Engineering vs. Physician Salary Recovery Time (chances are you will never catch

[novastorm]

Just to throw in my two cents.

A. Lots of engineering programs cost more money then your average undergrad and are longer.

B. Engineering can be as stressful if not more so then being a Physician.

C. Overall earning potential is exponentially higher for any doctor the only way an engineer has any chance to compete is to break into management, which will typically take more schooling.

He also didn't calculate any debt for the engineer out of school

But then again he didn't even bother to respond so its obviously trolling.

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[Dedikated2liftn]

Does anyone else think that this premise of this thread is completely flawed? If someone is choosing a career in medicine solely for monetary reasons, then that person should not become a physician!!! Who gives a rat's *** what an engineer will make relative to a physician?!?! I (and several of my medical school buddies) wouldn't in a million years go into engineering (and I bet that many engineers wouldn't want to become doctors). Choose a career based off of interest and passion, not financial gain.

 

[orthomodel]

OP, why oh why are you wasting your life comparing two completely different professions and trying to scare people into thinking that they're gonna be making the equivalent of minimum wage? I did the engineering thing for a major computer company for one summer and it was enough to convince me that sitting in a windowless office or clean room all day is not my idea of a good life. Here's a thought, maybe we don't want to be engineers or plumbers or strippers or any of the other 10,000 professions that you'll try to compare to medicine?!?!?!?!

Sarcasm aside, you seem pretty bitter. If you're having second thoughts about the choices you've made then so be it, but there's no need to spread your sour grapes. As you can see from the responses to your posts, we're all well aware of what we're getting ourselves into.

Please, just stop!!!!!

 

[jsydc]

To play devil's advocate here, some people are in a family scenario where having a very lean financial period for ten years or so is a tough choice to make, especially if you're thinking about raising a family as well. Although I'm sure he would be comfortable either way in the long run, short term financial hardship is a real concern for some people.

It's especially something to consider when both career options appeal to different aspects of one's personality, and when one career would make certain aspects of your life much easier.

If his post discourages people from studying medicine for financial reasons, all the better. Even if the math isn't quite accurate.

I've done the math for my alternate career options for my particular case. I don't expect to break even for quite awhile, but I think I was better off having done the math, as I'm now making a more informed decision.

 

[lex]

It depends on the subfields of engineering. Computer scientists/engineers make more than other types of engineers right after undergrad. But one rule remains, if you remain an engineer for the rest of your life, your salary will plateau.. maybe at 130-150K at best. But if you move up to management, you are in a different ball game. Who knows, you could be a CTO or CEO and suddenly you make 1 million bucks a year.

As an engineer, I started at 75K/year and six years later, I make close to 110K/year. Not bad, but I'm already close to my maximum earning potential unless I move up to management, which is not something I want to do. If you are very passionate about engineering, you really don't want to be in management (less engineering that is).

So, the OP is right, you'll make more money as a doctor, but heck, the path to it is so long... you have to be poor for about 8-10 years. In my case, as a resident, I wouldn't even be making half of my salary now. The actual cost of medical education for me would be 1 million dollars excluding tuition. But you'll get over this if you want to be a doctor not for the money, or at least, not for the money alone. Just do what you really want to do and be good at it, either way, money will follow.

 

[MacGyver]

A doctor who starts are $132k and stays at $132k isn't a doctor for the money. Period.

A doctor who truly cares ONLY about money probably wouldn't setting for FP in the first place. Plus, if they are going to bring themselves to have $200,000 worth of debt AND are motivated purely by money, they'd go after ANY OTHER SPECIALTY (and from what I know, it's not THAT hard to avoid FP). Besides, even if they are THAT worried about money, there are plenty of loan repayment programs you can take where you go work in a semi-rural area and they'll pay off your loans. Debt goes away and then you can move away when you're done.

Again, using FP is pretty shady, considering most doctors aren't family practicioners. Most pre-meds don't aspire to be such either. Those that want to do FP are the ones that match into FP.

Oy.

The average salary of an FP is much closer to the average salary for doctors as a whole than any other specialty.

The average across all specialties is 165k according to the US Labor Dept, which is the most accurate source (salary surveys are oversampled with high earners)

 

[Pinkertinkle]

The average salary of an FP is much closer to the average salary for doctors as a whole than any other specialty.

The average across all specialties is 165k according to the US Labor Dept, which is the most accurate source (salary surveys are oversampled with high earners)

Wuts the labor dept say about engineers?

 

[2DEG]

I don't understand...

If you want to do engineering, then do engineering. If you want to be a doctor, then go into medicine...

What's the point in comparing the financial prospects of each one? In both you can potentially make pretty decent money, or you may not. There are certainly no guarantees in either profession

This was a solid advice - natural and simple. I am an engineer and in my mid-30's. Many rich folks are not even college educated..they just worked hard or had good luck in a business or what not. But I understand the OP's point - s/he is not talking about exceptions..but the average Engineers and avg. Doctors.

I am starting medical school knowing that I will take my family thru a rough time during next several years. When you have small kids - it hurts even more knowing that you may not be able to provide them as much as you wished to.

Nonetheless, I still think financially I will be better off being a physician. That's certainly not my driving force..but one has to take that into consideration. Also, there are added benefits of being in medical field - Job/work security. My old boss at my previous company was one of the best in his field. And yet..because the company was shut down, he was laid off..along with me. It was not a pretty time for sure. I actually made more money the year I got laid off.. but it was stressful and tough.

Lastly..I am not sure why people are mad at this OP. I don't think s/he wanted to started a flame-war. I do admire engineers and if you think you are passionate about engineering and you will love it.. go for it. Money will come to you if you are really good at it and put time and effort. You might get richer than many doctors for sure. If you are good at it..you can start your own company, consulting etc.. you might become an executive in the company...stock options etc.

 

[mfrizzo3]

Wuts the labor dept say about engineers?

That there should be no more post about them on Student Doctor network.

 

[Monkey House]

Engineers get less valuable the longer they are out of school....

Doctors get more valuable the longer they are out of school....

 

[TheRealMD]

But medicine is much more stable. Engineering has huge problems of outsourcing literally to another country and H1-B visa workers within the US.

Medicine is a much better career choice.

Ditto. My dad's job got shipped away and we had to move across the country to find a new one. He's got 5 freaking degrees (including a PhD) and his pay still only tops out around $95,000 and he's got at least 20 years of experience.

Engineering is not a "money making" job. Engineer is a job you do if you LOVE engineering, just like medicine.

If you want money, go into business and play with other's for a living.

 

[MSElecEng]

wow, thats ridiculous, my dad graduated from UCLA engineering master's program and 24 years later makes about 100,000, and trust me, it took him 24 years of hard work. i dont see how on AVERAGE any engineer would make 132,000 a year. actually, i know a lot of my friends' parents are engineers for over 15 years and still dont make over 80,000. i have no clue where you are getting your information from.

-----------------------------------------------------
I think you are way off. I have an MS in Electrical Engineering and work in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley. I started out as a new grad w/MSEE from avg school in 1998 at 60k and in 3 yrs went to 90k. Within 10yrs my salary + profit sharing + restricted stock went just past $200k. I am an average eng there. Other top engineers get about $400k (maybe half of it from restricted stock of the company that's doing reasonably well). Check this salary structure out for the company I work for. There is bonus and stock on top of this that can almost double your pay. As usual the executives there get minimum 500k in salaries + millions in stock. Most new grad engineers start out at entry and get promoted every 2 to 3 yrs to mid, senior and so on:

level min avg max
--------------------------
entry 80k 100k 124k
mid 92k 117k 145k
senior 111k 150k 192k
staff 126k 162k 217k
sr staff 146k 193k 245k
principal 172k 220k 290k

 

[circulus vitios]

Old thread, I know, but good luck getting an engineering job immediately after graduating (and holding it) with this crappy economy.

 

[link2swim06]

Um I will not be making 132K starting, sorry, just no.

 

[mitchlucker]

This thread was awful to begin with, and someone brought it back...

Hi, I just graduated with a degree in engineering. I'd like my money now.

To be honest, good luck finding a job in the field as an entry level jobs with the word 'engineer'. I did a quick monster search for entry levels within 30 miles of my town (Philadelphia is included in this) and there were 8 results.

Get real. $50k starting out is good. But does everyone get bumped up $30k within 3 years? Companies just pull this money out of their butts?

The # of people graduating with degrees in engineering probably exceeds the number of engineers retiring each year, therefore, companies are just making so much money, they'd rather feed their increasing # of money-hungry college grads than outsource it? Uh...

I think the MSEE guy is a troll, and if he's not then he is extremely lucky. I did a payscale search for engineering and ALL median salaries I found were under 100k except for a few Sr. Engineering positions.

 

[shffl]

Engineering no doubt pays well if you do your best. I think of it as kind of like reverse of a physician. Doctors get delayed gratification. Engineers on the other hand, come out making a decent amount but as time pass their chances of getting laid off increases. I have 2 friends, one Electrical Engineer and one Mech Engineer, both one of the top students and both completing their masters. The EE has gotten a contract after graduation for a job with yearly salary of 75k and MechE with contract of 95k. Yes not every engineers will be like this. These are for the top students and those who are out busting a** during their school year. It's all about connections and how much work you put into building your resume.

Definitely can't compare engineers and physicians. Both viable when it comes to making money but they are at the opposite end of the spectrum.

 

[StudyShy]

My husband is an engineer. The job market isn't so hot right now. Most engineers don't really make that much money.

 

[cheesier]

-----------------------------------------------------
I think you are way off. I have an MS in Electrical Engineering and work in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley. I started out as a new grad w/MSEE from avg school in 1998 at 60k and in 3 yrs went to 90k. Within 10yrs my salary + profit sharing + restricted stock went just past $200k. I am an average eng there. Other top engineers get about $400k (maybe half of it from restricted stock of the company that's doing reasonably well). Check this salary structure out for the company I work for. There is bonus and stock on top of this that can almost double your pay. As usual the executives there get minimum 500k in salaries + millions in stock. Most new grad engineers start out at entry and get promoted every 2 to 3 yrs to mid, senior and so on:

level min avg max
--------------------------
entry 80k 100k 124k
mid 92k 117k 145k
senior 111k 150k 192k
staff 126k 162k 217k
sr staff 146k 193k 245k
principal 172k 220k 290k

Successful engineer bumping 2 year old thread to brag about salary?

 

[Geneticist]

3 year old bump? Was that really necessary?

 

[StudyShy]

3 year old bump? Was that really necessary?

I didn't even notice that. That's what I get for trying to eat and read.

 

[omgyou8myrice]

Such skewed numbers. Not only that, but who cares? I will be absolutely thrilled if I become a successful doctor someday, even if that means making $132,000 a year (a great salary, but very low for a doctor). Not everyone is in this for the money. If I were all about money, I would pursue a doctorate in something like Psychology and run a small clinic charging $300/hour like a Psych I saw a while back.

Run those numbers again. This time, don't assume the engineer is making $132,000 a year (a high salary for an engineer), and put the doctor's salary at $250,000. Tell me what you come up with... not that it matters, because this is a stupid thread to begin with.

 

[Perimeter]

1st - Engineering is so easy. It's all understanding concepts, very little memorization. Unless you're mentally challenged, engineering involves little work and is not that hard.

2nd - A lot of people have 0 debt after medical school, not everyone is poor.

3rd - Enjoy your ban.

 

[Iso4ane]

Just to be fair my dad is an engineer, and ~20 Years ago with a Ph. D he started with a yearly salary of $30K (~$49K), and through a bit of luck and hark work he is now one of the experts in his field and makes well over $250K yearly, not including bonuses (some of which equal a normal persons yearly salary). However, this is a very rare case and you literally have to be one of the best to make this much.

Starting salary of engineer with Ph. D if you're lucky can be ~$100K, but like many others have mentioned it will plateau and probably never go past ~$180-200K.

 

[circulus vitios]

Just to be fair my dad is an engineer, and ~20 Years ago with a Ph. D he started with a yearly salary of $30K (~$49K), and through a bit of luck and hark work he is now one of the experts in his field and makes well over $250K yearly, not including bonuses (some of which equal a normal persons yearly salary). However, this is a very rare case and you literally have to be one of the best to make this much.

Starting salary of engineer with Ph. D if you're lucky can be ~$100K, but like many others have mentioned it will plateau and probably never go past ~$180-200K.

Wow. What kind of engineer is he?

 

[Mithril]

.

 

[Iso4ane]

Wow. What kind of engineer is he?

He is an Optical Engineer working in R&D.

 

[Medwell]

1st - Engineering is so easy. It's all understanding concepts, very little memorization. Unless you're mentally challenged, engineering involves little work and is not that hard.

Very little work? Really? Have you ever asked an engineering major about their courseload?

2nd - A lot of people have 0 debt after medical school, not everyone is poor.

Actually, most people do have to take out loans to pay for medical school. Medical school costs ~150k-200k in total... you think people just have that lying around after undergrad to pay for school? No, they don't... so they take out loans to pay for it. Unless, of course, they're having mommy and daddy foot the entire bill.

3rd - Enjoy your ban.

Who? Nobody in this thread has said anything anywhere near as incorrect as you have.

 

[munchymanRX]

I know my numbers are going to be off, but I will give it a try.

I’m going to use a starting salary of $60,000 for engineering and a yearly salary of $132,000 for doctors.

Both graduate the same year. Student A is the engineering professional and Student B is the doctor.

For simplification, we are assuming no student debt from undergraduate school….I’m also not taking into account cost of living and everything else for simplification.

Student A:

Years in employment: please know that these numbers are not fully accurate….just a good guess to the numbers

1: 60,000
2: 62,000
3: 65,000 (attends masters degree program)
4: promotion…..85,000
5: 90,000
6: promotion…..100,000
7: 105,000
8: 110,000
9: 115,000
10: 120,000
11: 125,000
12: 130,000
13: 132,000
I will use 135,000 from here on out for the next 25 years

Total life-time salary for first 13 years = 1,299,000

Total life-time salary for the next 25 years = 3,300,000

Student B:

Medical school debt: 200,000

Year 1: 0
Year 2: 0
Year 3: 0
Year 4: 0
Year 5: 44,000
Year 6: 46,000
Year 7: 48,000
Year 8: 52,000
(for New York residents, add on 10,000 more for each year)
Year 9: 132,000
Year 10: 132,000
Year 11: 132,000
Year 12: 132,000
Year 13: 132,000

First 13 years of life-time income = 850,000

First 13 years comparison
Student A: 1,299,000
Student B: 850,000
Difference: 449000

Next 13 years of income = 3,300,000

38 years of total life-time income
Student A: 4599000
Student B: 4150000
Difference: 449000

Now add in medical school debt for person B

With a debt load of 200,000 with a 10 year repayment plan with a 6.8 percent interest = $236,483.75

4150000 – 236,483 = 3,913,517

Difference:
Person A: 4599000
Person B: 3913517
Difference: 685483

You will never catch up to a person in your life-time (from straight earnings) if you earn $132,000 a year as a doctor in your first year and throughout year life-time when you compare a person making the same salary level when you start as a doctor.

I’m assuming the usual undergraduate, to medical school, to residency path

TL;DR: Engineers are paid more to start than doctors, accounting for debt, but their salary cap is much lower than for physicians.

 

[Cruzerthebruzer]

Actually, I think he has a point consider this.

Working at McDonalds vs. Doctor
McDonald's starts low, sure, let's say 20k/yr but here are the consecutive years!

20k
25k
40k
75k
110k
145k
170k
235k
285k

And of course if you get moved up to register, that's like a 50k raise.

Doctors have to go to school for 8 years and residency so here's what we have

-125k
-125k
-125k
-125k
5k
5k
5k
5k
5k
20k
20k
20k
21k
21k
20k
19k

McDonald's Salary > Being a Doctor, read the list, you will learn.

 

[gettheleadout]

Troll bump on an old thread. Engineering and Medicine are completely different fields work-wise and the comparison between reimbursement is irrelevant. Choosing between them based on pay alone would be a horrible decision.

/thread

 

[Perimeter]

Very little work? Really? Have you ever asked an engineering major about their courseload?

Actually yes, my best friend switched from premed to mechanical engineering. He says it's much easier and more conceptual. He works full time and is successful in his courses, he couldn't do that when he was premed. They generally aren't required to take labs for courses. Another example, premeds have to hack calculus while taking chemistry and biology courses. Engineers can focus only on calculus as that is a huge part of their major which is not hard.

 

[STAT EKG]

Actually, I think he has a point consider this.

Working at McDonalds vs. Doctor
McDonald's starts low, sure, let's say 20k/yr but here are the consecutive years!

20k
25k
40k
75k
110k
145k
170k
235k
285k

And of course if you get moved up to register, that's like a 50k raise.

Doctors have to go to school for 8 years and residency so here's what we have

-125k
-125k
-125k
-125k
5k
5k
5k
5k
5k
20k
20k
20k
21k
21k
20k
19k

McDonald's Salary > Being a Doctor, read the list, you will learn.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Old thread. Thanks for wasting my minutes. Also, your standard employed programmer's salary/lifestyle is greater than any engineer's or physicians'.

 

[monkeyvokes]

 

[mishaS]

I think this sums the thread up fairly well

 

[Analytic]

Actually yes, my best friend switched from premed to mechanical engineering. He says it's much easier and more conceptual. He works full time and is successful in his courses, he couldn't do that when he was premed. They generally aren't required to take labs for courses. Another example, premeds have to hack calculus while taking chemistry and biology courses. Engineers can focus only on calculus as that is a huge part of their major which is not hard.

With all due respect, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Lokhtar]

Jesus Christ. If you want to be an engineer, be an engineer. If you want to be a physician, be a physician. If you want to teach, do that. If you want to spend your life working for an organization that spends time going around the world helping poor people in third world countries, do that.

As a non-trad, I left a lucrative career to pursue this path. I feel I'll be happier here, not because I did some calculation that I'd be slightly ahead 40 years down the road.

I'm not some hippie 19 year old who hates money, I've paid my own bills for a while know money is important. But no amount of money is worth spending 70% of your waking day and 40 years of your life doing something you hate. Your job and career are going to be a huge part for the rest of your life.

You won't be broke. You'll be able to pay the bills. It's always nice to make money and I want to make lots of money too. But if you're picking a career based on a excel spreadsheet of the biggest net return over a lifetime, you'll be miserable during that lifetime. Even within the world of medicine, look at the 'satisfaction' ratings and the specialties that are the happiest with their work and their job. It's not always the most lucrative ones and you'll be surprised. Geriatrics, Pediatrics are some of the lower paying specialties yet physicians in those specialties are overall amongst the happiest.

Pick it for the right reasons, and you'll thank yourself when you're 60.

 

[MCAT guy]

If you want to be an engineer, be an engineer. If you want to be a physician, be a physician. If you want to teach, do that. If you want to spend your life working for an organization that spends time going around the world helping poor people in third world countries, do that.

As a non-trad, I left a lucrative career to pursue this path. I feel I'll be happier here, not because I did some calculation that I'd be slightly ahead 40 years down the road.

I'm not some hippie 19 year old who hates money, I've paid my own bills for a while know money is important. But no amount of money is worth spending 70% of your waking day and 40 years of your life doing something you hate. Your job and career are going to be a huge part for the rest of your life.

You won't be broke. You'll be able to pay the bills. It's always nice to make money and I want to make lots of money too. But if you're picking a career based on a excel spreadsheet of the biggest net return over a lifetime, you'll be miserable during that lifetime. Even within the world of medicine, look at the 'satisfaction' ratings and the specialties that are the happiest with their work and their job. It's not always the most lucrative ones and you'll be surprised. Geriatrics, Pediatrics are some of the lower paying specialties yet physicians in those specialties are overall amongst the happiest.

Pick it for the right reasons, and you'll thank yourself when you're 60.

+1, minus the Jesus part.

 

[mahnster13]

My dad, in the short span of ten years, has gone from making $45k starting at Honda to $120 working at Boeing. Now obviously this involves a transition from the automotive to the aerospace industries, but it's definitely doable. But you could do what I'm doing, and if you love engineering anyway, you can do your uGrad in engineering and then go to med school? I plan on probably doing some post-bac while I work, myself. But those figures you use for physicians seem low, even for an FP. I know an FP where I live that owns a $750k house on the lake, has a nice boat, nice car, etc. I doubt he only makes $132k.

 

[estradiol9]

This thread is totally BS.

1. Engineers do not make that much money. My mother is a structural/civil engineer and makes 80k a year. She has her PhD from an Ivy League university. I have several older friends who work as engineers and they all make about 60k, maybe 70k.

2. The individual who started this thread calculated $200,000 medical school debt but counted NO debt for the engineering student? Didn't said engineering student supposedly attend a masters program to get all those hefty raises? Why wasn't any debt taken into account for the masters program?

3. Most doctors do not become doctors for the sake of money and the ones that do would probably get into a well paying specialty... just like many engineers don't become engineers for the money either. And if they do, well then they will be miserable engineers.

 

[movax]

Actually yes, my best friend switched from premed to mechanical engineering. He says it's much easier and more conceptual. He works full time and is successful in his courses, he couldn't do that when he was premed. They generally aren't required to take labs for courses. Another example, premeds have to hack calculus while taking chemistry and biology courses. Engineers can focus only on calculus as that is a huge part of their major which is not hard.

Well yeah, it's mechanical engineering

This thread is totally BS.

1. Engineers do not make that much money. My mother is a structural/civil engineer and makes 80k a year. She has her PhD from an Ivy League university. I have several older friends who work as engineers and they all make about 60k, maybe 70k.

If you stay away from the auto industry, you'll be a lot better off. I'm a fresh out of school EE and I'm making a little above what you listed for your friends. A lot of places in MI are hiring contract guns to take care of engineering grunt work...wouldn't wish that on anyone, it is soul-crushing and tedious, but pays fairly well (60k).


Still though, doctors trounce engineers in earning. I was super proud of my first few paychecks, and then realized my dad earns almost 8 times what I do in a year, and some of his colleagues (the ones that pick up insane amounts of hours and call) haul in even more cash. So jealous

 

[TornadoChaser]

Engineers must be a confused bunch. This is a student doctor forum. I suspect you need more practice using the internets.

 

[Geneticist]

Engineers must be a confused bunch. This is a student doctor forum. I suspect you need more practice using the internets.

The OP is probably a pre-med trying to manipulate other gullible pre-meds to switch their career aspirations to engineering as opposed to medicine so he can have a better shot at an MD acceptance.

 

[circulus vitios]

Does anyone else think that this premise of this thread is completely flawed? If someone is choosing a career in medicine solely for monetary reasons, then that person should not become a physician!!! Who gives a rat's *** what an engineer will make relative to a physician?!?! I (and several of my medical school buddies) wouldn't in a million years go into engineering (and I bet that many engineers wouldn't want to become doctors). Choose a career based off of interest and passion, not financial gain.

That is such terrible, terrible, terrible advice.

 

[BobbyE]

I speculate that medicine is less dependent on energy than engineering. If the problems arise with our non-renewable energy sources that some people suspect, engineers are going to be useless. Doctors will still have diagnosis, therapies, and I think any medicine that doesn't require huge amounts of energy to produce. Just a theoretical angle.

 

[Lokhtar]

That is such terrible, terrible, terrible advice.

It's not. OK, you want to have enough to eat - so if you want to be a wandering poet and have a family, you need to find yourself a rich spouse. But as a non-trad, I was in a career where I spent much of my twenties 'enjoying' myself in a good paying job. I laughed out loud at the comment about people in medicine 'wasting' their twenties and how other careers have it sweet cause they don't, because enjoying my twenties for me meant working 60 hours a week in a cubicle doing a job I despised.

And then I'd get off a few days a week and could go to bars...and that's supposed to make up for five or six long days at the office hating every moment of it? And my job was well above average for someone with a bachelor's degree. I'd rather work more and not despise 80% of my waking hours. You'll spend most of your waking hours at your career - don't be stupid. Money is important, but you don't want to learn the hard way that it ain't everything.

I speculate that medicine is less dependent on energy than engineering. If the problems arise with our non-renewable energy sources that some people suspect, engineers are going to be useless. Doctors will still have diagnosis, therapies, and I think any medicine that doesn't require huge amounts of energy to produce. Just a theoretical angle.

That...doesn't make any sense. If we run out of non-renewable energy sources, engineers become more important, not less.

And in any case, everything runs on energy. Try running a hospital, producing any drugs, or doing any tests, without power.

 

[slatermd]

Firstly, this is one srs necro thread. We need to let it go guys.

Secondly, non-nontrads have a hard time understanding how bad "other jobs" blow.

For some people, medicine does "waste" their 20's because they really would rather be working any other job that allows a little more free time to get crunk nonstop.

There is no way for the nontrad to impart this wisdom of crappy job life experience to the teeny boppers.

 

[Lokhtar]

That's true. You can't really explain what it's like being in a cube for 60 hours hating every minute, knowing that this is likely where you'll be in 30 years - if not in a cubicle than in an office telling others to do the same thing working even longer hours.

Yea, you can have my twenties. Have fun with 'em.

 

[45408]

3 year old bump? Was that really necessary?

Sadly, I remember this thread and the OP...

 

[circulus vitios]

It's not. OK, you want to have enough to eat - so if you want to be a wandering poet and have a family, you need to find yourself a rich spouse. But as a non-trad, I was in a career where I spent much of my twenties 'enjoying' myself in a good paying job. I laughed out loud at the comment about people in medicine 'wasting' their twenties and how other careers have it sweet cause they don't, because enjoying my twenties for me meant working 60 hours a week in a cubicle doing a job I despised.

And then I'd get off a few days a week and could go to bars...and that's supposed to make up for five or six long days at the office hating every moment of it? And my job was well above average for someone with a bachelor's degree. I'd rather work more and not despise 80% of my waking hours. You'll spend most of your waking hours at your career - don't be stupid. Money is important, but you don't want to learn the hard way that it ain't everything.

In an ideal world I'd study physics and go to grad school. In reality its suicide. Science is a joke in America. I'm working towards a career in medicine because it pays well, its stable, and its mildly interesting.

"Follow your dream" is bad advice. Not only is it bad, it's potentially life-destroying advice. This is the real world where bad choices have consequences. Living on $40k/year or having to move cross-country for a job might seem fine when you're 22 years old. But it's crap when you're 32 years old, and unbearable when you're 42 years old.