Give up six-figured Job for med school?

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ktran

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Just out of curiosity, are any of you guys out there gave up a permanent, cushy job that pays more than $100k/year to go to med school?
I have a decent intellectually challenging job for five years now, and I am just doggone excited to go back to school to persue my dream. Hats off to anyone who gave up a lucrative income to become a poor med student for the next 7 conceivable years :clap:
BTW, My job pays nowhere close to six-figure
income, but it certainly affords me a much better lifestyle that that of a med student.
Go ahead. Share with us what you think.

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ktran,

Exactly what I did! With corporate perks, I was near the $100k/year figure and I returned to school so that I may attend medical school. I do not regret it for any reason at all. From Corporate Vice-President to student, following my personal dreams has been a great experience. The poor life is great because I am personally happy.

I am on two waiting lists, but am hopeful this year. Dreams and aspirations are to be followed.

Congrats and Good Luck to you!

Turtlemd
 
Yeah-

I'm about to give up my fat salery for med school and am currently in the process of freaking out! I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to live off a VERY tight budget. I'm so excited to be starting school in the fall - I KNOW this is what I want, but I have to say my nerves are frazzled from all the preperation I'm doing to ensure my montly expenses are minimized. I have a feeling that once I have everything settled I will feel much better, but downsizing so dramatically is very hard and very weird! Oh well. I know in the long run, it'll all will be worth it!


-Best
 
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turtlemd,

I admire your financial sacrifice to happily pursue your calling. You certainly succeded in climbing the corporate ladder and I'm sure you will do the same in gaining admission. Remember, the turtle will cross the finish line. Slowly but surely 😉
Good luck and let us know where you'll end up.
 
ktran,

Thank you. You put a big smile on my face today....I will remember the turtle and the hare! THANK YOU again!

🙂

Turtle
 
Count me in.. gave up over $100K to apply this past year. Still waiting for an acceptance - several waitlists. Even if I don't get in this year, I'm ready to apply again and have no plans to go back to what I was doing! Good luck to us oldies but goodies!
 
I guess you could count me into this group. I work for one of the fastest growing finance companies in the US. My income this year is mid to high 5 figures, next year it would certainly be in the 6s. With the company growing so quickly, I would be set for a decent life.

I have just heard back from Oregon State, that my application has been approved (being a non-degree student I do not get formally accepted), and it looks like in Sept I will be started the long post-bacc road (business major; have none of the requirements). I do wonder if I am doing the right thing, I am going from being set for life; having nice cars, purchasing a house in a couple years, etc to self induced poverty where not only will I have to watch every penny, but also being getting into debt. I am quite confident that in 25+ years I will look back and know I did the right thing, but as of right now I am worrying about it.

I think the biggest transition for me will be going from a professional job in finance, working around a bunch of suits, very firm hierarchy, etc to being a waiter or another student job until I have settled in and see if what my schedule allows me to do. I have been saving for this venture, so my spending has been kept minimal, so that transition should not be tough.

I am pleased to see others who have made the same decision and doing so well.
 
What a great day to start this thread!

I just gave my month's notice today to leave a career I've had (and disliked, for the most part) for 20 years. I gotta admit, terror set in when I realized May's paycheck will be the last one for four years....but I am certain, without a doubt, that this is the right thing to do.

One acceptance here and still waiting from one more school, so I'm definitely going in the fall. I can't imagine what it's going to be like, at the age of 36, to give up a cushy job/house/lifestyle and go back to making $0!

Good luck to everyone! Anybody that changes careers and/or gives up a lucrative job to pursue this dream deserves kudos.
 
I'm up to 200k last year with bonus. But I hate it, and can't wait to start school and do something that means something.

Macken, you are right about the paycheck thing. I'm not quitting until July so I have a few more to go...
 
Originally posted by ktran
Just out of curiosity, are any of you guys out there gave up a permanent, cushy job that pays more than $100k/year to go to med school?
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If someone answers yes to the above question, i think he/she is lying. It wouldn't make sense to to leave a $100K+ job in order to become a 'slave" for the next 4-9yrs.
 
The company I work for is known for making millionaires out of janitors and truck drivers due to very generous profit sharing plans and numerous stock splits. (of course, those jobs are all outsourced now, but that's beside the point).

Here's my progression:

College
Engineers solve problems
Businessman play games

Real World
Engineers solve problems as long as they make money
Business is all about making money
Engineers must become businessmen
People in business still play games
Therefore, engineers play games

Medicine
Doctors solve problems
Doctors save lives
Doctors fight to keep "the game" from interfering with treatment

So if the end "game" was the goal, how much "stuff" have you accumulated when you die, then either path probably gets me to that same point. The big difference is that life is not a STATE FUNCTION! It DOES matter what path you take to get there!

I don't even see this as pursuing "the dream". I'm just pursuing the only career that I'd enjoy. It's really that simple.
 
I am giving up my $100K+ job to go to medical school and I can't wait (125 days till orientation, but who's counting)). I may never make this up financially, but I will be fulfilling a lifelong dream.🙂
 
It is hard to convey the choice to give up a six-figure salary--to follow your dream of becoming a doctor.

The sacrifice involved is a lot. But I also look at the 20-23yr olds who also make a sacrifice of their youth to follow the same dream. It is all relative and very personal in nature whether it is worth this long haul to becoming a doctor.

For me, I was talking pre-med courses, while working as a lawyer. There were many times I thought about quiting--studying every free moment, balancing a lot of responsibilities, and most of all being determined even when giving up seemed like the SANE thing to do. I have been admitted to a few very good medical schools and feel a great sense of satisfaction that I persevered through many hurdles to make my dream come true. However, I would also say the costs (not limited to financial) have also been substantial.

MDlawyer
 
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Add me to this list. I am going to medical school this fall at UT Southwestern, from a successful career in Aerospace and Banking that left me last year earning a salary so high that it would disgust most of you.

For those of you reading this thread in disbelief that people like us would make such a decision need to realize that in the end financial success (in any field of endeavor) is decidedly unsatisfying. I am making my decision based my faith in Christ and feel I am satisfying his perfect plan for my life. Whatever a person's decision though, money can not buy meaning in life, and that is ultimately what my fellow posters in this thread are trying to express by their decisions.
 
Originally posted by cabruen
Add me to this list. I am going to medical school this fall at UT Southwestern, from a successful career in Aerospace and Banking that left me last year earning a salary so high that it would disgust most of you.
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Interestingly enough, the deadline for seaworthc's Sugar Daddy 2003 application has been extended another 24 hrs......... 😛
 
1) i'm giving up a mid-five figure salary at a job i don't like, but in a field i really do like (biotechnology) to go to medical school.

2) i'm purchasing a wee little condo next year

3) i have no idea how i'm going to live on such a tight budget

4) i need to get a roommate and i've lived alone for 3 years.

it's all freaking me out, and i'm a money-anxiety person to begin with.... BUT i'm sooooooo excited to start med school and i know that this is the right thing for me to do, even if it means living like a student again.
 
I was at 85K when I left software development a couple months ago to prepare for med school. (MCW this fall!)

I will miss having money, but I was so sick of spending so much time doing something I didn't like that it really won't be much of a sacrifice. I actually have the best of both worlds - I had a cushy job with money in my youth and now that I'm a seasoned 35 yr-old I get to pursue my dream.
 
I was making good money at a job I really enjoyed but that did not challenge me a whole lot. And I had always planned on just doing that to make money for med school. So I work right up until I started school, and a month into the school year, the week of my first set of med school exams, they called me and offered me a huge promotion in position and salary, putting me in the 6 figure club. Tempting, being that I had four exams in the next two days that I wouldn't need to take if I left school, but it's med school for me!.
 
Right on, everybody!

Sounds like the same common thread runs for all of us: money isn't everything....

The lack of fulfillment and giving something back nagged me until I finally returned to my childhood goal of medicine.

Nice to hear that I'm not alone in this endeavor. I know we can weather the financial transition. If we could work full-time, attend school part- or full-time as well, and take care of our families, (all at the same time!) we can do anything!

Best of luck to everyone.
 
speaking of financial transitions....
i'm buying a condo right before i start school (teehee based on my current salary rather than my lack thereof in med school) .... i have lived alone for >2 yrs and i LOVE it. i'm considering getting a part-time job in order to finance the whole thing, rather than getting a roommate.... anyone else planning to continue working a bit while in school? anyone currently doing it and finding it feasible? (part-time, i mean... no more than 15-20hrs/week)

i've already accepted that i'm going to be poor and the budget is gonna be tight... but it's almost worth it for me to work a little bit if i can have my own place, to myself. the investment is looking to be worth it to me. opinions?
 
I'm thrilled to be going back to school next year and feel fortunate that I have saved enough to cover more of my tuition than I ever thought. I do have to say sometimes when I am eating out, or splurging, that it does cross my mind that I'm making more now then I probably will till I go into private practice. Then I just figure I'll be working so hard I won't even notice. 🙂
 
Great thread.. feels like the MD bug has gotten us all..

I make high 5 figures and have a good job in allied health.. my husband is a MD who is in private practice.. so i think money isnt the only factor for me...

I think that personal satisfaction and the inner urge to follow ur dream is really the key driving factor for all of us .. especially the non traditionals who choose to leave a flourishing career and take the plunge.. It is also a major sacrifice for the 22-23yr olds who choose to spend the best years of their lives ... doing med school.. but jugglinh family.. kids.. and other responsibilites etc.. can be tough..

I am gonna take MCAT in april of 2004 and apply in 2004.. let us see how it goes..

Good luck
Bye
 
After reading the billionth thread on whether dermatologists make $300,000 or $400,000 I just want to say that you guys are a real refreshment.

Although I'm in the 22-23 kids category (21, actually), I left my family and moved from another continent by myself at 16, have put myself thru undergrad, am now starting a 7-8 year medschool/grad school stint and am shooting for a 7 yr residency afterwords - all to pursue my dream of being an academic physician. So, I will be over 35 when I see a decent paycheck for the first time, and even then it's going to be less than some of you are making now. Thank god for Ramen noodles 😀

Clearly people like phar have no clue what this is about, and I would encourage all of them to stick with their 100K jobs and stay out of medicine.

Kudos and good luck to all of you.
 
Originally posted by GoodMonkey
speaking of financial transitions....
i'm buying a condo right before i start school (teehee based on my current salary rather than my lack thereof in med school) .... i have lived alone for >2 yrs and i LOVE it. i'm considering getting a part-time job in order to finance the whole thing, rather than getting a roommate.... anyone else planning to continue working a bit while in school? anyone currently doing it and finding it feasible? (part-time, i mean... no more than 15-20hrs/week)

i've already accepted that i'm going to be poor and the budget is gonna be tight... but it's almost worth it for me to work a little bit if i can have my own place, to myself. the investment is looking to be worth it to me. opinions?
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Hey GoodMonkey,

Congrats on your medschool acceptance and the decision to buy your own place. I'm basically in your same shoes right now. I just bought my own house two months ago in peak of real estate bubble in Wash DC area. That was about a week before I got the acceptance letter from med school. At first I was pretty nervous becuase of worrying about the mortgage and med school at the same time. I bought the house to mainly help my younger brother and as an investment. I put a lot of work in it, and it feels great everytime I sit on the deck and enjoy my beer. But this won't be for long before I pack my bags for school. I don't plan to work during med school because it's my priority to do well in something I love.
Oh, talk about stress, now I am in charge of planning the whole wedding this July becuase my fiancee is tied up with her first dental board exam this summer. Any guys done this before? Please help if you did. I got most of the big stuff like Church, restaurant, video, photography, music down already
but how am I suppose to handle things like flowers, and bridemaids etc.. 😕 (Hm... Las Vagas would be easy but not an option) Anyway, I will just work hard at it and things will fall into their proper place. Oh, I forgot about the honeymoon, any good suggestions for a student couple on a tight budget?
Thanks for your inputs.
Peace.
 
for honeymoon on a tight budget, definately go on a cruise. if you look for deals, u can find a v.cheap one. they offer GREAT food and a lot of variety. i have already been on 2 (one for a honeymoon). this past winter my hubby and I went to exotic western carribean ( belize, honduras, cozumel, grand cayman) out of florida on Carnival. w/tickets to florida from NY it cost us 1300. this includes tips, food, and we took 2 shore excursions. if u have any more questions, PM me.
re wedding,
invitations- do online
flowers- go to local store and go with what's in season
sit down w/your fiancee and ask her what all her preferences are- this will take at most 2 hourts. good luck! susan
 
Ktran,

Man, I just read your post and we have quite a bit in common. First of all, there's a good chance I'm headed to UVa in August. I'm on the waitlist at Yale so that's the only way I wouldn't end up in charlottesville. Secondly, I too am very interested in buying a house/townhouse/condo for use during med school. But the big thing is that I'm getting married in July. So we're in pretty much the same boat. Luckily my fiancee is helping a lot (and spending a lot 🙂 ). We booked our honeymoon a few months ago and talked to a lot of people before we decided what to do. At first we were going to do one of those cruises because you can basically do a good one for a grand each, so that's great. Then we really looked at the itinerary and realized how little time you get on a lot of islands. Some of them it was like 8 hours and then you're gone again. All I could picture was getting back on the boat everyday and finding out what we could have done on the island. In the end we decided to just go to one island even if it costs a little more. But then we found out from a bunch of people about Punta Cana, which is the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic. The gov't set aside the entire eastern portion of the island as a resort area that's really really nice. Their beaches are just stunning. If you're looking for a sweet place at a good price there's no place better. Most of the resorts there are all-inclusive packages, so you don't have to pay for anything extra. So it cost us $1200 a person and that includes airfare, hotel, all meals and drinks, golf, gratuity, non-motorized watersports, entertainment (shows). So it's a great deal because you know exactly what you're going to spend and you don't have to worry about every dollar you spend while you're there. The only extras we want to do are horseback riding on the beach and deep sea fishing so we'll spend a little more, but those are optional anway. Everyone I know that's gone there has loved it and I can't wait to go. If you want to know any specifics or anything, PM me and I'll fill you in. Good luck with the wedding preparations. Maybe I'll see you in August.
 
Thanks for all your suggestions. I sure hope us "oldies" still have enough neurons left to do well in med school. Ah, Academics aren't everything. I look forward to learn medicine to enjoy it and the company of the great people around me.

ccCrazie, good luck to your Yale acceptance. Otherwise, I'm excited to have you as a classmate at UVa. Thanks for your ideas. I will look around a little more to see if there's anything else out there and will keep you posted. Good luck with your wedding plans also. I will be busy but happy :clap:
 
Had to chime in on this one. I'm leaving my 6 figured high tech marketing job to go back to school to do post bac prereqs in January!

I can't wait! I'm counting the time (8 months, 20 days!) until I'm poor (isn't that crazy?). It just goes to show you that money certainly isn't everything! I can't wait to shove the business suits into the back of the closet (but I'm saving my classic ones for interviews 🙂 )and dress in jeans everyday for class.

Granted I'd like to go back right now, but then there's the matter of some credit cards that need paying off....😡

Roselee
 
I am right there with everyone else. Successful in the accounting/reconstructuring job for major corporations.

However, I despised what I did during the day. Do you know how hard it is to look at a list of people and salaries and have to evaluate which ones are worthy of being kept solely based upon salary?

Couldn't look at myself in the mirror and still be happy with what I was doing. So I went back and finished my prereqs and now I am going to med school in August. As soon as I started back doing my post-bac, I knew, without a doubt, that I was doing the right thing.

Yes, I miss the money, but I don't miss the unhappiness and the lack of fulfillment.

For me it is selfish. I want to be happy with my job and to feel like I made a difference in someone's life. Finance was not the way to go, and medicine was always behind everything I have ever wanted or done. This feels so right. It is a feeling that you can't even begin to explain to someone. It reminds me of the feeling you get when you meet the person you will spend the rest of your life with: you just know.
 
What a nice thread!

You can count me in the giving up the big bucks crowd. I'm another disaffected lawyer and believe me, the financial calculation means very little when you are looking at years of hating your job every single day. During the years I worked at a large law firm, I found myself being insanely jelous of the janitors in our building becuase they didn't have to do what I did twenty hours a day.

I'm not completely decided about medical school yet, but I know that even if I go back to the law, it will be in a field that is personally satisfying and therefore NOT lucrative!

-Oldlady
 
I'm popping in to say that I'm with y'all...I landed a super-high paying, almost 6-figure i-banking job right out of college by some weird stroke of luck...(after failing all other job interviews in the terrible economy after sept 11...) and as I mentioned in some prev posts, I worked for only 6 mos before I had to quit (right before december bonuses.) Those were possibly the worst 6 mos of my life...what made it so terrible was realizing that my true passions and interests lay in medicine, and having to force myself to perform well in something i had absolutely zero interest in (and aptitude for--I am NOT cut out to be a banker. I don't know what I was thinking.)
I tried to hold out on the job due to the $$ incentives but finally resigned. I talked to one of my old science professors at college who basically mentored me through the entire post-bac process. Now i'm in the med school app boat with y'all--but not too far behind in age (i'm 21, almost 22). The past 6 mos--working part time and taking classes and studying for the mcat--have been the most difficult/challenging times I've faced out of school. I'm financially strapped and know things are only going to get even more lean (AMCAS fee + 20-25 secondaries = goodbye, savings!) . BUT despite all that, I feel a sense of contentment and satisfaction--I wouldn't trade my current life for anything. I'm amazed and inspired by the knowledge and understanding I'm gaining...
Sometimes it takes a little longer for things to "click" in people--before they know what their mission/goal/passion in life is. For me, it's clicked now, as it has for most of you on this thread...it is truly comforting to know that I'm not the only "late bloomer" and that more of me exists out there. I'm as nervous as hell for what lies ahead, but I know it will work out for all of us--where there's a will there's a way. Kudos to all of you for making the decision--and best of luck in the process this year!
:clap:
 
I was making 4-5 Million/year as a professional hitman before I decided to go into medicine. The hardest adjustement will be going from killing people to saving their lives.

Seriously though, kudos to you people who are giving up the big bucks to follow your heart 🙂
 
How on Earth did you people get these jobs?? I don't know anyone who makes that type of money. I just graduated with an awesome record and resume from an elite business school, and companies laugh at me and throw my resume in the garbage for anything over 25K. I have been looking for several months now and have had only two legitimate interviews for career-type jobs. I will be working two part-time jobs in a bar and selling cell phones, and will likely have no health insurance while I save up money for my post-bacc. Maybe I am doing something wrong here. It seems like the business world is guaranteed riches for everyone but me.
 
This thread has a bunch of lairs.... Please, no more fooling around......

Firstly, ever heard of a guy making $100k+/year and he/she would be roaming around SND with 100+ posts. GIVE ME A BREAK.
 
Originally posted by surge

Although I'm in the 22-23 kids category (21, actually), I left my family and moved from another continent by myself at 16, have put myself thru undergrad, am now starting a 7-8 year medschool/grad school stint and am shooting for a 7 yr residency afterwords - all to pursue my dream of being an academic physician. So, I will be over 35 when I see a decent paycheck for the first time, and even then it's going to be less than some of you are making now. Thank god for Ramen noodles 😀

Clearly people like phar have no clue what this is about, and I would encourage all of them to stick with their 100K jobs and stay out of medicine.

Kudos and good luck to all of you.
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hmmm. should i feel sorry for you? Would you like a candy?

Education is ENDLESS but MONEY TALKS.

Happy is ATTAINABLE but MONEY TALKS.

Life is short but MONEY TALKS

In other words, money($$$$$$) is a driving factor in all of the above scenarios. So, i don't believe that these geeks left thier workplace(million-dollars mansions) to become as slave for the next 7-12yrs.

I am also in the phd/md program but i am doubting if i will pursue the phd program.

BTW, surge, I thought your were 16 or 15(one whose life revolves around books). Surge, old times.......bring it on.
 
Originally posted by FMLizard
How on Earth did you people get these jobs??
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they are lying because no body in thier right mind would leave a six-figure salaries to start a gruesome journey of becoming a doctor.

By the way, aren't doctors supposed to be mentally stable? What about these people who claim they left a six-figure job and now want to become a doctor.

There are MANY ways to help a fellow being. Still want to work in the hospital, become a nurse aide as it takes only 3wks to get certified. So, while you earn that six-figure salary, volunteer your extra hours as CNA rather than posting on SDN a bunch of lies.


I don't mean to insult anybody but i am expressing my thoughts
 
Unless you have done something else with your life, have a different degree, been out in the real world working 80 plus hours a week, you cannot say that everyone on this thread is a liar.

Walk a mile in anyone of these people's shoes. I have been there and I understand the desire that would cause someone to give up $$$...

and remember, money isn't everything, and I am sure a lot of these people will tell you that it really doesn't buy happiness.

I can attest to that.
 
Originally posted by atty
I'm at $145/yr and I'm trying to decide whether to apply/go to med school. I'll have to say that I'm leaning more toward not going at this point -- but not entirely for salary reasons.
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Honestly, do not apply to medical school. In fact, you are making more money than many other doctors. Plus, you don't even pay malpractice insurance and the only fly to touch your salary is taxes.

If you think the job duties/philosophy of a doctor is what makes you happy. There are many ways to go about it. Mother theresa never earned an MD degree but she is the BEST doctor that ever set a foot on Earth. Doctor = compassion for fellow human beings. However, they are many stupid doctors(simply do a survery on SDN and you will know what about talking about). So, set up a non-profit organization and help the poor and the very unfortunate. Plus, you are making that $$$$$ so it will be easy for you to set it up. If you wanted to work in the hospital, they are many allied health profressionals that take 3months-2yrs. Get allied health degree or certification(however don't give up your current job) and work part-time in that allied-health field and see what it is like.. Actually, forget about the allied-health programs, volunteer extensive hours in the hospital and see what it is like.

It is upto you,....you make the final call.....but just think through before you decide to embark on this journey...What do you want in life?....talk to admission deans or pre-med advisors.......talk with family members or friends.....Re-evaluate your lively goals.......EVERY HUMAN BEING WANTS TO LEAD A HAPPY LIFE.....what makes you happy? No body can answer...only you know.


GOOD LUCK.
 
Originally posted by indiandoc
I'm up to 200k last year with bonus. But I hate it, and can't wait to start school and do something that means something.
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🙄
 
Originally posted by spumoni620
I'm popping in to say that I'm with y'all...I landed a super-high paying, almost 6-figure i-banking job right out of college by some weird stroke of luck.........but not too far behind in age (i'm 21, almost 22).
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are you kidding me? At 21years old, a bank(the smartest institutions in the market world) would have so much trust in you and pay you about $100K. What the hell is the name of that bank? Is it bankrupt now?

By the way, i heard bankers make $25-40k/year.
 
Originally posted by FMLizard
How on Earth did you people get these jobs?? I don't know anyone who makes that type of money. I just graduated with an awesome record and resume from an elite business school, and companies laugh at me and throw my resume in the garbage for anything over 25K.
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You just answered your own question. You "just graduated". If you had graduated about 4-5 years ago, I bet you that companies would've thrown their money at you. Unfortunately for you, it's all about timing.
 
I have also left a good career as a major airline pilot making over 6 figures and lotsa time off. Why? There is more to life than making good landings and seeing the world. The older I get the more I want to get involved in people's lives through helping them. When I was in my early twenties, all I cared about was flying, flying, flying. As I got older and reached my aviation goals, I found that although the monetary reward was great, the spiritual fulfillment and intellectual challenge was not. For those of you questioning older folk's motivations, or even their veracity, just remember that they have probably experienced things that have caused them to reflect upon their place in this world and their contribution to society.

"When once you have tasted flight you will always walk the earth with eyes turned skyward for there you have been and there you will always be." Leonardo Da Vinci
 
Originally posted by 727CAPT
I have also left a good career as a major airline pilot making over 6 figures and lotsa time off. Why? There is more to life than making good landings and seeing the world. The older I get the more I want to get involved in people's lives through helping them. When I was in my early twenties, all I cared about was flying, flying, flying. As I got older and reached my aviation goals, I found that although the monetary reward was great, the spiritual fulfillment and intellectual challenge was not. For those of you questioning older folk's motivations, or even their veracity, just remember that they have probably experienced things that have caused them to reflect upon their place in this world and their contribution to society.

"When once you have tasted flight you will always walk the earth with eyes turned skyward for there you have been and there you will always be." Leonardo Da Vinci
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Okay. However did you read my response to ATTY who wants to give up a $145k job.
 
Phar-
I've been reading your responses to some of the other posters in this thread. Although I never made 6 figures prior to applying to med school, I was close, and I had a promising and stable career. I'd be willing to bet that everyone who decides to leave a lucrative job to pursue medicine has examined their motivations very carefully. I understand your reluctance to believe that anyone would give up a large paycheck to train as a physician, but it's a bit insulting to question someone's "mental stability" for making this choice.

The honest truth is that anyone smart and tough enough to even make it through the med school application process could make a lot more money doing something else that requires a lot less work. You are correct when you point out that there are many allied health professions that provide the opportunity to practice with far fewer headaches than physicians face. The truth remains, however, that the ultimate responsibility for providing quality healthcare in this country still resides primarily with physicians. In a system where "good business decisions" are more and more frequently replacing "good patient care decisions," people that know the difference are desperately needed. I am going into medicine fully aware that the financial forcast for future physicians is changing in many ways for the worse. I am going into medicine fully aware of the fact that I am leaving behind a comfortable life that would have left me with much more time for myself and my family. In spite of all of the drawbacks, I am going into medicine because I know I have the abilities and the disposition to become a competent and compassionate physician- and I know that medicine needs people who are motivated by the desire to do the right thing.

One day when you are making a substantial amount of money (I hope) you will realize that beyond meeting your basic needs and providing for the safety of your family, accumulation of wealth is an empty process. As brutal, thankless, and financially perilous as the path of a physician may be at times, the chance to take responsibilty for providing care for others in need and striving to improve the systems that provide that care is enough to sustain many people. If you do not understand people who choose service over wealth, you might at least respect the fact that other intelligent people can, and do, make that choice.
 
Hats off to all of you guys...I think there is going to be great turn-out of amazing physicians in the years to come, and I am excited to have all of you as future colleagues.

"True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess" - Louis Nizer
Click to expand...
 
Yes, I did read your response to atty. I don't disagree with what I believe you were trying to say....count the cost before you jump into this profession. Believe me, most of us probably have given great consideration to what this leap entails. The reasons for becoming a physician, for undertaking that arduous task, are complex and personal. Is it "just to help people"? Probably not...there are other factors and intangibles that I know I considered. Sure, there are other ways of helping people, just like there are other mountains out there besides Everest. You can go climb Elbert in Colorado and walk away with the knowedge that you climbed a mountain, or you can go climb Everest and walk away with the knowledge that you climbed THE mountain.

I can't speak for others, but I know that I came to the realization that one day all of this that I was working for may not be here (ie lost job, sickness, etc) and asked myself that at the end of the day what was it all worth? How did I help? Whom did I impact? Is the reason for living just to see how much "stuff " I can accumulate? Am I reaching my full potential as a person intellectually and spiritually? My point is that everyone has different reasons for dreaming this dream. Everyone is going to be motivated by different things.

___________________________
Rather than the warm satisfaction that comes from the occasional smooth-as-glass landing being the hallmark of a great day, I want to remember the relieved smile on someone's face or a look of gratitude in their eyes.
 
Originally posted by Enkindu

The honest truth is that anyone smart and tough enough to even make it through the med school application process could make a lot more money doing something else that requires a lot less work. You are correct when you point out that there are many allied health professions that provide the opportunity to practice with far fewer headaches than physicians face. The truth remains, however, that the ultimate responsibility for providing quality healthcare in this country still resides primarily with physicians. In a system where "good business decisions" are more and more frequently replacing "good patient care decisions," people that know the difference are desperately needed. I am going into medicine fully aware that the financial forcast for future physicians is changing in many ways for the worse. I am going into medicine fully aware of the fact that I am leaving behind a comfortable life that would have left me with much more time for myself and my family. In spite of all of the drawbacks, I am going into medicine because I know I have the abilities and the disposition to become a competent and compassionate physician- and I know that medicine needs people who are motivated by the desire to do the right thing.

One day when you are making a substantial amount of money (I hope) you will realize that beyond meeting your basic needs and providing for the safety of your family, accumulation of wealth is an empty process. As brutal, thankless, and financially perilous as the path of a physician may be at times, the chance to take responsibilty for providing care for others in need and striving to improve the systems that provide that care is enough to sustain many people. If you do not understand people who choose service over wealth, you might at least respect the fact that other intelligent people can, and do, make that choice.
Click to expand...

Wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully said!
 
You can count me in too, but in a bit of a round-about way. I was earning 6 figures in investment banking (post MBA) about 7 years ago, when I gave it up completely to stay at home with my first child. My kids are 6.5, 5 and 3 now, and I will not be going back into that industry for any amount of money (and yes I do have opportunities). When I left I was burnt-out emotionally and physically. It felt like all I did was "play the game" so that everyone would make $$. The money was nice for awhile, but it alone is not enough to sustain you when you get up in the morning and DREAD going to work because you are not fulfilled. I have taken my prereqs over the past 1.5 years, and have applied to meds for this fall - still waiting to hear. I will admit that my husband still earns 6 figures, so going back to school is not a significant hardship for us. I commend all of you who are doing this on your own.

Good luck to all you other non-traditionals out there. :clap:
 
yeah money sucks. I don't know how this country functions so well based on it. Money isn't enough inspiration to get me to do my best.
 
To be honest, I'm really surprised that people are willing to give up six figure salaries to pursue a career in medicine. It's not that "easy" to make six figures so I hope those that are leaving those types careers and are pursuing a career in medicine realize how much more difficult their life will be. Kudos to all of you who have made this choice.
 
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