice from you guys as it's a very important and potentially life changing decision I have in front of me. Every input will be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Mustafa from Sweden!!!
