Did anyone leave a high paying job for medicine?

[KaDeWe]

I applied to med school 8 years ago right out of full-time school. 29, Married, a 4yr old, and flat broke. Ate beans, cornbread and kool-aid every other day. Got waitlisted. Never made it off waitlist. Had to get a 'real job'. Fast forward to today. 37yrs old, married, 4 yr old, 13 yr old, own successful company. Docs work for me. I gross more than some surgeons. I like my job and I really love working with the docs, nurses and hospitals every day, but it is really cut-throat in my line of work and I hate working at a desk. Dirty competitors and of course, being self-employed, health insurance is going to be a big issue as my husband and I get older. Now that business is in a mature stage, I find myself bored and not fulfilled at all. When I was dirt poor I thought that money would make life so much easier. It has in many ways, especially since I worked hard to get here and no one handed it to me. Who wants to worry about how to pay bills every month? But as it is said, it isn't everything. I am not challenged and I never lost my drive to be a physician. I really want to work in oncology. Don't want to be a nurse. Am I stupid? (don't answer that too meanly)

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[remedios]

Check out this thread on what people thought for someone with a similar dilemma (he was older than you though)...

I'm a newly minted intern, and as much as I love what I do, I would not go through the whole process in your position. It's a long road and very draining. But who knows, I may have a different perspective 10 years from now when I'm an attending...

 

[billydoc]

I applied to med school 8 years ago right out of full-time school. 29, Married, a 4yr old, and flat broke. Ate beans, cornbread and kool-aid every other day. Got waitlisted. Never made it off waitlist. Had to get a 'real job'. Fast forward to today. 37yrs old, married, 4 yr old, 13 yr old, own successful company. Docs work for me. I gross more than some surgeons. I like my job and I really love working with the docs, nurses and hospitals every day, but it is really cut-throat in my line of work and I hate working at a desk. Dirty competitors and of course, being self-employed, health insurance is going to be a big issue as my husband and I get older. Now that business is in a mature stage, I find myself bored and not fulfilled at all. When I was dirt poor I thought that money would make life so much easier. It has in many ways, especially since I worked hard to get here and no one handed it to me. Who wants to worry about how to pay bills every month? But as it is said, it isn't everything. I am not challenged and I never lost my drive to be a physician. I really want to work in oncology. Don't want to be a nurse. Am I stupid? (don't answer that too meanly)

Hey KaDeWe!
Check out this link from SDN non-trad, and that forum in general. I think you'll find a lot of useful info there.
Best of Luck

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=287353

 

[KaDeWe]

Thank you for the input. That was an eye-opening thread. The best thing about this website is that if you feel like you are the 'only one', you quickly find out that you're not. There is definitely comfort in being among others going through the same thing at the same time. Thanks.

 

[Jocomama]

I left Mortgage Banking 2 yrs ago to return to Medicine.
I left medicine in 1996 after finishing Surgery.
I wanted to learn business, and I needed to manage a health issue.
Ended up doing what many friends do, and wow did the $$ roll. These last 2 years I made 1/10th (exactly) of what I was making the prior 4 years. Like you, I got bored. Business didn't have the intellectual stimulation and challange I need to be happy.
I think you should do what satisfies your desires and keeps you wanting to go into work every morning.
I use my business experience to keep active with investments and helping others in medicine understand investments, contracts, etc.

I applied to med school 8 years ago right out of full-time school. 29, Married, a 4yr old, and flat broke. Ate beans, cornbread and kool-aid every other day. Got waitlisted. Never made it off waitlist. Had to get a 'real job'. Fast forward to today. 37yrs old, married, 4 yr old, 13 yr old, own successful company. Docs work for me. I gross more than some surgeons. I like my job and I really love working with the docs, nurses and hospitals every day, but it is really cut-throat in my line of work and I hate working at a desk. Dirty competitors and of course, being self-employed, health insurance is going to be a big issue as my husband and I get older. Now that business is in a mature stage, I find myself bored and not fulfilled at all. When I was dirt poor I thought that money would make life so much easier. It has in many ways, especially since I worked hard to get here and no one handed it to me. Who wants to worry about how to pay bills every month? But as it is said, it isn't everything. I am not challenged and I never lost my drive to be a physician. I really want to work in oncology. Don't want to be a nurse. Am I stupid? (don't answer that too meanly)

 

[Hoo\/er]

Stay in business - to hell with medicine. The hours are long, the work is dirty, patients suck and you're already making more than most docs anyway. In the end, it's all about the dollars and you know it. If you're bored with your business, find ways to optimize it to make you even more money. Enjoy life and let your business run itself. If you are not fulfilled now, chances are medicine will not fill that void.

 

[remedios]

Check out this thread on what people thought for someone with a similar dilemma (he was older than you though)...

I'm a newly minted intern, and as much as I love what I do, I would not go through the whole process in your position. It's a long road and very draining. But who knows, I may have a different perspective 10 years from now when I'm an attending...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=280278

oops meant to copy and paste this link.

 

[LADoc00]

I left Mortgage Banking 2 yrs ago to return to Medicine.
I left medicine in 1996 after finishing Surgery.
I wanted to learn business, and I needed to manage a health issue.
Ended up doing what many friends do, and wow did the $$ roll. These last 2 years I made 1/10th (exactly) of what I was making the prior 4 years. Like you, I got bored. Business didn't have the intellectual stimulation and challange I need to be happy.
I think you should do what satisfies your desires and keeps you wanting to go into work every morning.
I use my business experience to keep active with investments and helping others in medicine understand investments, contracts, etc.

Im sorry, are you implying you made 10x more in mortgage banking than general surgery?? PLEASE EXPLAIN. for the love of the almighty. If you are anywhere near the the median GS salary (~200-250K/yr), then as a mortgage banker you were pulling down 2.5 mil?! Im not buying this at all, unless you started your own bank or you seriously suck at Surgery.
Thanks.

 

[jeff2005]

In the end, it's all about the dollars and you know it. QUOTE]

Not true - at least for many of us. For me, pursuing money is an empty boring activity. I often think that I should have been a nun dedicated to serving the poor. Unfortunately I don't believe in God. Medicine is a great way to serve mankind while supporting yourself (no Catholic Church needed!). Different strokes for different folks. I'm glad there are the money makers out there that stimulate the economy and sometimes they donate large sums to charity.

 

[Blade28]

Im sorry, are you implying you made 10x more in mortgage banking than general surgery?? PLEASE EXPLAIN. for the love of the almighty. If you are anywhere near the the median GS salary (~200-250K/yr), then as a mortgage banker you were pulling down 2.5 mil?! Im not buying this at all, unless you started your own bank or you seriously suck at Surgery.
Thanks.

Maybe 10x more than the salary earned as a resident, not an attending.

 

[lvspro]

Hi OP
Made >100k, and would be closer to 300k if I'd have stuck around. I was bored out of my wits, and am convinced that any ***** with 1/2 an RAS, and some degree of motivation can make money in our wonderful country. I'm a newly minted intern, and have yet to ever regret my decision.


correction... I was regretting it while waiting for match day, but quickly squashed any doubt after matching at my #1.

Anyone that bitches about medicine should try retail sales.

Hope my post helps reiterate what others are saying... you're not alone.