Help wanted! Please advise.

[suritta]

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I am a computer Science geek in my mid 30's. I am looking for career change - total maybe. I have heard of several non-traditional medical students who have no pre-med background, left their full-time job and become doctors. I was very much inclined to become a doctor, but due to family and financial reasons I could not step into that field. But I really love this field. Even though I have full time job and it pays me, lets say decent amt of money for survival, I realise how how important it is to do the work that you love and not do something to just survive. I feel like a zombie working everyday to just maintain a decent life.

I need help in understanding that if I decide to go to med school now what are challenges that I will face to become a doctor. Can anyone help me answering those not so obvious questions? I am very confused because I am unable to select between 3 fields - MBA, Medical and dentistry.
Which one should I take and what are the financial as well as personal pros and cons for each one of them?
Which one will pay offs the most in terms of passion and money?
If this is not the right forum please direct me to the correct one.

 

[QofQuimica]

I am a computer Science geek in my mid 30's. I am looking for career change - total maybe. I have heard of several non-traditional medical students who have no pre-med background, left their full-time job and become doctors. I was very much inclined to become a doctor, but due to family and financial reasons I could not step into that field. But I really love this field. Even though I have full time job and it pays me, lets say decent amt of money for survival, I realise how how important it is to do the work that you love and not do something to just survive. I feel like a zombie working everyday to just maintain a decent life.

I need help in understanding that if I decide to go to med school now what are challenges that I will face to become a doctor. Can anyone help me answering those not so obvious questions? I am very confused because I am unable to select between 3 fields - MBA, Medical and dentistry.
Which one should I take and what are the financial as well as personal pros and cons for each one of them?
Which one will pay offs the most in terms of passion and money?
If this is not the right forum please direct me to the correct one.

I think you'll get a better response in the non-trad forum, so I'm going to go ahead and move your thread there. 🙂

 

[blee]

I was an IT consultant for five years before I quit my job and set my sights on medical school.

I don't think anyone can answer your questions better than yourself. Passion is a very personal thing; I know many people who were perfectly happy with their careers at my former company, and I also know quite a few disgruntled physicians. (I don't know many dentists, but I'm sure there are some who don't like their jobs either.) Everyone is not passionate about the same things.

As far as medicine goes, I suggest you find a way to expose yourself more to the profession. The classic way is to volunteer at a hospital or clinic; other ways include shadowing a physician, finding an entry-level position in healthcare, etc. Admissions committees will actually expect that you have done something of this nature so that you have an idea of what you're getting into.

I'd be happy to answer any more specific questions you may have. In general, I can tell you that I've sacrificed more than I expected, and I'm sure there's more on the horizon. But I wouldn't go back to my cubicle for all the money in the world.

 

[Law2Doc]

I am a computer Science geek in my mid 30's. I am looking for career change - total maybe. I have heard of several non-traditional medical students who have no pre-med background, left their full-time job and become doctors. I was very much inclined to become a doctor, but due to family and financial reasons I could not step into that field. But I really love this field. Even though I have full time job and it pays me, lets say decent amt of money for survival, I realise how how important it is to do the work that you love and not do something to just survive. I feel like a zombie working everyday to just maintain a decent life.

I need help in understanding that if I decide to go to med school now what are challenges that I will face to become a doctor. Can anyone help me answering those not so obvious questions? I am very confused because I am unable to select between 3 fields - MBA, Medical and dentistry.
Which one should I take and what are the financial as well as personal pros and cons for each one of them?
Which one will pay offs the most in terms of passion and money?
If this is not the right forum please direct me to the correct one.

First, MBA is not "a field". It is actually not a professional degree (unlike the others). It is a graduate degree that can enhance employment options in a variety of concentrations (specifically finance, accounting, economics, consulting, management and marketing -- I'm probably forgetting one). Second, it is impossible for anyone to define for you what would "pay off" in terms of passion -- either you have a passion for a field or you don't. The way to figure this out is to do some volunteering/shadowing in any fields you think might be interesting and see what it's all about. No one can tell you what career is going to be most enjoyable to you -- you have to figure it out yourself after seeing as much as you can, and talking to many people in the actual field about what they do each day.
Finally, in terms of the money, (because your question mentions money and finances frequently and asks what pays the most financially,) it seems you may not have learned the lesson of your prior job -- if you don't care about what you are doing, decent money simply isn't going to help. Life is too long to spend all your working hours doing something you don't enjoy, at any price. Folks with all the degrees you mentioned tend to do adequately. Medicine is too many years of school and training to be done "just for the money" though. Dentistry is a bit better in terms of pay per hour after you are done, and you will be earning sooner, but again, you have to want to be a dentist. The MBA is not a profession, and folks with MBAs can have that degree in a variety of concentrations and end up working in a variety of fields. MBAs working in certain fields can make far more sooner, but are much less recession-proof and may be hired/fired based on the laws of supply and demand. And again, you can end up being a highly paid zombie not enjoying what you do. Figure that out, and everything will fall into place.

 

[ER_DO2B]

I am a computer Science geek in my mid 30's. I am looking for career change - total maybe. I have heard of several non-traditional medical students who have no pre-med background, left their full-time job and become doctors. I was very much inclined to become a doctor, but due to family and financial reasons I could not step into that field. But I really love this field. Even though I have full time job and it pays me, lets say decent amt of money for survival, I realise how how important it is to do the work that you love and not do something to just survive. I feel like a zombie working everyday to just maintain a decent life.

I need help in understanding that if I decide to go to med school now what are challenges that I will face to become a doctor. Can anyone help me answering those not so obvious questions? I am very confused because I am unable to select between 3 fields - MBA, Medical and dentistry.
Which one should I take and what are the financial as well as personal pros and cons for each one of them?
Which one will pay offs the most in terms of passion and money?
If this is not the right forum please direct me to the correct one.

I have an MBA and will be starting medical school this fall. I have worked in corporate finance for the last 13 years and have earned incomes in excess of $90k/year which is more than enough to live on; however, one small problem... I absolutely hated my job! Now, I am going from a stable income to little to no income for the next 7 to 8 years to pursue a field that I have always had a passion for.

Your posting mentions the money in medicine; which I am sure is there (not to the extent it used to be); however, there is simply too much involved with getting into the field to enter it for money. You can start by looking at the requirements of you before you even apply to medical school. You will need to take several science courses including chemistry, physics, biology and organic chemistry. You will also spend countless hours studying for/worrying about the MCAT. Once that is done, you will spend a great deal of time with the different application services, chasing down letters of recommendation and writing/re-writing your personal statements, convincing an admissions committee that you are committed to the field and will be a great fit for their school.

Graduate school on the other hand is much less involved. You take the GMAT, apply and attend. The best way to be recession proof is make yourself so invaluable to the company, that they cant let you go. I have survived mergers, bankruptices, downsizing and so on, but just do not enjoy what I do, as I feel like I am not making a difference.

Bottom line is, you need to follow your heart and do what you think is right. I will tell you though, that completing an MBA is much less involved than prepping for medical school, let alone making it though med school and residency with little to no money to live on.

 

[wook]

I was an IT consultant for five years before I quit my job and set my sights on medical school.

I don't think anyone can answer your questions better than yourself. Passion is a very personal thing; I know many people who were perfectly happy with their careers at my former company, and I also know quite a few disgruntled physicians. (I don't know many dentists, but I'm sure there are some who don't like their jobs either.) Everyone is not passionate about the same things.

As far as medicine goes, I suggest you find a way to expose yourself more to the profession. The classic way is to volunteer at a hospital or clinic; other ways include shadowing a physician, finding an entry-level position in healthcare, etc. Admissions committees will actually expect that you have done something of this nature so that you have an idea of what you're getting into.

I'd be happy to answer any more specific questions you may have. In general, I can tell you that I've sacrificed more than I expected, and I'm sure there's more on the horizon. But I wouldn't go back to my cubicle for all the money in the world.

Strongly agree with this post. Only YOU can determine what you feel passionate about. If you are thinking medicine because of salary, it is the WRONG field. I would have made more consulting in software, that I will ever make in medicine (never mind if you include lost salary for school, school loans, etc.). Choose a field you LOVE, money should be WAY down on the the list of reasons for a career.

Wook

 

[Gatewayhoward]

One way to know medicine fits you is if you see all the challenges that most people complain and stress about, and see it all as an adventure.
Personally, you also have to be(or learn to be) a leader and a people person. Many academics get into this field but don't have what it takes to lead and connect with people.