After completing my first semester in dentistry, I'm incredibly inclined to drop out in pursuit of medicine... I've come to realize how much more I want to focus on learning systemic body functions and associated pathologies, rather than scoping down into head and neck/oral cavity.
Would this be a reasonable motive to drop out of a program only a semester in..? I have no clue if this would be a red flag to the admission committee...I'm absolutely stuck and not sure what to do. I beg of you for advices..
So I was always in this boat, I've been a poster here since 2010. Went form school from 10-14 and I was always interested in medicine, but I settled for dentistry after physics destroyed me.
When I was younger, I always resented the fact that I didn't get into medicine. I always felt dentistry was a "lesser" profession in a sense...and that we were always the red-headed stepchildren of the medical world. My two cousins went into medicine and that was that.
When I went into dental school, I barely skated by. I was in the bottom of my class, and was almost held back for inadequate grades. Sad story. But C's get degrees and I graduated.
I started working my first two years in associate gigs and was miserable. What happened to that 8-5, porsche lifestyle, Monday-Thursday? I was working 5-6 days a week, sometimes 50-60 hours a week...and barely making 120-140k. I had no benefits, no holidays, no vacation days. I worked the day before xmas, day after xmas, same with new years etc etc.
I was being told by high school managers that I need to "produce" more and diagnose more. Dentistry was beating me up. I was depressed and tired, and was jealous of my medical peers who seemingly could just work at some regional hospital and be 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, get prestige, respect, and make a great income with great benefits. I felt frustrated in a sense that I was sold the fact that dentistry was some profession that you could learn and challenge yourself...but in reality it's just a fill and drill job. If you have a personality, that counts for more then the actual ability to do surgery. Being personable meant more then being smart. At least with medicine there was always ground breaking new things to learn. I wanted to learn and be something MORE then just a fill and drill machine.
Enough was enough, I jumped into my own practice after all was said and done, and I changed. I was 10x happier. My income skyrocketed. I paid off my student loans, and I'm on track to paying off my practice in 7 years. My financial goal is to pay off the house in 10 years. Then I'll be debt free. I work 4 days a week, and 8 hour days with 5 weeks of vacation. Half my time is spent on netflix, SDN, and stocktwits all day. I don't have to worry about being on call...as the only emergency I get is a broken tooth. And then I got married, and then I found myself pursuing other passions. Last weekend, I played about 20 hours straight of Apex Legends. Today I get off and have another 3 day weekend, where I will mainly play Apex Legends, go out to a bar, and have board game night. See...priorities change. I have no more drive to learn neurosurgery and be the number one doctor anymore. I just go do my job and go home and enjoy myself. Life changes...and for that, I'm happy with Dentistry now....because if I went into medical school...I would still be residency/fellowship. I would still be in school today. That's pretty crazy. My cousin became a heart surgeon...he's still in school. He is still working 60+ hours. But he loves it, and that's great for him. I know I couldn't do it.
Looking back, I *wished* I could of done it...but knowing what I know now...I don't think I could of. Medicine is HARD. It's a calling...and I give props to anyone that goes through with it. The grass is always greener. It will get better Domega. I never liked it that much...but after getting out and owning my own place...I feel blessed to have this job. It won't ever be as "brain rewarding" as medicine... and I will never get thanked for "saving someones life like a surgeon" but I couldn't do it anyhow. It's a hard job.
Best of luck.
seems like I dug myself a grave. Thank you all for your input
