Family Medicine or General Dentistry?

[relevaant]

Which career path would best suit me if I seek a lifestyle that allows me to pursue hobbies outside of my professional life as well as the time to be there for my family and friends? I enjoy the work of both docs but I cannot decide between the two.

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[doctorleospaceman]

Have you done sufficient shadowing in both? I find not noticeably leaning towards medicine or dentistry to be very rare since the two are quite different.

Also its not so much the profession as it is how well you manage time. Even surgeons can and do make time for their families and hobbies

 

[Monaseid]

Dentists live the better lifestyle out of the two, most work 4-5 days a week with phenomenal hours. That is with 3-5 years of experience of course. But you have to consider the financial debt of dental schools. Most student reach 350-400k these days. You will be most likely handing out 2-3k monthly payments.

 

[relevaant]

Have you done sufficient shadowing in both? I find not noticeably leaning towards medicine or dentistry to be very rare since the two are quite different.

Also its not so much the profession as it is how well you manage time. Even surgeons can and do make time for their families and hobbies

I am going to begin shadowing a doc at my local hospital next week so that is a start. As for dentists, I have only seen videos or talked to dentists personally. I admire both docs and I still haven't leaned towards one career over the other yet. Yeah, time management is important but don't the majority of surgeons work many hours per week? lol

 

[relevaant]

Dentists live the better lifestyle out of the two, most work 4-5 days a week with phenomenal hours. That is with 3-5 years of experience of course. But you have to consider the financial debt of dental schools. Most student reach 350-400k these days. You will be most likely handing out 2-3k monthly payments.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the same can be said about medicine regarding debt right? Or is dental school more expensive overall?

 

[doctorleospaceman]

I think you'll have a better idea of what you want to do after you actually get some better insight into the two professions. That's the whole point of shadowing, to know what you're getting yourself into.

 

[relevaant]

I think you'll have a better idea of what you want to do after you actually get some better insight into the two professions. That's the whole point of shadowing, to know what you're getting yourself into.

Okay man thanks for the help

 

[confidentandgood]

There are also plenty of threads covering this subject, so use the search bar to your advantage.