From Architecture to Medicine. Working in a hospital versus working computer desk job? COVID shadowing advice please.

[doctor_bea]

Hello everyone,
I'm currently working in architecture but I am deeply unhappy. I'm thankful to still have a job because the COVID 19 Recession has pretty much killed the architecture job market (not that architecture is ever really in demand or paid well). My issue is that I hate pretty much everything about architecture jobs- the desk job life, staring at a computer for hours, poor pay, lack of job opportunity, volatility of the field, boring job etc.
I've been interested in medicine for the longest time. In fact I wanted to do a post bacc program a few years ago but due to family pressure I ended up not going for it. My family pressured me to go for architecture. I ended up graduating with a Masters in Architecture (2019) and have been working ever since. I've been trying to get my foot in the door of a hospital as a volunteer but the pandemic literally broke out a week after I was accepted as a volunteer. Everything has been cancelled and put on hold since then (which I of course understand and am very grateful for the hospitals for doing this). I've done some virtual job shadowing, but it's not the same. I really want to see if I enjoy working in a hospital.

My questions are:
Instead of volunteering, is it possible for me to become a phlebotomist or EKG tech on the weekends? Do medical schools look favorably upon this? I am going to have to be one of those people that works during post bacc so I will probably not have much access to research opportunities. Will my architecture degree hold me back? I don't have the science pre reqs. Most people that go to medical school have biology or chemistry backgrounds.

Has anyone switched from an office computer based type of job (accounting or engineering) to medicine? What are some pros and cons you experienced? I feel like being a doctor is more mentally engaging and professionally satisfying than staring into a computer in a cubicle. Is working in a hospital more socially interactive? I understand that toxic work environments exist everywhere, but the fact that doctors rotate through different departments appeals to me. No two days are the same.

Is working as a doctor more autonomous because you don't have a boss breathing down your neck? Doctors, providers, and nurses work together but its more of a collaborative job. I know that residency is hard but as a junior doctor you basically get a raise and a promotion each year you progress through training. Then at the end of it you are basically guaranteed a job as an attending. No other field is like this (I've worked in dead end jobs before, most companies don't want you to progress).

I am also concerned about midlevel encroachment and future job security. As a second career non trad, this is more of a risk for me, since I was able to work through architecture school and pay off most of it. My biggest nightmare is graduating medical school and having a midlevel take my job, while I am broke. I've been reading a lot about this issue on reddit and SDN. It's pretty concerning and a lot of doctors have actively tried to talk me out of it. But honestly, I would really love to work in healthcare and I feel like I would enjoy the journey of a doctor and grow from it.

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[Dral]

A few things:

The architecture degree will not hold you back, but you will obviously need the prereqs for both MCAT and for med school requirements and building base knowledge to build upon in medical school.

Any healthcare experience should be looked upon favorably. You could try EMT or scribe as well, but the schedule may be tougher. I don't know if it can replace volunteering or shadowing based on our current situation. I don't know for sure so I can't speak to that since I don't want to give you what could be false information.

Don't forget that not all medicine is hospital work.

I can't answer your second question personally. I was an Art/Bio dual major and did a science based PhD between undergrad and med school

You don't necessarily progress much unless you consider moving up into admin jobs as progress (I personally don't and will likely stay away from admin positions unless things change majorly for me). We do have autonomy in a lot of what we do (private practice has more autonomy, but at the expense of other things).

I am academic and we are subject to a lot of bureaucracy. Decisions are made about how I work throughout my day without anyone ever asking first how it will affect how I work. However, I still make certain decisions about how I see patients and I certainly have autonomy to choose treatments and recommendations for my patients without being told how to do it for the most part (other than insurance concerns).

SDN concentrates the 'sky is falling' attitude all around. While encroachment is a concern and we must stay vigilant and remain involved in what happens with it, I don't perceive it as something that should keep someone out of becoming a physician.

It is certainly up there in terms of the amount of resources that go into becoming a physician from start to finish. There is a sense of accomplishment in that, but make sure you can handle doing it as a job/career. I know it's hard right now, but hopefully if you get a part time healthcare job, you can at least get a bit of experience.