How did you know you wanted to do Medicine?

[medschoolhopeful99]

Hey guys I'm in a crazy dilemma. Basically, I've grinded out all the premedical prerequisites and have a 3.91 science GPA, and I just recently took a practice MCAT as a baseline and scored a 505 (not great but I haven't studied for it yet at all) and I attend a top 30 university (US citizen). Here's the thing if I study for it I know I'll realistically cross 510, and I'n also doing a public health research project in Pakistan as well, which should look decent on an appliaction.

Long story short, I'm like REALLY passionate about medicine. I could read a whole medical journal about neuroradiology or neurology and be super interested all throughout, and I really enjoying this public health thesis I'm writing as well. But basically recently I started doing Computer Science classes for fun and realized I may as well graduate with a major in CS if I can. It's just useful for any field and so far I'm doing pretty well as I have an A in my CS classes this semester...

But basically, now it's got me thinking that like okay I may not enjoy Computer Science as much but if I do a CS degree and go into the industry I could make a lot more and have flexible hours as well in sunny California maybe too if I work hard enough. If I invest right I'd be able to make money and eventually maybe even start my own tech company which would be cool in my home country Pakistan...

But the dilemma is I'm like way way more passionate about medicine and now I'm in my junior year and I have absolutely no idea what to do... I'll be starting my life properly as a doctor in my mid thirties and I just don't know how smart of a financial decision it is, but I've come so far and I really do love it. So should I choose my passion? Or go for something more financially smart that I also like but not 1000% passionate about? I sure know that I will not program all my life if I did go the CS route and would def transition into something business related later on..

If anyone can give me advice during this time I'd be really greatful

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[M&L]

Hey guys I'm in a crazy dilemma. Basically, I've grinded out all the premedical prerequisites and have a 3.91 science GPA, and I just recently took a practice MCAT as a baseline and scored a 505 (not great but I haven't studied for it yet at all) and I attend a top 30 university (US citizen). Here's the thing if I study for it I know I'll realistically cross 510, and I'n also doing a public health research project in Pakistan as well, which should look decent on an appliaction.

Long story short, I'm like REALLY passionate about medicine. I could read a whole medical journal about neuroradiology or neurology and be super interested all throughout, and I really enjoying this public health thesis I'm writing as well. But basically recently I started doing Computer Science classes for fun and realized I may as well graduate with a major in CS if I can. It's just useful for any field and so far I'm doing pretty well as I have an A in my CS classes this semester...

But basically, now it's got me thinking that like okay I may not enjoy Computer Science as much but if I do a CS degree and go into the industry I could make a lot more and have flexible hours as well in sunny California maybe too if I work hard enough. If I invest right I'd be able to make money and eventually maybe even start my own tech company which would be cool in my home country Pakistan...

But the dilemma is I'm like way way more passionate about medicine and now I'm in my junior year and I have absolutely no idea what to do... I'll be starting my life properly as a doctor in my mid thirties and I just don't know how smart of a financial decision it is, but I've come so far and I really do love it. So should I choose my passion? Or go for something more financially smart that I also like but not 1000% passionate about? I sure know that I will not program all my life if I did go the CS route and would def transition into something business related later on..

If anyone can give me advice during this time I'd be really greatful

I am in my mid thirties and I’ll tell you - the most important thing is to do what your heart wants . Don’t worry about money , and everything else . It will come. But chose where your heart is . Life is too short .

 

[Orangekiwi]

Hey guys I'm in a crazy dilemma. Basically, I've grinded out all the premedical prerequisites and have a 3.91 science GPA, and I just recently took a practice MCAT as a baseline and scored a 505 (not great but I haven't studied for it yet at all) and I attend a top 30 university (US citizen). Here's the thing if I study for it I know I'll realistically cross 510, and I'n also doing a public health research project in Pakistan as well, which should look decent on an appliaction.

Long story short, I'm like REALLY passionate about medicine. I could read a whole medical journal about neuroradiology or neurology and be super interested all throughout, and I really enjoying this public health thesis I'm writing as well. But basically recently I started doing Computer Science classes for fun and realized I may as well graduate with a major in CS if I can. It's just useful for any field and so far I'm doing pretty well as I have an A in my CS classes this semester...

But basically, now it's got me thinking that like okay I may not enjoy Computer Science as much but if I do a CS degree and go into the industry I could make a lot more and have flexible hours as well in sunny California maybe too if I work hard enough. If I invest right I'd be able to make money and eventually maybe even start my own tech company which would be cool in my home country Pakistan...

But the dilemma is I'm like way way more passionate about medicine and now I'm in my junior year and I have absolutely no idea what to do... I'll be starting my life properly as a doctor in my mid thirties and I just don't know how smart of a financial decision it is, but I've come so far and I really do love it. So should I choose my passion? Or go for something more financially smart that I also like but not 1000% passionate about? I sure know that I will not program all my life if I did go the CS route and would def transition into something business related later on..

If anyone can give me advice during this time I'd be really greatful

It sounds to me like if you passed up on medicine you’d always have questions about “what if”. A lot of people will tell you only to go into medicine if you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else, and for a lot of people, myself included, that’s definitely the case but I think it should be expanded to people who would spend their lives regretting the choice not to go into medicine, which it sounds like you would. Do you have any experience shadowing? If so, how did you feel about it when you saw what a physicians actual day to day is like? If not, that’s something you absolutely have to do before you make a decision

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

I am in my mid thirties and I’ll tell you - the most important thing is to do what your heart wants . Don’t worry about money , and everything else . It will come. But chose where your heart is . Life is too short .

You're right hahaha thats what I tell myself too, that money will come but truth be told for me it would be most fulfilling to practice in Pakistan because I feel I could help more people there, but then I worry that I will not make much money there and I still would want a good lifestyle after working that hard. But you're right if I did anything else, knowing myself I would always go through life thinking "what-if" unless I became wildly successful in tech hahah

 

[medschoolhopeful99]

It sounds to me like if you passed up on medicine you’d always have questions about “what if”. A lot of people will tell you only to go into medicine if you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else, and for a lot of people, myself included, that’s definitely the case but I think it should be expanded to people who would spend their lives regretting the choice not to go into medicine, which it sounds like you would. Do you have any experience shadowing? If so, how did you feel about it when you saw what a physicians actual day to day is like? If not, that’s something you absolutely have to do before you make a decision

Yes you put the nail on the head! I would always have that what if situation! And yes I have some experience shadowing now this semester actually and I've spent some time in Pakistani clinics for my research project (not extensive yet but the bulk of the research will happen this winter break), and I have enjoyed it. But the last doctor I shadowed told me that I really shouldn't do medicine like you said if I have interests in CS because I wouldn't be able to endure medical school and residency working that hard knowing in the back of my head I could've been happy doing something else and be less stressed... thats what really made me think. I absolutely need to shadow more and maybe when I do more I'll have a better sense, so that's really good advice. I'll try to do more of it, thank you! But in you're opinion it's okay if I have other interests that I wouldve be happy doing while in Medical School?

I also fear I won't be able to handle medical school and residency sometimes, and that causes me anxiety too... basically I'm an anxious wreck haha, it helps me through school because I always want to get top grades cuz of it but also makes me really indecisive!

 

[LunaOri]

If you go into medicine, it is definitely possible to practice in the US and also travel to Pakistan to volunteer on a regular basis.

 

[Unlucky Asian]

I feel like you could pick up CS on your own without a degree if you wanted to. I know a few guys who honed their craft and ended up landing big tech jobs without a college degree. So it's not like you have to sacrifice medicine if you want to do some CS

 

[Dr.K124]

Hey guys I'm in a crazy dilemma. Basically, I've grinded out all the premedical prerequisites and have a 3.91 science GPA, and I just recently took a practice MCAT as a baseline and scored a 505 (not great but I haven't studied for it yet at all) and I attend a top 30 university (US citizen). Here's the thing if I study for it I know I'll realistically cross 510, and I'n also doing a public health research project in Pakistan as well, which should look decent on an appliaction.

Long story short, I'm like REALLY passionate about medicine. I could read a whole medical journal about neuroradiology or neurology and be super interested all throughout, and I really enjoying this public health thesis I'm writing as well. But basically recently I started doing Computer Science classes for fun and realized I may as well graduate with a major in CS if I can. It's just useful for any field and so far I'm doing pretty well as I have an A in my CS classes this semester...

But basically, now it's got me thinking that like okay I may not enjoy Computer Science as much but if I do a CS degree and go into the industry I could make a lot more and have flexible hours as well in sunny California maybe too if I work hard enough. If I invest right I'd be able to make money and eventually maybe even start my own tech company which would be cool in my home country Pakistan...

But the dilemma is I'm like way way more passionate about medicine and now I'm in my junior year and I have absolutely no idea what to do... I'll be starting my life properly as a doctor in my mid thirties and I just don't know how smart of a financial decision it is, but I've come so far and I really do love it. So should I choose my passion? Or go for something more financially smart that I also like but not 1000% passionate about? I sure know that I will not program all my life if I did go the CS route and would def transition into something business related later on..

If anyone can give me advice during this time I'd be really greatful

Shadow a physician. Watch some realistic documentaries like Lenox Hill (which showcase the bad and the good).

It is true that medicine is a lot of sacrifice and a lot more time, but man does it reward you...

Computer Science does not make more money except in very extreme circumstances, and even in those extreme circumstances (Silicon Valley) the cost of living makes their effective income much lower than people realize. CS also doesn't have nearly as good of a lifestyle as some people tend to think. There is a lot of crunching, a lot of coding in your off-time... it's not as bad as something like residency, but most of the time it's not 40 hours a week, especially in software engineering. The average coder is likely to make $65k-$120k throughout their life. A great coder? $80k-$150k. A top 1% coder? $100k-$300k(silicon valley, where the cost of living makes that $300k more like $180k). There are obvious exceptions with the occasional person making 7 figures or high 6 figures, but that's quite literally the top 0.01% statistically.

But money is obviously not the most important thing. Not even close. Your passion is. I agree with the other comments about regret.

 

[QuizzicalApe]

I watched a MASH marathon when I was sick in high school on TV land or something and was like "oh, yeah, doctor is a career option". I liked the idea so I became a premed. Kept looking into it and did some clinical volunteering and decided it seemed pretty neat.

More importantly, I then proceeded to lie about that on all my applications and interviews because it seemed trivial, with the exception of interviews I went on after I already got an acceptance because who cares

 

[deleted1075353]

don't worry about the money. you sound like a smart kid so you will not be hungry. this is obviously just my personal opinion, but i am an older nontrad and had a finance career before premed. pretty much everyone i know who is pursuing money is very unhappy and that includes a ton of doctors too. you gotta really think about which one you like more (cs or med) and STICK WITH IT. Because otherwise every time you have a difficult moment you're going to question yourself and dream about the other career. i really empathize with you bc i have a lot of disparate interests in life but alas, you can't do it all.

 

[deleted889094]

How much shadowing have you done?

Like, what makes you say you're passionate about medicine?

 

[stickgirl390]

I am mostly reinforcing what’s already been said here: always choose what makes you happy, but make sure medicine is truly your passion by shadowing. Being interested in medical literature is not the same as being a clinician and working with the public. Most patients judge their doctor’s ability by their rapport and bedside manner, rather than medical knowledge. I’m also in my 30s, and changed my career 3 times before settling in medicine (4th career now); you have to do what makes you happy. Nothing else matters in the long run.