for those who changed careers why did you decide this?

[jsp132]

only recent thread I see is from 2008.......

so wanted to get anyone else's thoughts on this?

i've just become disillusioned with the business world and the work that it entails

it's very boring dry and uninspiring to me

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[DrMidlife]

A large part of every job is boring dry and uninspiring. Unless you get to be Lady Gaga or whatnot, and then the boring dry uninspiring part is just smaller than normal.

Make a career change into medicine if you've done everything you can to find a reason not to, without succeeding. Such as: lots of clinical volunteering, lots of studying current events in health economics and heath economics, lots of shadowing docs, lots of soul searching and consulting of mentors. Being willing to let doors close on a medical ambition is mental health.

Best of luck to you.

 

[dmf2682]

A large part of every job is boring dry and uninspiring. Unless you get to be Lady Gaga or whatnot, and then the boring dry uninspiring part is just smaller than normal.

Make a career change into medicine if you've done everything you can to find a reason not to, without succeeding. Such as: lots of clinical volunteering, lots of studying current events in health economics and heath economics, lots of shadowing docs, lots of soul searching and consulting of mentors. Being willing to let doors close on a medical ambition is mental health.

Best of luck to you.

This is all splendid. Agree. But the op is pre vet. Does that change anything I wonder.

 

[scarshapedstar]

lots of studying current events in health economics and heath economics

QFT, a moor is generally more valuable than a heath, something well worth keeping in mind.

 

[DrMidlife]

QFT, a moor is generally more valuable than a heath, something well worth keeping in mind.

There should be a Heath Ledger joke in there. Still too soon though.

 

[silleme]

I'm switching over from a career that I'm becoming disillusioned with that pays well, because becoming a doctor is something I've wanted to do since I was in high school. The passion never went away, but now I have the ability to pay for it courtesy of the GI bill and money I've saved up working my butt off the last few years. I was raised to be almost allergic to debt, and didn't know jack about getting funding for college, so didn't attend out of high school. Now I have the knowledge, the opportunity, and even more of the drive.

If you still have the drive, and the opportunity presents itself, I say go for it. The only thing holding you back is you.

 

[Deekle]

i've just become disillusioned with the business world and the work that it entails
it's very boring dry and uninspiring to me

You've described why you want to make a change based on how you feel about your current job. Believe it or not, most people feel this way at some point, even in their chosen professions. It will be MUCH, MUCH more work to change professions than you could possibly immagine. LOTS of it will be boring, uninspiring and sometimes seemingly pointless. It takes incredible strength and fortitude to re-boot your life in any job, but even more so in medicine. You'd better want it more than anything else you've ever wanted in your life.

But, to answer your question...

I spent my previous life doing the jobs I was expected to do, for the reasons that most people are expected to work. First, I worked to pay for school, doing whatever cruddy job I could make a few bucks at. Before too long, I was working other cruddy jobs that paid a little bit better, to support myself. Then, I got married and had a family. I took the jobs that paid the best in order to support my family. Through it all, I was always drawn to the hospital in my spare time. Through it all, I knew I was meant for something more. I found I would rather discuss health issues with people than talk about football (and I love football). Every other thought in my head was about medicine. Still, I realized that it was a very long path. For me, a career in medicine meant a complete 180 in education. I was a 2.4gpa in highschool, and less in college for the one year I went. But several years of maturing and some time earning a disciplined mind in the Navy gave me a new lease on life. While I was slaving at one of the "cruddy" jobs for 50 hours a week to support my wife and kids and taking 13-18 credit hours of classes, I saw and knew in the deepest part of my soul that I wanted this more than anything else. I saw it because no sane person would do the things I was doing unless they were dedicated to their goal. What's more, I was doing it well. I was doing it well because I was doing it for me. I was doing what I was meant to do. Four years of college later and I was still taking the hits and jumping through the hoops because I was meant to go to medical school. My MCAT study months were some of the most grueling of my life, but It was worth it to me because I was advancing toward my goal.

I hope that the passion that I have for medicine is evident in this post, because the passion is what drove my change. I can't even describe in simple words how much I want to do this. Most of the folks on this forum who are serious will have similar stories and be just as passionate about their decisions to pursue medicine.

If you are meant to make a change, you will find a similar passion. It may not start at the "crazy board poster" level, but it will grow and grow until it is the all consuming driving force in your life. If it's not, then you haven't found where you're meant to be yet.

Find where your passion is. Follow it relentlessly. Do it for yourself and not because someone expects you to. Don't do it for the money or the prestige. Do it because every step of every day of your life has been leading you to the path that takes you to your passion.

 

[Medicinewoman85]

I knew that when I started my job at the age of 20 it was to be a stepping stone. I had a family to take care of and I had some short term goals that needed to be reached before I could do what I always wanted. I may be crazy for leaving a good paying job but becoming a doctor was so much more important. Now that my kids are a little older, I have a house, my husband can afford to pay all of the bills, and I have a little savings my mind is clear for me to pursue medicine. I know this will be one of the biggest sacrifices I have ever had to make but I believe it is worth it!

 

[Helen Wheels]

Well, I decided to do this back in 1999. Took me a few years to finish the pre reqs because I was working full time. Also, my mother's health started to decline during this time. I had to set aside the med school plans for 7 years while working and taking care of my mother. After she lost her battle with liver disease I got back on track, took the MCAT, and after 2 app cycles finally got an acceptance.

Truthfully, I would have had to go back to school for something. I only have a BA and I was not making enough money before med school and my employment options were pretty limited. That's the main reason I am doing this. I'm late to the party because I had to delay things with my Mom's situation. Walking away from a secure job in this economy to take on all this debt and start med school at age 40 is the craziest thing I have ever done!

 

[QofQuimica]

only recent thread I see is from 2008.......

so wanted to get anyone else's thoughts on this?

i've just become disillusioned with the business world and the work that it entails

it's very boring dry and uninspiring to me

My friend, I ask myself this very question every day. I say to myself, "self, why on earth did you earn two MSes, a PhD, and an MD, just so that you could be a glorified secretary with no overtime pay and no guaranteed meal breaks?" Because that's basically what I do on a day-to-day basis: make phone calls, fill out forms, write notes, read through reams of files from outside hospitals to find the one or two sheets with info that is actually useful, and enter orders into a computer. The whole while, I have nurses and other people interrupting me and paging me to give me even more tasks along the same vein. And, this secretarial work is a significant part of what the attendings do on a day-to-day basis as well, only with fewer outside hospital nurses' notes to sort through. So, as DrM said, if you are disillusioned with the bizniz part of your work, you aren't going to find an oasis from that in medicine. That's for dang sure, and you can take it to the bank.

And, on that note, here is what is quite possibly the most hilarious (and true) youtube video I have ever seen. For the last two weeks, my attending and I have been spoofing it non-stop. (You want to cough or sneeze? We have a form for that. You run out of forms and want to get more forms? We have a form for that too. We have a form for every form you would need to fill out for more forms....)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xskFo75Wdhs[/YOUTUBE]

 

[moosetracks]

My friend, I ask myself this very question every day. I say to myself, "self, why on earth did you earn two MSes, a PhD, and an MD, just so that you could be a glorified secretary with no overtime pay and no guaranteed meal breaks?" Because that's basically what I do on a day-to-day basis: make phone calls, fill out forms, write notes, read through reams of files from outside hospitals to find the one or two sheets with info that is actually useful, and enter orders into a computer. The whole while, I have nurses and other people interrupting me and paging me to give me even more tasks along the same vein. And, this secretarial work is a significant part of what the attendings do on a day-to-day basis as well, only with fewer outside hospital nurses' notes to sort through. So, as DrM said, if you are disillusioned with the bizniz part of your work, you aren't going to find an oasis from that in medicine. That's for dang sure, and you can take it to the bank.

And, on that note, here is what is quite possibly the most hilarious (and true) youtube video I have ever seen. For the last two weeks, my attending and I have been spoofing it non-stop. (You want to cough or sneeze? We have a form for that. You run out of forms and want to get more forms? We have a form for that too. We have a form for every form you would need to fill out for more forms....)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xskFo75Wdhs[/YOUTUBE]

If I may ask, what are your degrees in as well as your specialty? And what made you go into medicine with all that schooling?

 

[startoverat40]

So, as DrM said, if you are disillusioned with the bizniz part of your work, you aren't going to find an oasis from that in medicine. That's for dang sure, and you can take it to the bank.

but at least in medicine you are doing all the boring stuff in the HOPE of aleviating pain and improving quality of life.

I'm doing it for personal fulfillment and realization of a lifetime dream. And for knowing that even if what I'm doing on a day to day basis is boring, or even futile, at least I'm Trying to make life better for others, and not just trying to increase shareholder value.

 

[QofQuimica]

but at least in medicine you are doing all the boring stuff in the HOPE of aleviating pain and improving quality of life.

I don't think that even the most starry-eyed idealist can pretend that any of the secretarial-type stuff that doctors do alleviates any suffering, except maybe that of hospital administrators and politicians.

All kidding aside, taking care of patients is a priviledge. The problem is that we spend so little of our time actually with patients. So for sure no one should go to med school thinking that it will be an escape from paperwork or onerous rules and regulations.

Moose, go to the FAQs sticky and read the Secrets of Success thread, 2nd post. I can't type that all out again on my BB. It's too much like secretarial work.

 

[startoverat40]

I don't think that even the most starry-eyed idealist can pretend that any of the secretarial-type stuff that doctors do alleviates any suffering, except maybe that of hospital administrators and politicians.

yes of course, what i'm saying is that for better or worse, the paperwork is a part of your job, and your job is taking care of people. we have to push our politicians to fix the messy broken system, so doctors can do what they're trained for, and leave the paperwork for the administrators.

 

[lkthlttr]

I chose to switch careers after completing a PhD in the physical sciences and then spending several more years doing research as a postdoc. I realized that I was unhappy doing research that was so far away from making any kind of tangible difference in the lives of patients. I looked back and my career goals from when I started out in undergrad and saw how far I veered from the track that I originally intended. I decided that in order to have the type of career I wanted, one where I'm helping cure illness instead of refining our understanding of esoteric biological mechanisms, I would have to make a serious adjustment. So I quit my job, started volunteering and after two application cycles will be attending med school in the fall.

 

[LupaCupcake]

When I was in the military I was good at my job, but I knew it was not my career. It gave me tools necessary for a strong career path such as self discipline, motivation, attention to detail, work ethic and if anyone tries to jump me in a medical school parking lot I will lay them out on the pavement

back to topic..hehe...

When I left the military I knew I wanted a career path that I would feel proud to work in, something where I felt like I was making a difference and having some sort of positive impact. I wanted to help people. I did not think about medical school right away because I doubted myself. I don't like to admit that because it sounds weak, but it is true. I didn't think it was feasible because I was slightly older than the normal student and I hated high school so I figured I would hate college. Slowly over periods of time my confidence grew, I actually loved college and I was grinning like a little kid the first time someone called me a school nerd. I was enthusiastic, motivated, driven and I WANTED to learn more. Then I started asking questions like "what is my passion" and "what do I truly want".

Most people thought I would do something creative as a career because I have been a musician since I was a little girl, I can make clothes, jewelry, paint etc. I don't want to do those as a career though. They are hobbies...they are fun and relaxing....I NEED to impact people and do something good with my career.

So....I found my confidence and I said THIS is what I want and this is what it entails. I expected my husband to go .that is not feasible! Instead he did not seem shocked and seemed like he already knew and was just waiting for me to say it. Marriages are like that sometimes lol.

I closed my daycare business recently so I could focus 100% on my studies and ensure I maintain my current GPA. All of our plans are focused on my goal now.

 

[MedWonk]

I left my previous job, because for a while I wanted to either throw myself back into engineering, or do medicine. I starting taking post-bacc classes not really knowing if I wanted to go med school. It wasn't until I started spending more time in a healthcare environment by doing clinical volunteering at a hospital that I came to not only seriously consider med school, but much to my introverted surprise, also discovered I actually like interacting with patients. Well, most of them.